PROPER-AND-CARE-MAINTENANCE-OF-TOOLS-AND-EQUIPMENT_module.pdf

PROPER AND CARE MAINTENANCE OF TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT If you take care of your tools, they will return the favor. Proper care and routine maintenance of your hand tools and power tools makes any home improvement or repair project easier, safer and more successful. Proper tool care also saves yo...

PROPER AND CARE MAINTENANCE OF TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT If you take care of your tools, they will return the favor. Proper care and routine maintenance of your hand tools and power tools makes any home improvement or repair project easier, safer and more successful. Proper tool care also saves you money because the better they’re cared for, the longer they’ll last. HAND TOOLS Hand tools such as screwdrivers, wrenches, hammers, pliers, levels, and wire cutters are examples of common household tools that are often left out in places such as basements, garages and tool sheds. Tools are tough, but they are not indestructible and exposure to the elements can take its toll. Below are some tips on how to take care of your tools and store them properly so that you get optimum use out of them. 1. Make it a habit to clean tools after each use before you return them to storage. Wipe them down with a rag or old towel and be sure they are free of dust, grease and debris before you put them into their proper places. This is also an opportunity to look for any damage or defects. Check your tools' handles for splinters, breaks and cracks. Also, make sure that metal parts show no signs of corrosion or rust. Repair or replace any tools that show signs of damage. 2. Cold chisels, log-splitting wedges and other striking tools can be very dangerous if they are not maintained properly. Because these types of tools are used for repeated striking, the surface of the metal head eventually mushrooms out and spreads to form a lip or ridge around the edge. With continued use, there is more spreading and the metal lip may continue to thin, split or curl until it finally breaks. If the metal head separates from the handle while in use, this could result in a dangerous projectile. To prevent this hazard, just grind off the metal edges with a powered grinder on a regular basis. POWER TOOLS Power tools such as electric drills, saws, sanders and nailers need routine maintenance just like your hand tools. Because of their mechanical and electrical parts, power tools are more susceptible to problems caused by poor maintenance, dust and debris accumulation and general malfunction. The following are some helpful tips on how to clean and properly store your tools. 1. Keep Power Tools Clean Dust and grime can bring your power tools to a grinding halt if left unchecked over time. Wipe them clean with a rag after every job has been completed and then store them. Deep clean periodically by using a damp cloth. Get into  exhausts and intakes and other hard-to-clean areas with lightly oiled cotton swabs or other slender tools. Keep your power tools protected from dust, moisture and other adverse conditions by storing them properly after use. Keep them in their original cases if possible, or tuck them away in storage drawers or tool chests, preferably in a garage or basement with a moderately controlled climate. This not only protects them, it also keeps them organized so you can easily find the tool you need when you need it. Inspect for Wear or Damage Periodically inspect power tools for any signs of wear or damage. Pay special attention to power cords. If you see frayed insulation or exposed wires, have the cord repaired or replaced immediately by a professional, unless you have the expertise to do it yourself. Damaged power cords can potentially lead to injury from electric shock or can cause a fire. Also, check the cord’s prongs to see if they are bent or loose. If any are, repair or replace. 2. Inspect for Wear or Damage Periodically inspect power tools for any signs of wear or damage. Pay special attention to power cords. If you see frayed insulation or exposed wires, have the cord repaired or replaced immediately by a professional, unless you have the expertise to do it yourself. Damaged power cords can potentially lead to injury from electric shock or can cause a fire. Also, check the cord’s prongs to see if they are bent or loose. If any are, repair or replace. 3. Lubricate Moving Parts Keep moving parts lubricated for premium performance. Not only does it keep the mechanics of a tool running smoothly, it also decreases the chance of rust developing. While common machine oil is a good choice, consult your owner’s manual to see if the manufacturer recommends or requires a specific type of oil. 4. Keep Batteries in Shape Cordless, battery-powered tools are convenient and portable and have become very popular for contractors and homeowners alike. To keep them running efficiently and effectively, it is essential for their batteries to be maintained. Batteries remain working at peak level by fully charging and then fully discharging their power once every couple of weeks. Don’t let batteries sit unused for extended periods of time. Try to use batteries once every two weeks. Care for batteries by cleaning contacts with cotton swabs and alcohol. Store batteries you won’t be using for a while in a dry, clean place away from excessive heat. TYPES OF METAL AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS Metals are some of the most widely used materials on the planet, as well as being one of the most extracted. Each metal that is extracted has different properties, and it is important to understand these so that you know if you are using that type of metal in the right application – and so that you know which ones to recycle and which ones you should scrap. We love everything metal related, which is why we’ve come up with the most common metals that are used every day and the properties that they exhibit. IRON ✓ In terms of mass, iron is the most abundant element on Earth, since it is found in the Earth’s surface and core. On the surface, it is the fourth most abundant element, meaning that is incredibly common to find underground, such as in quarries and various mines. Iron is also one of the metals recycled in the UK. ✓ Pure iron is incredibly difficult to find since iron reacts with oxygen very easily and results in iron oxides, one of which is commonly referred to as rust. After further refining, the desired iron is extracted and can then be used with accompanying carbon to create steel and other important metals. COPPER ✓ is notorious for its color and its chemical properties. It can be found as an uncombined form, also known as native copper, from copper sulphides, such as chalcocite, copper carbonates, such as malachite and azurite, and the copper oxide mineral cuprite. ALUMINUM ✓ is a soft, ductile metal that has a distinct bright silver color to it. In terms of mass, it is the third most abundant element on the Earth’s surface making it more common than iron. The issue with natural aluminum is that it is extremely reactive, meaning that natural aluminum is extremely hard to find, which is why it is commonly found in minerals of all shapes and sizes; the most common of which is known as bauxite. ✓ The most important features of aluminum are that it has a very low density, meaning that it is incredibly light, and it has a very high resistance to corrosion through a process known as passivation; when the aluminum is exposed to oxygen, it creates a microscopic film that coats it, which prevents any further corrosion. STEEL ✓ This is hands down the most common metal in the modern world. ✓ Steel, by definition, is simply iron (the element) mixed with carbon. This ratio is usually around 99% iron and 1% carbon, although that ratio can vary a bit. MAGNESIUM Magnesium is a really cool metal. It’s about 2/3rds the weight of aluminum, and it has comparable strength. It’s becoming more and more common because of this. Mostly commonly, you’ll see this as an alloy. That means that it’s mixed with other metals and elements to make a hybrid material with specific properties. This can also make it easier to use for manufacturing processes. One of the most popular applications of magnesium is in the automotive industry. Magnesium is considered a step up from aluminum when it comes to high strength weight reduction, and it’s not astronomically more expensive. Some places where you’ll see magnesium on a performance car is in the wheel rims, engine blocks, and transmission cases. There are disadvantages to magnesium, though. Compared to aluminum, it will corrode more easily. For example, it will corrode when in contact with water, where aluminum will not. Overall it’s about double the price of aluminum, but it’s generally faster to deal with in manufacturing. BRASS Brass is actually an alloy of copper and zinc. The resulting yellow metal is really useful for a number of reasons. Its goldish color makes it really popular for decorations. It’s common to see this metal used in antique furniture as handles and knobs. It’s also extremely malleable, meaning that it can be hammered out and formed. This is why it’s what’s used for brass instruments like tubas, trumpets and trombones. They’re easy to hammer into shape (relatively speaking) and they’re durable. Brass is also a great material for bearings, since it slides well against other metals. BRONZE This is made primarily with copper, but it also contains around 12% tin. The result is a metal that’s harder and tougher than plain copper. Bronze can be an alloy with other elements, too. For example, aluminum, nickel, zinc and manganese are common alloying elements. Each of these can very noticeably change the metal.  Bronze has massive historical significance (like in the Bronze Age) and is easy to pick out. One common place to see it is in massive church bells. Bronze is tough and strong, so it doesn’t crack or bend like other metals when it’s being rung. It also sounds better. Modern uses include sculptures and art, springs and bearings, as well as guitar strings. ZINC This is an interesting metal because of how useful it is. On its own, it has a pretty low melting point which makes it very easy to cast. The material flows easily when melted and the resulting pieces are relatively strong. It’s also very easy to melt it back down to recycle it. Zinc is a really common metal that’s used in coatings to protect other metals. For example, it’s common to see galvanized steel, which is basically just steel dipped in zinc. This will help to prevent rusting. TITANIUM This is a really amazing modern metal. It was first discovered in 1791, first created in its pure form in 1910, and first made outside of a laboratory in 1932. Titanium is actually really common (the 7th most abundant metal on Earth), but it’s really hard to refine. This is why this metal is so expensive. It’s also really worthwhile: Titanium is biocompatible, meaning that your body won’t fight and reject it. Medical implants are commonly made from titanium. Its strength to weight ratio is higher than any other metal. This makes it extremely valuable for anything that flies. It’s really corrosion resistant Titanium nitride (titanium that’s reacted with nitrogen in a high energy vacuum) is an insanely hard and low-friction coating that’s applied to metal cutting tools. TUNGSTEN Tungsten has the highest melting point and the highest tensile strength of any of the pure metals. This makes it extremely useful. About half of all tungsten is used to make tungsten carbide. This is an insanely hard material that’s used for cutting tools (for mining and metalworking), abrasives, and heavy equipment. It can easily cut titanium and high-temperature superalloys. It gets its name from the Swedish words “tung sten“, which mean “heavy stone”. It’s about 1.7 times the density of lead.  Tungsten is also a popular alloying element. Since its melting point is so high, it’s often alloyed with other elements to make things like rocket nozzles that have to be able to handle extreme temperatures. NICKEL Nickel is a really common element that’s used all over. Its most common application is in making stainless steels, where it boosts the metal’s strength and corrosion resistance. Actually, almost 70% of the world’s nickel is used to make stainless steel. Interestingly, nickel only makes up 25% of the composition of the five cent American coin. Nickel is also a common metal to use for plating and alloying. It can be used to coat lab and chemistry equipment, as well as anything that needs to have a really smooth, polished surface. COBALT This is a metal that has been used for a long time to make blue pigment in paints and dyes. Today, it’s primarily used in making wear-resistant, high-strength steel alloys. Cobalt is very rarely mined by itself, it’s actually a by-product of the production of copper and nickel. TIN Tin is really soft and malleable. It’s used as an alloying element to make things like bronze (1/8th tin and 7/8ths copper). It’s also the primary ingredient in pewter (85-99%). LEAD Lead is really soft and malleable, and it’s also very dense and heavy. It’s got a really low melting point, too. In the 1800s it was discovered that lead is actually pretty toxic stuff. That’s why it’s not so common in modern times, although it wasn’t all that long ago that it was still found in things like paints and bullets. Lead is a neurotoxin that can cause brain damage and behavioral problems, among other things. That said, it still does have modern uses. For example, it’s great for radiation shielding. It’s also occasionally added to copper alloys to make them easier to cut. The copper-lead mix is often used to improve the performance of bearings SILICON Technically speaking, silicon is a metalloid. This means that it has both metallic and non-metallic qualities. For example, it looks like a metal. It’s solid, shiny, bendable, and has a high melting point. However, it does a terrible job of conducting electricity. This is partly why it’s not considered a full metal. Even still, it’s a common element to find in metals. Using it for alloying can change the metal’s properties quite a bit. For example, adding silicon to aluminum makes it easier to weld. PRINCIPLE AND TECHNIQUES OF JOINING SHEET METAL The crafting or constructing of some metal projects requires the need to join two or more pieces of metal. The methods of joining metals can be broadly divided into mechanical joining and metallurgical joining. ✓ Mechanical joining - includes bolting, riveting, caulking, shrink fitting, and folding, all of which join workpieces by using mechanical energy. ✓ Metallurgical joining - includes fusion welding, pressure welding and brazing/soldering which use different energies. MECHANICAL JOINING Mechanical energy 1. RIVETING A rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed, a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite to the head is called the tail. On installation, the rivet is placed in a punched or drilled hole, and the tail is upset, or bucked (i.e., deformed), so that it expands to about 1.5 times the original shaft diameter, holding the rivet in place. In other words, the pounding or pulling creates a new "head" on the other end by smashing the "tail" material flatter, resulting in a rivet that is roughly a dumbbell shape. To distinguish between the two ends of the rivet, the original head is called the factory head and the deformed end is called the shop head or buck- tail. 2. CAULKING Caulk or (less frequently) caulking is a material used to seal joints or seams against leakage in various structures and piping. Caulks typically are associated with filling gaps that do not experience much expansion or contraction, and are used to prepare for painting. They are rigid and inflexible. In metal construction, caulks are used on the interior filling gaps between drywall, windows and trim, or casework before paint is applied. Modern caulking compounds are flexible sealing compounds used to close up gaps in buildings and other structures against water, air, dust, insects, or as a component in fire stopping. In the tunnelling industry, caulking is the sealing of joints in segmental precast concrete tunnels, commonly by using concrete.  3. BOLTED JOINTS Bolted joints are one of the most common elements in construction and machine design. They consist of fasteners that capture and join other parts, and are secured with the mating of screw threads. 4. SHRINK FITTING Shrink-fitting is a technique in which an interference fit is achieved by a relative size change after assembly. This is usually achieved by heating or cooling one component before assembly and allowing it to return to the ambient temperature after assembly, employing the phenomenon of thermal expansion to make a joint.  5. FOLDING Folding or bending metals is a forming process. In which there is no separation of material by performing a plastic deformation to give shape around a certain angle to a sheet. It is a forming or pre-forming operation within the forming processes carried out in the machining of parts. These metal forming processes comprise a broad group of manufacturing processes, in which plastic deformation is used to change the shapes of metal parts There are several methods for sheet metal forming using one or more machines depending on the part and shape you want to obtain. The most commonly used machines in sheet metal forming for the bending process are the bending machine and the hydraulic press METALLURGICAL JOINING Fusion Welding Electrical Energy 1. ARC WELDING Arc welding is a welding process that is used to join metal to metal by using electricity to create enough heat to melt metal, and the melted metals when cool result in a binding of the metals. It is a type of welding that uses a welding power supply to create an electric arc between a metal stick ("electrode") and the base material to melt the metals at the point of contact. Arc welders can use either direct (DC) or alternating (AC) current, and consumable or non-consumable electrodes. 2. ELECTRON BEAM WELDING Electron-beam welding (EBW) is a fusion welding process in which a beam of high- velocity electrons is applied to two materials to be joined. The workpieces melt and flow together as the kinetic energy of the electrons is transformed into heat upon impact. EBW is often performed under vacuum conditions to prevent dissipation of the electron beam. Chemical energy 1. GAS WELDING  Oxy-fuel welding (commonly called oxyacetylene welding, oxy welding, or gas welding in the United States) and oxy-fuel cutting are processes that use fuel gases (or liquid fuels such as gasoline) and oxygen to weld or cut metals. Light energy 1. LASER WELDING Laser beam welding (LBW) is a welding technique used to join pieces of metal or thermoplastics through the use of a laser. The beam provides a concentrated heat source, allowing for narrow, deep welds and high welding rates. The process is frequently used in high volume applications using automation, as in the automotive industry. It is based on keyhole or penetration mode welding. Pressure welding Electrical energy Resistance welding: 1.RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING  Spot welding (or resistance spot welding) is a type of electric resistance welding used to weld various sheet metal products, through a process in which contacting metal surface points are joined by the heat obtained from resistance to electric current. 2. PROJECTION WELDING Projection welding is a resistance weld where the design or shape of the part is used to make discreet individual point contacts to concentrate the current during the welding process. In most applications multiple small projections are formed on one surface of the parts to be welded. These projections can be round dimples, elongated ridges, circular, or the extended corners of weld nuts. 3. SEAM WELDING Seam welding is the process of joining two similar or dissimilar materials at the seam by the use of electric current and pressure. The process is mostly used on metals since they conduct electricity easily and can sustain relatively high pressures.  4. UPSET WELDING Upset welding (UW)/resistance butt welding is a welding technique that produces coalescence simultaneously over the entire area of abutting surfaces or progressively along a joint, by the heat obtained from resistance to electric current through the area where those surfaces are in contact. 5. FLASH WELDING Flash welding is a type of resistance welding that does not use any filler metals. The pieces of metal to be welded are set apart at a predetermined distance based on material thickness, material composition, and desired properties of the finished weld. Current is applied to the metal, and the gap between the two pieces creates resistance and produces the arc required to melt the metal. Once the pieces of metal reach the proper temperature, they are pressed together, effectively forge welding them together. Chemical energy EXPLOSION WELDING Explosion welding (EXW) is a solid state (solid-phase) process where welding is accomplished by accelerating one of the components at extremely high velocity through the use of chemical explosives. This process is most commonly utilized to clad carbon steel plate with a thin layer of corrosion resistant material (e.g., stainless steel, nickel alloy, titanium, or zirconium). Due to the nature of this process, producible geometries are very limited. Typical geometries produced include plates, tubing and tube sheets. Mechanical energy 1. COLD PRESSURE WELDING Cold pressure welding is a form of solid phase welding, which is unique because it is carried out at ambient temperatures. (Other forms of solid phase welding are conducted at elevated temperatures, but although these temperatures are high, the material is not molten, merely more ductile.) 2. FRICTION WELDING Friction welding (FRW) is a solid-state welding process that generates heat through mechanical friction between workpieces in relative motion to one another, with the addition of a lateral force called "upset" to plastically displace and fuse the materials. Friction welding is used with metals and thermoplastics in a wide variety of aviation and automotive applications. Friction welding has also been shown to work on wood.  3. FRICTION STIR WELDING (FSW) Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid-state joining process that uses a non- consumable tool to join two facing workpieces without melting the workpiece material. Heat is generated by friction between the rotating tool and the workpiece material, which leads to a softened region near the FSW tool. 4. ULTRASONIC WELDING Ultrasonic welding is an industrial process whereby high-frequency ultrasonic acoustic vibrations are locally applied to workpieces being held together under pressure to create a solid-state weld. It is commonly used for plastics and metals, and especially for joining dissimilar materials. In ultrasonic welding, there are no connective bolts, nails, soldering materials, or adhesives necessary to bind the materials together. When applied to metals, a notable characteristic of this method is that the temperature stays well below the melting point of the involved materials thus preventing any unwanted properties which may arise from high temperature exposure of the materials. 5. DIFFUSION WELDING  Diffusion bonding or diffusion welding is a solid-state welding technique used in metalworking, capable of joining similar and dissimilar metals. It operates on the principle of solid-state diffusion, wherein the atoms of two solid, metallic surfaces intersperse themselves over time. This is typically accomplished at an elevated temperature, approximately 50-75% of the absolute melting temperature of the materials. Diffusion bonding is usually implemented by applying high pressure, in conjunction with necessarily high temperature, to the materials to be welded; the technique is most commonly used to weld "sandwiches" of alternating layers of thin metal foil, and metal wires or filaments. Brazing/soldering Electrical energy 1. INDUCTION HEATING BRAZING (SOFT BRAZING = SOLDERING) Induction brazing is a process in which two or more materials are joined together by a filler metal that has a lower melting point than the base materials using induction heating. In induction heating, usually ferrous materials are heated rapidly from the electromagnetic field that is created by the alternating current from an induction coil. Chemical energy 1. TORCH BRAZING (FLAME BRAZING) Manual torch brazing is a procedure where the heat is applied using a gas flame placed on or near the joint being brazed.... Torch brazing of copper can be done without the use of flux if it is brazed with a torch using oxygen and hydrogen gas, rather than oxygen and other flammable gases. Light energy 1. LASER BRAZING is a joining process for sheet metals where the filler material with low melting point is melted with laser beam while the base material with higher melting point does not melt. In laser brazing the working temperature is above 450 °C while another process is laser soldering, where the working temperature is below 450 °C. Laser soldering is used especially in electronics industry in soldering the circuit boards. SEAM There are also several techniques in doing this through the use of seams. Seams are used to join two pieces of metals to meet the requirements of a project. Among the common metal seams used are: 1. Butt seam. This is the simplest form of seam made by butting together the edges of metals. The metal should be cut carefully so that the edges will join accurately with a tight-fitting seam edge. If the piece is rectangular or cylindrical in shape, file the two edges at the same time by moving the piece back and forth across the face of a file that has been locked in a vice. Since most butt seams are fastened permanently by soldering, it is a good idea to file a slight V-joint to enable the solder to run freely along the seam. 2. Locked or dovetail joint. This is used in metalcraft work because it gives unusual strength and looks inconspicuous. To do this, on one edge of the joint, divide the length into equal sections about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. Mark back from the edge a distance equal to the width of the section. Layout squares alternately and cut one square after the other. On the other edge, mark the laps in the same manner in order that the edges will lock together. The seam is improved by laying out the laps in dovetail fashion. With a tin snip, cut out the laps of the seam on either side that are to be removed. Use a file to finish the joint so that it will fit perfectly. The seam is usually soldered on the side to make it permanent. 3. Lap seam. This is made by lapping one edge of metal over the other and riveting or soldering it. The most common kind is the plain lap. If the two metal surfaces are to be made smooth, a countersunk or offset lap is made. An inside or outside corner lap may be used on the corner of sheet metal projects.  4. The double seam. This is used to join the bottom of the sides of rectangular or circular containers. The double seam can also be used in making corner joints on a rectangular container. 5. Folded or grooved seam. This consists of two folded edges that are hooked together. In a grooved seam, the folded edges are locked together. Note that there are three thicknesses of metal above the joined sheets. Hand Groover Hand Groovers and a hammer are used to lock a grooved seam. Hand groovers vary in size from Number 0 to 8. The common sizes are Number 0 with a 3/8 inch groove, Number 2 with a 5/16 inch groove, and Number 4 with a 7/32 inch groove. The groover should be wider than the width of the finished seam. Number 2, for example, is made to lock at a 1/4 inch seam. In making this seam, it is necessary to allow extra material by adding an amount equal to three times the width of the seam. Usually half the amount of stock needed is allowed on either side of the seam during layout. For example if a 1/8 inch folded or groove seam is to be made, 3/8 inch of extra stock must be allowed with 3/16 inch added as an allowance of the two pieces to be joined. The fold on either edge of the seam is made in the same manner as in making a hem. However, do not close the fold completely. In making a seam on a continuous piece such as a cylinder, the edge must be folded in the opposite way on each end. Join the two edges together by placing the seam over a solid backing. Close the joint by striking it with a wooden mallet If the grooved seam is to be made, select a hand seamer that is a groove equal to the width of the seam. Place the grooved directly over the seam and strike it with a hammer until the two edges are flushed. Move the hand groover along the seams to make it water-tight. The following are the steps in making a folded or grooved seam: 1. Determine the width of the seam and allow extra material equal to three times the seam width. For example, if it is a 1/8 inch seam, allow 3/8 inch extra. Sometimes additional material allowed for the rise in the seam, especially if the metal is heavier than 22 gauge. This amount should be about one and a half times the thickness of the metal. 2. Fold the edges by hand or in a bar folder. The metal should be bent as in making an open hem. When using a bar folder, adjust the machine to the seam to be made on one continuous piece, such as a cylinder. Remember to fold the ends in opposite directions.  3. If the project is to be of some particular shape like cylindrical or rectangular, form it at this point. 4. Place the metal over a solid backing, such as a stake if it is circular, or over a flat metal table if the pieces is flat. Hook the folded edges together. To make a folded seam, strike the seams along its length to close it, using a wooden mallet. 5. To make a grooved seam, select a hand groover that is 1/16 inch wider than the seam. Hold the groover over the seam, with one edge of the groover over one edge of the seam. Strike the groover solidly with a metal hammer to close one end of the seam. Slide the groover along as you strike it, to complete the seam. You can further lock the seam with prick punch marks about 1/2 inch from either end of the seam. 6. Check the seam after it is locked. Make sure the joined sheets of metal are level in height, the seam well formed, smooth, and without a neck. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter. Protective equipment may be worn for job-related occupational safety and health purposes, as well as for sports and other recreational activities. "Protective clothing" is applied to traditional categories of clothing, and "protective gear" applies to items such as pads, guards, shields, or masks, and others. PPE suits can be similar in appearance to a cleanroom suit. The purpose of personal protective equipment is to reduce employee exposure to hazards when engineering controls and administrative controls are not feasible or effective to reduce these risks to acceptable levels. PPE is needed when there are hazards present. PPE has the serious limitation that it does not eliminate the hazard at the source and may result in employees being exposed to the hazard if the equipment fails. Any item of PPE imposes a barrier between the wearer/user and the working environment. This can create additional strains on the wearer; impair their ability to carry out their work and create significant levels of discomfort. Any of these can discourage wearers from using PPE correctly, therefore placing them at risk of injury, ill-health or, under extreme circumstances, death. Good ergonomic design can help to minimise these barriers and can therefore help to ensure safe and healthy working conditions through the correct use of PPE. Practices of occupational safety and health can use hazard controls and interventions to mitigate workplace hazards, which pose a threat to the safety and quality of life of workers. The hierarchy of hazard controls provides a policy framework which ranks the types of hazard controls in terms of absolute risk reduction. At the top of the hierarchy are elimination and substitution, which remove the hazard entirely or replace the hazard with a safer alternative. If elimination or substitution measures cannot apply, engineering controls and administrative controls, which seek to design safer mechanisms and coach safer human behavior, are implemented. Personal protective equipment ranks last on the hierarchy of controls, as the workers are regularly exposed to the hazard, with a barrier of protection. The hierarchy of controls is important in acknowledging that, while personal protective equipment has tremendous utility, it is not the desired mechanism of control in terms of worker safety. When choosing PPE consider these factors: In Workers Check the PPE is a suitable size and fit for each worker. Respiratory protective equipment, for example, requires a good facial seal. If PPE is comfortable to wear and workers are involved in choosing it, they will be more likely to use it. Individual circumstances of workers may affect choice. For example wearing of prescription glasses, allergies such as latex allergy and some medical conditions. Consider workers’ medical conditions, which can influence whether they can use certain items of equipment. In Maintenance Proper care and maintenance is essential to ensure PPE continues to provide the necessary level of protection. Look for broken or damaged components before using PPE and repair or replace it as needed. Replace PPE that has expired or reached its usable lifespan. Clean reusable PPE after use and store in a clean area such as a cupboard, drawer or resealable container. Report broken, damaged or contaminated PPE. If you want to take your office productivity up a notch, you don’t necessarily have to make huge and difficult changes. Surprisingly, simple and small adjustments can go a long way for your productivity journey. The 5S methodology is a simple yet effective technique to improve the way your office functions. Let’s explore how implementing this methodology can establish discipline, order, and efficiency in your workplace. The 5S method, which takes its name from the first letter of each of the five operations, is a Japanese management technique derived from the Toyota Production System (TPS). It is based on 5 simple principles: 1. Seiri: sort means eliminating anything that is unnecessary for the equipment to work properly. 2. Seiton: straightening is the best way of eliminating pointless searching and having all the material necessary for functional production according to the principle: “a place for everything and everything in its place. 3. Seiso: shining means keeping everything so clean that it shines. In a clean environment, any leak or other abnormality can be detected faster. Working in a clean environment improves motivation and safety. This is a prerequisite for quality maintenance. 4. Seiketsu: standardizing means respecting the previous 3S. The 3S are actions to take; so that cleanliness and elimination of the causes of untidiness become the norm, it is essential to write them down as ordinary rules, as standards. Seiketsu helps to overcome the natural tendency to slovenliness and a return to old habits. 5. Shitsuke: sustain after a period of 3 to 6 months (depending on the size and complexity of the workshop), the time has come to evaluate the situation by means of an in-depth audit. The audit is based on a very precise questionnaire, which assesses the previous 4S, and which leads, if successful – to the site being certified.