If power tools can be neglected and still function, what’s the use of spending time to look after them? Clearly, a well-treated tool will last longer, but some people would argue that the time spent to maintain power tools is more costly than the money spent buying a replacement. Unfortunately for the excuse makers, this argument doesn’t hold much water. Let’s look at some of the main reasons why you should take care of your power tools.

Mistaken Identity

Power tools are workhorses. They help the toughest workers get their toughest work done. They can grind metal, drill concrete and cut just about anything. All this grueling work is a big reason why workers often forget that power tools are complex machines that need to be taken care of. No matter how well-built a tool is its many moving parts can be damaged through misuse.

It’s ironic that the tough identity power tools are associated with ends up being the reason many of them are damaged. When being compared to animals, a power tool should be thought of as a cheetah in bear’s clothing. Bears are indestructible, coarse and resilient—characteristics people might incorrectly associate to tools. In actuality, power tools are more like cheetahs:

• powerful

• specialized

• intricate

This should not be confused with fragile, as new power tools are very durable. Cheetahs perform their task (chasing down fleet-footed prey) better than anything else, but they only do well in the right environment. Power tools are made to be durable, but they must be used as recommended by their manufacturer to perform as designed.

 

They’ll Return the Favor

The Golden Rule goes further than just being nice to others. If everyone were to go by that code, then you would end up being treated well by others, because they would be treating you as you would want to be treated. This is the case with power tools, too. If you treat your tools well and keep them in the best shape possible, then you’ll have little worry of them causing any harm to you—and being safe should be how you want to be treated.

That goes for the opposite, too. If you cause a tool harm through mistreatment, it’s very possible it will cause you harm back. This could be a quick response or a gradual response. Here are two examples to better emphasize this.

Instant punishment:

Fitting a saw blade to an angle grinder causes great risk, because the angle grinder doesn’t have the same safety features as a power saw. If the blade jams, it could kick back and injure the operator. This could be a one-time mistake that causes serious consequences.

Gradual punishment:

Failing to replace overused bits on a drill could cause future trouble. Over time bits can become worn out and not fit their designated fastener well. An improper fit could lead to the drill slipping and striking the operator. Here, ignoring the worn out bit over a long time causes the eventual injury.

In both examples, not taking care of a power tool ended up costing the operator at some point. And the pain doesn’t just stop with the injured person—their employer will feel some of it too, through missed work and workers’ comp. The monetary loss should not be as important as the safety of employees, but it should be noted. Providing a safe environment for people to work should be the top priority, but OSHA has made laws to make sure that’s the case.

 

You Get Out What You Put In

Power Tools will react to how they’re treated much like you would, or at least how your body would. If you treat your body well (healthy diet and regular exercise), it’ll show with how you look and how you can do things physically. Conversely, if you don’t eat well and don’t work out much, your body will not perform as well with physical activity. The way to look at exercise here is not by how much energy is exerted, but by how physical activity is performed.

Certain movements aren’t good for the human body to do over and over again, and can lead to injuries. The same can be said for power tools. For human bodies, improper lifting techniques can cause major injuries to the lower back. For tools, improper lifting by the power cord can cause major damage to the cord, which would require power tool repair.

Proper power tool maintenance helps preserve tools and is a big part of keeping them from becoming broken tools. Once again, a correlation can be made with the human body. After a trip to the chiropractor, workers are almost guaranteed to be in better shape and have the ability to perform their duties better. Power tools that are cleaned, inspected and lubricated should also be able to perform their duties better, and for longer. To keep visits to the doctor/repair shop at a minimum, taking care of your body/power tools is essential.

A Run for the Money

The way you treat your power tools can directly affect the bottom line of your place of work. In any business it’s important to compare the cost of doing something versus the cost of not doing something. Of course other factors are important, but cost versus reward is an important calculation that needs to be figured.

Lost labor from injured workers and worker’s compensation claims were briefly discussed earlier as deterrents to neglecting power tools. These should be huge reasons to keep looking after your tools, as they can cost a company a lot of money. Spending a little extra time to take care of your tools is certainly more cost-effective than dealing with an injured employee.

Time is money, but time well spent is money well spent. Though it can be frustrating to use up part of the work day caring for power tools, it should be looked at as an investment. Most successful companies are enthusiastic about investing money now for the chance of future dividends. So if time is money, shouldn’t it be worth investing time now to save time AND money in the future?

Time and money will undeniably be saved by taking care of power tools. This will sound redundant, but it’s worth repeating. Not treating your tools right will cause them to break sooner than they would otherwise. At that point, you’ll need to spend time repairing it or spend time shopping for a replacement—not to mention time lost at work without the proper tool being available. Money that’s separate from time will also be wasted—from buying replacement parts or even completely new power tools. Invest time into taking care of your power tools; what you save later will make it worthwhile.

Enough is Enough

You don’t have to treat power tools like you would a family member, but a little tender loving care will go a long way. Convincing other employees to do the same should also be a top priority, because they’ll be the ones handling the tools more often. If you do this, your operation will be investing in your tools, and therefore investing in your future.