Tools and equipment

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Safety boots
These are designed to help brace the ankles, with steel
toe-caps to protect the feet. Some prefer to use safety
trainers for the same purpose, w hich should have a
treaded rubber sole. In any event, ordinary shoes or
footwear, with smooth leather soles should not be worn.
Likewise Wellington boots should not be used on ladders
or on roofs.

Safety helmet
Goggles
Tested, correctly dated
and designed for use on For use when working with
roofs, where personal cutting tools or with materials
balance is an important that are irritating to eyes
factor.

Safety gloves

Single use-
disposable
dust mask

Knee pads

Ear protectors Hi-visibility jacket

 Tools and equipment

Plant and equipment inspection It is difficult to achieve a good standard of work

The most appropriate access equipment will be using dirty and blunt tools.
selected prior to commencement of any works.
Hand tools stored with a protective film of oil
All tools and equipment used are suitable for its should be cleaned with a dry cloth before use.
application, are regularly inspected and serviced
as required Care and maintenance
Only use hand tools for the purpose for which
Unless special arrangements are made, items they are designed. Hand tools are manufactured
of portable hand held electrical equipment for specific applications. Using them for other
operate at 110v and are subject to inspection by purposes could shorten their life and result in
a competent person to meet the regulations and damage or unsafe conditions.
manufacturers guidelines. This inspection takes
place at minimum of once every 6 months. Hand tools should be:
• handled with respect and not misused
The following equipment shall be used for this
• kept clean while being used
type work:
• power drills • thoroughly cleaned and checked after use

• injection machinery • kept in good working order

• ladders with protection system

Remember:
• hand tools • tools should have their cutting edges
inspected for damage at regular intervals
4.3 Hand tools and their maintenance
• worn cutting edges/teeth should be sharpened
The following hand tools are widely used for roof or the tools replaced
insulation. • damaged cutting tools blades should be
replaced
Hand tools may differ slightly depending on
the manufacturer’s design but in each case the
Storage
purpose remains the same.
Always ensure that:
Introduction • hand tools are stored in tool bags/boxes for
Good work practice, such as proper tool usage protection, safety and security
and maintaining tools in good condition, is an • hand tools are oiled to protect from rust if not
essential part of an operative’s life. It helps to in continuous use
provide safe working for the user and others. • cutting knives are sheathed or retracted
• saw teeth are protected by a plastic or timber
Good quality hand tools are expensive to buy
saw guard
and unless correctly maintained will need to be
replaced frequently, resulting in extra cost to the • sharp edges of tools, e.g. chisel tips, are
operative and damage to the work. protected by a plastic cap
 Tools and equipment

4.4 Power tools and their maintenance Perform preventive maintenance – While large-
Power tools are expensive and so any problems scale repairs should be left to professionals, you
with them can delay your work or lead to costly can undertake some preventive maintenance
replacement. You want them to last as long as depending on your level of skill. Keep internal
possible so effectively maintenance is key to parts lubricated; flatten tabletops and tool
maximising their lifespan and performance. surfaces and check electrical components for
wear and tear on a regular basis. You may be
Check your power cord – Once your power cord able to perform basic repairs on some internal
wears out, the tool’s life is over. Check your cords components yourself, or replace a single part
to be sure they’re free of abrasions and cuts. Be instead of the entire tool. This can save you
sure your power cords are not lying across high- money and keep your tools in working order for
traffic areas where they might get stepped on; longer however you should always refer to the
this can cause them to wear out quickly. Be sure manufacturer’s guidance.
you’re not over-using a single outlet with several
different power tools; these tools use up a lot of Oil pneumatic and compressed air tools –
electricity and could easily overload your outlets. Often, flushing out and oiling your tools is enough
to maintain them however avoid over-oiling as
Keep your work area clean – Dust, resin, and this can cause a build-up of sludge that can
sawdust can get inside your power tools, wearing cause damage. If you under-oil, this can cause
out delicate components. Clean up resin and problems including drying up and cracking as well
sawdust build-up as often as possible, as this will as allowing internal friction to build up which can
reduce the chances of your tools wearing out from also cause long-term damage. For compressed
internal accumulation. Clear up any liquid spillage air tools, be sure to fill the tank with oil before
to prevent water and damp from damaging power every use and drain it after. If you leave the tank
tools on the job or during storage. full after use, you can cause serious rust damage.
Again refer to the manufacturer’s guidance.
Clean your tools after every use – Flush out
your power tools after every use with an air Keep your tools in a safe place – Store all
compressor or aerosol can. This will make sure power tools in a dry environment with a median
there is no debris building up inside the tool. In air temperature, avoid leaving them on site or in a
addition, use a clean rag to wipe your tools down vehicle in very hot, cold, humid, or wet conditions
on the outside and where there is access to the as this can cause serious damage to the tools
inside each time before storage. Use a dry rag especially if it’s done regularly.
or occasionally a gentle, diluted cleaning agent.
Keeping them clean will prevent them from getting
clogged and damaged because of internal build-
up. Always refer to the manufacturer’s guidance
as this is often the best source of information
relating to each tool.
 Tools and equipment

Cordless screwdriver

Circuit breaker

Cordless drill

Hot air gun/rollers

 Tools and equipment

Introduction
When used correctly, portable power tools enable Power is from either:
the work to be carried out: • mains electricity, the principal source for many
• with less effort years, or
• more quickly • rechargeable battery, now increasingly
• with greater accuracy popular

There are advantages and disadvantages with each type of power tool.

Mains supply versus battery operated tools

Mains supply Battery operated (cordless)
Advantages Mains electricity provides Advantages No trailing cables/leads to
constant supply. restrict movement.
More powerful. Can be used instantly
Disadvantages Requires mains power without setting up supply.
source. Safer to use because of the
Requires transformer if lower voltage at which they
using 110V tools. operate.
Trailing cables/leads create Disadvantages Battery requires recharging
a safety hazard. and checks carried out to
Potential for serious or fatal ensure batteries are at full
electric shock. working power.
Requires the availability of
a residual current device
(RCD).

Note: Any voltage above 110 volts is more likely to cause injury in the event of an electric shock. Tools
working on 110 volts are considered to be relatively safe provided they are correctly maintained and are
only operated by operatives who have been properly trained in their use.

Mains powered 110 volt work station

Where mains operated tools are in use on site, all possible precautions must be taken to avoid the risk
of injury due to electric shock. 110 volt tools must be used and a work station set up using a transformer
as shown in the illustration. The transformer reduces the mains power from 240 volts to 110 volts.
Note: Any voltage above 110 volts is more likely to cause injury in the event of an electric shock. Tools
working on 110 volts are considered to be relatively safe provided they are correctly maintained and are
only operated by operatives who have been properly trained in their use. With 110 volt supply, these
must comply with European Standard BS EN 60309-2. This standard is designed to prevent 110 volt
tools being plugged into a 240 volt supply, or vice versa.
 Tools and equipment

The plug and cable are identified by colour and The charging unit is powered by mains electricity
the plug shaped so that it will fit only a socket (240 volts) and should include an RCD (residual
designed for the same voltage. current device) in the power supply.

Electric power tools Note: Batteries are available to supply various

voltages and power life (capacity). Details are
These must comply with European Standard BS
printed on the battery and the manufacturer’s
EN 60745-2-1.
use instructions must be followed. It is the
responsibility of the user to ensure that the
Battery operated (cordless) tools
batteries are fully charged and operational.
These are referred to as cordless portable power
tools because there is no trailing cable or lead.
Two batteries are normally required:
• one in use on the power tool
• the other on charge