Power Tool / Equipment
pre-use check

The 7 things to look at before the key turns on power tool, welding equipment.

Every item below says what good looks like, when it passes, the regulation or manufacturer's standard it rests on and the defects that usually fail it. That guidance is the difference between a tick and a check.

1. 1.

   Visual check — no damage to body, cable, or plug
   What to look forBody shell free of cracks (especially around the gearbox front and trigger handle), cable intact end-to-end with no cuts, scuffing, or twisted-tape repairs, gland tight at both ends (no internal conductors visible), plug intact with all pins straight, no scorching, cord grip secure. For welders: torch insulation good, no exposed copper at the trigger or earth clamp.
   Acceptable whenNo body cracks, cable damage, plug damage, or strain-relief failure. All conductors fully insulated to plug/glands. Class II double-square or Class I earth bond intact.
   StandardElectricity at Work Regs 1989. BS 7671. IET Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing. PUWER 1998 reg.5. HSG107.
   Common defectsCable repaired with insulation tape rather than replaced — failPlug cord grip not gripping the outer sheath — strain on conductorsCrack in gear housing dust-blown wide open — entry point for waterCable inner conductors visible at gland — cut sheathWelder return clamp with broken jaw spring — poor contact, arcs at the clamp
2. 2.

   Guards fitted and secure
   What to look forDisc guards on grinders set to cover the upper half of the disc nearest the operator, secured by clamp at the correct angle. Riving knives on saws aligned and at the correct height. Chain-saw chain brake free, sprocket cover secure. No removed or modified guards.
   Acceptable whenAll guards present per manufacturer's instruction. No "swept-back" or upturned guards on grinders. Riving knife within 3mm of blade rim. Chain brake operational.
   StandardPUWER 1998 reg.11. BS EN ISO 11148 (hand tools). Manufacturer's instructions.
   Common defectsGrinder guard rotated round to "see better" — sparks fly at faceChop saw guard hinge seized — guard not returning to cover bladeRiving knife removed for a non-through cut and not refittedChain saw with chain brake bypassed by a bandPlane guard spring worn — guard hangs open
3. 3.

   Correct disc / bit for material
   What to look forDisc/bit matches the material (cutting disc for steel, diamond for masonry, never wood-cutting blades on a grinder). Disc within manufacturer's expiry (printed on the label, typically 3 years). RPM rating on the disc ≥ no-load RPM of the tool. No cracks, chips, or cupping in discs. Drill bits sharp, not blunted or burnt.
   Acceptable whenDisc rated ≥ tool's no-load RPM. Within expiry date. Right type for material. No cracks, chips, glazing. Bore matches the spindle.
   StandardBS EN 12413 (bonded abrasive products). PUWER 1998 reg.4 & reg.5. Manufacturer's spec.
   Common defectsCutting disc on a grinder used for grinding edges — side load, disc shattersWood blade fitted to a 9" angle grinder ("for kerbing") — kickback riskDisc out of date by 18 months — bond degraded, breaks under normal loadReducer ring used to fit a wrong-bore disc — eccentric, vibrationDiamond disc used dry on a unit rated wet only — segments lose temper
4. 4.

   Dead-man switch working
   What to look forTrigger / paddle returns to OFF cleanly when released. No latch, lock-on button taped down, cable-tied, or wedged. Two-handed controls (where required) both need to be active.
   Acceptable whenSwitch returns to OFF without lag. No bypass. Two-hand controls (where fitted) require both hands.
   StandardPUWER 1998 reg.15 & reg.17. BS EN ISO 13850. Manufacturer's instructions.
   Common defectsLock-on button held with cable tie — runs continuously, critical defectTrigger return spring weak — sluggish offTwo-hand control jumper-wired — operator can use one handTrigger sticking from concrete dust ingressWorn paddle pivot — falls into ON when knocked
5. 5.

   PAT test in date
   What to look forPAT label affixed, in date, legible. The label should reflect the actual usage frequency — site power tools should be tested every 3 months, with a formal user check daily. Damage on a tool that's in PAT date still rejects the tool — the PAT only covers electrical safety at test, not subsequent damage.
   Acceptable whenPAT label in date per IET CoP intervals (3-month for class I 110V site tools is typical). No physical damage post-test. PAT covers the tool serial actually in use.
   StandardElectricity at Work Regs 1989. BS 7671. IET Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing (5th ed.). HSG107.
   Common defectsLabel peeled and lost — assume out of testTest in date but cable damaged after the testHire fleet PAT label refers to a different tool serialTest sticker layered over the previous label, dates illegibleTool tested at the depot but never declared after a known fall on site
6. 6.

   110V transformer / RCD in use
   What to look forSite standard is 110V centre-tap-earthed (CTE) for hand tools. Transformer rating sized for tool load. Where 230V must be used, an RCD (≤30mA) at the source. Plug system yellow CEE form for 110V; blue for 230V; red for 400V. Cables on cable reels fully unwound when in use.
   Acceptable when110V CTE for portable hand tools wherever practicable (HSE preference). RCD (30mA, type AC or A) on any 230V site supply. Cables sized to load and length.
   StandardBS 7375 (distribution of electricity on construction sites). HSG141. BS 7671 sections 704 (construction). Electricity at Work Regs 1989.
   Common defects230V tool plugged direct to a domestic socket without RCDCable reel half-unwound under load — overheats and meltsRCD test button untested for months — protection unverifiedTransformer overloaded — multiple tools on one outletDamaged 110V coupler "made to fit" with non-CEE adaptor
7. 7.

   Correct PPE available for tool use
   What to look forPPE matched to the tool: Z87/Z94 impact-rated eye protection (or visor for higher-energy tools), hearing protection rated to the tool's noise level (typically SNR 25–30dB for cut-off saws), gloves where there is no entanglement risk (NOT for rotating shafts), respiratory protection (FFP3 minimum for masonry cutting), task-specific clothing (welding leathers).
   Acceptable whenPPE matches the assessed risk per the tool's COSHH/noise/vibration/eye assessment. RPE face-fit-tested for the wearer. No gloves on rotating chuck operations.
   StandardPPE Regs 2002 (as amended). COSHH 2002. Noise at Work Regs 2005. Control of Vibration at Work Regs 2005. Manufacturer's instructions.
   Common defectsSafety glasses present but no visor for chasing/cutting — face exposedDisposable mask (FFP1) used for masonry — needs FFP3No hearing protection on a chop saw — tool emits >100dBGloves worn on a pillar drill — entanglement riskWelder's leathers replaced with a hi-vis cotton vest — burn-through

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