Power tools make work a lot faster. However, people tend to handle power tools without care. If not properly used or kept, power tools can cause serious workplace hazards and injuries. At worst, death.
That’s why taking power tool safety courses is essential for anyone who needs to be handling them. Here are some of the top 10 picks below:
This power tool safety course provides all the essential information needed for understanding how to use power tools safely. It focuses on general safety for handling power tools and how to avoid misuse while using the tools.
One of the things that this SC Training (formerly EdApp) course talks about is how to inspect power tools before using them. Gears or blades may have already rusted or chipped, which could make the power tool harder and unsafe to use. If there’s corrosion, use another power tool or get a replacement.
Knowing the safety precautions to take before using power tools is as important as knowing how to operate them safely. Injuries and other hazards are more preventable when there are precautions in place for them. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
This lesson doesn’t only touch on one or two power tools – but can be applied to all of them.
This course is short and sweet. You won’t have to invest a ton of time in learning the safety guidelines. It also integrates visual interactions to help your learners with retaining the information better.
Like all SC Training (formerly EdApp) courses, this one is customizable.
Cost: Free (up to 10 users)
Scope: power tools, general safety, injury prevention
Created by SC Training (formerly EdApp)
Explore the courseA crucial part of creating sturdy and durable products is ensuring that components are properly welded together. If the bond isn’t strong enough, it can collapse the entire product or building. This is why knowing how to properly use welding power tools is essential.
Some highlights for this course are its welding hazards and PPE for welding topics. Identifying welding hazards can train your team with preventing them from being left in the open. It can also teach them how to properly place safety precautions around it or how to protect themselves from it.
Knowing the proper PPE to wear during welding will give them extra armor of protection when they’re using their welding equipment.
Cost: Free (up to 10 users)
Scope: fundamentals of welding, Stick Welding / Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), welding hazards, PPE for welding, and glossary for welding
Created by SC Training (formerly EdApp)
Explore the courseThis power tool safety course is an online lesson that teaches the fundamentals of hand and power tool safety, the different types of instruments used, the hazards connected with power tools, and their applications and limits.
Because inappropriate use of power tools can result in injuries and accidents, this course will tell you the significance of safety considerations prior to usage. This course will teach your team about adequate PPE and OSHA's safety standards governing the use of power tools.
ClickSafety highlights the importance and need of power tool maintenance in this lesson. Power equipment are more susceptible to wear and tear since they exercise more effort – or power – in the work. Having a safety checklist and identifying corrosion before using them will give you another safeguard from injuries.
ClickSafety’s Power Tool Safety for Construction course is only an introductory-level online safety course designed to teach you the dangers involved in the use of power tools.
As with most ClickSafety courses, this course is also a paid lesson.
Cost: $24.95
Scope: Introduction to power tool safety, types of power tools, considerations regarding power tools in construction
Created by ClickSafety
Explore the courseThis safety training course is targeted toward people who use hand and power tools in their everyday lives. The lesson is designed in order for you to understand the potential hazards associated with the use of hand and power tools, such as: identifying general power tool safety precautions, defining the purpose and correct usage of guards, specifying what tools are equipped with safety switches, identifying specific hazards and control measures related to the use of electric tools, power grinders, pneumatic tools, and hydraulic jacks.
This UC Davis course discusses how to comply with regulatory requirements. However, they emphasize that the lesson is meant to be introductory only. If you’re looking for something a bit more in-depth, you may want to check out other courses.
Cost: Free
Scope: purpose and correct usage of guards, safety switches, understanding power tool usage
Created by UC Davis
Explore the courseHands are among the most susceptible to power tool injuries since they’re closest to the safety hazards caused by these tools. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 123,990 cases of hand injuries in the private sector in 2019. That amounts to 43% of all non-fatal injuries for that year.
SC Training (formerly EdApp) lists in detail how hands sustain injuries from using power tools: cut by sharp objects, struck by tools, caught in moving machinery, and burned by hot areas or chemicals, to name a few.
Protecting your hands while operating power tools is one of the best things you can do when you’re in the construction industry. This includes not only your gloves but also using machine guarding features available on your power tools or the kits that come with them. If you’re looking for a must-have safety course, you should definitely check this one out.
Cost: Free (up to 10 users)
Scope: hand safety awareness and machine guarding, safe work practices, proper use of hand tools, other safety practices
Created by SC Training (formerly EdApp)
Explore the coursePower tools definitely help make life easier by doing tasks that your hands themselves might not be able to. However, surveys conducted show that over half a million people are sent to the emergency room due to power tool injuries. That only includes non-fatal injuries.
In order to prevent accidents from happening, TPC training teaches you how to properly use power tools so you could be safer while handling them.
One of the things TPC talks about is kickbacks in power tools. Kickbacks usually happen when you start up the equipment and in smaller jerks while in use. If you don’t watch out for them, you could get stomach injuries or lose control of your tools – creating more potential hazards and injuries for you.
This is a paid course that costs over $200 for a DVD copy.
Cost: $229 for a DVD
Scope: hand and power tool hazards, personal protective equipment (PPE), using electric power tools safely
Created by TPC Training
Explore the courseIn this course, Safetyhub details how you can get the best out of power tools while minimizing the chances of injuries. They discuss safety procedures when using electrical equipment, clothing and breathing apparatus for operation, how to identify inefficiencies and overloading of equipment, and understanding the types and applicable uses for drill bits, saw blades, etc.
When you get Safetyhub’s lesson, you’ll get a 15-minute safety training video, a multiple choice quiz, supporting documentation, and a course certificate from Safetyhub.
A potential downside to this course is the lack of interactivity available in their lesson. It’s a standard safety compliance course that may not be up to date with current L&D trends. Despite passing the assessment, your learners may get poor information retention as a consequence.
Another con of SafetyHub’s course is the scope of the lesson. The tools discussed are limited to power drills, belt and orbital sanders, jig and circular saws, and power planers.
Cost: Free
Scope: power drills, belt and orbital sanders, jig and circular saws, and power planers
Created by Safetyhub
Explore the courseThis power tool safety training presentation emphasizes the significance of hand and power tool safety, as well as the step-by-step process required to operate safely with this equipment. Increasing your understanding of these issues will help lower your risk of harm when dealing with equipment during construction work.
This lesson comes with a certification after finishing the lesson. You could also customize how long or how short you want your training to be. This course is only limited to people living in the US.
Cost: $24.95
Scope: power tool safety and precautions, risk reduction
Created by OSHA
Explore the courseCompliance Training Online offers a comprehensive safety training course for people in need of certain safety requirements. This safety training course covers OSHA Hand and Power Tool Safety standards. It complies with OSHA’s General Industry 29 CFR 1910 Subpart P for hand and portable power tools and 29 CFR 1910.266 for logging workers.
They go into great detail about requirements for using portable tools, portable grinders, general operating requirements for explosive-actuated fastening tools, chainsaw and other logging tools, and employer and employee rights and responsibilities. The lesson also includes a course summary so you can review everything before you take the course exam.
Your team will be trained on the proper use of all tools and be able to recognize the hazards associated with different types of tools and required safety precautions.
Cost: $29.95 for 21+
Scope: hand and portable power tool safety, requirements for using portable tools
Created by Compliance Training Online
Explore the courseMMCT’s carefully crafted power tool safety lesson provides its trainees with the awareness of incidents historically encountered in your workplace.
It aims to equip your learners with the proper safety competency by teaching you about: legal requirements and responsibilities regarding power tool operation; noise, dust, hand-arm vibration, and fuel awareness; in-use maintenance and cleaning of power tools; and proper storage of the equipment.
MMCT offers classroom-based tutorials and demonstrations, practical exercises, a theory test paper, and a practical exam.
A downside to this course, however, is it does not provide full training on equipment maintenance. It’s also a more traditional form of training – which means your team will dedicate a day off to attend the course. This isn’t ideal for those looking to get a shorter lesson.
Cost: £110
Scope: In-use maintenance and cleaning of power tools, electrical safety, dust awareness, pre-use inspections
Created by MMCT
Explore the coursePower tools make our lives a lot easier. They cut the time you would have used using a hand tool or your hands themselves. But, statistics show a rising number of injuries and even death due to mishandling and misusing power tools.
That’s why taking power tool safety courses is essential for anyone who needs to be handling them.
SC Training (formerly EdApp) is a mobile learning management system designed for today’s digital habits, delivering more engaging and effective micro-learning directly to learners anytime and anywhere.
Sign up for SC Training (formerly EdApp)'s power tool safety course today.