Page 14 of Advanced Drilling Equipment by Cooper Power Tools

safety recommendations ­ safe drilling practices covered by a clear polycarbonate guard for visibility the clamping and feed mechanism can also move when the air supply is connected or disconnected to avoid injury keep fingers and hands away from these areas when handling or operating these tools and keep the guard in place before starting the tool the collet and mandrel of our advanced drilling equipment tools must be inserted into a properly sized pre-drilled hole of proper material thickness an improperly sized pre-drilled hole prevents the mandrel from engaging the collet and could result in slippage of the tool an improperly selected collet and mandrel can also result in slippage of the tool repetitive work motions and /or vibration may cause injury to hands and arms the following suggestions will help reduce or moderate the effects of repetitive workmotions and/or extended vibration exposure · use a minimum hand grip force consistent with proper control and safe operations · keep body and hands warm and dry cold weather is reported to be a major factor contributing to raynaud s syndrome · avoid anything that inhibits blood circulation ­ smoking tobacco another contributing factor ­ cold temperatures ­ certain drugs · tasks should be performed in such a manner that the wrists are maintained in a neutral position which is not flexed hyperextended or turned side to side · stressful postures should be avoided ­ select a tool appropriate for the job and work location · avoid highly repetitive movements of hands and wrists and continuous vibration exposure aftereach period of operation exercise to increase blood circulation · interrupt work activities or rotate jobs to provide periods free from repetitive work motions · keep tool well maintained and replace worn parts some individuals may be susceptible to disorders of the hands and arms when performing tasks consisting of highly repetitive motions and/or exposure to extended vibration cumulative trauma disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis can be caused or aggravated by repetitious forceful exertions of the hands and arms vibration may contribute to a condition called raynaud s syndrome these disorders develop gradually over a period of weeks months and years it is presently unknown to what extent exposure to vibrations or repetitive motions may contribute to the disorders hereditary factors vasculatory or circulatory problems exposure to cold and dampness diet smoking and work practices are thought to contribute to the conditions operators should be made aware of the following symptoms and warning signs so that a problem can be addressed before it becomes a debilitating injury any user suffering prolonged symptoms of tingling numbness blanching of fingers clumsiness or weakened grip nocturnal pain in the hand or any other disorders of the shoulders arms wrists or fingers is advised to consult a physician if it is determined that the symptoms are job related or aggravated by movements and postures dictated by the job design it may be necessary for the employer to take steps to prevent further occurrences these steps might include but are not limited to repositioning the workpiece or redesigning the workstation reassigning workers to other jobs rotating jobs changing work pace and/or changing the type of tool used so as to minimize stress on the operator some tasks may require more than one type of tool to obtain the optimum operator/tool/task relationship speed and feed selection considerations because our advanced drilling equipment tools are portable and generally hand-carried from one drill location to the next every effort has been made to make them as compact and light-weight as possible without compromising the strength required to provide rugged durability and service a wide selection of feeds and speeds are available to accommodate drilling of a variety of materials good machining practice is an integral part of obtaining optimum service life from the tool and the cutter selection of speeds and feeds must take into consideration workpiece material and hardness cutter geometry and sharpness and quality of lubrication use of the highest feed rates at the lowest speeds in conjunction with very tough or hard materials will likely result in higher than normal maintenance the exceptionally low speeds obtained by high numerical gear reductions can yield very high theoretical stall torque that far exceed the torque requirements of a well engineered drilling application high loads imposed by feeds excessive for the material and cutter combination may result in damage i-13

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