What tools do construction workers use?
For more than 3 million years, humans have relied on tools to make successful projects possible. The construction industry uses many tools because most things in the industry cannot be done with bare hands. If you work in the construction industry, you need a tool that will facilitate the successful completion of your project. This post will look at different tools for construction workers and how the construction workers use them.
Safety Tools
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that the construction industry is among the top 10 most dangerous jobs on land. In 2019, the BLS reported that there were 41,800 workplace accidents due to hand tools. Therefore, every construction worker must have safety tools as part of their equipment.
There are various safety tools available in the market. They include;
Gloves
Gloves protect your hands from injuries, cuts, chemical burns, or abrasions. Manufacturers make these gloves from hard leather, Kevlar, or chain metal. In 2019, according to the BLS, there were 23,000 injuries caused by tool slippage; so the gloves must have an excellent grip to avoid some of these injuries.
Safety Goggles
Safety goggles are designed to protect your eyes from harmful particles. If you work in a place where you are exposed to radiation on the job, you must get these glasses. Safety goggles have thicker lenses that are larger (cover half of your face) than the regular glasses. The glass makers bend the lenses to ensure that the debris, splashes or light do not come in contact with your eyes.
Hard Hat
The hard hat is the most important tool among all other construction worker tools. The hard hat protects you from head injuries that can occur due to objects falling from above on your head. The hard hat also has other functions;
- Protect your head from electric shock as the helmet contains insulating materials; plastic and fiberglass.
- It may have a face shield, especially if it is designed for welders
Some helmets may have goggle features and you may not need to buy goggles. The helmet has suspension material; therefore, there is a considerable gap between your head and the helmet and once an object falls on your head, the impact is minimal.
Steel-toed shoes
Your feet are also vulnerable to falling objects and nails on almost any construction site. So your regular boots will not help on a construction site. It would be best to have special boots that the manufacturers have reinforced to protect your feet from falling objects. Steel-toed boots are boots that you should get if you don't want nails piercing your foot.
Respirator
If you are exposed to harmful air pollutants during construction work, you should consider getting a respirator. Harmful particles can affect your work and you should invest in a respirator to block these particles. Wearing a respirator is mandatory on some construction sites, for example when working with asbestos in construction.
Drilling Tools
Another unique set of construction worker tools you may need are drilling tools. Unique drilling tools you may have in your workplace include:
Drill Driver
A drill driver makes holes in surfaces like plastic, metal, and wood. It works by rotating either clockwise or counterclockwise. You can also use a drill driver to attach fasteners to some surfaces.
Auger
Auger is a specialized tool used to remove debris from the ground. It is faster than a shovel and is best for drilling holes in the ground.
Hammer Drill
A hammer drill is almost the same as a drill driver, but has an additional impact mechanism. The impact mechanism makes it ideal for drilling holes in hard surfaces like concrete and rock. You can also turn off the impact mechanism to use it as a regular drill driver.
Hand Tools
There are hand tools that almost every construction worker will use on the job. They include;
Sledgehammer
It is a heavy hammer, similar to a maul. It has a heavy metal hand attached to a long wooden handle. You need a lot of strength to use the tool. It helps the construction worker to hammer nails into surfaces and also helps to break or destroy large objects into pieces.
Seen
Another hand tool is a saw. There are two types of saws; chain saws and hand saws. Saws are designed for sawing wood. The tools are made of materials like bronze or steel. The difference between a chain saw and a hand saw is that a chain saw is powered by electricity while a hand saw is not powered by electricity.
Crowbar
A crowbar is another hand tool and performs the function of removing nails and breaking open boxes or separating objects. A crowbar is a metal rod with different designs on each end, with each end performing a different function.
Screwdriver
Screwdrivers help in driving and loosening screws. These screwdrivers come in different sizes as the screws also vary in size. Find a screwdriver with different sizes to make your screwing and unscrewing jobs in your HVAC system and thermostats easier.
Technological tools
In the construction industry, there are innovative tools that make work more efficient. These tools use the latest technology available and make the construction worker's job easier. They include:
Cordless technology tools
There are special cordless tools that construction workers use to make their jobs easier, save time and get better results in their workplace. These tools are; impact wrenches, framing nailers and heavy-duty tools.
Digital Meters
Many construction workers find digital meters to be very accurate. A construction worker can quickly measure square footage and meet many other measurement needs using these devices. There are many digital meters on the market, and some of the best options you can buy are:
* Huepar Laser Rangefinder Distance Meter LM100A . It is an affordable, effective tool. It is accurate and can measure distances up to 330 feet. Also, it is portable and small enough to fit in your pockets.
* Mulwark 16ft Digital Tape Measure. It is a battery-powered tape and laser measuring device. It can measure different lengths depending on the programming.
* eTape16 Digital Tape Measure. It is quite affordable, easy to use and intuitive. It is also portable but unfortunately, unlike the others, it does not have a measuring laser.
Bottom Line
As a construction worker, you cannot do without tools. The first equipment you should have is the safety tools to ensure that you do not become a victim of construction injuries. Always carry handy tools with you as they can be helpful in many scenarios. Last but not least, please consider investing in technological tools as they are more effective than standard tools.
