5 Safety Precautions to Take When Using a Power Drill

Power drills make it easy to install, as well as remove, fasteners. Rather than using a manual screwdriver, you can drive fasteners into and out of surfaces using a power drill. While easy and convenient to use, though, power drills can cause injury if you fail to certain safety precautions. You can still use a power drill, but you should consider the five following tips to lower your risk of injury.

#1) Start With a Pilot Hole

It's a good idea to drill a pilot hole before installing a fastener into a given surface. A pilot is simply a hole that's designed to support a fastener. You can often install fasteners into surfaces without a pilot hole. In doing so, however, fasteners will naturally dislodge more material, some of which could be projected towards your body where it causes injury. You'll have a faster experience by starting with a pilot hole and then installing the fastener.

#2) Secure the Bit

Make sure the bit is fully secure before using your power drill. Bits are tool heads that are connected to the end of a drill. There are hundreds of different bits, including Philips head and flat-head bits, that you can use with a power drill. Regardless of the type, you need to secure to your drill. If it's loose or otherwise not fully secure, it may come out.

#3) Choose Sharp Drill Bits

Of course, there are also drill bits. Like screw bits, you can secure them to a power drill. Drill bits are simply designed for drilling, whereas other tool bits are designed to install and remove fasteners. When using a drill bit, make sure that it's sharp. Dull drill bits pose an inherent risk of injury. If a drill bit is dull, it may fail to create a clean hole. Instead, the dull drill bit may project material or debris towards your body.

#4) Wear Impact-Resistant Goggles

One of the most important safety precautions to take when using a power drill is to wear impact-resistant goggles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over 2,000 workers sustain an eye injury each day in the United States. Many of these eye injuries involve power tools like power drills. By wearing impact-resistant goggles, you'll be protected from eye injuries

#5) Set to Correct Speed

Don't forget to set your power drill to the correct speed. Most power drills, of course, have multiple speed settings. The speed setting also reflects the amount of torque created. With a low speed setting, your power drill will turn more slowly and less forcefully. With a high speed setting, on the other hand, it will turn faster and more forcefully.