What are Abrasive Wheels?
Abrasive wheels are powered wheels used in places such as construction sites and workshops. They are made up of small abrasive particles that have stuck together by a bonding material to form wheel structures each with a different thickness. Abrasive wheels are defined by:
- The grit size
- The bonding or coating material
- The material used
- The grade of wheel
- The wheel structure
What are abrasive wheels used for?
Abrasive wheels are used for the modifying of surfaces and cutting and grinding of different materials.
What is Abrasive wheel training?
Abrasive wheel training is a half a day course that teaches you to select, store, transport, mount and use abrasive wheels safely. The course covers different types of abrasive wheels, pre-use inspections of wheels, hazards of abrasive wheels, the correct PPE required, abrasive wheel regulations and cutting and grinding techniques.
The overall aims of the course are:
- What your employer must to do to protect your health and safety at work
- What responsibilities you must have to protect your own health and safety at work
- To ensure that you understand that your actions at work can’t compromise the health and safety of others
- What you should do if you think that anyone’s health and safety is put at risk at work
Why is abrasive wheel training important?
Having the correct training for abrasive wheel training is essential part of safety when using abrasive wheels. Abrasive wheel training helps to prevent accidents in the workplace.
Accidents that happen due to abrasive wheels, lead to employees having to take time off work, this can affect the business as a whole including having a negative affect on operations and finances for the business.
Under the ‘Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998’ and the ‘Abrasive Wheel Regulations 1970’ those who work with abrasive wheels must have sufficient training.
What Content does the training cover?
The abrasive wheel training covers a lot of content including:
- Hazards and injuries arising from use and precautions
- Stone cutting and Silica dust
- Health problems
- Managing and reducing the risk from dust
- PPE and RPE
- HAVS – Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome
- Wheel markings
- Types of abrasive wheels
- Other accessories and attachments
- Wheel mounting procedure
- Safe use and refuelling
- Setting up bench and pedestal grinders
- Wheel fitting – Hand-held and bench / pedestal types
- Legal requirements, Inspection and pre-use checks
- Damage and contamination, wheel dressing and hired tools
- Storage and transportation
Hopefully this blog has given you a greater understanding of abrasive wheels and what training is required before you can work with abrasive wheels.
If you require abrasive wheel training we offer either classroom based CITB approved training or an abrasive wheels e-learning course.
