Torque Wrench Safety Tips

As with any tool, torque wrenches require the user to stay safe when using them. Even though it is a hand tool, it could cause damage to your person if a socket breaks or the torque wrench breaks. If you don’t use the torque wrench properly, you could cause it to malfunction. Not only will you have to repair the torque wrench, but you’ll also be stuck for a couple of weeks while you send it out unless you have an extra – and you could suffer eye damage.

1. Overtorqueing

If you over-torque a fastener, you could cause the torque wrench or the fastener to break. At the very least, you could cause the fastener to deform or constantly loosen. Every time you retighten the fastener, it loses more holding power once you over-torque it. If the fastener is holding something really important, such as brake pads, the over-torqued fastener could come loose, causing the brake pad to fall off and cause an accident. You could also cause damage to the torque wrench. If the torque wrench or the fastener breaks, the pieces could fly into your face – those others near you, causing bodily damage.

2. Wear Safety Goggles

Always wear safety goggles when using a torque wrench. Should it malfunction or should a bolt break, the safety goggles will protect your eyes from flying parts, nuts and bolts. The safety goggles should meet or exceed ANSI Z87.1 standards for impact. Abolox carries several types of safety glasses and goggles that meet or exceed ANSI Z87.1 standards.

When browsing through our safety glasses and safety goggles, be sure to check for additional ratings you might need, including ratings for ultra-violet light, welding, chemical splashes, dust and more. s

3. Breaking Fasteners Loose

Using a torque wrench to break fasteners loose could damage the torque wrench. The inner workings of a torque wrench are fragile that easily go out of calibration. Excessive heat and cold, dropping the torque wrench, and breaking fasteners loose could damage the torque wrench, or at the least, cause it to be inaccurate.

Furthermore, when loosening a bolt, it might exceed the amount of the torque rating of your torque wrench. Just because a bolt needs 50 foot-pounds to tighten doesn’t mean it takes that to loosen. After heating and cooling and picking up dirt and debris, it might take 75 foot-pounds to break loose – and that’s not going to work with a torque wrench with a maximum torque of fewer than 75 foot-pounds.

4. Exceeding the Rated Torque

All torque wrenches have minimum and maximum torque. If you exceed the torque, you could cause the torque wrench to become inaccurate or cause permanent damage to the tool. If you exceed the torque rating of a torque wrench by 25 percent, you must recalibrate the torque wrench pursuant to ISO 6789.

If a torque wrench is not properly calibrated, it could lead to fasteners loosening at the most inopportune times. A motor mount could come loose; head bolts could back out and cause damage to the engine, or bolts on large equipment could back out or fail.

5. Do Not Force the Head of Flex Head Torque Wrenches Against Stops

Forcing the head of the flex head torque wrench against a stop could cause an inaccurate reading. Since the flex bar type doesn’t have an audible click or preset limit, you could easily exceed the torque rating. Always watch the readout to ensure you don’t damage the torque wrench.

6. Recalibration

Different professionals have different standards for recalibrating torque wrenches. Some recommend 2,500 rotations, and others say more. To be safe, you should recalibrate your torque wrenches every six months unless you over-torqued the tool, dropped it, or otherwise damaged it.

If a torque wrench is not properly calibrated, you could over-torque or under-torque a bolt. When working on vehicles, this could lead to parts loosening and falling off while driving.

7. Inspect Torque Wrenches Before Using

Always inspect your torque wrench before using it. A broken tool could cause injury to the user. It could also cause you to over-torque or under-torque fasteners, which could cause accidents if the fasteners come loose.

Visit Abolox for Torque Wrenches and Safety Goggles

Abolox carries several torque wrenches, safety glasses and safety goggles. Browse through our pages to find what you need – and if you don’t see it, contact the office at Abolox. We’ll source what you need and get it to you as quickly as possible.