Not all injuries are the result of poor safety procedures or inattention by someone on your team. Sometimes it is because the tool or equipment you are using is defective. A defective tool can be a poorly assembled scaffold that bends under your weight, and it can be a crane that snaps and drops a load onto the site below. It can even be a cordless drill.
Harbor Freight Tools has issued a recall of 1.7 million Drill Master cordless 18-Volt drills. The drills are sold throughout the country through its brick and mortar locations and online retail. Reportedly, the internal switching mechanism is defective and may stick in the "on" position even if you switch it "off."
This defect can result in overheating of the drill during use, which poses fire and burn hazards to the operator. The drills are colored black with a red switch. If you or your employer own these drills, it is imperative that you immediately cease using them and contact Harbor Freight Tools. You can contact Harbor Freight Tools for return mail instructions or take the drill to a physical location.
Defective tools and equipment result in moderate to fatal injuries every year. No amount of safety procedures or checks can completely eliminate the risk, so there is no good substitute for remaining alert. Pay attention to your environment and your task to ensure that you don't get burned or injured by one of these defective drills.
If you have been hurt by a defective tool, an experienced personal injury and workers' compensation litigation firm may be able to help you understand who is responsible for your injuries. It could be your employer because he failed to properly confirm that the equipment you are using is safe or the company that distributes the tool. An attorney could possibly help you get the compensation you need to pay your medical bills and get back on your feet.
Source: Pittsburg Post-Gazette, "Featured recall: 1.7 million Drill Master 18-Volt cordless drills," Dec. 7, 2015
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