Power tool death prompts safety warning

Mr Hebden was using an angle grinder with a blade fitted to it when the blade shattered. Photo / Thinkstock

A coroner has made recommendations about the usage of power tools after a builder died when a cutting tool disc flew in to his abdomen.

John Terence Hebden was rebuilding a trailer at the back of his work premises in Christchurch on April 22, 2013 when the accident happened.

Mr Hebden was using an angle grinder with a blade fitted to it when the blade shattered and a segment embedded itself in his abdomen, causing a massive haemorrhage.

The cutting tool he was using was described as a Bosch 230mm angle grinder fitted with a 400mm cutting blade.

The blade was oversized for the grinder and meant Mr Hebden had to remove the safety guard to use it.

Mr Hebden was operating the tool at a speed 30 per cent greater than the maximum speed recommended for that specific blade when the accident happened.

The blade was described as "obsolete" and could have been around 10 years old.

A health and safety officer told the coroner that Mr Hebden would have been better to use an oxy-acetylene torch or a mechanical saw for the job.

When the blade shattered, a large segment embedded itself in Mr Hebden's chest and lower stomach region and caused massive blood loss.

He called out in pain and a contractor ran to his aid, but when ambulance staff arrived Mr Hebden was dead.

Coroner Richard McElrea said Mr Hebden was described as a careful builder who usually worked in a safe manner.

Mr McElrea recommended that WorkSafe New Zealand highlighted to the relevant sectors the dangers of operating cutting tools in an unsafe manner.

He said a guard should always be in place between the person operating the tool and the blade.

"The evidence from WorkSafe New Zealand is that Mr Hebden selected an inappropriate cutting tool, which was intended to be used on a portable cut off saw, rather than an angle grinder for which it was both oversized and underrated."