Do Not Cut Wood with an Angle Grinder, or You Might Lose a Finger: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Angle grinders are a handheld power tool used for grinding and polishing stone, metal, and concrete. Some people, however, use them with a circular saw blade attachment for cutting wood and consequently, suffer injuries. We aimed to investigate the underlying cause and mechanisms of injuries caused by cutting wood with an angle grinder. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study using medical records from our trauma center and identified 15 patients treated for angle grinder injury between 2017 and 2018. Moreover, we contacted the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan for further information about angle grinder injuries. Results: Nine of the 15 patients used angle grinders improperly, of which only three patients were aware of the risk of injury. The details of the nine patients were as follows: the types of injuries: complete finger amputation (n = 2), partial finger amputation (n = 1), tendon injury with phalangeal fracture (n = 5), and tendon injury alone, (n = 1); the causes of accidents: kickback (n = 7) and glove entanglement (n = 2); and the accident situations: on-the-job (n = 5) and do-it-yourself (n = 4). Conclusions: The primary cause of angle grinder injury caused by cutting wood was a lack of user knowledge that an angle grinder cannot be used as a cutting tool. Appropriate feedback from hand surgeons are necessary to urge manufacturers to take safety measures.