English:Making and maintaining forging tools and aids — Safe practice
Making and maintaining forging tools and aids — Safe practice
Introduction
This aiMOOC is module “Safe practice” within Making and maintaining forging tools and aids. It is written for vocational learners in blacksmithing, artist blacksmithing and decorative or architectural metalwork.
Selected jurisdiction: United Kingdom — England focus. Health and safety duties in this module use the Great Britain framework enforced by the Health and Safety Executive as it applies in England. The apprenticeship pathway is England-specific and is referenced to Skills England. Northern Ireland has a separate occupational-safety regulator, and this module does not claim legal, qualification or certification equivalence across UK nations or with any other country.
Status checked: 1 September 2026. Official legislation, HSE guidance, Skills England requirements, current British Standards where applicable, manufacturer instructions, the employer’s risk assessment and safe system of work, and your instructor’s or supervisor’s directions take precedence over this course.
Supervision rule: Never carry out hot forging, grinding, drilling, welding, heat treatment, power-hammer work, abrasive-wheel work, equipment isolation or safety-critical tool repair unsupervised. Only use equipment for which you have been trained, authorised and assessed as competent in your workplace or training centre.
Open-learning status: The original learning text and tasks in this aiMOOC are released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International for open educational reuse. Wikimedia Commons media retain the licences shown on their file-description pages. YouTube videos are embedded as external learning resources and are not re-licensed by this course. Official-source material remains subject to its source terms.
The image above shows a hand-forging operation. Use it as an observation prompt: identify the hammer, workpiece, anvil and hot-work zone, then ask which controls you would need before treating the scene as a model for your own workplace.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module, you should be able to explain and apply safe-practice principles when making, inspecting, maintaining, adjusting and using forging tools and aids. You should be able to distinguish a hazard from a risk, choose controls using a hierarchy, recognise defects that require a tool to be withdrawn from use, plan supervised maintenance, justify material and process choices, assess tool fit and function, record inspection findings, and reflect on sustainability without compromising safety.
You should also be able to relate your practical work to the current England Blacksmith apprenticeship standard, especially the expectations around health and safety, safe working environments, hazard recognition, equipment inspection, tool manufacture and tool maintenance.
Jurisdiction, Law, Training and Standards
United Kingdom — England focus
The legal statements below are not a substitute for professional legal advice or your employer’s procedures. They are a vocational summary of official sources current at the status date above.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 provides the broad framework for occupational health and safety in Great Britain. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to identify hazards, assess risk and eliminate or control risk. HSE’s current overview is available at HSE: Managing risks and risk assessment at work.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, normally called PUWER, cover work equipment from hand tools to powered machinery. HSE states that work equipment must be suitable for its intended use, maintained in a safe condition, inspected where needed, and used by people who have adequate information, instruction and training. See HSE: PUWER overview, HSE: Inspection of work equipment, HSE: Maintenance of work equipment and HSE: Training and competence.
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, as amended in 2022, require suitable PPE where risks remain after more effective controls have been applied. Employers must also provide the information, instruction and training needed to use PPE correctly. See HSE: PPE at work regulations from 6 April 2022.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 require employers to prevent or reduce health risks from workplace noise. HSE identifies a lower daily or weekly exposure action value of 80 dB(A), an upper action value of 85 dB(A), and an exposure limit value of 87 dB(A) after accounting for hearing protection; separate peak values also apply. Do not estimate compliance by ear. Use a competent noise assessment. See HSE: Control of Noise at Work Regulations.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, normally called COSHH, apply to hazardous substances that may arise during grinding, cleaning, coating, welding and other engineering processes. HSE’s engineering guidance identifies dusts, fumes, mists, lubricants, degreasers and related substances as potential hazards. See HSE: COSHH and engineering workers. If a tool or jig is welded, remember that HSE treats welding fume as a serious health hazard and expects suitable engineering control for indoor welding.
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 use the hierarchy avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, assess what cannot be avoided, and reduce the risk. This matters when moving anvils, stock, dies, swage blocks, power-hammer tooling and heavy jigs. See HSE: Manual Handling Operations Regulations.
England vocational pathway
Skills England lists the Blacksmith apprenticeship, reference ST0378, version 1.1, Level 3 as approved for delivery. The standard describes blacksmithing as designing, shaping and joining metal by hot forging and other metalworking processes for small-batch, bespoke and heritage work. It explicitly includes health and safety, hazard recognition, risk reduction, equipment inspection, and the manufacture and maintenance of hand tools such as tongs, punches, chisels, hammers, anvil tools and jigs. The typical duration is 48 months, excluding the assessment period. See Skills England: Blacksmith ST0378 v1.1.
Completion of this aiMOOC does not certify competence, authorise machinery use or replace workplace training. An apprenticeship, college qualification, employer authorisation and equipment-specific training each have their own requirements. No automatic cross-country equivalence is claimed.
British Standards and PPE specification
The British Standards Institution is the UK national standards body. A relevant current reference for occupational eye and face protection is BS EN ISO 16321-1:2022+A1:2025, Eye and face protection for occupational use — General requirements. Its scope includes hazards such as impact from flying particles, heat and hot solids. See BSI: BS EN ISO 16321-1:2022+A1:2025.
A standard number alone does not select PPE for you. The actual task, exposure, compatibility with other PPE, fit, manufacturer instructions and workplace risk assessment determine what is suitable. Check current HSE and BSI information rather than copying an old workshop poster or relying on a withdrawn standard.
Core Concepts
Hazard, risk and control
A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm. A risk combines the likelihood that harm will occur with the severity of the possible harm. A hot bar is a thermal hazard; the risk changes depending on where it is placed, how it is held, who may approach it, what PPE is used and whether the work area is controlled.
Use a control hierarchy. Eliminate the hazard where possible. If elimination is not possible, consider substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and finally PPE for residual risk. In a forge this might mean eliminating an unnecessary grinding step, substituting a safer process, using a guarded and extracted machine, limiting access through a safe system of work, and then adding suitable eye, hearing or respiratory protection.
CONTROL FLOW
Can the hazardous step be removed?
|
Yes ---> Eliminate it
|
No
v
Can a safer material or process be used?
|
v
Engineering control ---> Safe system and training ---> PPE for residual risk
Competence and authorisation
Competence is task-specific. Being skilled with a hand hammer does not automatically make you competent to mount an abrasive wheel, adjust a power hammer, weld a repair, heat-treat a struck tool or inspect electrical equipment. Follow the limits set by your training provider or employer, and stop when the task exceeds your authorisation.
A useful professional habit is to say exactly what you know: “I can inspect this tong cold and report the defect, but I am not authorised to grind or weld the repair.” This is good craft practice, not a weakness.
Safe condition and withdrawal from use
A tool that may fail dangerously must not remain in service because “it has always been like that”. HSE guidance on maintenance emphasises that unsafe maintenance and defective equipment can cause serious injury. If you find a crack, dangerously loose handle, severely mushroomed striking end, damaged guard, faulty control, insecure die, unsuitable repair or another defect outside your competence, stop, withdraw the item from use, label or segregate it according to workplace procedure, and report it.
Forging Tools, Aids and Materials
Typical tools and aids
| Group | Practitioner terminology | Main safe-practice concern |
|---|---|---|
| Hand striking tools | Hand hammer, cross-peen hammer, ball-peen hammer, sledge, set hammer | Secure handles, sound heads, correctly dressed faces, appropriate weight, controlled striking |
| Holding tools | Flat-bit tongs, bolt tongs, pick-up tongs, wolf-jaw tongs | Correct stock fit, sound boss and rivet, clear reins, no cracks or excessive twist |
| Cutting and punching tools | Hot set, hot cut, hardy, punch, drift, chisel | Correct material and heat treatment, sound struck ends, suitable edge geometry, controlled use |
| Forming tools | Fuller, swage, top tool, bottom tool, bending fork | Secure location, correct radius or profile, no brittle damage, safe hand position |
| Anvil tools | Hardy tool, bottom swage, bending jig, cut-off tool | Correct fit to the hardy hole, stable seating, no uncontrolled rocking or ejection |
| Measuring and repeatability aids | Template, gauge, stop, jig, fixture | Repeatable location without creating pinch points, sharp edges or trapping hazards |
| Maintenance equipment | Hand file, scraper, wire brush, engineer’s square, rule, calipers, inspection light | Clean cold inspection first; powered dressing only if trained, authorised and guarded |
| Powered workshop equipment | Bench grinder, angle grinder, linisher, bench drill, power hammer, press | PUWER controls, guarding, extraction where needed, isolation, competence and task-specific PPE |
Observation prompt: Tongs are purpose-shaped work-holding tools. Do not judge a pair by appearance alone; check the bit shape, boss, rivet, rein alignment, condition and fit to the actual stock.
Material choice
Choose material from an approved drawing, workshop specification, manufacturer recommendation or competent instructor. Known material identity matters most for safety-critical struck and cutting tools because hardening and tempering behaviour depends on steel composition and prior condition.
Mild steel can be suitable for many jigs, templates, guards, stops and non-cutting aids where strength and wear demands are appropriate. Tool steels may be required for punches, chisels, hot cuts, fullers or other high-wear or struck tools. Do not assume unidentified scrap has the toughness or heat-treatment response required for safety-critical service.
Wooden hammer handles should be selected and fitted for the head and service. Reject split, badly crushed, loose or oil-soaked handles where these defects affect safe grip or retention. Repairs must follow workshop policy and competent practice.
Main Hazards and Risk Controls
| Hazard | Typical forging example | Higher-level controls | Residual controls and checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat and hot metal | Hot stock, hot tools, scale, recently forged work that looks cold | Defined hot-work area, suitable tongs, stable work rests, safe travel routes, barriers where needed | Suitable PPE, clear verbal warnings, marked cooling area, never leave hot work where others may touch it |
| Impact and ejected fragments | Hammering, struck tools, scale, cracked or mushroomed heads | Sound tools, correct tool geometry, exclusion zones, secure work support, competent technique | Suitable eye and face protection selected by risk assessment |
| Noise | Hammering on anvil, power hammer, grinding, pneumatic equipment | Reduce noise at source, maintain equipment, isolate noisy processes, use damping or enclosure where practicable | Hearing protection when required, hearing-protection zones, training and health surveillance where applicable |
| Dust and fume | Grinding scale, wire brushing, welding a jig, applying coatings | Eliminate unnecessary dust-generating work, use LEV or other engineering control, select lower-emission process | RPE only where needed for residual exposure and only with correct selection, fit and training |
| Entanglement and rotating machinery | Bench drill, grinder, linisher | Guards, correct workholding, suitable tool rests, secure clothing and hair, isolation before adjustment | Do not wear gloves at a bench drill where they can become caught; follow the machine-specific method |
| Crushing and trapping | Power hammer, press, die change, heavy jigs | Guarding, safe controls, isolation, lifting aids, secure tooling and exclusion from danger zones | Authorised operator only; never place hands in the danger zone |
| Manual handling | Moving stock bundles, swage blocks, dies, anvils and tooling | Avoid hazardous lift, use mechanical aid or redesign storage, split the load | Team handling only where planned and appropriate; assess route, grip, posture and destination |
| Fire | Forge fuel, sparks, hot scale, grinding near combustibles | Separate combustibles, maintain fuel system, suitable extraction and housekeeping, controlled hot-work area | Follow the workplace emergency plan and fire arrangements |
| Combustion gases and fuel | Solid-fuel or gas forge operation, carbon monoxide, fuel leaks | Purpose-designed ventilation or flue arrangements, competent installation and maintenance, safe fuel storage and shut-off | Follow the forge-specific operating procedure; never operate a forge in an unventilated space and use monitoring where the risk assessment requires it |
| Ergonomic strain | Repetitive hammering, poor anvil or vice setup, oversized hammer | Appropriate tool mass, good work height, efficient technique, task variation | Pace work, report pain early and review the setup rather than simply “working through” it |
The storage image above is useful for discussing availability, hygiene and replacement.
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The hearing-protection image provides a second observation point: inspect cushions, headband condition, cleanliness and compatibility before use. Suitable PPE must also fit the individual and work with other PPE. Prescription eyewear, face shape, hearing-protection seals, hair, headwear and communication needs may affect selection.
Official video focus: HSE demonstrates how poor condition and incompatible equipment can reduce the performance of hearing protection. Use the video to discuss fit and compatibility, not merely whether hearing defenders are present.
Inclusive safe practice
A safe forge should work for different body sizes, strengths, communication needs and prior experience. Provide adjustable or alternative workholding where practicable, PPE in suitable sizes, prescription-compatible eye protection when required, clear sightlines, written and demonstrated instructions, and enough time for learners to ask questions before a hazardous step.
Reasonable teaching adjustments must never bypass safety-critical controls. If an adjustment changes the risk, the instructor or employer should review the method, equipment and supervision before the learner proceeds.
Tool Inspection and Maintenance
Pre-use inspection routine
Before hot work, check the tool while it is cold and clean enough to inspect. Use adequate lighting. Compare the tool with its drawing, approved example, manufacturer information or workshop standard where one exists.
- Check identity and intended use: confirm that the tool is the correct type and size for the job.
- Check striking surfaces: look for cracks, severe mushrooming, chips, deep dents or an unsuitable previous repair.
- Check handles and attachment: look for looseness, splits, damaged wedges, sharp projections or contamination that compromises grip.
- Check tongs: inspect bits, boss, rivet and reins; operate them through their movement and test the fit on cold stock of the intended section.
- Check anvil tools and jigs: confirm stable fit, no dangerous rocking, clear hand space and no unexpected trapping point.
- Check powered equipment separately: guards, controls, emergency stops, cables, extraction and tool condition are subject to the machine-specific procedure.
- If the defect is outside your competence or acceptance criteria, withdraw the item from use and report it.
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Annotated hand-tool diagram
FORGING TONGS — COLD INSPECTION MAP
[rein / hand zone] ---- [boss + rivet / pivot] ---- [bit or jaw / stock contact]
| | |
straight and clear free but controlled correct shape and fit
no sharp burrs no crack or bad repair no twist or point grip
HAMMER — COLD INSPECTION MAP
[handle end] -------- [handle through eye] ======== [head] ======== [working face]
| | | |
sound grip secure fit no crack dressed for task
This diagram is an inspection aid, not a dimensional specification. Exact geometry and acceptance limits depend on tool design, material, use and workshop standard.
Dressing and repair decisions
Dressing means restoring an appropriate working surface or removing dangerous burrs and mushrooming. Minor hand filing may be an appropriate supervised maintenance method when permitted by the workshop. Powered grinding introduces additional hazards: abrasive-wheel failure, sparks, noise, dust, entanglement and overheating of the tool.
Do not grind away a crack, weld a cracked striking tool, change a wheel, remove a guard, alter a hardened edge or perform heat treatment simply because the repair looks quick. Escalate the item to a competent person and use the approved repair or replacement route.
Hazard-spotting prompt: This image illustrates the direction and spread of grinding sparks. It is not a model of complete PPE or machine setup. In your own workplace, identify where sparks, fragments and dust would travel and what controls prevent exposure or fire.
Quality Criteria for Forging Tools and Aids
Quality is not only appearance. A well-made tool must function predictably and remain safe in its intended service.
| Item | Functional quality criteria | Safety quality criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Hammer | Face profile suits the operation; head orientation and handle length suit the approved design | Head secure; handle sound; no cracks, dangerous chips or excessive mushrooming |
| Tongs | Bits match the stock section; grip is stable without excessive hand force; reins move freely | Rivet and boss sound; no crack; reins do not trap fingers; work cannot easily roll or eject |
| Punch or chisel | Working end matches required hole or cut; geometry is repeatable | Material and heat treatment are approved; struck end is maintained; no brittle damage |
| Hardy tool | Shank and shoulder locate correctly for the specific anvil; working profile matches the task | Stable seating; no jamming, dangerous rocking, crack or damaged struck area |
| Jig or fixture | Locates the work repeatably; references are clear; output matches drawing or sample | Stable, no sharp projections, no unnecessary pinch point, hands can remain outside the striking zone |
| Template or gauge | Represents the correct dimension or profile and is easy to compare with the work | Edges safe to handle; identification clear; stored so it is not damaged or mistaken for scrap |
Where a drawing gives a tolerance, check the tool or product against that tolerance. Where no tolerance exists, ask the instructor, designer or employer to define an acceptance criterion rather than inventing one.
Authentic Workshop Examples
Example: bolt tongs for round stock
A pair of bolt tongs can grip round or headed work securely when the bits fit the stock. A common mistake is using “nearly the right” tongs and squeezing harder. That may still allow the work to rotate or be ejected. The safer approach is to select or adjust an approved pair to the stock size, check the fit cold, inspect the rivet and reins, and only then carry out a supervised hot trial.
Practitioner-video task: Watch for the sequence used to create and fit the tong components. Do not reproduce the process without your instructor’s method statement, PPE and supervision. Pause the video whenever you can identify a hazard that the video does not fully explain.
Example: hammer face maintenance
A chipped or badly mushroomed hammer can send fragments into the work area or mark the work unpredictably. The quality goal is a sound head with a face dressed to the intended forging operation and a secure handle. The safe maintenance decision depends on the defect, material and available equipment. Hand filing may be suitable for minor approved dressing; grinding or heat treatment requires additional competence and controls.
Technique-video task: Observe posture, hammer path and work rhythm. Compare the practitioner’s advice with your instructor’s approved technique and your own ergonomic setup. Stop if fatigue or pain changes your control.
Example: power-hammer tooling
Power-hammer top and bottom tooling must suit the machine, remain secure and keep the operator out of the danger zone. Tooling designed for hand striking must not automatically be assumed suitable under a power hammer. Machine-specific instructions, PUWER controls, guarding, safe controls and competent supervision take precedence.
Observation prompt: Identify the ram, dies, workpiece and operator position. Then list what you would need to verify on the actual machine before operation. Do not infer compliance from a photograph.
Example: a repeatable bending jig
A bending jig can improve consistency and reduce repeated measuring, but it can also create trapping points. Before manufacture, define the workpiece section, bend location, direction of force, hand clearance, stop position, mounting method and how the work will be removed. Test the jig cold first. A jig that produces the right shape but traps the operator’s hand is not acceptable quality.
Supervised Demonstration
Demonstration: inspect, maintain and return forging tongs to service
Learning purpose: This demonstration teaches a safe maintenance workflow. The instructor controls the workshop and decides which steps each learner may perform.
Equipment: a cold pair of forging tongs, matching cold sample stock, inspection light, approved hand file if required, marker or quarantine tag, inspection record and the workshop acceptance criteria. Powered equipment is not part of the basic demonstration.
- Receive the task briefing and confirm the tong type, intended stock section, acceptance criteria and your authorised actions.
- Make the work area safe and ensure the tongs are cold before inspection.
- Remove loose scale and dirt by the approved cold cleaning method so defects are visible.
- Inspect each bit or jaw for cracking, distortion, sharp burrs and wear that could reduce contact with the stock.
- Inspect the boss and rivet for cracking, excessive looseness, seizure, damaging previous repairs or distortion.
- Inspect the reins for twist, cracks, sharp edges and finger-trapping geometry.
- Operate the tongs through their full movement and test them on the matching cold stock; the stock should be held predictably without excessive hand force or point contact.
- If a minor burr is within your authorised maintenance scope, secure the cold tool correctly and dress it with the approved hand file; if any defect exceeds your criteria, stop and quarantine the tongs.
- Recheck the fit, movement and surfaces, then clean the tool and complete the inspection or maintenance record.
- The instructor decides whether a hot functional test is needed. If it is, the forge is operated under the approved method and supervision; the learner performs only the authorised handling action and then the tongs are re-inspected after cooling.
Pass condition: The tool meets the workshop’s defined fit, movement, condition and documentation criteria. If there is doubt about a crack, repair, rivet condition or material integrity, the correct outcome is not “probably safe”; it is to keep the tool out of service until a competent person decides.
Planning a new jig or aid
Use this design sequence before manufacture: define the function, draw the workpiece and force direction, identify hazards, select known suitable material, provide hand clearance, choose a secure mounting method, obtain instructor approval, manufacture under the relevant safe system of work, test cold, correct faults, then complete a supervised service trial and record the result.
This sequence is intentionally process-focused. It does not give a universal heat-treatment recipe or machine setting because those depend on material, tool design, equipment and workplace procedures.
Common Errors and Better Practice
| Common error | Why it matters | Better practice |
|---|---|---|
| Using the nearest pair of tongs | Poor fit can allow hot work to roll or eject | Match the tong bits to the stock and test cold |
| Ignoring a mushroomed struck end | Loose fragments may spall and the striking surface becomes unpredictable | Withdraw and dress or replace under competent maintenance |
| Treating unknown scrap as known tool steel | Heat-treatment response and toughness are uncertain | Use traceable material for safety-critical struck or cutting tools |
| Grinding every defect away | A crack can extend below the visible surface and grinding adds new hazards | Stop, assess the defect and use an approved repair or replacement decision |
| Welding a tool repair without engineering approval | The heat-affected zone and residual stress may change behaviour | Use a competent approved repair procedure or replace the tool |
| Wearing PPE that does not fit together | Safety glasses, respirators and earmuffs can interfere with seals or coverage | Check compatibility and fit as a complete PPE system |
| Wearing gloves at a bench drill | Gloves can be caught by rotating parts | Follow the machine method; avoid gloves where entanglement risk exists |
| Assuming colour alone proves temperature | Lighting, alloy, scale and surface condition can mislead | Treat recently heated metal as hot until positively managed and cooled |
| Continuing when tired | Grip, judgement and hammer control deteriorate | Stop, review tool mass, technique, work height and task duration |
| Copying a jig without risk review | A copied design may not suit your stock, machine or hand position | Reassess function, forces, mounting, clearance and removal for your workplace |
Sustainability and Resource Efficiency
Safe maintenance can extend tool life and reduce waste. Inspect early so a small burr, loose rivet or damaged handle is corrected before it develops into a larger defect. Store tools dry and organised so corrosion, impact damage and loss are reduced.
Use known reusable steel where its identity and suitability are established. Reserve unidentified scrap for tasks where uncertainty does not create a safety-critical risk and only with instructor approval. Segregate metal scrap for recycling and keep grinding dust, used abrasives, coatings, oils and contaminated waste in the correct workplace waste stream.
Reduce unnecessary reheating by planning the forging sequence, preparing tools before lighting the forge and using the correct stock size. Maintain burners, blowers, extraction and compressed-air equipment so energy is not wasted through poor condition. Reuse jigs and templates where they remain accurate and safe.
Sustainability never justifies using a cracked hammer, unsuitable tong, damaged wheel or unsafe electrical tool. The most sustainable choice may sometimes be replacement because safe service life has ended.
Glossary
| Term | Meaning in blacksmithing and forge practice |
|---|---|
| Anvil | A hardened working support used for hand forging and related operations. |
| Hardy hole | The square hole in an anvil used to locate suitable bottom tools and hardy tools. |
| Hardy tool | An anvil tool with a shank that locates in the hardy hole, such as a hot cut or forming tool. |
| Boss | The thicker pivot region of a pair of tongs around the rivet. |
| Bits | The working jaws of forging tongs that contact and grip the stock. |
| Reins | The long handles of forging tongs held by the smith. |
| Mushrooming | Plastic spreading of a repeatedly struck tool end, creating a lip that may crack or spall. |
| Dressing | Controlled restoration of a tool surface, edge or face to an approved serviceable condition. |
| Fuller | A forming tool used to localise deformation, spread material or create grooves and radii. |
| Swage | A shaped tool or die used to form a defined section or surface. |
| Punch | A tool used to create or begin a hole by displacement of hot or cold material, depending on design. |
| Drift | A finishing or sizing tool passed through a punched opening to refine its shape or size. |
| Hot cut | A cutting tool designed for cutting heated metal. |
| Jig | An aid that locates or guides a workpiece or operation to improve repeatability. |
| Fixture | An aid that holds or locates work securely during a process. |
| Scale | Oxide formed on heated steel; loose scale can become a hot or sharp projectile. |
| Quarantine | A controlled method of keeping defective or suspect equipment out of service pending a competent decision. |
| PUWER | The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. |
| COSHH | The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. |
| LEV | Local exhaust ventilation used to capture airborne contaminants near their source. |
| PPE | Personal protective equipment used for residual risks after more effective controls. |
| RPE | Respiratory protective equipment selected for a defined respiratory hazard and used with suitable fit and training. |
Reflection
- Safe decision making: Think of one tool defect you have seen. What evidence would you need before deciding to repair, quarantine or replace the tool?
- Tool fit: Which is more important for safe tong use: gripping harder or matching the bits to the stock? Explain your reasoning.
- Hierarchy of controls: Choose one forge hazard and propose one control at each level from elimination through PPE.
- Professional communication: How would you tell a supervisor that a familiar tool should be withdrawn from service without overstating what you know?
- Sustainable craft practice: Give one example where extending tool life is sensible and one where replacement is the safer environmental choice.
Expert Review Checklist
Before this module is adopted for live training, a competent blacksmithing instructor should review the tool terminology, examples and workshop sequence; the employer or training provider should review the risk controls against its own equipment and procedures; a competent health-and-safety adviser should check the legal interpretation where needed; and an accessibility or inclusion reviewer should confirm that adjustments do not introduce additional risk. Media licences and external links should also be rechecked periodically.
Interactive Tasks
Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
What is the safest response when you find a crack in a struck forging tool and you are not authorised to repair it? (Withdraw the tool from use and report it) (!Keep using it for light work) (!Grind until the crack is hidden) (!Wrap the cracked area with tape)
What does PUWER require for work equipment used at work? (It must be suitable maintained safe and used by trained people) (!It only needs a yearly visual check) (!It applies only to large powered machines) (!It allows any worker to repair any tool)
Which control should be considered before relying on PPE? (Eliminating or engineering out the hazard) (!Buying thicker gloves) (!Working faster) (!Ignoring brief exposures)
What is the best first check for forging tongs intended for a particular bar section? (Test the fit on matching cold stock) (!Heat the tongs until they change colour) (!Strike the rivet repeatedly) (!Oil the bits before every heat)
Why should unidentified scrap be avoided for a safety critical struck tool? (Its material behaviour and heat treatment response are uncertain) (!It is always too soft to forge) (!It cannot be recycled) (!It can never be cut)
What is the correct approach to noise from hammering and grinding? (Control noise at source and use hearing protection for residual risk) (!Use hearing protection instead of maintaining equipment) (!Judge safe exposure by whether speech is still audible) (!Only control noise during inspections)
What should you do before adjusting or maintaining powered equipment? (Follow the approved isolation and machine specific procedure) (!Leave the machine running so faults are easier to see) (!Remove guards for better access) (!Ask another learner to hold the controls)
Why can gloves be unsuitable at a bench drill? (They can become caught by rotating parts) (!They always reduce heat resistance) (!They make metal softer) (!They prevent eye protection from fitting)
What makes a forging jig acceptable quality? (It is repeatable stable and does not create unacceptable trapping hazards) (!It produces the shape even if hands enter the striking zone) (!It is heavy enough to stay still without inspection) (!It matches an online photograph)
What does completion of this aiMOOC provide? (Learning evidence that still requires workplace competence and authorisation) (!Automatic permission to operate any forge machine) (!A universal blacksmith licence) (!Automatic qualification equivalence in every country)
Memory Game
| Mushrooming | Spread metal lip on a repeatedly struck tool end |
| Quarantine | Keeping suspect equipment out of service pending a competent decision |
| Boss | Thick pivot region of forging tongs |
| LEV | Extraction that captures airborne contaminants near the source |
| PUWER | Regulations covering safe provision and use of work equipment |
| Reins | Long handles of forging tongs |
| Dressing | Controlled restoration of a tool surface to serviceable condition |
Drag and Drop
| Match the correct terms. | Topic |
|---|---|
| Cold fit check | Confirming that tong bits match the intended stock |
| Quarantine tag | Preventing defective equipment from returning to service |
| Local exhaust ventilation | Capturing dust or fume near its source |
| Machine isolation | Controlling hazardous energy before authorised maintenance |
| Maintenance record | Documenting inspection findings and completed work |
...
Crossword Puzzle
| Quarantine | What process keeps a suspect tool out of service until a competent decision is made? |
| Mushrooming | What is the spreading lip that can develop on a repeatedly struck tool end? |
| Ventilation | What general control removes contaminated air from a workplace? |
| Toughness | What material property helps a tool resist brittle fracture under impact? |
| Competence | What combination of suitable knowledge skill and experience is needed for hazardous tasks? |
| Inspection | What activity checks equipment for defects and deterioration? |
LearningApps
Cloze Text
Open-Ended Tasks
Easy
- Tool defect photo study: Easy — With an instructor, photograph or sketch five cold tools and annotate one acceptable feature and one possible defect on each; do not use any item that has been quarantined.
- Tong fit comparison: Easy — Compare two pairs of cold tongs on three approved sample stock sections and explain which pair gives the most stable grip and why.
- Forge safety map: Easy — Draw a plan of your training forge showing hot-work zones, pedestrian routes, tool storage, emergency access and one place where housekeeping could be improved.
- PPE compatibility check: Easy — Under instructor guidance, compare how your assigned eye and hearing protection fit together and write a short note on comfort, seal, visibility and communication.
Standard
- Maintenance record: Standard — Inspect an instructor-selected cold hand tool, complete the workshop inspection record, recommend service, maintenance or quarantine, and justify your decision with evidence.
- Risk control poster: Standard — Create an illustrated poster that applies the hierarchy of controls to one real forge hazard such as grinding dust, noise or hot-metal handling.
- Blacksmith interview: Standard — Interview a practising blacksmith, technician or instructor about one tool failure or near miss, then compare the controls they use with the current workshop procedure.
- Supervised demonstration video: Standard — With instructor approval, produce a short video showing the cold inspection and fit check of forging tongs; include captions, a stop-work decision and no unsupervised hot work.
Advanced
- Jig design review: Advanced — Design a simple repeatable bending or positioning jig from a supplied brief, identify forces and trapping points, propose material and mounting, and submit the drawing for instructor approval before manufacture.
- Tool lifecycle study: Advanced — Compare repair, refurbishment and replacement for one worn forging tool using safety, cost, material use, energy use, traceability and expected service life as decision criteria.
- Workshop audit: Advanced — Carry out a supervised audit of tool storage, inspection status, guards, extraction and maintenance records, then rank improvements by risk rather than by convenience.
- Competence boundary case: Advanced — Analyse a scenario involving a cracked hardy tool, a bench grinder and a proposed weld repair; identify which decisions a learner may make, which require a competent person, and what evidence should be recorded.
Learning Assessment
- Risk reasoning assessment: Given a worn pair of tongs and an unfamiliar stock section, explain the hazards, evidence needed, control hierarchy and service decision rather than simply naming PPE.
- Maintenance planning assessment: Create a safe maintenance plan for a mushroomed struck tool that distinguishes cold inspection, possible hand dressing, powered work, heat treatment, competence limits and final inspection.
- Jig transfer assessment: Review a jig used successfully on one job and decide whether it can be transferred to a different stock size or machine without modification; justify the decision using force direction, hand clearance and mounting.
- Legal application assessment: Explain how PUWER, COSHH, PPE duties, noise controls and manual-handling principles can overlap during one supervised grinding or tool-maintenance task in an England forge.
- Quality judgement assessment: Compare two tool designs that both produce the correct forged shape and decide which has the better overall quality when safety, repeatability, maintainability and ergonomics are considered.
- Sustainability transfer assessment: Propose a workshop policy for reusing known steel, segregating scrap and extending tool life while defining clear situations in which safety requires replacement.
Evidence of Learning
Strong evidence of learning includes accurate knowledge of tool names and failure modes, correct use of the hazard-risk-control model, and the ability to explain why a defective tool should be quarantined rather than improvised back into service.
Practical evidence includes a supervised cold inspection, a correct tong fit check, a complete maintenance or defect record, safe tool storage, and consistent compliance with the instructor’s stop-work and authorisation rules.
Product evidence can include an annotated inspection sheet, risk-control poster, approved jig drawing, maintenance log entry, short captioned demonstration video, interview summary or sustainability comparison.
Transfer evidence is shown when you can apply the same reasoning to an unfamiliar tool or aid: identify what you know, identify what you do not know, find the relevant workplace or manufacturer information, escalate beyond your competence and choose controls before beginning the task.
Evidence should also show professional communication, inclusive teamwork, care of shared equipment, and the ability to explain why legal requirements, official guidance and workplace instructions take precedence over online tutorials.
OERs on the Topic
The following English Wikipedia article provides a broad background to the occupation and craft. It is not a substitute for HSE or workplace safety information.
The Health and Safety Executive publishes extensive guidance under the Open Government Licence except where otherwise stated. Useful starting points are HSE work equipment and machinery, HSE personal protective equipment, HSE noise at work and HSE COSHH.
Wikimedia Commons file pages should be checked for the licence of each embedded image before reuse outside this course. The media selected here include blacksmithing, tongs, grinding sparks, eye and hearing protection, and power-hammer work to support observation and hazard analysis.
Authoritative Sources and Review Status
Current-claim check completed 1 September 2026. The legal and training statements in this module were checked against HSE, Skills England and BSI sources for the selected England focus.
- HSE — PUWER overview: suitability, maintenance, inspection, information, training and protective measures for work equipment.
- HSE — Inspection of work equipment: risk-based inspection, competent inspection and records.
- HSE — Maintenance of work equipment: safe maintenance and competence.
- HSE — PPE at work: current scope and duties for suitable PPE, information and training.
- HSE — Noise Regulations: action values, exposure limit and employer duties.
- HSE — COSHH and engineering workers: dust, fume, mist, fluids and control measures.
- HSE — Manual Handling Operations Regulations: avoid, assess and reduce hazardous manual handling.
- Skills England — Blacksmith ST0378 v1.1: Level 3 apprenticeship standard and occupational expectations.
- BSI — BS EN ISO 16321-1:2022+A1:2025: current general requirements for occupational eye and face protection.
Editorial caution: BSI standards are copyrighted and may change or be revised. This aiMOOC identifies a current standard but does not reproduce it. Employers and training providers should verify the current edition and task-specific applicability.
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