New UK Safety Alert issued for angle grinder attachments
Angle grinder saw attachment could cause serious injury or even death.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), the UK’s national product safety regulator, has issued a Safety Alert for an angle grinder saw attachment which could cause serious injury or even death.
This toothed saw blade attachment is not designed to be used with an angle grinder. It could result in ‘kickback’ when the blade snags or strikes an object during operation causing the tool to be suddenly forced back towards the operator.
Consumers who have these angle grinder attachments in their possession are urged to stop using them immediately. They should contact the seller for redress if they believe the product was incorrectly marketed as compatible for use with an angle grinder.
OPSS is working to raise awareness of the potential risks posed by any incompatible angle grinder attachment and is asking the public to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. This follows a previous safety alert issued in 2021 for a chainsaw attachment:
View the Safety Alert for angle grinder chainsaw disc attachments
OPSS is telling any business that sells these toothed saw blades as attachments for angle grinders to remove them from the market immediately as they do not comply with the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008.
It is also working with local authority Trading Standards to identify and take appropriate action against these latest attachments.
OPSS Chief Executive Graham Russell said:
This is the second time that OPSS has identified an unsafe attachment being sold for use with angle grinders. OPSS will take steps to help protect the UK public from these unsafe products, but it highlights the need for businesses and online platforms to ensure greater vigilance, so these potentially deadly attachments do not end up in UK homes.
View the Safety Alert for angle grinder attachments for further information.