The heavier the hammer, the fewer swings it takes to exhaust the worker. That's one reason electric and pneumatic jackhammers were invented. Today, innovations in materials and vibration absorption make impact and demolition tools lighter and more ergonomic than ever.

Wielding an impact wrench made lighter due to its plastic shell construction or aluminum housing means the operator can fasten more bolts per hour. Distributors should stress the value of ergonomic power tools to every client, said Ralph Wismer, president of Zenmar Pneumatic Tools, Inc., in Cockeysville, Md., who specializes in ergonomic power tool solutions.

Plastics, aluminum, and lightweight composites used to build heavy-duty power tools help reduce the burden on workers' bodies. They are not only easier to use for long periods but are easier to pack up and transport, said Wismer.

The tools have vibration absorption systems that reduce strain on operators. Some have cushioned handles or use spring-loaded shock absorbers, Wismer said. The combination of light weight and shock absorption is a powerful selling tool. The tools can also be economically repaired.

"A very big business right now is concrete restoration of buildings such as parking garages. Imagine the stress in trying to chip concrete overhead," he said. "Also, composites and plastics don't transfer the cold generated by compressed air as quickly."

High-impact plastics offer the same safety characteristics as metals, and tools made of these materials last as long as their predecessors. Plastics offer the added benefit that they are non-conductive, which reduces inadvertent shock.

"Manufacturers have to prove the longevity of their new tools. The items have to hit as hard and last as long as older models or they won't be successful," Wismer said.

One manufacturer uses an aluminum alloy to form tool handles, reducing the total weight of a new chipping hammer by 3.7 pounds. The total weight of the tool is only 16 pounds, Wismer said. A standard, three-inch-stroke chipping hammer weighs 18.5 pounds, but Wismer can supply comparable hammers that weigh as little as 14.8 pounds, he said.

One drawback of the tools is their expense. They are generally more expensive than standard tools, but more industrial customers are becoming concerned with ergonomic issues and are buying these tools, he said.

"There are certainly more throwaway air tools out there than before, but tools that can be rebuilt, like these new, lighter tools, are sold with more value from the start," he said.

Some of the new materials used to make tools lighter are proprietary and more expensive, Wismer said, which adds to the price of the tool. He hopes prices will eventually come down.

"I was at a battle tank manufacturer and they were interested in what a manufacturer was doing in materials research for these tools. The cost of that research is a higher-priced tool," Wismer said.

Maintaining the power-to-weight ratios of heavier tools has not been a problem, Wismer said. And, new designs are coming out that put ergonomic issues first. One maker is building a pulse-operated air impact wrench that uses a clutch to remove vibration.

"One problem is that the tool is too sensitive to fluctuations in plant air pressure, but [removing vibration] is the direction many tools are heading," he said. "If manufacturers can address the cost of these tools, which is significantly higher than the standard tools, we can sell a lot of them. One manufacturer now has the lightest and hardest hitting hammer we sell, and it is not priced above normal."

Still, Wismer said, his company sells many impact and demolition tools on their ergonomic merits.