Hands are the most vulnerable part of the body for most workers because the hands do so much of the work and there are so many ways to injure hands in most workplaces.
- A material handler cuts his hand with a box cutter.
- An office worker burns her hand trying to clear a paper jam in the copier.
- An employee doesn’t bother to don gloves before handling a hazardous chemical.
- A machine operator loses two fingers when his hand gets caught in a machine’s point of operation.
- A data entry clerk develops carpal tunnel syndrome from constant keyboarding.
- A line worker’s hand is mangled when it gets caught in a conveyor.
These are just a few examples of how workers’ hands may be at risk. Most workplaces and work areas are full of hand hazards. For example:
- Machinery
- Power tools and hand tools
- Heat
- Electricity
- Chemicals
- Sharp and pointed objects
- Pinchpoints
- Rough surfaces
- Repetitive motion
You might add to this list, depending on the type of work your employees do.
Hand Injuries
Common workplace hand injuries include:
- Cuts and abrasions
- Sprained fingers and wrists
- Amputations of fingers or whole hands
- Crushed hands and fingers
- Broken bones
- Burns from hot surfaces, hot liquids, chemicals, electricity, etc.
- Skin irritation or dermatitis from harsh chemicals or frequent handwashing
- MSDs like carpal tunnel from repetitive motion
- Latex allergies from gloves
Whatever safety meeting you need, chances are you’ll find it prewritten and ready to use in BLR’s Safety Meetings Library on CD. Try it at no cost or risk. Here’s how.
Hand Safety Do’s and Don’ts
If you tell your workers nothing else about hand safety, tell them to be sure they know where both their hands are at all times while they’re working. So many hand injuries occur when employees are working with one hand, but forget where the other hand is, and it strays into a danger zone.
Of course, you should tell your workers a lot more about hand safety than just that one warning—for example, these hand safety do’s and don’ts:
Do:
- Wear appropriate hand protection when necessary.
- Pay attention to what you’re doing.
- Make sure guards on machines and power tools are in place to keep hands away from moving parts.
- Use the right tool for the job.
- Follow instructions for using machines, power tools, and other tools safely.
- Be careful when handling sharp and pointed objects.
- Use a brush to sweep up broken glass, metal filings, etc.
- Clean and bandage cuts on hands and fingers to prevent infection.
- Give your hands a rest periodically, especially when performing repetitive tasks and tasks that require gripping objects or exerting force.
We challenge you to NOT find a safety meeting you need, already prewritten, in BLR’s Safety Meetings Library. Take up our challenge at no cost or risk. Get the details.
Don’t:
- Don’t use hands to feed stock into machines: use a push stick.
- Don’t use hands to sweep up chips and debris.
- Don’t use hands like a hammer to knock things into place.
- Don’t wear gloves around machinery.
- Don’t touch anything electrical with wet hands.
- Don’t ignore skin irritation on hands; seek proper treatment.
- Don’t forget to report hand hazards and hand accidents to a supervisor.
Tomorrow, we’ll talk about selecting appropriate hand protection.
More Articles on Safety Management