Handy Tips for Preventing Hand-Related MSDs

Hand-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are painful, sometimes crippling, injuries that generally affect nerves, tendons, tendon sheaths, and muscles in the hands, fingers, and wrists. They may develop from frequent:

• Repetitive motions on a machine or keyboard, packing, cutting, etc.
• Forceful exertion
• Use of vibrating or impact tools

Carpal tunnel syndrome, for example, is a common MSD that occurs when the nerve that runs through the wrist’s carpal tunnel is pinched. Initial symptoms are numbness, tingling, and weakness. Carpal tunnel syndrome can reduce strength and mobility in wrist and hands and may cause permanent damage.

A worker with a severe hand-related MSD might require surgery, be out of work for weeks, and have to remain on restricted duty for a while after returning to work.

All of that can add up to a lot of pain and suffering for the worker and a lot of lost productivity and increased costs for your organization. That’s why the best way to handle hand-related MSDs is to prevent them.

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Minimize MSDs

Repetitive movements are the most common cause of hand-related MSDs. To prevent injury, employees should:

• Avoid repetitive movements whenever possible.
• Alternate tasks to reduce time spent performing tasks that put a lot of stress on hands.
• Take minibreaks frequently to relax tense muscles and give hands a rest.

It’s also important for employees to choose the right tool for the job to reduce strain and awkward positions. And when using tools, workers should:

• Grip tools so the thumb and index finger overlap slightly.
• Avoid bending wrists while holding tools.
• Use clamps, jigs, etc., to help avoid awkward positions and bent wrists.
• Carry materials using a palm-down grip.
• Reduce vibration-related injuries by operating tools at the lowest efficient speed possible.
• Hold tools as loosely as possible without losing your grip.
• Use mechanical aids, not hands, to grasp and hold materials while working on them.
• Keep hands warm. Cold hands make workers grip tools and materials too tightly. When hands are cold, workers are also more likely to develop problems from vibration.

Finally, encourage employees to report MSDs affecting the hands, fingers, and wrists immediately. Symptoms include:

• Pain or aching
• Numbness, tingling, and stiffness
• A burning sensation
• Swelling
• Weakness

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Another core session deals with prevention of ergonomic injuries, including hand-related MSDs.

All told, this "trainer’s bible" contains 50 prewritten meetings covering almost every aspect of safety you’d want or need to train on, in a format designed to be taught in as little as 7 minutes. Major topics include:

• Confined spaces
• Electrical safety
• Fire safety and emergency response
• HazCom
• Machine guarding and lockout/tagout
• Material handling
• PPE use and care
• Housekeeping/slips, trips, and falls
• and dozens more

Just make as many copies as you need of the included handouts and quizzes, and you’re ready to train.

Equally important is that the program ships new meetings every quarter to respond to new and changed regulations. This service is included in the program price, which averages just over $1 a working day. In fact, this is one of BLR’s most popular safety programs.

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