Ask any Saginaw, Michigan, worker who has suffered a repetitive motion hand injury and they’ll probably tell you that the day they injured their hand was the day that they stopped taking their hands for granted. Hand injuries account for up to 80 percent of all workplace injuries, so it’s important to remember a few tips that can help workers protect their hands.
Part of the reason that hand injuries are so common is that they are constantly in motion on the job. Whether you’re typing up a report or putting a car together, the hands are always moving. But, they are susceptible to dangerous conditions at a work site. These include exposed blades, pinch points, splinters and sharp edges. One wrong motion can mean a world of hurt for the hands.
Be aware of pinch points on the job. They can exist anywhere, but a very common pinch point is a doorway. It’s painful enough to have your fingers pinched by a wooden office door, but the damage to the hands by a heavy metal industrial door can be much worse. It’s a good idea to always remember where the heavy doors in a facility are located.
It’s imperative to wear the proper hand protection as well, because hands can be cut, bruised or burned when picking things up. Wear the correct protective gloves for the situation. Hot objects require thermal protection before being picked up and sharp objects require hand protection that can withstand being pierced.
Lockout all machinery before putting hands inside of them and make sure that all machines are guarded. Also, do not wear any type of jewelry, such as rings, while working with machinery.
Source: www.michigan.gov, “Hand protection“, Accessed May 11, 2015
