The Importance of Hand Safety in the Workplace

What is Hand Safety?

Hand safety is the practice of taking precautions to protect your hands from injuries and hazards. There are many potential risks to your hands, including cuts, burns, and exposure to harmful substances. Taking proper hand safety precautions can help prevent hand injuries and keep your hands healthy.

Importance

You may not think about it, but your hands are constantly in use when you’re working. From gripping a tool to typing on a keyboard, your hands take a beating day in and day out.

That’s why it’s so important to protect them! Hand safety is all about preventing injuries, and the best way to do that is by using the right equipment and following the proper safety procedures.

There are all sorts of hazards in the workplace, and if you’re not careful, you can easily get injured. Cuts and scrapes are the most common injuries, but there are also cases of more serious injuries like burns and amputations.

So take the time to learn about hand safety and make sure you’re doing everything you can to protect yourself from harm. Your hands will thank you!

What are the Common Hand Hazards?

It’s essential to be aware of the hand hazards in your workplace and take steps to protect yourself from them. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 102,350 cases of hand injuries alone, making it the highest total number among other body part injuries.

Some of the most common hand hazards are:

1. Pinch Points

Pinch points are areas where the hands can become caught and pinched between two moving parts of a machine or between the material being processed and the machine itself. Below are some of the devices that have hazardous pinch points:

• Printing presses

• Powered doors

• Power presses

• Conveyors

• Hatches

2. Hot and Cold Spots

These are spots or areas that, when touched, can cause injuries due to their extreme temperature. For example, machinery hotspots, which are located in equipment such as injection molders and welding tools, can inflict severe burns on the hands.

Meanwhile, extremely cold temperatures and surfaces, such as transfer pipes in refrigeration systems, pose the same level of danger and can also cause severe burns.

3. Rotating Equipment

These are machines or equipment that use rotating motions to function. Some examples include spindles, clutches, and fans. These are considered hazards, as most of the time loose-fitting gloves can be accidentally caught inside the rotating parts, along with the worker’s hands, causing injuries in the process.

4. Automation

Machines programmed to automatically start on their own are considered a hazard. Workers may be caught off guard and injure their hands when the machine begins to start on its own.

5. Entanglement

Entanglement is when a piece of your clothing or jewelry gets caught in moving machinery. This results in pulling your finger or entire hand inside the machine.

Types of Hand Injuries

• Cuts: Sharp objects can easily cause cuts to the skin.

• Bruises: Heavy objects can cause bruising if they come into contact with the skin.

• Burns: Chemicals or hot surfaces can cause burns.

• Amputations: Sharp objects can cause amputations if they come into contact with the fingers or hands.

• Crushing: Heavy objects can crush the fingers or hands if they are not properly supported.

• Contact injuries: Hazardous chemicals and high or low temperatures can cause burns and skin infections.

What Can You Do to Protect Your Hands from Hazards?

Hand protection isn’t just a choice for employers. They have legal obligations to give their workers the required PPE to work safely. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the standard numbers 1910.138(a) and 1910.138(b) mandate employers in providing its employees appropriate hand protection from hazards such as cuts and chemicals, or in dangerous temperatures.

There are a variety of ways you can keep your hands safe in your workplace, depending on the type of work you do. As a general practice, here are a few key things to keep in mind when practicing hand safety:

• Always use the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the task at hand. This may include gloves, hand shields, or other items.

• Be aware of potential hazards in your work environment and take steps to avoid them. If you must work with hazardous materials, be sure to use proper safety procedures.

• In any workplace, it is important to practice good hand hygiene. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and avoid touching your face.

• If you have any cuts, open wounds, or other hand injuries, seek medical attention immediately.

• Avoid wearing jewelry such as rings or bracelets at work.

• Concentrate and be aware of what your hands are doing and holding.

• Do not wear gloves on machines with moving parts to avoid getting caught, and gloves that have metal parts near electrical equipment.

• Use proper posture when handling materials to avoid fatigue.

Personal Protective Equipment for Hands

According to OSHA, 71% of hand-related injuries can be avoided using personal protective equipment, particularly work safety gloves. Wearing appropriate gloves protects you from heat or cold, defends you from germs and infection, and keeps you from splinters and broken glass.

With the crucial role of gloves for hand protection, it is important to wear the appropriate type of gloves depending on the work activity or materials to handle. It can be dangerous if you use a safety glove that is not designed for the task you’re doing. The following are gloves that are tailored for a specific job or hazard:

Due to the importance of glove selection, several standards from different regions were created to guide employers in selecting the right glove for work. This includes the ANSI/ISEA 105 for the US and EN 288 for the EU. Both standards provide labels to categorize and assess the protection levels of gloves according to the hazards in the workplace.

Hand Safety Considerations for Different Industries

Different industries face different risks and hazards, such as heat, cuts, and electrical hazards. Because of this, it’s important to follow the required hand safety considerations depending on the industry. Some of these are:

• Working with chemicals or other hazardous materials: This focuses on the chemical and laboratory industries. You will need to take extra precautions to protect your hands by using specific kinds of gloves, such as neoprene, nitrile, latex, and vinyl gloves.

• Working with machinery: This includes manufacturing, industrial, construction, automotive, and mechanical industries. Make sure you are using the proper safety equipment, such as gloves or guards made from metal mesh, Kevlar, and tough synthetic yarn for extra protection. Be sure to follow all safety procedures, such as keeping your hands away from moving parts and being extra careful when using power tools.

• Working with electrical wiring: If you’re working inlectrical and utilities industries, you’ll need to wear non-conductive gloves to protect your hands from low-voltage electricity.

• Working in a healthcare setting: In the medical and healthcare industries, it’s recommended to wear sterile or non-surgical gloves (rubber gloves) to protect your hands from blood-borne substances that can be harmful to you.