Protecting your fingers and hands is important for your work and quality of life. Work-related hand injuries are one of the leading reasons workers end up in the emergency room and miss work.
Damage to the nerves in your fingers and hands, loss of a finger, a skin burn or allergic reaction, can negatively impact the quality of your work, your productivity, or worse, end your career and seriously impact your quality of life. The cost of these types of injuries and illnesses to the construction industry is estimated in the hundreds of millions of pounds each year.
Preventive measures
Follow best guidance work practices and use the equipment and gloves provided by your employer. Gloves and safety procedures won’t work if they’re not used or followed. Be aware of the job tasks, equipment, and materials that can create a risk for a hand injury or put your skin in contact with a chemical, and know the steps that should be taken to prevent exposure and injuries.
The specifics
- Always stay alert and focused on keeping your hands safe – not just at the start of work or a task.
- Keep guards on machinery and power tools in place – don’t remove or reposition them.
- Use tools and equipment designed for the work being performed and use them as instructed by your supervisor and/or the manufacturer.
- Don’t put your hands or fingers near the moving parts of a power tool or equipment. Make sure machinery, equipment, and power tools are completely off before you try replacing, cleaning or repairing parts – follow lock-out/tag-out procedures.
- Check tools and equipment to make sure they are in proper working order before beginning a task.
- Keep hands and fingers away from sharp edges (blades, protruding nails, etc.). Never cut toward the palm of your hand.
- Select hand tools that are ergonomic for your hand (the right size, lowest weight, and have features such as grips, anti-vibration handles, handles angles that allow you to work without your wrist bent).
- Wear gloves that fit your hand and are right for the work being performed – not all gloves protect against all hazards.
- Do not wear rings, other jewellery or loose articles of clothing that could get caught on a moving object.
