You have two but it doesn’t mean you can injure one

The hand is the part of the body most often injured and these injuries are sometimes difficult to heal. Hand injuries are preventable. By identifying hazards and developing safety measures, you and your employer can prevent your hands from being among the 500,000 injured in Canada every year. Hand injuries – like the vast majority of workplace injuries – are preventable. Still, year after year, hand injuries are among the leading causes of missed workdays and emergency-room visits, costing employers millions of dollars in workers’ compensation costs and lost productivity. The most common causes of hand injuries are repetition and overuse, along with awkward positioning of the wrist and fingers.

Your hands are superbly designed tools of amazing strength and dexterity. They can pinch, grasp, twist, lift, hold and manipulate while doing a wide variety of other specific tasks.

https://www.choosehandsafety.org/training-more/hand-tools

 

Your hands and wrists are a complex system of bones, muscles and tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves protected by layers of skin. A total of 27 hand and wrist bones are connected to the muscles by tendons. Ligaments join bones together and hold the joints in place. Blood vessels supply nourishment to all these parts. Nerves convey sensations and help to control hand and finger movements.

The skin provides a barrier against chemicals, heat and cold. Skin on the back of the hand is thin and elastic and, on the palm, it is thick to provide traction, cushioning and insulation.

Remember! Your hands are valuable but also vulnerable! If even a small cut makes it difficult and painful to work or play, imagine if you had a serious injury.

A hazard is any energy that can cause harm. Injuries can be immediate or may happen over time. In the workplace, your hands are subjected to many hazards.

Mechanical hazards

There are numerous mechanical hazards from tools, equipment, machines, structures and vehicles:

• chains, gears, rollers, wheels and transmission belts;
• spiked or jagged tools;
• edges that catch and tear;
• cutting, chopping and grinding mechanisms;
• cutting tools such as knives and presses;
• falling objects, etc.

Heat and cold

Burns to the hands can be caused by exhaust pipes, sparks, steam, hot pipes, hot liquids, welding and molten metals. Even extreme cold can cause burns. Your hands and fingers turn numb at minus 15oC, which can increase the risk of accidents.

Chemical hazards and GHS

Chemical substances may irritate the skin, causing redness, itching, eczema, inflammation, dryness and serious burns. Some chemical products are doubly dangerous: in addition to being irritants, they are toxic when absorbed by the body through the skin. Degreasers, metals, plant and animal oils, dyes, inks, cleaning solutions and many other chemical products can damage the skin and subcutaneous tissues of your hands.

Check the Label

The label should identify the hazardous material, the type of hazard – health or physical – and the manufacturer, producer, or importer's name and address. The label must be in English and may also be in another language.

The Hazard Communication Standard requires construction employers to "ensure that the label is not removed or defaced." In addition, employers are required to provide employees who may be exposed to the hazardous material with training and education on how to identify the hazard, protective measures, and an explanation of the label and the safety data sheet.

Update to the Standard: The revisions to the Hazard Communication Standard aligned it with the United Nations' global chemical labeling system. By 2016, the following pictograms will be used to label materials that present a health hazard for users:

Risk of infection

Hands exposed to materials contaminated by microbes can become infected. For example, tetanus and hepatitis C are infections that can be transmitted through hand wounds. Check the date of your last tetanus immunization. Hepatitis C immunization is important for health care workers and laboratory workers.

Strains and sprains

Strains and sprains occur when the muscles and ligaments that hold the joints in place are bruised, pulled or torn. These injuries often occur when you lift heavy objects or try to break a sudden fall.

Fractures

Fractures occur in what are referred to as "hand traps", such as wheels, pulleys and rollers, or when the hand strikes a hard object.

Crush Injuries

Crush injuries damage deep tissues and bones. They occur when your hand is caught between two solid parts that strike each other, such as falling objects, drawers and doors.

Abrasions

Abrasions and lacerations occur when skin is rubbed away by friction from belts, sanders, grinders and rough materials. Broken skin allows for easy absorption of toxic or infectious substances by the body.

Cuts

Cuts can occur when you use dull cutting tools or handle sharp metals and other materials with jagged edges.

Puncture Wounds

Puncture wounds occur when pointed objects or tools pierce the skin and deep tissues. For example, punctures can result from glass, fish hooks, thorns, animal bites or nails hidden in wood.

Note: Accidental injection of the contents of air guns is a far greater danger than most people realize. Though the injury may seem minor, the victim must be taken immediately to the hospital.

Injuries that happen over time

When you have completed your work, do you feel tingling or numbness in your hands from holding vibration tools or machines?

Do you get sore hands and wrists from tightening bolts many times a day?

Do you have sore hands when cooking meals or using tools at home?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, you may have Raynaud's syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome or tenosynovitis.

Raynaud's Syndrome

Raynaud's syndrome or "white finger" is caused by the vibrations your hands and fingers are subjected to when you work with electric or pneumatic tools. The skin, muscles and other tissues cannot get needed oxygen because of damage to the blood vessels of the hand. The result is a loss of sensation and control; there may be blanching and numbness of the affected areas and you may notice a decreased sensitivity to heat, cold and pain.

All of these problems can seriously interfere with your regular work and recreational activities. If you operate a chain saw, air hammer, air chisel, jack hammer or any other vibration tool, you must be extremely careful.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome results from pinching of the median nerve that runs through the carpal tunnel in the wrist. This syndrome is often found in people who work with their wrist bent or twisted, especially when using force. Assemblers, textile workers, computer keyboard users, painters and food processing workers are among those most affected.

The initial symptoms are numbness, tingling, burning, pain and loss of strength. Symptoms are often more acute at night and felt on only one side of the hand, the side of the index finger and thumb.

Tenosynovitis

Tenosynovitis (tendinitis, synovitis, bursitis, trigger finger, de Quervain's disease) is an inflammation of the tendons and tendon-muscle attachments. It is caused by overuse of the hand and arm muscles, especially during rapid, forceful and repetitive movements and excessive arm extension.

The areas of the hand where pain occurs are generally the base of the palm, the palm side of the fingers, the back of the wrist, and the side of the wrist near the palm.

Advice for protecting your hands

• Your hands must be protected against the hazards of the particular job.
• Gloves should not be worn around machines with moving parts that could catch them and pull the hands into danger areas, for example, machines with pulleys or power-driven machines with rotating shafts.
• Protective sleeves should be long enough to leave no gap between the gloves and the sleeves.
• Do not wear gloves with metal parts when working near electrical equipment.

Some situations call for protection other than gloves. Find out if you would be better protected with barrier creams, finger guards or cots, hand protectors or leather products, arm protectors, sleeves or wristlets.

Support and work with your employer and your health and safety committee or representative to implement an effective hand protection program.

It takes:

• team effort;
• safety training;
• observance of safety rules and proper work practices;
• first aid training;
• hazard recognition;
• safe tools and equipment;
• adequate hand protection; and
• a safe work place.

When someone is injured, treatment must be rendered promptly in order to increase the chances of a full recovery.

Ergonomic issue

Grasping/Gripping

Holding a tool for a prolonged time can cause the hand and arm muscles to fatigue at a faster rate and cause you to grip harder.

An undersized or oversized handle for your hand will result in you gripping harder and will cause your muscles to fatigue at a faster rate.

A handle that bends or extends your wrist too much will put your muscles in a weaker position.

A worn out or smooth grip will result in you gripping harder.

Working in a hot (sweat) or cold (less blood flow, decreasedsensation) environment will result in you gripping harder.

Using the trigger to repetitively operate a tool will quickly fatigue and strain the muscles in the trigger finger.

Consider the following:

• If it can be done safely, alternate hands.
• Use a power tool to reduce the amount of time and force required. It may also reduce the amount of twisting in the wrist and arm.
• Organize your work so that tools that are physically demanding are used periodically throughout the day.
• Use a tool that has a handle optimal for your hand size and that keeps your hand in a neutral position. These tools usually feel the most comfortable in your hand.
• Maintain tools in good condition. This includes re-gripping the handle so it does not slip and is comfortable.
• Wear slip resistant gloves, use slip resistant coating on your hand, or use a tool with a slip resistant handle if you find the tool slipping (sweating hands, wet conditions).
• Choose a tool with a trigger that is large enough to use at least two fingers.

Lifting

The heavier the tool, the harder you have to grip to hold the tool which will increase the strain on the shoulder and arm.

Consider the following:

• Choose lighter tools or tools that are optimally weighted/well balanced (try to avoid tools that are front heavy).
• Frequently used heavy tools at a work station can be suspended to help support and counterbalance the weight.
• Break up prolonged use of a heavier tool by intermittently performing other tasks or taking a break.
• When operating a tool, try to keep it close to your body and at a height between your shoulder and waist.
• Choose tools that allow for two hands to operate or, if possible, use the free hand to help support the weight.

Contact Stress

Any part of the tool that digs in to any part of your hand such as a short handle into your palm, or a trigger into your finger, can compress blood vessels, nerves and soft tissue. Over time this can lead to a MSI. Tools that require impact, such as a hammer, will also increase the contact stress in your hand.

Consider the following:

• Use a power tool to complete the task more efficiently.
• Use tools that properly fit your hand.
• Use tools with larger triggers so more than one finger can be used.
• Use a tool such as a rubber mallet instead of a hammer or your hand (i.e. when putting hubcaps back onto a tire) to reduce the impact stress.

Vibration

Vibration causes the muscles to contract repetitively at a fast rate and increases the strain on the musculoskeletal system. Prolonged exposure to vibration may lead to long term or permanent injury.

Power tools such as drills will transmit various amounts of vibration through your hand, arm and shoulder.

Tools such as a hammer will create vibration after impact that will travel through your hand and arm.

Consider the following:

• Use tools with anti-vibration mechanisms.
• Use vibration resistant gloves.
• Give your hand and arms a break from the vibration by intermittently performing other tasks or taking a break.
• Avoid locking your elbow in a straight/extended position and keep the tool close to your body.
• Properly maintain your tools as proper lubrication, calibration and replacing worn grip handles will help minimize vibration.
• Take a break from the vibration by performing other tasks or taking a break.

Reaching

Reaching too far with a tool will cause increased stress on your wrist, elbow and shoulder, and will cause your muscles to fatigue faster.

Reaching overhead will cause the muscles in your arms to fatigue faster.

Consider the following:

• Adjust the person or work area so that reaching too far forward or overhead is eliminated or reduced.
• Avoid awkward reaching positions by using the right tools for the task. Tilting or repositioning the object may also help.
• When operating a tool try to keep it close to your body and at a height between your shoulder and waist.

Pay attention to signs and symptoms

Pay attention to signs and symptoms as they can be a warning of a potential injury. Make adjustments to compensate for the signs and symptoms you feel. Common signs and symptoms may include:

• Persistent ache or soreness in your hand, arm, neck or upper back muscles. The ache or soreness is commonly caused by highly fatigued muscles from sustained postures or repetitive movements.
  • Note that your muscles may initially feel achy or sore when performing a task you have never performed or have not performed for a long time. In most cases, this is normal as it takes time for your muscles to adjust and to be accustomed to the task.
• Localized swelling and feeling warm or hot at joint area.
• Numbness/tingling.
• Sudden sharp pain while performing a movement.
• Feeling of weakness when gripping/grasping a tool.