Our hands allow us to feel sensations and we use them to perform intricate and complex tasks—we can feel if something is hot or cold, smooth or coarse, soft or rigid. Hands and sense of touch are integral to forming short-term and long-term memories.
Losing sensation in your hands or losing your hands all together is a devastating injury. No longer will you be able to feel the turn of a page in a good book or the warmth of a mug of hot chocolate during a cold winter day.
Hand damage can be prevented by following best practices and wearing personal protective equipment like safety gloves.
Know the Risks
Recognize when your hands could be injured during a task.
- Ensure machinery is shut down and locked out before servicing it.
- Avoid pinch points or crush points.
- Avoid touching extremely hot or cold surfaces without protection.
- When using cutting tools or other sharp objects, use caution to avoid cuts or punctures.
According to the 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics, 102,350 non-fatal, recordable injuries were hand injuries. This accounts for nearly 40 percent of all injuries to the upper extremities.
Keys to Keep You Safe
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) reported 70.9 percent of hand and arm injuries could have been prevented with personal protective equipment, like safety gloves. Approximately 70 percent of workers don’t wear hand protection, and of those who do, 30 percent don’t wear the right kind of glove for the task.
Make sure to evaluate the task at hand and determine the right protection you or your employees need. Choose a glove that will protect you from workday hazards, and consider using more than one type of glove.