• Our hands are some of our most valuable tools.
• Without our hands, it would be nearly impossible to do the work
we do
• Our hands are used for almost all activities.
• Our hands have another invaluable partner, our eyes
• Eyes are the spotter for our hands
• Our eyes must be aware of the hazards that are near when using
our hands
• What are a few of the dangers that we may encounter with our
hands, and what can we do to mitigate them?
• These gloves have been used for many
years in the construction industry.
Leather gloves are good for many tasks
and protect us from many hazards,
including; sharp edges, small amounts of
heat, ect… They are a basic necessity for
everyday jobs
• Welding gloves are ideal for
welding, torch cutting and all
other tasks where hot materials
will be handled.
• These gloves shield our hands from
acids, caustics, and solvents.
• Disposable gloves protect us from
contamination, chemicals, and infection
with disposable nitrile, latex, or vinyl
materials.
• When we work with energized
equipment, we need special protection to
guard against electrical hazards, like
shocks and burns.
• Lets see if we can recognize, and mitigate the hand hazards…
Worker was cutting 4” conduit.
Grinder bound and kicked back cutting
the worker’s left wrist between his
glove and jacket. What could be done
to prevent this incident?
The crew was removing a drift pin
by positioning the tip of a smaller
pin against the head of a larger pin
and striking it with a hammer.
The worker swinging the hammer
missed the pin and struck his coworkers hand, pinching it between
the hammer and the flange.
How could this incident have been
prevented?
• Sometimes there are hazards in picking up trash, as this soda can
helps to demonstrate
Grinding on top of pipe with one
hand while holding material
with the other hand. Grinder
kicked back and struck the left
thumb. What could have
prevented this incident from
DOW RESTRICTED - For internal use only
happening?
•When we flip over the 1x4, we see 5 nails
• Sometimes hand hazards are not visible at first glance…
• Our hands must be guided by our eyes
• How can we protect our hands from pinch points?
• In the next few slides, we will see if we can spot a few pinch points
as well as other hand hazards
As the worker was pulling the
knife towards himself the blade
slipped off the cable causing a
laceration to his hand in the
approximate location of arrow.
How would you prevent this
DOW RESTRICTED - For
internal use
only happening?
incident
from
Using a hammer to strike a clamp
wedge, the worker’s palm was
caught between the wedge and
the hammer causing a laceration
requiring sutures. Preventable?
DOW RESTRICTED - For internal use only
• Why must we wear
gloves when we paint?
Why Are These Incidents Happening?
Behaviors:
•
The Correct Tool is Used Improperly (e.g. No handle on the
grinder)
•
Unsafe Hand/Body Position (hand/arm/wrist in “Line of Fire”)
•
PPE Not Worn (No Gloves or Gloves Without Longer Gauntlets.
Long Sleeves or Kevlar Wristlets were not worn when needed).
•
Material Not Secured (holding material with hand instead of
using clamp or vice when grinding/cutting).
Why?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Placing higher priority on productivity vs. safety
Inadequate Needs / Risk Assessment
Inadequate / Improper Tools
Poor Judgement - (e.g. Using hands to hold materials instead
of using clamps or vices)
Fatigue (routine task performed repeatedly)
Shortcuts / Attempt to Save Time
Complacency (diminishes hazard identification capability)
AND sometimes the poor judgments and poor work habits
result from the erroneous belief that:
“It Ain’t Gonna Happen to Me”
Some Specifics
• Use the Correct Tool for the Job
• Review safe use practices for the tools you are
using.
• Keep Hands and Body Out of the “Line of Fire”
– Position (e.g. Anticipate unexpected
movement of Material or Equipment)
– Pinch Points
– Sharp Edges
• Mechanically secure the material you are
working on (Use clamps or vices, not hands!)
What to do to prevent these types of
injuries from happening again?
• Take your Pre Task Assessment seriously - No lip service
• Use your professional skills and knowledge to identify the
hazards & reduce them to a low risk factor
• Document your plan through JTA’s/Permits/Procedures
• Look For (and Fix) Previously Unseen Hazards as You
Work. If something unexpected comes up, STOP and
talk it over with your fellow worker/s - then proceed
after re-evaluating the Risk and doing what is required to
reduce the Risk to “LOW”.