Worker suffers hand injury....

The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog has posted incidents involving serious injuries to extremities such as hands, fingers and wrists. Using and selecting proper gloves for a task is one of the most important hand safety programs a company can employ. Wearing improper gloves that are not suited for the task may even increase the risk of hand injury reports OSHA. Here is a recent incident that emphasizes the need for proper hand protection.

A worker at an aluminum casting company suffered a hand injury in an industrial accident one night during the week of May 18, 2014 and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The worker, whose name and age were not released, suffered non-life threatening injuries in the accident at the manufacturing facility, said the Captain of the local Fire Department. His crews got the call at about 8:20 p.m. and found the worker conscious and talking in a first-aid room, the captain said. The captain of the local fire department said he could not release any details about the injury.

The news media called the facility later that night for more information. A man who answered the phone and identified himself as a team leader declined to release any information about the accident.

The Aluminium Plant Safety Blog prays that the injured worker fully recovers from any physical and mental injuries.

Hand injuries may be preventable through ongoing safety training efforts and use of proper protective equipment. Employers that provide the proper training and equipment can greatly improve the well-being of their employees and protect their company from incurring expensive workers’ compensation costs.

To that end, the following guidelines are important to preventing hand injuries in the workplace.

1.   Wear appropriate work gloves when handling rough materials and when hands are directly involved in lifting or moving objects.

2.   Take time to remove or bend down protruding nails, splinters and sharp edges on materials before you begin working with them.

3.   Never wear gloves around in-running nips. The glove can be caught and the hand pulled in.

4.   Always use machine guards.

5.   Always replace a removed guard and lock your machinery before reaching into it.

6.   When moving objects with a hand cart or truck, make sure that you have sufficient room to get through doorways and small spaces with enough clearance for the cart and hands. Be equally cautious when setting down loads.

7.   Keep hands free of grease and oil—slippery hands can get you in trouble. If you get grease or oil on your hands, clean them right away.

8.   Never wear rings when working—a ring caught in machinery or on a protruding object can badly damage a finger.

9.   Wear gloves when picking up broken glass, nails or other sharp objects—also when sweeping up. Never attempt to handle these objects with your bare hands.

Please Comment.