Write a toolbox talk on Hand and Finger injuries

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# HAND PROTECTION חי Leather Gloves Cryogenic Gloves Cut Resistant Rubber Coated Nitrile Gloves Weldi Gloves Fabric Gloves Date Posted: 04/24/2023 Protecting your hands is vital 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. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 1 million workers are treated in the emergency room due to hand injuries. Damage to the nerves in your fingers and hands, loss of a finger, skin burns, or allergic reaction can negatively impact the quality of your work and your productivity - or worse - end your career and seriously detract from your quality of life. These types of injuries are preventable! ## COMMON TYPES OF HAND INJURIES IN CONSTRUCTION Many hazards on construction sites can result in a hand injury, including: ## CUTS AND LACERATIONS This is the most common hand injury in the workplace (63%). Minor injuries of this type can include small scratches or skin surface cuts, which can be easily treated with minor first aid. However, if nerves or tendons are severed, the injury can prove much more severe and have permanent consequences. The best way to protect yourself from a laceration & cut is to wear a cut-resistant glove with the proper cut-level protection when working with sharp objects, tools, or machinery. ## STRAINS / SPRAINS AND OTHER MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES It may seem counter-intuitive, but many hand injuries involve your feet. Employees who slip on surfaces or trip over obstacles often land with significant force on their hands, causing wrist and hand injuries. Repetitive motion can also lead to problems such as musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). ## FRACTURES, AMPUTATIONS, AND CRUSH INJURIES When blunt trauma occurs, it is often around moving equipment and machinery. Due to the force and weight usually involved, the consequences of these injuries can be severe, including substantial bruising, broken bones, a…

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# HAND PROTECTION (cont.) ## CONTACT HAZARDS Contact hazards include anything that causes cuts to the hand or fingers. These risks include sharp edges on tools, protruding nails, sharp edges, packaging, containers, and other materials. While most contact hazards focus on cutting or puncturing the hand or fingers, items that can cause burns, such as chemicals, electrical currents, or extreme temperatures, also fall into the category. ## PREVENTING HAND INJURIES According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 70% of workers who experienced hand injuries were not wearing gloves. Therefore, the first and most essential step in preventing hand injuries on construction sites is to use the right pair of gloves for your task. According to research by Industrial Safety & Hygiene News (ISHN), "using the right pair of gloves for the task will reduce hand injuries by more than 60%". Gloves should fit properly and be worn by the worker when required or necessary to see decreases in hand injuries. Gloves must also fit the task being performed (e.g., thermal-rated gloves for hot and cold, cut-rated gloves for handling sharp objects, chemical (e.g., Nitrile, Butyl, etc.} rated gloves for handling hazardous chemicals, etc.). ## SELECTING THE RIGHT GLOVES FOR THE TASK There are many factors to consider when choosing the right glove for a given task. For example, the amount of dexterity needed to perform a particular job must be weighed against the glove material recommended for the hazard(s) (e.g., cut, electrical, thermal, or chemical resistance} to protect your hands from an injury effectively. In some cases, mainly when working with delicate objects where fine dexterity is crucial, a bulky glove may become more hazardous in specific scenarios. Use the OSHA PPE Guide to select the appropriate glove for the task/hazards you will be exposed to. ## REFERENCES WAC [redacted identifier] WAC [redacted identifier] WAC 296-800-[redacted postal code] Centers for Disease Contro…

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# Hammer Safety (cont.) ## Remember This (cont.) CPWR TOOLBOX THE CENTER FOR CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH AND TRAINING TALK # Hammer Safety - Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes. - Make sure the hammer's handle IS NOT loose or damaged. - Use the right type of hammer for the job. ©2017, CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training. All rights reserved. CPWR is the research and training arm of NABTU. Production of this document was supported by cooperative agreement OH 009762 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIOSH. CPWR [O THE CENTER FOR CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH AND TRAINING

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# PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Date Posted: 09/03/2016 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is gear that can be worn to help minimize or eliminate injury. It can be worn to help prevent sudden injuries or injuries occur over time. It is very important the user understands the intended purpose of the PPE and verifies that it fits properly. that ## When to Wear PPE • Before you resort to PPE, you should first: • Use administrative controls • Implement Engineering Controls • Use local exhaust or general ventilation vs. a respirator • Control dust with a wet process vs. dry • Install sound reducing devices to mechanical equipment • When these other two means of protection are exhausted you then will need to select the appropriate PPE. - Often times PPE will be used in conjunction with administrative and engineering controls for added protection. ## BASIC TYPES OF PPE Head: Hard hat, welders cap Hearing: Earmuffs, ear plugs or canal caps Face/Eye: Safety glasses, face shield, safety goggles. Hand: Gloves for general use, chemical use, electrical work or hot work. Body: Chaps, leathers, coveralls Foot Protection: Leather boots, Safety toe/steel toe boots Personal Protective Equipment is gear that is worn to help minimize or eliminate injury. It is very important the user understands the intended purpose of the PPE, verifies that the PPE fits properly and is adequate for the work to be performed. Remember: PPE is the last line of defense against a hazard. LEARN MORE ## QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION • Does the PPE you wear to perform your work fit properly and is it in good working condition? What can be done in your work area to improve the use of PPE? • What improvements can be made to reduce the need for PPE? ## PRESENTER TIPS • Pre-read the Toolbox Talk. Your comfort level and confidence will be higher if you know your topic. Discuss related tasks, work areas or events that make the Toolbox Talk relevant to your job site. • Involve the workers …

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# AVOIDING HAND INJURIES Date Posted: 05/09/2025 # Avoiding Hand Injuries Workers rely heavily on their hands to carry out construction tasks. Hence, it's crucial to protect fingers and hands to ensure both quality of work and life. Since hands are used frequently, they can be at risk of injury. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), hand injuries rank second in the list of work-related injuries in the United States. Despite taking precautions, minor hand injuries are common in the workplace. Hands are vulnerable to various hazards, including lacerations from sharp objects, crushes, pinch point injuries from moving machinery, joint and nerve pain, and exposure to environmental factors like heat, cold, plants, insects, and chemicals. ## LACERATIONS Lacerations are the most frequent type of hand injury caused by sharp objects or tools. During activities involving sharp tools, inadequate gloves are often used. Kevlar gloves provide effective protection against cuts and slices, but they are not suitable for protection against straight stab motions, which can still penetrate them easily. Therefore, one must exercise caution when using any tool that can easily penetrate the skin. ## CRUSH INJURIES Crush injuries usually happen when employees put their hands in the way of two objects or a rotating piece of equipment. Pinch points on tools or equipment can also cause injuries. crush Fractures occur when there's a sudden blow to the bones in the fingers or hands. Motor vehicle accidents are a common cause of hand fractures. Another common cause of is when a person tries to catch themselves from a fall and extends their hands. fractures ## PINCH POINTS Pinch points refer to any areas where a body part can be trapped between moving and stationary parts of equipment. They are commonly found in different areas of the workplace, including assembly line work, equipment maintenance, lifting materials, and connecting trailers. Pinch points can lead to minor…

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CPWR TOOLBOX RESEARCH AND TRAINING THE CENTER FOR CONSTRUCTION TALK Vibrations caused by power tools, machinery, vehicles, and heavy equipment affect the blood supply to the fingers and toes and can be serious and disabling. ## Kevin's Story Kevin had been a carpenter for 10 years when he began to feel tingling throughout his hand. He noticed that the tips of two of his fingers would turn white and lose feeling. His doctor diagnosed it as Raynaud's syndrome due to vibration from the tools he uses. He told Kevin that because it affects blood circulation and nerves, it could lead to tissue damage and may require surgery. Kevin is now thinking about other job options. - What could Kevin have done to prevent this long-term health problem? * Has anyone you know experienced any of the symptoms Kevin had? If so, what did they do about them? # Vibration: Hand and Arm ## Remember This - Wear gloves or use anti-vibration wraps to improve grip strength and lessen the shock of vibrating tools. ➤ Take regular breaks when using tools that cause vibration ➤ Encourage your employer to ○ Purchase tools, bits, sawblades, and grinding wheels that are designed for reduced vibration. ○ Purchase power equipment that has handles isolated from the vibrating tool. - Perform regular maintenance on tools. - If you are a heavy equipment operator, encourage your employer to provide - Padding on the seat - o Dampening materials on the engine - o Dampening materials on the cab flooring. - Use cutting or power head dampening devices. How can we stay safe today? What will we do at the worksite to prevent hand and arm injuries from vibration? 1. 2. OSHA Standard: Section 5(a)(1) of the OSHA Act ©2017, CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training. All rights reserved. CPWR is the research and training arm of NABTU. Production of this document was supported by cooperative agreement OH 009762 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (N…

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# HAND AND ARM VIBRATION Last Review: 08/01/2025 Date Posted: 09/11/2016 Have you ever had a tingling sensation in your hands after operating a piece of equipment? That tingling is a very mild form of Vibration-induced White Finger (VWF) or Raynaud's phenomenon. Vibration to the extremities can cause constriction of blood vessels and affect nerves and muscles. In moderate cases, personnel can lose dexterity and sensation in their fingers and hands. In severe cases, the constriction reduces blood flow to the fingers, causing them to turn white. In the most extreme cases, VWF can actually lead to the loss of fingers. ## PRIMARY CONTRIBUTORS Cold and vibration. Cold temperatures cause the body to pull blood into the core, resulting in similar symptoms to VWF. Severe extremity vibration, such as the operation of a jack hammer, is a clear hazard; however, even lesser vibration can have a negative effect. Small vibrations over long periods of time can be just as hazardous as large vibrations for short durations. Some examples would be operating a grinder or operating hand controls on shuddering equipment. ## HOW TO PROTECT PERSONNEL Anti-vibration Tools: Many tool manufactures are producing lines of tools that absorb a great deal of the vibration output. This is a good purchase for jobs that require long periods of use. Anti-vibration Gloves: There are many lines of gloves made with vibration-absorbing padding or gel in the palm and fingers. These gloves not only absorb vibration, but also keep the fingers warm, further protecting against VWF. This is an excellent preventive measure when different tools are used throughout the workday (construction sites) or when it is not practicable to stop the vibration in the equipment (large or complex equipment). Proper Work Practices: It is possible to minimize exposure to vibration by establishing work practices that: • Keep the worker and the hands warm during tasks. • Prevent vibration coupling between the work…