Tips on how to reduce workplace hand injuries
Under the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations 1992, employers have a duty of care to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees whilst at work. Having identified all hazards associated with an activity and the level of risks each creates, employers need to manage them responsibly.
This includes supplying PPE, including protective gloves, when appropriate, and glove training where necessary.
Once all other reasonable actions to reduce the risk have been considered, protective gloves may be an essential line of defence. According to studies, gloves can reduce hand injuries by up to 60%.
By examining the remaining risks, it will need to be established what kind of hand protection is needed to manage them in each job role, by considering:
Here, we'll explain how you might be able to reduce risks to employees' hands, including:
Cut resistant hand protection does not completely prevent or eliminate the potential for cuts or punctures, so users are still encouraged to use caution and care when handling sharp tools and materials. It's important to train workers on prevention techniques, for example:
Efforts should be made to eliminate the use of chemicals, or swap for less hazardous ones. Where this isn't possible, exposure should be limited. For example, can exposure be shortened, or tools be used to handle contaminated goods?
Handle, store and dispose of hazardous materials safely, and don’t mix them unless you know that won’t cause a dangerous reaction. Have arrangements in place to deal with incidents and emergencies. Safety data sheets (SDS) provide advice on control measures for hazardous substances.
In some cases, health surveillance of employees by an occupational healthcare professional may be needed.
COSHH specifies what containment measures are required for biological agents, depending upon which Hazard Group they're classified as in the HSE approved list.
Protective gloves play an important part in protecting healthcare and laboratory workers from exposure to blood-borne viruses, especially where there’s also the risk of cut or puncture injury with contaminated sharps.
In other industries, such as construction, the need for care isn't always as obvious, so education and training play a large part in avoiding hazards and minimising exposure. Extra consideration should be made for anyone who is more susceptible to infection, for example because of pre-existing disease, medication, compromised immunity or pregnancy.
Minimising the risks to hands associated with working where there are thermal hazards can include the use of gloves, but other practical measures can be taken too, for example a work piece can be clamped instead of holding it by hand.
Warning signs, devices to avoid contact, better designed work areas and removing slips and trip hazards can all contribute to preventing hand injuries in the workplace from heat sources.
For both these risks, working practices and patterns should be examined and exposure time restricted.
It's the employer's duty under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 to ensure workers are not above the daily exposure limit value and reduce exposure for those above the exposure action value.
It may be possible to eliminate or reduce exposure by changing the tools and processes used, and by careful planning of work patterns.
Reduced blood circulation in the fingers increases the risk of hand-arm vibration, so ensure workers have gloves and other warm clothing in cold conditions.
A decision to work with live electricity should only be taken if absolutely necessary. If it's unavoidable, then suitable precautions should be taken to reduce the risk of contact with live parts or earth and appropriately rated insulating gloves used as a final defense against electrical shock.
Training to ensure workers understand the control measures in place is crucial. As well as providing suitable gloves, employers must ensure all staff are properly taught how to use them, as well as how to clean gloves and maintain them to industry standards and when they should be replaced.
Studies on hand injuries have shown that scenarios where employees need to be particularly mindful include:
Workers need to be educated around safe working practices, particularly if pre-existing habits need to be overcome, such as not removing gloves at critical times. Particular care is also needed to ensure new behaviour is adopted when working circumstances change.
Arco Professional Safety Services can provide training for both safety leaders and your workforce.
Selecting gloves that protect workers can be crucial in helping to keep their hands safe, but often wearing gloves makes tasks easier and more efficient too. From chemical resistant gloves to multipurpose gloves, we can help you select the right products.
Whether you need validation of the current gloves in use at your workplace, help with cost down initiatives, or recommendations for new safety procedures to keep up with changing legislation, Arco can help.
Hand protection designed for a variety of industries, applications and hazards, ensuring you can find a glove that's perfectly matched to your needs.
€10.86
Pairs | Ex VAT Inc VAT
€65.68
Pack | Ex VAT Inc VAT
€15.97
Box | Ex VAT Inc VAT
