1. Hand and Finger Injury Prevention
A safety meeting to increase awareness related to hand and finger injuries in the workplace.

2. Are there really that many hand/finger incidents?
Think about it! Most of the work we do is done with our hands. It stands to reason that they would be the most frequently injured body part.
Injuries to hands and fingers commonly are the most frequent for our customers and usually are about 25-30% more frequent than the next closest category.

3. What are the primary causes?
Hand Tools
Sharps in trash and reject materials (metal shavings, broken glass, etc.)
Pinch Point incidents
Handling abrasive materials

4. How can we prevent them? Engineering Controls Machine guarding
Safety devices on tools (spring loaded knives)

5. Is there anything else we can do?
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Gloves
Push Sticks for machine operations

6. Safety rules to prevent injuries to the hands and fingers
Use gloves where appropriate. Gloves should not be used when working around rotating machines or in areas where the glove fabric could become entangled and endanger your hand.
Never use defective or damaged tools and always use a tool for its intended purpose. (example—Do not use a screw driver as a chisel)
When cutting or trimming with a knife:
Always place the item to be trimmed on a firm surface. Do not place the items in your lap or support them with your arm for trimming.
Keep you knife sharp. Sharp knives require less operating hand pressure and therefore are less likely to result in slippage and stray cutting.
Always trim in a direction away from your body. You are far less likely to be injured by a stray cutting action if you follow this simple rule.

7. In Summary:
One of the leading categories for workplace injury is hand/finger incidents.
These incidents are caused by a variety of factors, the most serious are usually associated with pinch points on machines
A combination of good engineering controls and use of PPE can be effective in reducing this type of injury.
Have a safe day.