Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Hand Protection

Someone commented that the “hands and fingers are the instruments of the mind.” If that is true, it must become very difficult to be productive when your hands are injured or lost as a result of an accident. Whatever the construction craft, a worker must be able to use both hands in order to get the job accomplished.

Causes of Hand Injuries:

Inattention.
Taking chances.
Exposure to rough materials.
Stacking of heavy materials (i.e., getting your hand or fingers caught between materials).
Cut by sharp objects.
Mashed (or hit by) tools.
Burns.
Caught in machinery.


How to Protect Your Hands:

Wear gloves whenever possible.
Pay attention to the task being performed.
Use the proper tools.
Make sure any equipment used has hand guards in place.


Remember: Should any injuries occur to your hands, always go and get immediate treatment. Without treatment, a minor cut can turn into a major problem with infection. Your hands may look tough, but when you get scratches, cuts, bruises or mashed that seriously injure your hands, you take a chance of losing them. In any business you can’t work without them.