Trailing Hand Technique

1 HSE Handout - 08 Issue. No:01 , Issue. Date:12.11.2013 JEL HSE Dept. Corporate Rev. No:00 , Rev. Date:11.11.2013
 What is the Trailing Hand Technique?

People working on an Rig installation, or in any Oil & Gas

facility, will frequently descend and ascend stairs during a
typical day.

In most cases, we can’t stop using stairs to eliminate the risk

but we can mitigate it by using a simple technique for holding
the handrail while descending down the stairs – The Trailing
Hand Technique.

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 Present Practices while descending Stairs ….

In the pictures we can see a “common” handrail grip – think

about it, do you think if you fall down the stairs, while using
the grip shown, your wrist was strong enough to prevent your
whole body from falling in a forward direction?

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 What Happens if we slip & fall forward ?

If you just lose your balance, there If you actually fall, you will have a
is a possibility of wrist injury greater chance of several different
because of the pressure that injuries to yourself not to mention
will be put on it. others who might be below you.

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 How do we use the Trailing Hand Technique?

The Trailing Hand Technique simply

consists of trailing your strongest hand
underneath the handrail behind you,
turning your body slightly in order to have
more stepping space on each individual
stair and descending the stairs in a more
controlled manner.

What do you think will happen if you slip

or trip using the THT?
You will probably not go much further than
the step you are stepping on since your
hand will react by gripping and in this
position your wrist will be much stronger.
You are also likely to fall into a sitting
position or towards the rail, rather than
falling forward.
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  Two simple body position changes will put you in the Trailing Hand Technique.
 Twist your body in one direction, grab the handrail & descend the stairs.

Dragging your hand behind you while

descending stairs will give you more
control in case of a slip !

Notice how much of the foot is now

on the step which makes your body
more stable !

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 How do I benefit from this technique ?

If you ever do slip and fall you will be able to have

enough control to be able to go into a sitting position
instead of falling forward.

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 Safe Way to go up Stairs…
When you are not carrying When you have to carry something
anything, this is the safest way be sure to use at least one handrail
when going up stairs. DO NOT
to go up stairs. Using both
carry something in each hand,
hands. Make as many trips as needed.

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 Conclusions about the Trailing Hand Technique:

This is without a Here you may Using the Trailing

doubt the most have some Hand Technique as
unsafe way to protection but risk seen here, will
descend stairs. serious wrist injury make the use of
By not holding the and not being able stairs safer and
handrail you are to prevent a reduce risk of injury
totally exposed to forward fall. significantly.
a bad fall.

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 “LET SAFETY BE THE WAY OF LIFE”

10 HSE Handout - 08 Issue. No:01 , Issue. Date:12.11.2013 JEL HSE Dept. Corporate Rev. No:00 , Rev. Date:11.11.2013