Hand Safety –Part-2

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Contents
 Glove Selection
 Hand Tools
 Fixed, Open Blade Knives
 Other Hand Hazards:
Pinches
Chemical and thermal burns
Jewelry and loose clothing
 Conclusions

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Some Hand Injury Facts
 Nearly 25% of work injuries involve hands or
fingers.
 70% of the injured workers were not wearing
gloves.
 30% of the injured workers were wearing
improper or damaged gloves.

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Work Rules
 A Site Specific Health and Safety Plan will be
prepared that identifies and mitigates hazards
that could be encountered for the job being
performed.
 The hand is involved in every job done in the
field.
 Therefore, the HASP must identify hazards to
the hands and the steps that will be taken to
protect them.

HASP

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Gloves to Protect Against
Physical Hazards
HAZARD TYPE OF GLOVE
Light Duty Cotton, Leather, Rubber Coated or Kevlar
Medium Duty Leather or Kevlar
Kevlar (exposure to sharp or jagged metal, glass, box
Heavy Duty cutters, etc), stainless core (stainless steel woven into
material), HexArmorTM
High Temperature Kevlar/Nomex/Fibreglass
Low Temperature Insulating Gloves
Puncture
Resistance Aramid, HexArmorTM

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String Knit Gloves with Kevlar
and Plastic Dots

Cut, slash, heat and abrasion resistance, dexterity,

launderable

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 Rubber Coated Kevlar

Puncture resistance, good ventilation and dexterity,

good for glass handling or when glass may be
encountered.

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Cut Resistance and Grip

Kevlar®, Spectra® and Stainless Steel construction.

Polyurethane coating provides slip resistant grip.

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Glove Guard Glove Retainer
Have them available at all times

www.gloveguard.com

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 Rules for the
Safe Use of Hand Tools
 Select the right size tool for the job. Don’t use “cheaters” and avoid
pulling old tools from the waste stream. There’s a reason why they
were thrown away!
 Always inspect tools before use and replace or repair work or
damaged tools.
 Always keep the cutting edges sharp and never test a cutting edge
with your finger.
 When working on an elevated surface (ladder, truck, scaffold), ensure
your tools are secure. Falling tools can cause serious injury.
 Always carry your tools correctly and never put sharp or pointed tools
in your pocket.
 When carrying hand tools, always point the cutting edge to the
ground.
 Always keep your tools in a dry place to prevent rust.

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 Screwdrivers
 Most screwdrivers are not designed to be used
on electrical equipment. Use an insulated
screwdriver for electrical work.
 Do not hold an object in the palm of one hand
and press a screwdriver into it; place the object
on a bench or table.
 Never hammer with a screwdriver.
 Never use a screwdriver with a broken handle,
bent or burred blade, etc.

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 Pliers
 Do not use pliers as a substitute for hammers or
wrenches.
 Use insulated pliers when doing electrical work.
 Inspect the pliers frequently to make certain that they
are free of breaks or cracks.

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 Hammers
 Use the correct hammer for the type of work to be done.
 Always wear safety glasses, particularly when using a ball
peen hammer.
 Have an unobstructed swing when using a hammer and
watch for overhead interference.

 Check for defects before using. If the hammer head shows signs of
mushrooming, replace it immediately.
 Handles may be wood, tubular or solid steel or fiberglass. Never use any
hammer with a loose handle. Fix it or replace it before the head flies off
and causes injury to you or someone else.
 Replace or tighten loose handles with the proper wedges; never use nails
or staples for wedges.
 If a steel or fiberglass handle is loose, it is more difficult to repair than a
wooden one. Some fiberglass handles can be tightened with the aid of a
repair kit with epoxy materials, as can metal handles.

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 Wrenches
 Select the correct size of wrench for the job.
 Never use a pipe wrench as a wrench handle extension.
 Too much leverage can ruin a tool and cause injury.
 To avoid sudden slips, stand in a balanced position and always
pull on the wrench instead of pushing against the fixed jaw,
particularly when a pinch point is created.
 Whenever possible use a box end wrench instead of an open
end wrench to avoid slipping.

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 Chisels
 Always wear safety goggles or a face shield when using
a chisel.
 Drive chisels outward and away from your body.
 Do not use chisels to pry.
 Keep edges sharp for most effective work and protect
when not in use.

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 Knives
 Use an alternative cutter that is suitable for the job whenever
possible (see Alternative Tools, below).
 Always perform a job safety analysis when the use of a knife is
the only alternative.
 Always cut away from the body.
 Always keep hands and body clear of the knife stroke.
 Make sure there is plenty of space around you when using a
knife.
 Always keep the blades sharp.
 Never use a knife as a screwdriver.

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Other Sharp Objects
 Broken glass – never attempt to clean up broken glass
with the hands; always use a broom and dustpan, tongs,
or other appropriate tools.
 Auger stems – never attempt to remove objects caught
in an auger stem with the bare hand. Always use a tool or
wear the appropriate cut resistant gloves.
 Hypodermic needles – at uncontrolled or old sites,
always be aware that drug activity could have been taking
place at the site. Always wear puncture resistant gloves
when clearing debris from these sites.
 Debris – demolition debris can be rife with sharp surfaces
and objects. Always wear cut/puncture resistant gloves
when clearing demolition debris.

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Fixed, Open Blade Knives Policy
 Uncontrolled and improper use of utility knives,
multi-tools (i.e, Leatherman) and pocket knives,
collectively known as Fixed, Open-Bladed Knives
(FOBKs), is a safety liability.
 Training programs (hand safety, tool safety, PPE,
etc.) alone are not effective in eliminating hand
lacerations injuries caused by FOBKs. They’re
just too easy and tempting to use.
 Our goal is elimination of FOBKs on sites.

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Context
 FOBKs are tools that have an exposed, prominent,
sharp-edged blade that is fixed or can be locked into
a fixed position.
Examples of FOBKs include pocket knives, multi-
tools, hunting knives, and standard utility knives.
 “Complacency factor” - Knives are dangerous tools.
However, they are so common place that their
hazards are often underestimated or ignored.
 The uncontrolled and improper use of FOBKs is a
common factor in hand injuries (lacerations)
reported within our industry.

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Safer Alternative Tools
 Most of the tasks we perform using FOBKs can
be performed equally well, if not better, using
safety knives or alternative cutting tools
(shears, tube cutters, or specialty cutting tools).
 Common tasks performed on sites using FOBKs
include:
 Cutting twine, tubing, plastic/rubber sheeting
 Cutting open packages (boxes, bags)
 Cutting PVC piping
 Cutting Geoprobe soil sample liners
 There are safer alternatives readily available on
the market that can effective accomplish these
tasks while providing additional protection to site
workers.

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 Practice and Guidelines
 The use of safety knives and alternative tools
is standard, unless these is not a safer, more
effective substitute..
 If an FOBK will be used on site, the hazards
associated with FOBK must be outlined in the
HASP.
 Workers that use FOBKs must have training
in the safe use of that tool and any  Health and
associated PPE. Safety Plan

 This practice applies to subcontractors as

well as URS employees.

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 Use of Alternative Tools
 Alternative cutting tools have risks associated with them. Each tool
has a sharp cutting blade (although it is usually protected or self-
retracting). Also, during initial use, employees will be unfamiliar with
them. Employees using these tools must:
 Be trained how to use them safely
 self retracting or guarded knives typically have a lever which must be
engaged to expose the cutting blade
 shears and scissors are guarded only by the limit of the jaws opening
 Wear the proper PPE when necessary
 The use of safety knives or specialty cutting tools may mean that one
tool will no longer accomplish all cutting tasks on-site. A tool belt or
other tool carrying device may help workers transport and access
these tools efficiently.
 Unlike FOBKs, alternative tools may not be sharpenable. Discard
when dull or if the blade has been bent or burred.

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Safer Alternative Tools
Types of safety knives or alternative cutting tools:
 Self-retracting utility knives (brands - OLFA, Martor,
Allway Tools)

 Guarded utility knives (brands – The Safety Knife co.,

Martor)

 Shears, snips, scissors (brands – Ridgid, Craftsman,

Wolfcraft)

Note: The mention of any product or company on this page does not constitute an endorsement.
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Safer Alternative Tools
Types of safety knives or alternative cutting tools:
 Concealed blade cutters (brands - The Safety Knife Co., Martor)

 Pipe cutters (brands – Rigid, Empire)

 Specialty cutter (brand – Geoprobe)

Note: The mention of any product or company on this page does not constitute an endorsement.
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Safer Alternative Tools - Ratcheting
Tools
 Tools like these are equipped with a ratcheting
mechanism that allows easier, incremental squeezing or
twisting effort to operate the tool, easing the strain on
hands and wrists.

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 Pinches
 Pinch Points are found between a moving object and stationary
object, or between two continuously moving objects.
 Pinch points can be found in many operations, most notably
drilling.
 A thorough Job Safety Analysis must be performed prior to
starting work to identify pinch points and the steps to be taken
to avoid them.
 Unlike most hand hazards, gloves cannot protect against pinch
points. There are no steel-fingered gloves, like steel-toed shoes.
 Therefore, never place your hand/fingers or any other part of
your body in pinch points. Always use push sticks, guards,
shields, and other devices as appropriate.

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Ever Think of This as a Pinch Point?

Keep your hands and feet inside cabs and cages of equipment.

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Lots of Pinch Points Here
on an Old Rig

Here

Here
Here

Here

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Here’s the Major One

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 Things to Beware Of in
Evaluating Pinch Points
 Equipment that swings – like the auger stem on a drilling rig.
Don’t try to stop the swing unless you have the proper tool to do
so. Never use your hands alone.
 Doorways – when going through doors, never handle objects by
the sides that will potentially contact the jamb.
 Wear gloves while moving heavy objects to ensure a firm, non-slip
grip, and be aware that losing control of something heavy can
cause smashed hands. Don’t try to catch it – let it drop.
Equipment is replaceable, your hands are not.
 Automated Equipment - Be alert when working around
automated equipment, including remote or motor operated valves.
Relays, delay timers, and remote controllers can cause equipment
to open, close or "start up" without warning. Never put you hands
in the line of fire for this type of equipment.

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 Chemical Resistance
 For information on chemical resistant gloves, refer to
websites such as ChemRest at:
http://www.chemrest.com/
 or refer to the MSDS for the chemical being handled.
 Glove materials include latex, nitrile, butyl rubber, PVC,
neoprene, Viton and Silver Shield.
 For the chemicals most often encountered in URS
fieldwork (gasoline, diesel fuel, BTEX), Viton and nitrile
are the best selection for chemical resistance.

Note: The mention of any product or company on this page does not constitute an endorsement.
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 Burns
 Hot Spots - Certain types of machinery, like air compressors,
have built-in heaters or generate heat. Hot areas on these
machines can cause serious burns. Leather gloves can protect
your hands from hot spots.

 Frostbite – Work in cold, windy areas can lead to frostbite in a

matter of minutes. Specialty gloves are available.

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 Jewelry and Loose Clothing
 Jewelry and sleeves can easily get caught in moving machinery,
particularly drilling rigs.
 Always remove all jewelry before beginning work and make sure
sleeves are rolled up above the elbow, if appropriate.
 California Standard - Wrist watches, rings, or other jewelry
should not be worn while working with or around machinery
with moving parts in which such objects may be caught, or
around electrically energized equipment. (8 CCR 7.2.10.3384).
 Jewelry should also not be worn if it could compromise the
integrity of the hand protection (such as puncturing gloves).

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 Conclusions
 Proper hand protection is the result of 4 factors:
A complete assessment of the hazards to the hand for the
work being done.
The proper use of personal protective equipment identified in
the Health and Safety Plan.
The proper selection of the safest tools to do the job.
Auditing and reinforcement of the proper behaviors.
 The hand is one of the most important tools; another is the
brain – use both carefully.

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