30 hand safety tips to prevent hand injury

30 hand safety tips to prevent hand injury.

Hand safety is an aspect of safety everyone should pay attention to whenever they are working in the workplace.

The hand is one of the most used tools in the workplace and when not in the workplace.

To understand the importance of the hand, take a brief moment to think of a work or an activity you can comfortably do at the workplace without using your hand. Do you think there is any?

With this, you can agree there is virtually nothing you can do without your hand as a tool. 

So, hand safety is paramount to prevent harm or damage while working.

Any harm done to your hand will impede the quality of your life.

When someone has a cut on their hand, the person will feel so uncomfortable, and that alone will tell you that harm on the hand is not what you should entertain at all.

However, there are a lot of hazards in the workplace that can result in a hand injury. Those hazards that can cause hand injury include

•  Pinch points.
• Carrying sharp objects with bare hands.
• Touching hazardous substances.
• Falling over and hitting your hand on the bare floor.
• Inappropriate use of equipment and tools in the workplace.
• Exposing your hand for too long periods leads to straining of muscles.
• Repetitive tasks that lead to muscle strain.

These hazards can lead to cuts on the hands, lacerations, and burns that could be severe, mild or moderate.

30 Hand safety tips to prevent hand injury

• Engage in hand safety training and encourage all workers to participate in it. 
• Frequently conduct toolbox talks on hand safety for workers to be abreast of the hand safety tips.
• Ensure you use the right tools for the job.
• Avoid using a blunt blade in your work.
• Enforce correct and consistent use of PPE at all times. E.g. Safety Hand glove
• Do not use Jewelry or long hair while working to prevent it from getting in your way.
• When cutting, ensure you use safe-cutting techniques. 
• Engage or use the protective guards while using the equipment. If you can’t use a protective guard, ensure you devise a safer way to do your job.
• Assess your work area before the start of the work.
• Look out for pinch points and correct them before the start of your work. 
• Faulty equipment should be discarded or put out of use immediately.
• Do not maintain long nails if you are working with your hand.
• Be careful about hot surfaces or any hot work that can expose your hand to heat. Make sure you put measures to manage it.
• Always turn off am equipment before doing any repairs.
• When carrying your load, ensure you rest and continue when you are tired. 
• Observe any equipment that can start automatically. Be careful when using such equipment.
• Always use ergonomic tools for your work to be comfortable while working. 
• Observe frequent breaks to rest your hand when you feel tired. 
• Use your protective hand gloves when you want to handle hazardous substances.
• Ensure that you have a clean work environment before you start your work.
• Avoid doing dangerous jobs when you feel tired. 
• Do not touch live cables or energized cables with your bare hands.
• Avoid using mobile phones when working.
• Make sure of handrails when climbing a staircase.
• When doing a repetitive task, ensure you move your hands in opposite directions now and then to avoid cramps and muscle strain.
• Ensure you work smart at all times.
• Do not wear damaged gloves when you’re working.  
• Avoid putting your hands in moving parts of the equipment or power tool.
• Avoid carrying heavy objects with your hands. Use mechanical aids
• Do not put your hands in closed areas where you can’t see clearly. 

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