TOOLBOX TRAINING DATE:

Pinch Point Injuries

Pinch Points are all around us; at work we have equipment, machinery etc; at home we have
doors, drawers, cupboards and there is also our car doors that we interact with everyday
wherever we are. A pinch point is really any space where a part of or a person’s body can be
caught between a stationary and a moving object or between two moving objects. If a person
or their body part occupies that space during the pinching movement, there is a high
probability of injuries such as crushing of tissues, fractures and even amputations.

A worker was removing equipment from a tank with four other workers. Due to a
miscommunication, an incident happened where the hand of one of the workers was pinned
between the piece of equipment and the man-way. The worker sustained four broken bones, as
well as lacerations.

In another incident two employees were removing a valve. One employee was holding a
hammer wrench against a flange bolt and when the hammer hit the wrench, the handle jumped
to the side and pinched the employee’s little against the pipe causing a laceration and broken
finger.

Finally, an incident occurred when an employee was holding the socket end of a torque wrench
and a second employee was holding the handle end of the wrench. The employee holding the
socket was wearing a glove which got caught and trapped the hand.

The employee could not get their hand out of the way before the second employee pulled
down the wrench handle. The wrench pinned the first employee’s ring finger on their right
hand and smashed it to the pipe. The result was an open fracture of the right index finger tip.
The wound required 11 stitches.

All three of these incidents resulted in OSHA recordable lost time injuries. All injuries were
avoidable!

Pinch Point Safety Precautions

 Identify possible pinch point hazards in your work area

 Focus on objects that move or possibly could move. Ask yourself, “What will happen if this
moves? Will I be in the path of that movement?
 Be aware of pinch points created by objects that move and come into direct contact with
relatively fixed objects
 Be on guard whenever you put your hands, fingers, toes or feet “between” anything.
 Discuss and point out pinch point hazards as part of your JSA.
 Verify effective communication methods are established before the work begins when
working with someone else or as a group to avoid putting your safety in someone else’s
control.
 Pay attention when opening drawers, doors, filing cabinets, etc.

PREPARED AND CONDUCTED BY ESTHER WAVINYA, EHSO