HAND SAFETY TRAINING

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 KBR ONSHORE
Hand Injury Statistics
2001 - 2003

• 2001 - 25% of all medical

treatment cases involved hands
injuries.
• 2002 – 29% of all medical
treatment cases involved hand
injuries.
• 2003 (through May) – 33% of all
medical treatment cases involved
hand injuries.

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 2003 KBR ONSHORE
HAND INJURIES
Jan 1, 2003 thru May 31, 2003

Type of Injury
4% 4% 7%
7%
Burn
Contusion
Crushing
Fracture
53% 25% Laceration
Sprain

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 Hand Safety
“The Next Step”
Hand and arm injuries account for a large
percentage of the total injuries within KBR.
• Manual material handling and hand safety
incidents have long been a major source of
injuries.

• It has been estimated that almost 20% of all

disabling accidents on the job involve the hands.
Without your fingers or hands, your ability to
work, would be greatly reduced.

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 Hand Safety
• Can we take the same approach to hand safety that
we take to fall safety - Prevention first, protection
second?

• We’ve moved from tying people off (Protection) to

eliminating the hazard (Prevention)
• We’ve taken the next step in fall prevention, let’s
take, “THE NEXT STEP”, in hand safety.

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Hand Safety
How would you answer
this question.
“What is the most used
tool in industry?”?
– Hammer
– Screwdriver
– Crescent wrench
– Drill motor
– Impact wrench

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Hand Safety

The most used tool in almost

any workplace is the;
The Human Hand
– Try writing without using your
thumb
– Try holding a hammer with only two
fingers
– Hand protection is important
because our hands are exposed to
so many hazards in the workplace.

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KBR’s Requirements
(for Hand Safety)
General Requirements
• Employees shall use the proper hand
protection when hazards exist from
skin absorption of harmful
substances; severe cuts or lacerations;
severe abrasions; punctures; chemical
burns; thermal burns; and harmful
temperature extremes.
• Hand protection shall be selected on
the basis of the task to be performed,
conditions present, duration of use
and the hazards & potential hazards
identified.

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 Hand Safety
Behaviors
• Blades which can cut or amputate your fingers or hands.
– Use push sticks and tongs to keep your hands away from
blades or hot objects.

• Rough surfaces and sharp edges which can scrape or cut

the skin.
– Use a grinder or file to remove the rough surface.

• Machinery which can pinch or crush your fingers.

– Make certain the equipment has been locked out and all energy
sources has been disconnected.

• Consider the force of gravity.

– Keep your hands out from under suspended or elevated loads.
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 Hand Safety
Behaviors
• Chemicals which can irritate or burn the skin (make
certain that the gloves that your have on are the correct
ones).
• Heat and Cold ( Cool off hot material before handling it,
even gloved, place signs or erect a barrier against cold
and hot surfaces).
• The condition of your hands give some indication of your
past. If you are like most us, you have one or more visible
scars, each with its on story,and perhaps the result of
being caught in a,

“Pinch Point”.
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 Hand Safety
A pinch point can exist anytime two objects come together.
Here are some actual cases of pinch points
1 A iron worker injured his fingers when a beam shifted and
pinched his fingers between the beam flange and the
equipment housing.
2 An employee’s hand was pinched between the hand rail of
a man-lift basket and the pipe support.
In both examples, gloves did little to prevent the injury. The
key to prevent hand injuries as a result of pinch points is to
avoid them all together. To do so requires hazard identification
and recognition.

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 Hand Safety
In order to properly position your hands, you must first
recognize the hazard and then develop a plan (typically a safe
work practice) to help keep your hands from being injured.
– Use equipment to move materials when possible, not
manual means.
– Keep your hands inside the basket on the protected hand
holds of the man-lift , not the top rail of the basket.
– The best safety device for you hands is your mind.
– By being alert and aware you can avoid poor positioning
of your hands, keep them out of the areas that will harm
your most valuable tools: your Hands.

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 Hand Safety
Stored Energy
Stored energy is “pent-up” energy that could be
released unexpectedly if it is not controlled.
Examples:
– Hydraulic fluids under pressure
– Compressed air
– Energy stored in springs
– Process chemicals under pressure
– Potential energy from elevated objects (Gravity)
– Energy in your arms as you, for example, push or
pull a pry bar or wrench.

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 Hand Safety
Stored Energy
What can we do to protect our hands from stored energy?
• First, we need to recognize that it exists. Stored energy is
not always recognized. The electrical power on a piece of
shop equipment may be locked out, but pressure may still
be present in a hydraulic cylinder.
• A valve or blind may have pressure against it due to a
leaking valve, upstream.
• An unrecognized high center of gravity may cause a piece of
equipment to topple over unexpectedly.

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Hand Safety
What work practices can we follow to
prevent hand injuries from stored
energy.
• Always Lock and Tag out energy
sources.
• Look for other multiple energy sources
on the same equipment.
• Bleed off stored energy in cylinders
• When applying force (push or pull)
prepare for the unexpected slip or
release. NEVER place your face in the
direct line, when using a hand wrench.

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Hand Safety

• Keep hands from under suspended or

elevated loads.
• Consider the force of gravity.
• Use the right tool for the job, and only
those in good condition
• Recognize that gloves will not fully
prevent injury from stored energy.

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 Hand Safety
Traumatic Injuries
• You can suffer a traumatic injury to your
hands in many ways.
– Tools and machines with a sharp edges can
cut your hands.
– Staples, screwdrivers, nails, chisels, and stiff
wire can puncture your hands.
– Getting your hands caught in machinery can
sprain, crush, or remove your hands and
fingers.

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 Hand Safety
Contact Injuries
• Coming into contact with caustic or toxic chemicals,
biological substances, electrical sources, or extremely cold
or hot objects can irritate or burn your hands.
• WARNING: Toxic substances are poisonous substances
that can be absorbed through your skin and enter your
body.
Repetitive Motion Injuries
• Whenever you repeat the same hand movement over a
long period of time, you run the risk of repetitive motion
problems.
• Repetitive motion problems often appear as a numbness or
tingling sensation accompanied by pain and the loss of
gripping power in your hands.

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 Hand Safety
Think of almost any job in our plant, from sweeping
the warehouse to working on any of our equipment.
Your hands and fingers are the tools you use every
working day.
The First Defense
• The first defense in the battle to reduce hand injuries
are engineering controls designed into equipment
during their manufacture or those added later to make
it safe and hazard free.
• Machine guards protect hands and fingers from
moving parts and shall not be altered or removed.

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Hand Safety
• Good housekeeping practices are
also an important part of a
prevention plan for hand
protection.
• Germicidal soaps, and cleansing
creams remove dirt, grease and
other chemicals from the skin
after exposure.
• Good housekeeping also applies
to tools and your work area.
Cluttered aisles, sloppy work
habits also can contribute to
hand and other injuries.

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Hand Safety
Types of Protective
Equipment
• PPE is available in forms of
gloves, hand pads and
barrier creams.
• Gloves can help reduce the
frequency and severity of
hand and finger injuries.

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Hand Safety
Proper Glove Fit
• Wear only gloves that fit your hands.
• Gloves that are too small can tire your
hands
• Gloves that are too large are clumsy to
work with.
• Wearing gloves around moving
equipment, shall be done with great
caution. The glove may get caught and
pull your hand into the machinery.

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Hand Safety
Types of Gloves
• Durable work gloves made of
metal mesh, leather or canvas.
• Fabric and coated fabric gloves.
• Chemical and liquid resistant
gloves.
• Insulating rubber gloves*
* These types of gloves are used for
electrical hazards.

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Hand Safety
Leather Gloves
Leather gloves protect against sparks,
moderate heat, blows, chips and rough
objects.
• Welders gloves, (heavy duty) used for
handling moderately hot materials.
• Welders gloves (TIG) - Smooth finished
with red cuff.
• Leather gloves - Use by the riggers and
operators, (long cuffed)
• Leather gloves - Use by the various
crafts (short cuffed).
• Truck drivers gloves - leather, smooth
finish, good general purpose glove.

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 Hand Safety

Neoprene Gloves
• Neoprene gloves - These are the black, elbow
length gloves used for handling and cleaning of
acid. Neoprene protect workers from burns,
irritation, and dermatitis caused by contact with
oils, greases, solvents, hydraulic fluids,
gasoline, alcohol’s, organic acids and alkalis.

Nitrile Gloves
• Nitrile gloves - should be used for handling
Hexane and Hydrocarbons, stands up to heavy
use, even after prolonged exposure that cause
other gloves to deteriorate.

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 Hand Safety
Kevlar Blend Gloves
• Kevlar blend gloves - provide a unique combination of
toughness, flexibility, and exceptional thermal
stability. Use these when cutting and exposure to
mild heat.

Vinyl Gloves
• Vinyl gloves - should only be used for minor tasks,
such as trash pick up.

Bead Blasting Gloves

• Bead blasting gloves - are to be used for bead
blasting machine ONLY.

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 Hand Safety
Latex Gloves
• Latex gloves - Rubber gloves reduces the risk
of exposure to blood and other potentially
infectious substances.
• Comfortable to wear and pliability along with
their protective qualities make them a popular
general purpose glove.
• Protects workers’ hands from most water
solutions of acids, alkalis, salts.
• Hypoallergenic gloves, glove liners, and
powderless gloves are possible alternatives for
those allergic to latex.

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 Hand Safety
Barrier Creams
Barrier creams or lotions can be used by themselves or
along with other types of PPE.
• Vanishing cream - usually contains soap and
emollients to coat the skin (makes clean up easier).
• Water repellent cream - an insoluble film on the skin
(protects against irritants in water - alkalis and acid).
• Solvent repellent creams - protects against irritating
solvents and oils.
• Remember that these creams does not protect against
highly corrosive substances.
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 Hand Safety
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

The pressure of repetitive motion causes tingling,

numbness, or severe pain in the wrists or hands.
• Short, frequent breaks with exercise to the wrist, elbows
and shoulders will increase circulation and allow the body
to recover from repetitive movements.
• Keep the wrist in a straight position when ever possible,
and reduce the speed and force of movements involving the
wrist.
• Avoid anything that hampers wrist circulation.
• Grasp objects with the whole hand if possible.
• Minor cases of CTS may be cured simply with a few days
rest, but serious, chronic cases may require surgery.
However, surgery is expensive and does not guarantee long
term relief.
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Hand Safety
First Aid
• For cuts - control the bleed with
direct pressure on the wound
• For broken bones - immobilize the
injured hand
• For chemical or thermal burns -
place the hand under running
water and flush for 10 to 20
minutes
• Remember, some chemicals react with
water, read the MSDS for first aid
information

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Hand Safety
First Aid
• For more serious hand or arm injuries
like amputation, act quickly.
• Control bleeding or shock first.
• Keep the severed part cool, don’t freeze
it!
• Don’t apply a tourniquet unless the
person is in danger of bleeding to
death.
• Get medical attention as soon as
possible, and report the injury.

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 Hand Safety
( Recap)
• The type of PPE you • Barrier creams DO NOT
select will depend upon protect against from
the nature of the hazard highly corrosive
in your workplace. materials.
• Gloves should fit you • Know the symptoms of
properly and maintained CTS and seek medical
in the same careful way attention.
as other safety
equipment. • In the event of a hand
injury, know proper first
• Barrier creams may be aid procedures.
used when other forms
of protection are not • Offer only the help you
practical. Reapply them are trained to provide.
often.
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 Hand Safety
( Recap)
Behaviors Behaviors
• Use push sticks, tongs, • Chemicals can burn your
and holders to keep skin, check for the
your hands clear. correct type of gloves

• Remove rough surfaces. • Cool off material before

handling it, or identify
• Make certain that the as being hot material.
equipment has been
locked out and energy • Keep your hands out
sources removed from suspended loads -
Remember the force of
gravity

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 Hand Safety
( Recap)
Stored Energy Stored Energy
• First, recognize that the • Examples
hazard exist. – Hydraulic Fluids
• Lock Out and Tag Out under pressure
– Compressed air
• Look for multiple energy
sources on the same – Energy stored in
springs
equipment
– Elevated objects
• Bleed off cylinders (gravity)
• When applying force – Energy in your arms
prepare for the and hands pushing
unexpected slip or
release and NEVER put and pulling on
your face in the line of wrench’s
fire
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 Hand Safety
Closing
• There are few activities on or off the job that do not
require the use of your hands and arms in some way.
• Driving, eating, writing, and even holding your loved
one - the list can go on and on.
• Make sure your hands last a life time, they are the only
pair you will ever get!
• Protect your most valuable tools:

“Your Hands”

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