Our hands and eyes work together to perform tasks, but also expose us to potential dangers like cuts, burns, and other hazards. Different types of gloves protect hands in various situations like welding, chemicals, electricity, and everyday construction. Incidents often occur when the correct tools are not used properly, hands are in the line of fire, or personal protective equipment is lacking. Taking precautionary measures like risk assessment, secure tool use, and stopping when hazards appear can help prevent injuries.
Our hands and eyes work together to perform tasks, but also expose us to potential dangers like cuts, burns, and other hazards. Different types of gloves protect hands in various situations like welding, chemicals, electricity, and everyday construction. Incidents often occur when the correct tools are not used properly, hands are in the line of fire, or personal protective equipment is lacking. Taking precautionary measures like risk assessment, secure tool use, and stopping when hazards appear can help prevent injuries.
Our hands and eyes work together to perform tasks, but also expose us to potential dangers like cuts, burns, and other hazards. Different types of gloves protect hands in various situations like welding, chemicals, electricity, and everyday construction. Incidents often occur when the correct tools are not used properly, hands are in the line of fire, or personal protective equipment is lacking. Taking precautionary measures like risk assessment, secure tool use, and stopping when hazards appear can help prevent injuries.
• Without our hands, it would be nearly impossible to do the work
we do • Our hands are used for almost all activities. • Our hands have another invaluable partner, our eyes • Eyes are the spotter for our hands • Our eyes must be aware of the hazards that are near when using our hands • What are a few of the dangers that we may encounter with our hands, and what can we do to mitigate them?
• These gloves have been used for many
years in the construction industry. Leather gloves are good for many tasks and protect us from many hazards, including; sharp edges, small amounts of heat, ect… They are a basic necessity for everyday jobs • Welding gloves are ideal for welding, torch cutting and all other tasks where hot materials will be handled.
• These gloves shield our hands from
acids, caustics, and solvents.
• Disposable gloves protect us from
contamination, chemicals, and infection with disposable nitrile, latex, or vinyl materials.
• When we work with energized
equipment, we need special protection to guard against electrical hazards, like shocks and burns. • Lets see if we can recognize, and mitigate the hand hazards… Worker was cutting 4” conduit. Grinder bound and kicked back cutting the worker’s left wrist between his glove and jacket. What could be done to prevent this incident? The crew was removing a drift pin by positioning the tip of a smaller pin against the head of a larger pin and striking it with a hammer. The worker swinging the hammer missed the pin and struck his co- workers hand, pinching it between the hammer and the flange. How could this incident have been prevented? • Sometimes there are hazards in picking up trash, as this soda can helps to demonstrate Grinding on top of pipe with one hand while holding material with the other hand. Grinder kicked back and struck the left thumb. What could have prevented this incident from happening? DOW RESTRICTED - For internal use only •When we flip over the 1x4, we see 5 nails • Sometimes hand hazards are not visible at first glance… • Our hands must be guided by our eyes • How can we protect our hands from pinch points? • In the next few slides, we will see if we can spot a few pinch points as well as other hand hazards As the worker was pulling the knife towards himself the blade slipped off the cable causing a laceration to his hand in the approximate location of arrow. How would you prevent this incident DOW RESTRICTED - For from internal use only happening? Using a hammer to strike a clamp wedge, the worker’s palm was caught between the wedge and the hammer causing a laceration requiring sutures. Preventable?
DOW RESTRICTED - For internal use only
• Why must we wear gloves when we paint? Why Are These Incidents Happening?
Behaviors: • The Correct Tool is Used Improperly (e.g. No handle on the grinder)
• Unsafe Hand/Body Position (hand/arm/wrist in “Line of Fire”)
• PPE Not Worn (No Gloves or Gloves Without Longer Gauntlets.
Long Sleeves or Kevlar Wristlets were not worn when needed).
• Material Not Secured (holding material with hand instead of
using clamp or vice when grinding/cutting). Why?
• Placing higher priority on productivity vs. safety
• Inadequate Needs / Risk Assessment • Inadequate / Improper Tools • Poor Judgement - (e.g. Using hands to hold materials instead of using clamps or vices) • Fatigue (routine task performed repeatedly) • Shortcuts / Attempt to Save Time • Complacency (diminishes hazard identification capability) • AND sometimes the poor judgments and poor work habits result from the erroneous belief that:
“It Ain’t Gonna Happen to Me”
Some Specifics
• Use the Correct Tool for the Job
• Review safe use practices for the tools you are using. • Keep Hands and Body Out of the “Line of Fire” – Position (e.g. Anticipate unexpected movement of Material or Equipment) – Pinch Points – Sharp Edges • Mechanically secure the material you are working on (Use clamps or vices, not hands!) What to do to prevent these types of injuries from happening again?
• Take your Pre Task Assessment seriously - No lip service
• Use your professional skills and knowledge to identify the hazards & reduce them to a low risk factor • Document your plan through JTA’s/Permits/Procedures • Look For (and Fix) Previously Unseen Hazards as You Work. If something unexpected comes up, STOP and talk it over with your fellow worker/s - then proceed after re-evaluating the Risk and doing what is required to reduce the Risk to “LOW”.