Improper use of hand tools sees rise of hand and finger injuries in the US

The BSEE has issued a safety advisory after a spate of hand injuries involving improper use of hand tools, highlighting the need for strict adherence to safety protocols and proper training.

In brief:

• Two offshore workers sustained severe hand injuries due to improper use of hand drills, emphasising the need for detailed job safety analyses.
• BSEE recommends proper hand placement, maintaining good footing, using appropriate PPE, inspecting tools, and ensuring tools meet safety standards.
• In the UK, hand and wrist injuries account for 25% of non-fatal workplace injuries, costing an estimated £1.3bn annually, often due to inadequate safety gloves and training.

In detail:

A series of hand and finger injuries has led the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to issue a safety advisory related to improper use of hand tools.

BSEE said the pattern of injuries emphasised the need for strict adherence to safety protocols.

In one case offshore worker was drilling holes in two inch angle iron held in a vice using a handheld drill.

The worker was wearing leather impact gloves but while drilling in and out the glove material caught in the drill bit lacerating the worker’s left index finger in an injury that required several stitches.

The BSEE noted that in this case the drilling procedures and hazards were not covered in a job safety analysis.

In a separate case another offshore worker was using a hand drill when the thumb of his glove got caught in the drill bit pulling his thumb into the drill bit, causing cuts and breaking the worker’s thumb.

As a result, BSEE recommends that operators and their contractors emphasise the importance of:

• Good hand placement to prevent hand injuries.
• Finding good footing while using hand tools, maintaining balance, and securing work with clamps or a vice to free both hands for safe use of power tools.
• Anticipating the potential for the drill bit to become twisted in clothing and the direction in which the drill would spin when using a hand drill.
• Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, such as leather gloves, safety goggles, or face shields.
• Inspecting tools prior to use and following manufacturer specifications.Removing damaged tools from service.
• Selecting and using tools that are appropriate for the task.
• Ensuring tools meet all guarding and safety standards. Never bypassing guards or using tools with broken or missing guards.

In the UK in 2019 – 2020 there were over 16,000 non-fatal workplace injuries affecting the hand and wrist – accounting for 25% of all non-fatal injuries.

11,000 of those cases resulted in the worker needing over seven days’ absence.

In the same period there were around 122,000 self-reported cases of lacerations in Great British workplaces – with figures remaining level over preceding years.

Hand and wrist injuries cost an estimated £1.3bn per year.

A report into workplace hand injuries in the UK in 2017 found that 40% of companies surveyed, the principal cause of hand injuries was lack of personal safety gloves or cut-resistant gloves.

Improper training in the use of safety equipment and worn-out personal safety equipment were also common causes of hand injuries.

Credit: Health and Safety International By Andrew Allen.