Hand Safety Fundamentals

We can count on one hand the number of serious hand injuries we reported so far in 2024. Since January, five out of the eight recordable injuries in the U.S. involved hands and fingers 

We use our hands for almost everything we do, and preventable injuries have a huge impact on the day-to-day life of the person affected. There are five key factors that contribute to hand injuries in our organization:

1. Poor or no planning

2. Inadequate or no hand protection

3. Incorrect selection and use of tools

4. Applying excessive force to hands

5. Placing hands in the line of fire 

To address these factors, there are five simple things we can do for every task to make sure we keep our hands safe. These are called the Hand Safety Fundamentals:

• Plan to keep your hands safe

• Keep your hands out of the line of fire

• Use the right tool for the job in the right way

• Minimize the force applied to your hands

•  Protect your hands

The Fundamentals for Hand Safety are the ‘fundamental behaviors’ that can keep our hands safe from our most common hand hazards.

Hand safety fundamentals aren’t just for those operating machinery—it’s for everyone.