Pinch Points and Hand Injuries Stats & Facts

FACTS

1. Your organization may already have gloves available for employees, but a quick look at OSHA’s hand injury stats reveals that you probably aren’t wearing them.
2. The most common types of hand injuries are bruises, pinches, lacerations, abrasions, strains, amputations, dislocations, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, and Raynaud’s Disease. The non-dominant hand is the most vulnerable to injury.
3. While hand injuries aren’t the deadliest, they can certainly make your day-to-day work much harder. Injuries to the hand can also be more difficult to heal because of the way the hand moves, the wound can open up.
4. Four major causes of hand injuries are: failure to follow procedures; using the wrong tool for a task; inattention; and failure to use personal protective equipment.
5. Workers can avoid hand injuries by following these six safety tips: consider all potential hazards involved in a job before starting it; never take shortcuts; concentrate on the task being performed; always wear appropriate hand PPE; follow safety rules and safe working procedures; and practice good housekeeping.
6. There are several types of workplace hazards that can cause serious hand and finger injuries, including these four: mechanical hazards, such as pinch points or cutting surfaces; personal hazards, such as jewelry, loose-fitting clothing or improper PPE; contact hazards such as chemicals, electricity or hot/cold surfaces; and housekeeping hazards, including improper storage of equipment and slippery conditions.

STATS

1. Hand injuries are both expensive and tragic. A hand injury can cost anywhere from $540 to $26,000, according to the National Safety Council. Injuries to the hand are the second most common type of workplace injury, so they also have a big impact on workers’ compensation claims.
2. About 10 percent of hand injuries result from the improper use of hand tools, while 40 percent are cause during the handling of materials. (Workplace Safety North, Ontario)
3. Every year in Canada, an estimated 500,000 work-related hand injuries occur. (Government of Canada Labour Program)
4. An Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) study found that 70 percent of the workers suffering hand injuries in manufacturing operations were not wearing safety gloves at the time of injury.
5. Five types of hand injuries are: lacerations (cuts), accounting for 63 percent of the total; crush (13 percent); avulsion (tearing of skin or soft tissue), accounting for eight percent; puncture (six percent); and fracture (five percent), according to the National Safety Council.