Keeping your hands safe while at work

You rely on your hands for nearly all of your daily activities, from brushing your teeth in the morning to washing your face before you head to bed at night. Injuring your hand can leave you struggling to perform basic functions at home and at work. A few simple steps, advised by nurse practitioner Brittney Brown, help you keep your hands safe at work.

How common are injuries to hands, anyway?

“Hand injuries are one of the most commonly reported injuries in the workplace especially,” said Brown. “Hundreds of thousands of hand injuries are reported every year.”

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, out of the 1,176,340 nonfatal occupational injuries reported in 2020, 102,350 were related to hand injuries. 

What are the most common ways that hands become injured at work?

“We see a lot of sprains or muscle strain,” said Brown. “Burns, crushes and lacerations are also very, very common.”

It can be as simple as a hammer missing the nail but finding your thumb instead, spilling something corrosive over your hands by accident or skipping your safety gloves only to cut yourself on the machinery you use every day. Even the most common injury could result in a loss of productivity or inability to keep up with work at all.

Prevent hand injuries while at work through a few simple steps

“The chance of getting hurt at work is never going to be zero percent,” said Brown. “But there are steps you can take to keep your hands safe. The first piece of advice I would give is to always, always wear safety gloves.”

Safety gloves designed to resist sharp edges lessen the potential for lacerations or cuts, and there are other types of gloves that make it more difficult for you to be injured by harmful chemicals.

“Another way to avoid getting your hands hurt at work is to avoid pinch points where two objects come together,” added Brown.

Ergonomic tools can help decrease the chance of carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome, which can go from an irritating bit of tingling to severely painful when your work involves consistent repetitive motion, isn’t only an injury in and of itself. It can also make you more likely to suffer even greater injuries by affecting your range of motion and the strength of your grip.

“Employees should be properly trained in how to use equipment and report any malfunctioning equipment to engineering immediately to ensure the broken equipment is removed,” said Brown. “Simple safety acts can reduce the number of reported hand injuries and lead to a safer workplace for everyone.”