AB

Guideline 330

Hand Safety
Training
AB The Effects of a Hand Injury
We use our hands constantly. A disabling hand
injury can have a dramatic effect on our quality
of life. A hand injury can impact not only our
ability to perform our job, but daily routines as
well.
A hand injury can occur in a second, but the
social, financial and emotional effects can last
a lifetime.

In 2013, over 40% of all recordable accidents in

Coats were hand injuries.
AB Lets try a quick experiment

Try tying your shoe laces with one

hand
Try to button up your shirt with one
AB The Human Hand
The human body is an engineering marvel.
Our hands consist of 27 bones as well as
ligaments, muscles, tendons, nerves, blood
vessels, skin and nails. Working in unison,
they provide strength and dexterity which
enables us to perform
routine tasks and accomplish
precision movements.
AB Types of Hand Injury
Because of their tremendous versatility, hands are
exposed and susceptible to many types of injuries.
These include :-
Strains and sprains from excessive force
Excessive repetitive motion
Awkward posture
Contact with harsh surface conditions
Skin irritation from exposure to hazardous or irritating
substances
Burns from contact or exposure to electricity, chemicals
and hot substances
Punctures from tools and other sharp objects
Cuts ranging from minor to major if tendons or nerves
are severed
Fractures can occur due to crush injuries, trapped hand
AB Hand Injuries are Preventable
The key to hand injury prevention is you. Safety is a
personal responsibility; you are responsible and
accountable for your safety and that of your co-
workers.

Hand injuries are preventable. It requires an

awareness of the possible hazards that your hands
are exposed to and you must take the necessary
safeguards to ensure that your hands are not
exposed to undue risk.

Statistically, most hand injuries are minor. The direct

consequences of injuring your hand by coming in
contact with a hot object may be strong enough to
alter your behaviours for a couple of weeks, but in six
AB Hand Injuries are Preventable

What about removing the guard on a piece of

equipment to remove a tangle? If you
thought you might lose a finger, would it
change the way you viewed the potential
hazard? We have seen this happen!

Hand injury prevention begins with an

awareness of the hazards and an
understanding of the consequences of not
taking appropriate precautions. Since we use
our hands so frequently, we can start to take
them for granted and not truly respect the
AB Common Hand Hazards
Common hazards in the workplace can
include sharp objects, hand power tools, hot
objects, pinch points, chemicals, energy
sources, moving equipment and machinery.

Many hand injuries involve your feet.

Operators, who lose their balance, slip on
surfaces or trip over hazards can sustain wrist
and hand injuries.

Poor housekeeping is a contributing factor to

these types of injuries. Good housekeeping is
an essential element in providing a safe work
AB Common Hand Hazards
One of the most common causes of hand
injury occurs around machinery and moving
equipment when established SOPs are not
followed or are by-passed. Because of the
weight and force involved, the consequences
can often be severe.

Respect the equipment you work around. You

many think you are increasing productivity by
rushing or taking shortcuts, but the clean-up
after an accident takes hours of man-hours.
AB Common Hand Hazards
AB Common Hand Hazards
 Common Hand Hazards In Our
AB Plants
Dyehouse
Pinch points around
machine lids
Hand burns on hot surfaces
Chemical burns
Unguarded motors
Hydro extracts running with
lid open
Trollies
Sharp edges
Broken plastic dye centres
Moving parts
Cranes
 Common Hand Hazards In Our
AB Plants
Final Winding
Pinch points in machine
moving parts
Hand burns on hot
surfaces
Chemical burns
Unguarded motors
Wet or Slippery Floors
Trollies
Sharp edges
Broken plastic dye centres
AB Signage
 Hand Safety is everyone's
AB responsibility
What are the warning signs?
Defective or missing safety
devices
Machine malfunctioning or not
running as normal
Moving parts that arent
guarded
People acting in an unsafe
manner
Missing SOPs
 Hand Safety is everyone's
AB responsibility
What are the warning signs?
No guard on the motor belt

BEFORE AFTER

Fully guarded after refurbishment

AB Hand Safety is everyone's
responsibility
Always be aware of the position of
your own hands in relation to possible
hazards.

If you see a colleague or contractor

putting his hands in danger, tell him/
her politely of the risks to their own
safety.

If you are made aware of a risk to

your hands, take a step back and
AB Control
Know where your hands are at all times.
Keep them away from moving parts of
machinery and points of operation.

Make sure guards are in place and used

correctly. Report any missing guard to your
supervisor and do not continue to work on
that machine.

Isolate energy sources and lock out/ tag out

equipment before placing your hands in
points of potential contact.
AB Control

Dont wear gloves, loose clothing or jewelry

that can get caught in equipment and pull your
hands into a machine.

It is important to maintain
your concentration and
focus at all times when
working around moving
equipment and
machinery.
 Hand Personal Protective
AB Equipment (PPE)
Gloves should not be the first (or only!)
approach to reducing hand risks. However,
when properly selected and utilized, gloves
can help reduce hand injuries.

The wrong glove selection and use can add to

the hazard. The wrong size can cause extra
stress on the hands. The wrong type can
provide a false sense of protection used in
the wrong situation it can create a safety
hazard.
Surgical Rubber Heat Proof
Gloves Gloves Gloves
AB Hand PPE

Surgical Rubber Heat Proof Chain Mail

Gloves
- Chemical Gloves
- Chemical Gloves
- Carrier - Cutting
Gloves
Handling Handling unloading - Using Knives
- Contract with - Wet Materials - Hot package
blood - Cleaning handling
- Contact with
Oil
AB Hand PPE

Be familiar with the types of tasks you perform

and the substances that you may be exposed
to. Gloves can provide protection against sharp
objects, hot objects, chemical exposure and
environmental elements.

Different types of gloves provide different types

of protection. It is important that you know the
purpose and limitations of the gloves that you
use.

REMINDER: Gloves should not be used around

AB Glove Use

To remove contaminated gloves, use

your thumb and forefinger to roll down
the top of one of the gloves by 5 or 6
cm. Next, remove the other glove. Use
your bare hand, touching only the non-
contaminated rolled-down portion, to
remove the other glove.

Decontaminate and store or dispose of

the gloves and wash your hands.
AB Use of Knives and open blades

The use of knives and open blades is

strictly prohibited in Coats Plant without
appropriate authorization and training.

In Final Winding, Spinning and Twisting

the use of clippers should be adopted.

GOOD BAD
AB Use of Knives and open blades

If the use of a knife is completely

unavoidable, permission to use it should be
given by the department head and an
appropriate assessment of the risk should be
made.

Basic Guidelines
- Can the need for a knife be engineered out
- Assess the residual risks with and without a
knife
- Carry out a JSA to highlight any other safety
AB Best Practice Knife Use

KNIFE
IsSAFETY
there a risk
assessment?
Has a JSA been
completed?
Select the correct
knife
Ensure the blade is
sharp
Always cut away from
the body
Store knives correctly
Clean knives after use
Never catch a falling
knife
 Commitment and
AB Communication
Hand injuries are one of the most frequently
occurring injuries in the workplace.
Successful hand injury prevention requires
your commitment, participation and
communications.

Most hand injuries occur when we stop

thinking about safety; when we dont carefully
assess the risk; or when we lack awareness of
the position of our hands.

Safety is a personal responsibility.

 Commitment and
AB Communication
Select the proper tools and protective
equipment for the task to be performed.
Inspect them before each use and use them
only for their intended purpose. For example,
do not use a spanner (wrench) as a hammer.

Remember to use extra precautions and

maintain your focus when working around
equipment. Lock out and tag out before
removing guards or placing your hands in the
point of operation.
 Commitment and
AB Communication
Communicate unsafe conditions and report all
injuries to your supervisor.

Dont compromise your safety to save a few

minutes. Be aware of the risks and keep your
hands out of harms way.

Injuries occur because your hands were in the

wrong place at the wrong time; dont allow
that to happen. You control the safety of your
hands.
AB