Protecting Hands and Fingers

Objective:

To understand the need to protect fingers and hands, and how to prevent injuries.

Trainer's Note:

Use the guide below to bring attention to danger zones. Review a list of hand and finger safety precautions. Use examples to illustrate points. Workers may offer some other examples of accidents that lead to hand or finger injury.

Background

Protecting Hands and Fingers Guide:

• Identify the pinch points on mechanically moved loads, lowered loads and metal drums. Pinch points are created when two objects move together, with at least one of them moving in a circle.
• Know when to wear gloves. Gloves should be worn when exposed to hazards that cause cuts, scrapes and chemical burns or injuries. Do not wear gloves around reciprocating or rotating machine parts.
• Allow rotating parts to come to a stop before working on them.
• Use a tapered punch or other appropriate tool to align the holes in parts.
• Rings should not be worn when operating or repairing machinery.
• Remove fuses with fuse removers, not fingers.
• Do not test the temperatures of gases, liquids, or solids with hands. Reflex damage can occur immediately.
• Keep grinder tool rests adjusted to 1/8 inch gap or less.
• Handle sharp or pointed tools (hatchets, chisels, punches, awls, knives, pitch forks and machine blades) carefully.
• Perform maintenance only when tools or machinery are not in operation.
• If guards are removed to perform maintenance, replace them immediately after servicing.

Review the Following Points

• Avoid using fingers to retrieve objects near saw blades, knife blades, parts moving together, rotating parts and reciprocating parts.
• Use guards on moving machinery parts.
• Do not use hands or fingers to test temperatures.
• Handle sharp or pointed tools carefully.
• Watch for pinch points.
• The power transmission, moving parts, and the point of operation on all machinery or tools should be guarded.

Protecting Hands and Fingers Quiz

True or False

1. Pinch points are created when two objects move together, with at least one of them moving in a circle.	T	F
2. Replace all guards immediately after service.	T	F
3. Never use hands or fingers to test temperatures.	T	F
4. Do not wear gloves around reciprocating or rotating machine parts.	T	F
5. Align holes with fingers.	T	F

Answer Key
1. T, 2. T, 3. T, 4. T, 5. F

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