Page 51 - Occupational Health & Safety, November/December 2019

job, OSHA also states that employers are responsible for keeping employees safe and informed of hazards in the workplace. Still, the need to protect employee hands goes even beyond just common wellness and employer responsibility: hands are expensive.
Hand injuries can cost employers a lot—time, money, lawsuits, and overall worker assurance. Remember, a single oilfield injury can cost a cost a company more than $21,000.
“Hand injuries are a concern to employers because these inci- dents can add up to lost time or worker absences, liability expenses, and regulatory fines—and ultimately, decreased worker morale and productivity, and lost company profits,” Chemin said.
What methods can safety leaders use to not only
make sure employees wear hand protection but
also instill a company culture recognition of the importance of overall safety on the job?
Protecting employees is not a one-and-done situation—safety managers and employers must routinely evaluate job sites, tasks, risks, and training. For oil and gas workers, hand injuries are a seri- ous hazard that needs to be accounted for. While the risk of hand injury in the industry might never be completely eliminated, the right PPE glove can greatly reduce hazards and protect workers.
“Training should include proper use of the hands in performing tasks, as well as instructions on how to choose the right personal protective equipment for the job,” Chemin said. “An assessment of
the jobsite and machinery can identify likely threats to a worker’s hands such as pinch points, cut hazards, chemical exposures, and the like. From there, defining suitable control measures, updating regularly, and communicating continuously to workers should be an ongoing part of any hand injury prevention campaign.”
Close to 20,000 people in the oil and gas industry work on oil fields and refineries.4 That accounts for some 40,000 hands using oily tools, pumps, and large machinery every day. In order to best protect workers in an industry where hazards are high and hand injuries are common, using effective and advanced PPE gloves should not be a question. Employers should do their research to find the right glove for the right task for the sake of worker hands. It will be infinitely worth it.
Amanda Smiley is an Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety.
REFERENCES
1. https://bit.ly/2CffXvZ
2. https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2014/04/01/High-Risk-on-the-Rig.aspx%203
3. https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2015/type-of-injury-or-illness-and-body- parts-affected-by-nonfatal-injuries-and-illnesses-in-2014.htm
4. https://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag211.htm
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