It’s Time to Give Safety a Hand
What tool do you use most often at work? Probably several come to mind. But did you think about the tool you use all day, every day? Your hands! Unlike other tools that are easily replaced, though, your hands can be severely — even permanently — damaged, with no easy replacement.
That’s why June is Hand Safety Month at CoolSys. Although all of us work with our hands to some extent, our technicians’ hands are particularly vulnerable to injury from lacerations, refrigerant burns, heat burns and other on-the-job dangers.
“In 2022, 27 percent of injuries at CoolSys were related to hand burns and lacerations,” says Zach Bates, director of Environmental Health and Safety. “Fortunately, the number of hand injuries have been going down over the past three years, and we want to keep that trend going.”
Safety Is Literally in Your Hands
Hand lacerations and burns are fully preventable, Zach says. It’s just a matter of preparation and attention while you’re on the job. Here are a few tips to help you keep your hands out of harm’s way.
Do a hazard assessment. Start each day in the field by identifying any risks to your hands, especially lacerations and refrigerant burns, and plan accordingly.
Wear gloves. The best way to prevent hand injuries is to wear gloves — and the right type of glove for the job, such as leather gloves, cut-resistant gloves or nitrile gloves for refrigeration. To make sure your gloves are always available, be sure to wear glove grabbers — one end attaches to your belt loop and the other to your gloves. If you need a pair of glove grabbers, contact your regional safety manager, local manager or supervisor.
Don’t take risks. If you mistakenly leave your gloves in your truck, go out and get them before you start the job. “‘This will only take a second’ are dangerous words,” Zach says. “Stop work if you have to, but always take the time to put on gloves.”
Remember you’re not Superman. No matter how long you’ve been working with your hands or how many callouses you have, your hands are still vulnerable to severe injury that can take you off the job for days or weeks. Always take the time to put on gloves when you’re at risk for lacerations or burns.
Tune in to CoolBox Talks. For further education and information about avoiding hand injuries, our weekly CoolBox Talks will focus each week in June on a different topic related to hand safety. Topics include an overview of hand safety, choosing the right gloves for the job, preventing lacerations and preventing refrigeration burns.
Hand safety is not complicated; it’s just a matter of thinking ahead and always being prepared with the right type of glove for the job. The moments you take to step back, assess your environment and put on gloves can save you from days or weeks of pain and disability.