From wearing crush resistant gloves to following the right protocols, let’s take a look at the most important safety tips to protect your fingers.
How to Prevent Finger Injuries
Understand the Risks
With a prevalence of 450 injuries per 100,000 people, finger injuries are the most common hand/wrist threat. Fingers could be crushed by hand tools, trapped in machinery, or damaged by chemicals and spillages. Likewise, putting too much pressure on them could result in an injury. As such, completing a thorough risk assessment of any work environment is vital.
Choose the Right Gloves
If you want to protect your fingers, and hands in general, you must choose the right protective gloves. Crush resistant gloves made with the appropriate materials and protective features should align with the tasks that you complete on a daily basis. For example, gloves with finger cap features are ideal when working in a trade where finger crush injuries are common.
Proper Glove Fit
Finding the right crush resistant gloves for your industry and application is one thing, but ensuring that they fit your hands correctly is another. Ill-fitting gloves will compromise your safety by offering reduced protection. For the best results, you should find protective gloves that feel snug yet comfortable enough to allow movement.
Inspect Gloves Regularly
Selecting the right pair of protective gloves will serve you well. However, the fact that they are the barrier between your fingers and injuries highlights the fact that they can encounter wear and tear. Inspecting them every few days is vital. If you notice rips, holes, or frayed materials, you should replace them ASAP.
Use Gloves for Appropriate Tasks
Wearing your crush resistant gloves in the right situations can increase their effectiveness and protect your fingers. Using gloves with finger cap features are the best option in several industries. Sadly, if you use gloves at the wrong times, you may restrict your movement and generally reduce your safety. That’s why it’s important to have a glove that is not only durable, but fits correctly to allow proper movement and dexterity.
Avoid Loose Clothing or Jewelry
Finger injuries aren’t only caused by the wrong gloves. Jewelry and accessories can pose significant safety hazards as they may get caught in machinery or impact the way you use tools. Similarly, loose items and clothing should be removed before operating machinery. This will eliminate various safety risks, including finger injuries.
Follow Proper Safety Procedures
Protecting yourself with the right personal protective equipment (PPE), such as crush resistant gloves, will protect you against injury. However, following clear safety protocols and procedures is the key to stopping problems in the first place. Familiarizing yourself with OSHA safety guidelines when using machinery should also help minimize the risk of injury on the job.
Maintain Awareness
When working in hazardous situations, you must take responsibility for your safety by staying alert and surveying your surroundings. Staying vigilant to all risks posed by machinery, tools, materials, and other workers should remain high on your agenda. If nothing else, being engaged with your work will reduce injuries caused by basic human errors.
Seek Training & Education
Education relating to safety practices and how to safely use equipment will cultivate safer workspaces. Choosing quality PPE, including crush resistant gloves should have a positive impact while employers are advised to provide comprehensive training programs for all employees in warehouses and relevant settings.
Be Consistent
Finally, there is no use in addressing potential safety risks for just some of the time. After all, it only takes one incident for disaster to strike. Appreciate the risks and stay ahead of them at all times. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Invest in Crush Resistant Gloves With Finger Caps
Finger injuries are commonplace in several industries, but you can prevent them by implementing a clear safety strategy. Wearing crush resistant gloves is one of the most important features, allowing you to work with both safety and comfort in mind.
Here at Safety Tuff, we offer some of the most reliable and durable safety gloves with finger caps on the market. Order yours today!