Hand and Body Positioning

How many times have we said ...

Have we seen the signs?

Are they clear?

Do people really know what we want?

That’s why its so important to be clear in what we are trying to make people aware of.

Hand positioning is one of the most important things we should train on.

As our hand safety poster says, gloves, pinch points, positioning, and the proper tool for the task. If we do all these things, we can eliminate most hand injuries.

It is also true in an accident, if you take one thing out of the equation, the accident will not occur.

For instance, you can be wearing your gloves and still be injured or you could use the right tool and still be injured. It all has to do with positioning. If your hands are in the correct position you eliminate the hand injury.

We still need to wear gloves, use proper tools and watch for pinch points. But most importantly, if we plan before placing our hands, we can stop the accident from ever occurring.

We Need to Train

Training Components Hazard recognition Experience Expectations Near Hit Reporting

Hazard Recognition Know were your hands are relative to the work. Be sure you are wearing all PPE necessary for that task. Be sure you have the Training required for the Job being performed. Don’t take short cuts.

Experience Only perform jobs that you have knowledge and experience of. If you are unsure of any aspect of the job you are performing, ASK QUESTIONS. Listen to the lessons learned about the task. (learn from someone else's mistakes)

Expectations We expect you to know this before you start a job. Know where to place your hands (don’t assume). Ask your self these questions: Is it unplugged? (disconnected) Can my hand or fingers get caught or crushed ? Am I taking a chance?

Near Hit reporting Pay attention when incident or accident reports are shared with you. Report any near misses. Report all First-Aids. Share lessons learned with your fellow employees.

Your hands are how you make your living. Insure them with your confidence.