There are reportedly 1 million workers in the US that get sent to the emergency room because of serious hand injuries.
You need your hands for all sorts of activities, particularly at work. Preventing hand injuries is essential not just because harming them could potentially impact your quality of life, but severe hand injuries could even make you lose your job if you cannot recover from them and therefore are not able to resume normal work activities.
There are reportedly 1 million workers in the US that get sent to the emergency room because of serious hand injuries, which means the issue is a lot more common than you’d think. It’s essential to take the necessary steps and protect your hands; in most cases, the injuries are completely preventable.
Common Hand Injuries
Your hands are the most likely part of your body to suffer cuts and punctures. In best-case scenarios, these injuries are minor, and might not even need medical attention. However, if you work routinely with power tools, the risk of suffering more severe injuries to your hands increases exponentially.
Some common hand and finger injuries include:
Most of these injuries are less likely to occur in office environments, and commonly affect workers who need to use power tools or heavy equipment routinely. However, even office workers are not completely void of hand injury risks. If you use a computer daily for long hours, you are likely to overuse injuries to your hands and wrists. Trips and falls can happen in any type of workplace, and in these cases people often use their hands to soften the fall, causing injuries to them.
How to Protect Your Hands
If you work with power tools and any sort of equipment, it’s essential to wear protective gloves. Make sure your gloves fit your hands properly and allow you to perform your tasks with ease.
It’s also important to understand the potential risks your day to day activities pose on your hands. For instance, if you have to cut something with a power tool, make sure to set a safe environment to do it, and be careful never to get your hands too close to the blade.
If you see your employer is not offering protective gloves or is not doing their best to ensure a safe environment, speak up. You are doing everyone a favor.
In the case of overuse, it’s best to prevent these injuries by practicing some hand health techniques. For instance, try to take a break every now and then and stretch your arms and fingers to release some of the built-up tension. Pay attention if you are holding the wrist in a natural position and try to get more comfortable.
Have You Been Injured?
Hand injuries are no joke, and some of them require extensive medical treatment. Get in touch with a St. Louis workers compensation attorney to see how you can get compensated for your workplace injury. Call the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann at (314) 361-4300 for a FREE consultation.