Study finds glove use significantly reduces hand injury risk
Each year, more than 1,000,000 U.S. workers receive treatment in emergency departments for acute hand injuries. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that approximately 110,000 workers with hand and finger injuries lose days away from work annually — second only to back strain and sprain.
To better understand the risk factors for hand injuries and to help reduce their occurrence, researchers at the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, in collaboration with colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health, conducted a study of occupational acute hand injuries. Researchers examined seven potential changing risk factors in the occurrence of acute traumatic hand injury at work.The study found that the risk of hand injury was significantly elevated when:
• Equipment, tools, or work pieces did not perform as expected.
• Workers used a different work method or performed an unusual task.
• Workers were distracted and rushed.
Further, the results indicate that glove use significantly reduced hand injury risk by 60 percent. Occupational category, job experience and safety training were found to alter several of these risks.
The study, co-sponsored by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, revealed the most common occupational acute hand injury was a laceration (63 percent), followed by crush injury (13 percent), avulsion (8 percent), puncture (6 percent), fracture (5 percent), contusion (1 percent), and dislocation (0.1 percent).