Pinch Points and Hand Injuries Pinch Points and Hand Injuries Company Harlan McPhee North McPhee South Powerhawke Ravex Richards Company Using the Form Job Name * Job Name and/or Number Date * Pinch Points and Hand Injuries We use our hands for virtually all work tasks that we do. Because we mostly work with our hands, they are often in the line of fire where they can be injured. Recent statistics for Phalcon have shown that the hand and fingers are the most injured body part and account for approx. 25% of all the injuries suffered by our employees and represent approx. 30% of all our OSHA recordable injuries. One of the types of injuries to the hands and fingers that we see on the job result from crushed-by incidents. Pinch points are a hazard that can lead to crushed-by injuries which can include amputations, lacerations, contusions, crushing of tissues and bones, and broken bones. Defining Pinch Points A pinch point is defined as any point where it is possible for a body part to be caught between two moving objects or a moving and stationary portion of equipment. Pinch points are found in many places throughout the workplace. Tasks such as working with large diameter rigid pipe, manual material handling, adjusting the forks on a forklift and scissor lift operations are just a few common tasks we perform that have led to crushing type injuries for Phalcon employees. Safeguards to Avoid Pinch Points • Identify potential pinch point hazards before starting your work. Pay attention to where your hands are around any moving parts or any objects that have the potential to move. • Do not place your hands where you cannot see them. No blind reaching. • Gloves do little to protect your hands from this type of injury. Always evaluate the hazards you are faced with and use the hierarchy of controls to come up with how you are going to address the hazards. This may include eliminating the hazard by ensuring proper guarding is in place, where applicable or utilizing methods that remove your hands from the line of fire (i.e. remote operators or securing material in a vise so you don’t need to hold the material). • When working on equipment or machinery ensure they are properly locked out and tagged out to prevent unexpected start-up. • Properly block any equipment or parts where stored energy could be released. • When working with others make sure to communicate to let each other know if you are out of the line of fire before moving objects or starting up equipment. Summary Tasks as simple as shutting a truck door or closing a job box can end up in a pinch point injury. It is important to not get complacent and monitor where your hands are when you complete any task. What are some pinch point hazards for the tasks you will be performing today? Additional Comments Foreman Name * Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Toolbox Talk Attendee Attended By (Required) Picture Upload Drop a file here or click to upload Choose File Maximum upload size: 52.43MB reCAPTCHA If you are human, leave this field blank. Submit Δ
