Getting a Firm Grasp on Hand Protection
Hand protection in the construction industry is critical, and getting it right goes a lot deeper than ‘just wear gloves.’
- By Randy DeVaul
- Nov 08, 2023
Ask someone in the construction industry for the best way to protect hands from construction hazards, and you’ll hear a common but insufficient response: “Just wear gloves.” It’s flippant and incomplete, but unfortunately that’s where conversations usually stop.
There isn’t enough thought given to the types of construction tasks being performed or hazards being encountered. “Construction” gloves are either provided by the employer or purchased on the worker’s own dime to protect their hands when performing construction-related tasks. Such “protection” is akin to wearing safety glasses when using liquid caustic cleaner, or wearing leather work shoes when working in standing water—you’re technically wearing PPE, but not very effective ones.
This is an unfortunate attitude, given that hand injuries account for over 30 percent of all reported injuries across various injuries. And a staggering 75 percent of these injuries result in partial or total disability.
Take a moment to think what it would be like to lose the use of your fingers or your hand. In medical circles, an injury or burn to the hand is considered “critical” because of its role in executing essential daily functions. Simple everyday tasks suddenly become complicated or even impossible.
Now how willing are you to trust in “generic” gloves?
Employer Impacts
How does the need for hand protection affect employers?
Firstly, for those employers concerned with regulatory compliance, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has two standards for hand protection. The General Industry standard is OSHA 1910.138; the Construction standard is OSHA 1926.28. Summarized, both standards state that employers are required to provide “appropriate hand protection when exposed to hazards.” The key word is, of course, appropriate.
Secondly, costs of hand injuries in construction can escalate quickly. The average direct cost of a laceration is $10,000; if sutures are needed, add $2,000 plus indirect costs, such as lost time from work. A severed tendon can cost $70,000. A fracture with loss of function can exceed $100,000.
Don’t underestimate the additional “costs” that come with injuries: the employee’s recovery, possible loss of digit or extremity function, loss of income, increased personal/family costs and financial stressors for routine recurring expenses, and changes to the injured person’s quality of life (which may be permanent).
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.