EeOne in five employees visits the A&E as a result of a cutting incident. A cutting injury is the most common injury in the workplace and is among the top 5 of company accidents with injury. Although most people are aware of the risks, there is still a lot of injury, due to carelessness or unexpected situations. 

Cutting incidents form an important aspect with regard to hand injury. But there are more risks: 

  • Mechanical: injury, mutilation or amputation as a consequence of sharp edges, raw materials, tools, mechanical forces or hitting and entrapment.  
  • Chemical: burns, mutilation, skin disease and irritations as a consequence of direct or chronical contact with hazardous substances.   
  • Thermal: burning of the skin or tissue as a consequence of hot objects, processes, liquids and open fire.   

Personal protection 

In addition to the primary steps in the AH-strategy, PPE usually remains required. Relevant products that we can provide, are: 

  • Mechanical/cut-resistant glovessnickel-resistant gloves  
  • Chemical hand protection  
  • Arm protection  
  • Protective clothing  
  • Footwear (saw shoes, boots)
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Education & support 

Risk awareness is indispensable for managing the conduct. Training and SHE meetings are excellent means to achieve this. It is important though to have employees personally put questions and answers forward, regarding safety issues. Examples are: why, how and what are the consequences of their decisions.. 

Also start the dialogue about the effectiveness of measures. This could be more fruitful than explaining the rules once again. Involving employees when determining control measures is an important motivator.  

In addition to the protection offered by the measures, the comfort is also an important aspect. When an employee indicates that the gloves are uncomfortable and when they are not available in the right size, he will be less inclined to use them. So, do not concentrate on the safest solution only, but also choose a functional and comfortable solution. The person to give you the best advice, will be your employee, because he/she will need to work with it. By assembling a small work group, together with one of our PPE-consultants, you can determine the best solution together. 

Which role can a PPE-consultant fulfil here? 

 Our PPE-consultants are familiar with the most recent laws and regulations. By going through the risks together with you, we can jointly determine the most suitable hand protection. Our consultants have already provided advice in many different work environments, often involving risks of cutting injury. We will be happy to share these experiences. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The Dutch Working Conditions Act is not concrete, where it concerns hand injury. The general principle of the Act is though, that the legislator must also inventory the risks of hand injury. Subsequently, measures must be taken to mitigate the risks or to make them controllable. Therefore, the Working Conditions Act, extensively discusses the work equipment. In addition, there are requirements on machines, included in the Commodities Act Machines.   

Article 3.17 of the Working Conditions Decree discusses the risk of being hit by objects, products or parts. This refers to collective and individual measures to be taken, before any personal protective equipment is being used. Chapter 7 of the Working Conditions Decree is entirely dedicated to the requirements that work equipment must comply with. 

When gloves are chosen to protect the hand against mechanical, chemical and thermal risks, they must be CE-marked. The manufacturer will have indicated on the glove and in the instructions, which protection is provided by the glove. The requirements that the glove should comply with, are documented in various Directives. Download the e-paper for compete information with regard to the legislation. Look here for the overview of standards hand protection. 

Download the e-paper for full information on the legislation. 

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More information

Our advisors are happy to help you or make an appointment if you wish.

Phone: +31 184 434 455
Mail: info@veiliggoed.nl

PPE-scan  

By use of our scan, we inventory risks at function level. By means of an advisory report and a PPE-matrix, you will get an overview of the required protection measures. More information about the PPE-scan. 

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Preventing cuts

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E-paper cuts and hand injuries, instruction, occupational health and safety, hand protection

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Handles to prevent cuts and hand injuries

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