OSHA Defense
An OSHA Guide to Hand and Arm Protection Part 1
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is tasked with ensuring that employers require all workers to wear suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) when performing labor-related tasks on a construction site. Construction sites are filled with potential hazards that can lead to an injury or even death.
Construction professionals constantly work with their hands, so it’s important for them to wear PPE that prevents them from suffering an injury that compromises their ability to use their hands skillfully. In part one of this four-part guide, our dedicated team of OSHA lawyers will explore the regulations governing hand and arm protection established by OSHA. If your team needs to be prompted on the specifics of OSHA compliance, a Florida OSHA lawyer can help you reaffirm your commitment to OSHA compliance on your project site.
Overview of OSHA-Approved Hand and Arm Protection
If OSHA inspectors reveal a lapse in hand and arm protection while surveying your project site, you could be issued a costly citation. Although many potential workplace injuries can be mitigated through engineering and work practice controls, contractors shouldn’t disregard the use of preventative hand and arm protection to eliminate the likelihood of an unexpected accident.
Potential Hazards
Construction professionals are familiar with the potential hazards found on every project site. Due to the volume of work focused around the use of the hands, the potential for injury is very high. Potential hazards include:
- Abrasions
- Amputations
- Bruises
- Chemical or thermal burns
- Cuts
- Electrical dangers
- Fractures
- Punctures
- Skin absorption of harmful substance
Preventative Measures
Hand and arm protection include gloves, finger guards, arm coverings, and elbow-length gloves. Ensuring your team wears these vital pieces of PPE can help prevent the majority of injuries to the hands and arms. In addition to PPE, employers should utilize any engineering and work practice controls that can help reduce the chance of a workplace injury. Machine guards are one example of non-PPE protection that can help eliminate hazards. Another example is barriers for table saw blades that prevent employees from lacerating their hands.
The hands are quite possibly the fastest avenue to an injury. If you are concerned about your workforce’s level of OSHA compliance, a Florida OSHA defense lawyer can help steer you back to complete compliance. We will continue to explore OSHA’s hand and arm protection guidelines in parts two, three, and four.
If you would like to speak with a Florida OSHA defense lawyer, please contact us today.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.