THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015
THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015 3 THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015 Welcome to the second edition of The Hand Safety Report, a document to support those responsible for protecting hands across their organisation. The 2015 edition updates some of our topics covered during 2014, and takes a fresh look at challenges and issues affecting both glove wearers and safety professionals in today s ever changing markets. At TraffiGlove, our mission is to keep hands safe and comfortable. We continue our focus in providing specialist advice and solutions for mechanical and handling issues across many different industries around the world. To fulfil our passion and lead the industry with innovation and product development, we remain dedicated to pushing development boundaries and sharing what we know. Our insight into the needs of glove wearers comes from time and investment on site with end users, working through challenges and finding solutions to keep hands safe. Our dedication to hand safety and simply doing things better is achieved through close working relationships with leading professional bodies, scientific development partners and state of the art production capabilities, encapsulating our goal to be the first choice for hand protection. As the original founders of the 3 colour-coded hand safety system, it is hardly surprising we re driven to continue leading the industry with innovation and glove wearer solutions. We eagerly look forward to sharing new product releases with you over the coming months. The information in this report is gathered from reliable proven sources and we welcome your feedback. We trust you find this interesting, informative and thought provoking. Adrian James Managing Director, TraffiGlove IN THIS ISSUE The second Hand Safety Report produced by TraffiGlove brings together the latest information and innovation on hand protection. The Hand Safety Report is a valuable source of information for any business, like Imtech, who know their people are central to their development and success. The report provides a thorough overview of hand safety issues with insights to learn from, be aware of and implement. I would highly recommend the report to any health and safety practitioner or organisation looking to improve their hand safety and protection. Sean Black, Head of Quality, Health, Safety & Environment Imtech Traffic & Infra. UK & Ireland 4 6 8 10 TOP 5 HAND SAFETY ISSUES TraffiGlove reveal the top issues hand safety experts should address within their business, including injuries, training and compliance. THE BEST HAND PROTECTION NEEDS STANDARDS Any safety gloves that you buy should have been tested to ensure they meet the appropriate European Standards EN420, EN388, EN511 and EN407. RISK ASSESSMENT MYTH BUSTING Q&A WITH THE BRITISH SAFETY COUNCIL Leading health and safety expert Rob Pugh, senior audit consultant from the British Safety Council, tackles the myths regarding risk assessments. FIT LIKE A GLOVE When looking to choose the best glove for your employees you should think about TraffiGlove s five step process Check 5. 12 14 16 18 WHICH COATING FOR WHICH TASK? Various coatings are available for your gloves. Knowing which one to choose for the task at hand is vital for ensuring hand safety. ANTI-VIBRATION GLOVES DON T GUARANTEE HAV S PROTECTION Protect your workforce from debilitating hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), by taking some simple measures. GLOVE CARE AND MAINTENANCE Safety gloves can be more effective and have greater longevity if they are maintained correctly. This includes careful removal and regular cleaning. HEALTH AND SAFETY STATISTICS Latest statistics from the UK and across Europe.
THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015 5 TOP FIVE HAND SAFETY ISSUES When it comes to the safety of employees hands, the number of considerations can seem almost limitless, so knowing where and how to start tackling them can be a daunting task for many. At TraffiGlove we know the business of hands and their safety. Through years of experience and accumulated knowledge, we have compiled the top five hand safety issues. These have been created to help you improve the protection offered to employees. 1. HAND INJURIES AND SKIN COMPLAINTS An employee suffering an injury or skin complaint from what they are handling at work has implications for the business. These could range from a temporary reduction in productivity due to worker discomfort or a day s absence, through to the worker having to take an extended absence or even leave the business. Skin complaints can build up over time as the result of regular or continued contact with a potentially caustic substance, such as peroxide or cement. While abrasion, cut, puncture and crush injuries are instantaneous and can be caused by machinery, sharp or rough edges, or heavy objects. Thought needs to be given to mitigating the potential hazards associated with your workplace, a risk assessment should be drawn up and a plan put into action to mitigate these risks. Consideration also needs to be given to the procedure for coping with someone who develops a skin complaint or suffers an injury while at work. 2. DEXTERITY WHEN USING CORRECT GLOVES There are many professions where dexterity is key to completing a job, such as electronics or carpentry. Yet in these jobs gloves are still required to reduce the risk of injury. There are those who believe that they should sacrifice protection for improved dexterity by choosing a thinner glove or even not wearing gloves at all. This should be discouraged at all costs, as not only are there now gloves that offer both excellent protection and dexterity, but also the agility of the hand and fingers is severely compromised if they become injured. 3. GLOVE LIFE Knowing when a pair of gloves has worn out and how to extend their useful life can save money and injuries. Many businesses throw away perfectly good gloves because they are dirty, but if they are otherwise undamaged they can be cleaned and used again. This not only saves the cost of having to buy new gloves, but also has an impact on waste disposal. Conversely, gloves with signs of wear and tear could lead to injury for the wearer. As such they should be inspected on a regular basis (see page 17). 4. UNDERSTANDING HAND SAFETY STANDARDS Effectively relaying the message about hand safety and steps that can be taken to reduce injuries is an issue for many businesses. This can often be down to the misconception that increasing awareness about these issues can be time-consuming or expensive. Some very simple steps can be taken to raise the profile of hand safety, including the use of posters. In a recent trial with Crossrail, TraffiGlove printed safety messages on the back of its gloves to continually remind workers of health and safety issues, particularly those related to their hands. 5. COMPLIANCE Making sure employees comply with health and safety can be a cause of concern for senior managers. While health and safety best practice is aimed at protecting everyone before the individual, the actions and behaviours of individuals can lead to serious accidents. These behaviours need to be addressed through training, on-the-job prompts and reminders, and ultimately discipline. For more information on how to improve compliance see page 8. By tackling these five issues within your business, you will dramatically improve the hand safety of your employees. ARE THESE YOUR TOP 5 HAND SAFETY ISSUES? If they re not, we d love to hear from you and discover what we can do to tackle them. Contact us at: info@traffiglove.com
THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015 7 THE BEST HAND PROTECTION NEEDS STANDARDS Gloves claiming to protect hands from certain risks must conform to the relevant European Standards specifically EN420, EN388, EN511 and EN407. These standards cover a range of testing requirements and are designed to reduce the risk of sub-standard gloves. While EN420 states the general requirements that protective gloves must meet in testing, the results for EN388, EN511 and EN407 will differ depending on the level of protection. For clarity, the test results for EN388, EN511 and EN407 are displayed as simple numbers below a pictogram. These digits vary for each standard. EN420 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PROTECTIVE GLOVES EN420 prescribes the general requirements for most types of safety gloves, including: The gloves should not pose a risk or cause injury All gloves should have a ph value greater than 3.5 and less than 9.5 The chromium level cannot be greater than 3 mg/kg (chromium VI) for leather gloves only Any substance used in the glove known to cause allergies, such as latex, must be labelled Sizing should relate to common European hand sizes, such as length If dexterity performance is required, it should be labelled. EN388 PROTECTING AGAINST MECHANICAL RISKS EN388 The European Standard EN388 (2003) covers the test requirements for safety gloves that are sold as protection 4 5 4 4 against mechanical risks. The EN388 pictogram shows how the glove performed in each test on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) for blade cut resistance and 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest) for abrasion, tear and puncture resistance. To be classed as a protective glove the product must have a performance level of 1 or above on at least one of the four measures. Abrasion resistance the number of cycles it takes for a piece of glass paper to break through the glove fabric. If the glove is made up of several unbonded layers, each separate layer is tested and the classification is based on the sum of the number of cycles. Classification ranges from level 1 for 100 cycles resistance to level 4 for 8,000 cycles or more. Hands with contact dermatitis are particularly at risk from being debilitated by a cold injury, such as a burn or frostbite. Blade cut resistance the number of rotations it takes for a tungsten steel blade to cut through the palm of the glove. Tear resistance the amount of force it takes to tear a glove s fabric. This is not an indication of the protection against a specific risk, but of the mechanical resistance of the glove s fabric. Puncture resistance the amount of force required for a steel stylus to puncture the fabric. This is not an indication of the resistance to piercing with a sharply pointed object, but the resistance to contact with sharp edges. While the maximum overall score would be 4544 this should not be regarded as the best score. Each task will have different risks involved and therefore need a glove with suitable attributes. EN511 PROTECTING AGAINST COLD EN511 Cold injuries, such as burns and frostbite can be debilitating, particularly if they affect a worker s hands. Gloves that achieve the EN511 standard will 4 4 1 offer protection against such risks. EN511 states that gloves intended to offer protection to -30 C and below must pass two tests. The first test looks at the protection offered against convective cold, while the second measures how well the glove performs against cold contact. Look for the EN511 symbol on the glove to assess how much protection it will give you against cold risks. Alongside the symbol there will be three numbers: The first digit shows resistance to convective cold on a scale of 0 (lowest) to 4 (highest) The second digit shows resistance to contact cold on a scale of 0 (lowest) to 4 (highest) The third digit will be a 1 if there has not been any water penetration after 30 minutes or 0 if there has been penetration. EN407 PROTECTING AGAINST THERMAL RISKS EN407 measures a glove s thermal resistance against six different tests, the results of which are highlighted next to the EN407 pictogram on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest), in the following order: EN407 4 4 4 4 4 4 Resistance to flammability how long a material glows or burns for after being exposed to a gas flame for 15 seconds. Resistance to contact heat how long it takes for the inside of a glove to increase 10 C from a starting temperature of approximately 25 C, when exposed to temperatures between 100 C and 500 C. The minimum acceptable time is 15 seconds. Resistance to convective heat the length of time it takes a gas flame to raise the temperature of a glove s inside material by 24 C. Resistance to radiant heat the length of time it takes 2.5 kw of heat to penetrate material from a heat source of 20-40 kw. Resistance to small splashes of molten metal the total number of drops of molten metal needed to raise the temperature between the inside of the glove and the skin by 40 C. Resistance to large splashes of molten metal the number of grams of molten metal that can be poured onto a glove before it damages simulated skin. So, when choosing the safety gloves for your workers, look for the EN symbols and make sure the numbers add up or it could equal disaster.
THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015 9 RISK ASSESSMENT MYTH BUSTING Q&A WITH THE BRITISH SAFETY COUNCIL To give a clearer picture of how to assess the potential risks to people s health and safety at work, TraffiGlove interviewed leading expert Rob Pugh, senior audit consultant from the British Safety Council. Employers are required by law to conduct risk assessments to identify and control the potential risk of harm to people at work, but this can be perceived as a daunting exercise and businesses are sometimes put off completing them. WHY DO WE NEED RISK ASSESSMENTS? Rob: We make risk assessments all the time. For instance, if you make a right hand turn in your car, you conduct your own risk assessment in your head without realising. You consider a variety of possible outcomes before deciding upon an action, and then take it. Risk assessment is essentially about protecting people and property from injury and harm. Since 1999 there has been an explicit legal duty on employers to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of health and safety risks and they must also do everything reasonably practicable to eliminate, reduce or control the risk of harm to employees, contractors, visitors, clients and the public, arising from work activities. WHAT DOES A RISK ASSESSMENT INVOLVE? Rob: There is no rule of thumb as to how much time you should spend on a risk assessment. For a smaller, less complicated process it could be as straightforward as identifying and listing the hazards, determining the likelihood of them causing harm, using a basic system (such as a traffic light system) to indicate the level of risk and recording how you will mitigate these. Whatever you do, a risk assessment should be a living, dynamic process, not something you complete and then file away. You need to ensure the identified control measures are effectively implemented, and if there are any significant changes to the activity, people or workplace that could create new or increase any of the current risks, the assessment must be reviewed and updated. HOW CAN A RISK ASSESSMENT IMPROVE HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE? Rob: Risk assessments should primarily seek to protect everyone who could be affected, before considering how to protect the individual. So think about how you are doing the job and whether the risk can be practically removed for example, by doing the job in a different way or using different materials. If not, think about ways of reducing the risk, such as providing adequate training and suitable personal protective equipment. HOW LONG SHOULD A RISK ASSESSMENT TAKE AND ARE THERE ANY SHORTCUTS OR TIMESAVING MEASURES? Rob: It is probably easier to approach risk assessment in bite-sized chunks. Prioritise the largest risks first and then logically work through to the lesser ones. There are no real shortcuts and though you might be tempted to source an already completed assessment from a similar company, every situation is unique and the borrowed assessment might not fit the hazards and risks you face. IS IT WORTH OUTSOURCING THE RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS? IF SO, WHAT SHOULD BUSINESSES LOOK FOR IN A RISK ASSESSMENT PROFESSIONAL? Rob: Usually employers can carry out risk assessments themselves particularly if they fully understand the work, the hazards and the appropriate safe working practices. Alternatively, company managers can undergo training from external providers to enable them to carry out the assessments, or outside professionals can be brought in to help if the problems prove more complex. However, regardless of who actually conducts the assessments and implements the control measures, the employer remains legally responsible for ensuring that adequate steps are taken to protect the health and safety of anyone who could be affected by the organisation s work activities. WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OR COSTS OF NOT COMPLETING ONE? Rob: If an employer fails to identify and control risks to people s health and safety and someone is injured or made ill, they can face criminal prosecution and other costs such as compensation claims and higher insurance premiums. A good risk assessment can therefore keep everyone safe at work, and keep you out of court. In terms of benefits to the business, a risk assessment can improve the workplace environment, reduce downtime from incidents and improve productivity. If you involve your employees in managing risks, they also feel the benefit of being cared for. HOW CAN A BUSINESS ENSURE ITS EMPLOYEES CONFORM TO A RISK ASSESSMENT? Rob: Once you have decided on the control measures, you must provide employees and others such as contractors with adequate information, instruction, training and equipment to enable them to work safely. You should follow this up by regularly checking that the correct working methods are being followed. Employers should also consult their employees about the hazards and safest ways of working, since workers often have good ideas on how best to keep everyone safe. If employees fail to follow the agreed safe working procedures, this could be a sign they are poorly designed or ineffective, meaning you should revisit the assessment. Once you have assessed the risks and implemented the necessary controls, you should monitor your incident reports to see if health and safety performance is improving. If not, you need to check whether you have the right working procedures, equipment, training and supervision in place. WHAT DO EMPLOYERS NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN COMPLETING A RISK ASSESSMENT FOR SAFEGUARDING EMPLOYEES HANDS? Rob: There can be a variety of risks to the hands, such as cut, crush and burn injuries from handling heavy, sharp and hot objects; and skin damage due to contact with chemicals. As always, you should firstly try to adopt measures that will protect everyone. Examples include changing the work process so there is less need to lift and handle sharp or hot objects or substituting the chemicals used for safer ones. You must also provide employees with suitable information and training on hand and skin safety. If the risk of injury or skin damage cannot be removed completely, you should consider measures such as providing protective gloves. But it is not simply a case of handing out gloves to everyone. Training, supervision and systems need to be in place to ensure employees wear the right gloves at the right times and that they are removed, collected and cleaned properly. You should involve workers in the glove selection process, since employees are more likely to wear the gloves if they are comfortable and provide the necessary protection. For risk assessment training and qualifications visit the British Safety Council s website: www.britsafe.org
THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015 11 FIT LIKE A GLOVE To ensure hands are fully protected from irritants and injury, choosing the right gloves for both the task and the person doing it is vital. Available in a range of sizes, designs, materials and coatings, the ideal gloves are within your grasp. To help you choose the most appropriate ones for your business TraffiGlove has five golden steps called Check 5 that should be followed. 1 The first consideration is to assess the risk to hands and decide how to minimise these risks. As a general rule minimal contact equals minimum risk, but it is not always possible to prevent a worker from having to manually handling a potential hazard. In which case move on to the next step of Check 5. 2 Check you understand the risk Check environmental conditions Working in wet or cold conditions, whether outside or in, means dressing appropriately, including wearing the right gloves. Cold conditions are likely to require well-insulated gloves or if it is wet, you might want to use gloves with a waterproof coating. Check 5 1 Check to ensure you understand the risk 2 Check environmental conditions 3 Check the hazards being handled 4 Check your hand size 5 Make your selection The best way to protect a worker s hands is to keep them as far away as possible from potential hazards 3 Check the hazards being handled Knowing what needs to be handled is a key consideration when choosing a glove. Think about its surface, whether the edges are sharp or rough. If it is liquid, will it irritate or harm skin? Select gloves that will protect hands from these specific hazards. 4 Check your hand size The right size of glove is vital for protection. Check your hand size using a glove-sizing chart and choose the best fit. Gloves typically range from size 6 to 12. 5 Make your selection Follow these steps and you will be equipped to choose the most appropriate glove for your workers and the tasks they are doing. You can download our glove sizing chart from our website: www.traffiglove.com
THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015 13 A range of coatings are available, each of which is designed with a specific purpose and benefit in mind WHICH COATING FOR WHICH TASK? Safety gloves have never been more advanced. They now come with a range of coatings, each of which is designed with a specific purpose and benefit in mind. With such an array of coatings available, this handy guide will help by matching the coating to the task. POLYURETHANE (PU) Polyurethane is a very popular coating as it is breathable, lightweight and flexible. Providing good grip in dry conditions, PU offers excellent dexterity for touch-sensitive tasks, while preventing the ingress of dirt. This makes the coating ideal for electronics, telecommunications, precision work and fine product assembly work. FLAT NITRILE Nitrile is a durable, yet flexible, coating that offers significant abrasion, water and oil resistance. Providing excellent grip in dry conditions along with good dexterity and tactile sensitivity, nitrile is ideal for cable and pipe work, many construction tasks, maintenance and transport. NATURAL RUBBER Natural rubber delivers excellent grip in dry and wet conditions, while still providing comfort and flexibility. A well-proven product for rugged environments, natural rubber is perfect for ground-working, highways maintenance, goods handling and transport work. AEROTEK Aerotek is an innovative foam coating that is extremely flexible while offering a great grip in dry, wet and oily conditions. Although durable, Aerotek provides comfort through being lightweight, breathable and soft to the touch. Aerotek is ideal for warehousing, light engineering, haulage and transport. SOFLEX SoFlex is a very durable, foamed nitrile coating that provides good grip in wet, dry and mildly oily environments. A good alternative to leather, SoFlex has an antiwet treatment to provide full water resistance and works well in the cold, making it an excellent choice for waste and recycling, utilities and civil engineering. COHESION XP Cohesion XP coating provides protection and excellent grip in dry and oily environments and a good grip for wet work. It lasts much longer than natural rubber, Cohesion XP gloves have an extended life to save you money. The coating does not leave fingerprints on uncoated glass, making it ideal for glass handling or manufacturing. Its qualities also make Cohesion XP a great choice for groundwork, construction, waste and recycling and harsh environments. FOAM PLUS Foam Plus is a nitrile coating that offers significant grip and abrasion resistance when handling wet, dry and lightly oiled components. Unlike standard Nitrile Coating, when used in a damp or mildly oily environment Foam Plus provides outstanding grip. Providing excellent grip, comfort and dexterity in all conditions, Foam Plus is perfect for steel erection, automotive, light engineering and telecommunications. Materials for safety gloves have come a long way since the simple choice of either rubber or leather. By knowing which coating is best for the task in hand, you can then move on and choose your glove. By knowing which coating is best for the task in hand, you can then move on and choose your glove.
THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015 15 580 265 new disability benefit cases for VWF for CTS Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is a catch-all term for a number of debilitating conditions associated with the continuous use of hand-held power tools and industrial equipment. Violent vibrations from such machinery can damage nerves, bones, tendons, muscles and blood vessels, causing chronic ailments such as carpel tunnel syndrome (CTS) and vibration white finger (VWF). ANTI-VIBRATION GLOVES DON T GUARANTEE HAV S PROTECTION HAVS is irreversible and can lead to employees having to take time off or, in a worst-case scenario, leave their employment due to pain, tingling or loss of feeling or strength. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that more than two million people are at risk from HAVS, particularly those working in heavy industry, such as foundries, steel fabrication and construction. Fortunately, occurrences of both CTS and VWF are in decline. Figures from the HSE for 2013 show only 580 new disability benefit cases for VWF and 265 for CTS, continuing the downward trend of previous years. This is in part due to the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, which sets vibration exposure limits, along with greater awareness of HAVS and prevention. More than 2 million people at risk from HAVS particularly those working in heavy industry, such as foundries, steel fabrication and construction. PREVENTION According to HSE advice, the first line of defence against HAVS is to avoid manually handling equipment that vibrates powerfully, where possible. However, when this is not feasible, mitigating steps should be taken, such as: Using tools with reduced vibration Taking regular breaks Limiting length of time using the tools Keeping the body warm if working in cold conditions to improve blood circulation and reduce damage. The HSE warns against using anti-vibration gloves, saying they are not particularly effective at reducing the frequency-weighted vibration associated with risk of HAVS and they can increase the vibration at some frequencies. So called anti-vibration gloves can also do more harm by providing a false sense of security. Gloves can only help prevent HAVS by keeping hands warm as part of a wider mitigation programme. This includes wearing thermal gloves or an insulated liner under protective gloves. If the incidence of HAVS is to continue to fall, employers must take the steps outlined by the HSE and shake off the myth of anti-vibration gloves. To find out your risk of HAVS visit the HSE s HAVS calculator at: www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/hav/ vibrationcalc.htm
THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015 17 For reusable safety gloves to continue to be effective against hazards, daily care and inspection are vital before they are worn. An unnoticed tear could lead to a debilitating and painful injury, or chemicals left on the inside of the glove could cause a burn or dermatitis. INSPECTION Daily inspection of gloves is important from the first day they are taken out of the packet. A look over the glove should tell you if it is still fit to use for the day s work. This is beneficial as it not only helps to prevent the wearer picking up an injury, but it also means a reduction in the needless disposal of gloves that are still fit for purpose, saving time and money. CLEANING Reusable gloves should be rinsed (inside and out) and air-dried on a regular basis to both help protect the wearer and extend the glove s life. They should not be washed with detergents or any other cleaning agent as these could cause the coating to break down. REMOVAL Each day check that the gloves are intact and that there are no lose threads that could get caught in equipment New gloves should always be closely examined, before they are first used, to check for any manufacturing faults or damage caused in transit. In the event of any fault with the glove being found they should be returned to where they were purchased. Once the wearer has finished using a pair of gloves they should first wipe or rinse them, particularly if handing chemicals, before they take them off. The gloves should then be carefully removed (see www.hse.gov. uk/skin/posters/reusablegloves.pdf) Daily inspection prevents the wearer from picking up an injury, but it also means a reduction in the needless disposal of gloves Workers should avoid prolonged skin contact with any cement based products. Gloves that become soiled with cement should be replaced. GLOVE CARE AND MAINTENANCE Consider using seamless gloves as these are not only more comfortable, but it also negates the need to check seams. Inspect the material of the glove. Any rips, tears or any thinning suggests the glove could be worn out and no longer provide the required level of protection. Even the smallest hole could let in a hazardous chemical. The inside of the glove should be examined for traces of chemicals, putty, cement etc. Such substances left in a glove for any length of time against a wearer s skin could cause them severe discomfort or even injury. before being placed into a suitable container. By following this simple care advice, you will ensure a reduced risk to your employees while increasing the life of your gloves. Like all PPE, safety gloves should not be modified by the wearer. The image above shows a glove which has had the fingers cut off on site. This can leads to loose threads and strangulation of the finger. Factorysealed 3 digit gloves have been developed to retain dexterity and overcome this issue.
THE HAND SAFETY REPORT 2015 19 HEALTH AND SAFETY STATISTICS Employees who felt their health and safety was at risk because of their work 1 16% NETHERLANDS 18% UK 18% ITALY 19% GERMANY 25% FRANCE 33% SPAIN 41% SWEDEN 2013/14 UK HEALTH AND SAFETY STATISTICS The HSE s Health and Safety Statistics Annual report revealed that in 2013/14 a total of 77,593 UK employees experienced non-fatal injuries, a significant drop from 122,695 in 2009/10. This resulted in 28.2 million working days lost in 2013/14- and an average of 7.5 days off work for each person suffering an injury. Hands are being hurt It is interesting to note that handling injuries accounted for 24% of the reported non-fatal injuries and an estimated 909,000 working days were lost due to handling injuries averaging 6.6 days for each injury. These figures confirm our belief that hand safety is a key concern and should be a top priority for any employer or safety professional in any industry. In the European Union 31.5% of accidents at work were wounds and superficial injuries of which many would have been to hands. This was the most common injury. 2 1 2010 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) 2 Eurostat 2012 European figures For more information on hand safety or TraffiGlove in particular please visit: www.traffiglove.com
UK Head Office: TraffiSafe Ltd Maxx House Western Road Bracknell Berkshire RG12 1QP T: +44 (0)1344 207090 E: info@traffiglove.com www.traffiglove.com Follow us on LinkedIn & Twitter THIS PAPER IS FSC ACCREDITED TG-UK-HANDSR0002/15