The document provides guidance on hand tool use and selection to prevent hand and wrist injuries in construction. It lists factors that can cause injuries like repetitive motions, inappropriate tools, vibration, and poor workstation design. The key considerations for safe tool use are to reduce bending of the wrist, use lighter tools, avoid stress on pressure points, and make sure tools fit the hand properly. Proper grip type and isolating hands from heat, cold, and vibration can also help prevent injuries from tool use.

1. Hand Tool Use and Selection
Guidance in Construction
Adapted from a presentation developed by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Division of Occupational Safety and Health

2. Overview:
 The hands and wrists are made up of a
variety of fragile bones, nerves, blood vessels,
tendons and ligaments that can be easily
damaged if they are misused.

3.  The following are some of the conditions that
can cause hand and wrist illnesses:
• Frequent or repetitive movement of the hand or wrist,
usually associated with awkward wrist angles
• Inappropriate tool and equipment design
• Vibrating tools
• Poor work station design and arrangement
• Cold environments

4. Things to consider when using
and selecting hand tools
1. Design tasks and select tools to reduce
extreme flexion or deviation of the wrist
2. Bend the tool, not the wrist
3. User lower weight tools or reduce the
weight of the tool

5. 4. Don’t raise or extend elbows with heavy
tools

6. 5. Avoid stress on pressure points
 Stress concentrations result from poorly
designed tool handles or handle areas that
exert pressure on the palms or fingers.

7. 6. Reduce grip force requirements
 Make sure the tool handle or grip area is the
right size for your hand.
7. Evaluate grip surface
 Look for cushioned, padded, non-slip and
anti-vibration handle materials.

8. 8. Use a power grip
 Design tasks so that a power rather than a
pinch grip can be used to grasp materials.
– A pinch grip is five times more stressful than a
power grip.
– The greater the effort to maintain control of a hand
tool, the higher the potential for injury.

9. 9. Avoid repetitive trigger-finger actions
 “Trigger-finger” happens when one of your
fingers or your thumb catches in a bent
position. The finger or thumb may straighten
with a snap.
 It’s caused by the narrowing of the tendon
sheath when repetitive gripping actions are
performed.

10. (Continue - Avoid repetitive trigger-finger
actions)
 Tendons in the finger joints can swell due to
overuse, “locking” the finger into a fixed
position.
 Select “triggers” that allow two or three fingers
to activate.

11. 9. Isolate hands from heat and cold
 Heat and cold can cause loss of manual
dexterity and increased grip strength
requirements.
 Due to developments in glove materials many
are less bulky and provide better protection.

12. 10. Isolate hands from vibration
 Excessive vibration can cause reduced blood
circulation and cause white-finger syndrome.
White-finger
syndrome
Anti-vibration
gloves

13. Thank you for taking the time to learn
about safety and health and how to
prevent injuries and illnesses.
To learn more about ways to protect
your hands, visit
www.choosehandsafety.org