IMCA provides lessons learned from two incidents with hand and finger injuries. Always take the time to think things through before starting work. Your hands and fingers are the best tools you have.
Incident 1: Crush injury to right hand small finger
A worker suffered a crushed right little finger whilst moving the moonpool door ram. The ram was placed on a flat pallet at the time, so the potential for movement was high. The movement of the ram crushed the worker’s finger causing a spit in the skin and a fracture.
What went wrong
- Although a toolbox talk had been conducted, including a basic risk assessment for manual handling activities, the full scope of the work had not been adequately assessed;
- No-one stopped to think and reassess the additional hazard: that the ram would move, was not foreseen.
Credit: IMCA
Lessons learned
- Look at the ENTIRE situation – consider the use of ABBIE (Above, Behind, Below, Inside and Environment);
- Ensure task-specific risk assessment is sufficiently thorough;
- If the job changes – STOP, re-assess, if necessary, activate a “Management of Change” process;
- Remember you can and should STOP THE JOB if you think it is unsafe – don’t just carry on!
Incident 2: First Aid Case – OUCH! A completely unnecessary hand injury
When removing the ceiling plates in the main deck instrument room, a worker cut his hand on a ceiling plate, which had sharp edges. The worker was not wearing gloves – as should have been the case. Wearing gloves would have prevented the injury.
Lessons learned
- Watch where you put your hands! It’s so easy just to do it – DON’T! STOP and THINK;
- PPE is there for a reason – use it. Gloves you can replace: fingers and hands, you can’t.
