If you work a job where you use your hands regularly, suffering an injury to them could end up ending your career. Unfortunately, hand injuries are common in workplaces in America, because there are many different hazards that people may be exposed to.
Common hand and finger injuries can include detachments, pinches, smashes and others. If those happen, it’s necessary to seek medical attention as soon as possible. By doing so, you may be able to reduce the likelihood of severe dysfunction in the future.
What are the most common hand injuries on the job?
Some of the most common injuries people have that affect their hands include:
- Impact injuries from falling or tripping and catching themselves
- Avulsions
- Detachments
- Abrasions
- Burns
- Overuse injuries
- Pinching injuries
- Crushing injuries
These injuries can happen in almost any workplace. For example, someone working in a factory may have their hand pinched or crushed while working the line. Someone in an office may crush their hand under a heavy desk or by accidentally getting it slammed in a drawer or door frame.
Simple issues with the hands, such as overuse injuries, can happen if people type a significant amount or perform tasks with the same movements day in and day out.
How can you prevent a hand injury on the job?
To prevent your injuries, you need to remember that there are three main safety options. These include:
- Wearing the right personal protective equipment, like heavy-duty work gloves
- Being aware of your surroundings to monitor them for hazards
- Safety training to help you know the risks around you and how to avoid them
If you are hurt on the job, then the next step is to seek medical attention to get help.
Getting medical care after a hand injury
After a hand injury, it’s a good idea for you to go to the emergency room or to see your doctor as soon as possible. Hands are made up of many small bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons, so if there is any dysfunction at all, then you could be in significant pain. It is worth seeking workers’ compensation to help cover your work-related hand injury costs, so you can focus on your recovery.