Hands & Feet Safety
The industry involves a considerable amount of Manual Handling. Injuries to hands and feet make up a high percentage of the total number of injuries. Many injuries are caused because individuals do not take time to assess the hazards and risks involved when they are to carry out simple every day work.
Hazards
· Fingers and hands being cut by material being handled.
· Hands or feet being trapped/crushed between items being lifted or moved and other objects.
· Hands and feet being trapped by loads being slung.
· Fingers or hands being caught in lifting gear, ie slings, chains, when slinging and lifting.
· Cuts to hands, arms, legs from knives, chisels, saws and other hand tools.
· Cuts and bruising to hands by being struck with hammers.
· Puncture injuries to feet.
· Tripping caused by shoe or boot laces becoming caught on objects.
· Finger rings and arm bracelets hooking onto objects.
Health and Safety Points
· Wear correct type of gloves for material to be handled or tasks to be carried out.
· Before lifting or moving objects, consider how close other objects are and how difficult it will be to manoeuvre, particularly when two or more persons are involved.
· Take care when manhandling loads that are moving, eg on pallet truck or by crane. Avoid getting into positions between the load and other objects in the direction the load is travelling. Moving loads are difficult to stop.
· When slinging, keep hands away from pinch points on lifting gear slings, chains or between lifting gear and load.
· When using hand tools, stanley knives, chisels, saws etc ensure tools are sharp and in good condition. Cut away from hands and body.
· When pins, bolts, etc have to be held to be driven, use tongs etc to keep hands away from hammer heads.
· To prevent puncture injuries to feet, wear safety shoes/boots. Replace shoes/boots when uppers become holed by either wear or stitching breaking.
· Keep shoe/boot laces as short as practicable. Long loops can catch a objects. Avoid boots that have hooks instead of eyes. When feet are close together the lace from on boot can hook onto the hook of the other boot.
· Remove rings/bracelets when carrying out work where they could catch on objects. Fingers have been completely torn off.
한마디
사무실에서 종이를 다룰 때에도 A4용지에 손을 베이는 경우가 있습니다.
그러면 몇일동안 쓰라리고 아프죠!!
손과 발이 아프면 정말 불편하고 힘듭니다. 조금의 관심과 주의가 우리 안전을 지켜주니 다시한번 생각해봐 주세요.
안전화 및 안전장갑은 필수입니다.
베트남 근무하면서 겪은 일화로 아직까지 안전의식 및 문화가 부족하여 근로자가 안전장갑이나 안전화 착용의 인식이 낫습니다. 장갑은 불편해서 착용하지 않고, 슬리퍼 또는 맨발로 생활하다보니 운동화 등을 신지않아 안전화 착용을 하지 않고, 슬리퍼처럼 구겨 신는 일이 다반사입니다.
베트남 근무를 시작하고 얼마 되지 않는 시기에 토목공사를 진행하였습니다. 근로자가 지급한 안전화를 이쁘게 벗어놓고 맨발로 일하길래, 안전화 착용을 요청했습니다.
그 근로자 말이 “여기는 모래와 흙뿐이니 안전화 보다는 맨발로 일하는 것이 안전하고 편하다”고 제게 이야기를 한 적이 있었습니다. ㅜㅜ
전 세계는 공통된 품질과 환경 기준이 있습니다 ISO로 통일되죠!
안전은 ISO45001:2018이 몇년전 수립되었으나 국가별 경제수준에 따라 적용되기에 시간이 걸릴 것 입니다.
혹시 해외근무를 하신다면, 무조건적인 산안법 기준이나 국제 기준을 근로자에게 적용하기 보다는 어떻게 안전의식이나 문화를 향상시키기 위해서 방법을 잘 구상하셔야 할 것 입니다.