Tools and Equipment Selection
Good design and proper maintenance can help reduce pressure points on the hands, awkward postures (e.g., bent wrists), forceful exertions, and other contributing factors.
Various Ergonomically Designed Tools
Workers should not have to use their hands or bodies as a vise to hold objects; mechanical devices do this much better. Tooling fixtures and jigs should be set up to avoid awkward postures and excessive forces.
Hand tools should fit the employee's hand; employees with small hands or who are left-handed may need tools designed specifically for these situations. When selecting and purchasing hand tools, the guidelines listed below should be followed.
- Select tools that allow the wrist to be held straight and that minimize twisting of the arm and wrist. Good working posture can be maintained when properly designed tools are used.
- Select tools that allow the operator to use a power grip (uses all fingers to grip), not a pinch grip (uses only thumb and forefinger). Minimal muscle force is required to hold objects in a power grip posture. The pinch grip requires excessive fingertip pressure, and can lead to a cumulative trauma disorder (CTD).
- Avoid tools that put excessive pressure on any one spot of the hand (i.e., sides of fingers, palm of the hand).
- For power or pneumatic tools, select tools with vibration dampening built in whenever possible. Provide personal protective equipment such as gel-padded gloves to reduce exposure to vibration.
- Use better, ergonomically-designed tools which may be lighter weight, require less force to operate, fit the hand better, and are more comfortable to use.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-4. Which of the following practices is discouraged when using hand tools?
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