Hand Protection

Hands: A Complex Symphony
Hands are a complex symphony of delicate parts that work together. There are 27 bones, 29 joints, and at least 123 named ligaments in the human hand. About one-quarter of all our body's bones are found in our hands. The palm is uniquely protected by aponeurosis, a strong pad of tendons, which enable hands to grip things powerfully. The thumb has special functions—opposition, retroposition, palmar abduction, and radial abduction—and accounts for up to 50 percent of overall hand use (Gyer, 2018). Fun fact: The right and left hand are controlled by the opposite side of the brain.

1. Movements of the hand are mostly started by muscles in the forearm. There are 17,000 touch receptors and free nerve endings in the palm, sensitive to pressure, movement, and vibration                                                                   
2. According to the CDC, hands and fingers are the most common body parts injured at work, and they represent the most frequent reason for non-fatal consultation at emergency departments (Abdelmoughit, 2017). With direct and indirect costs averaging more than $6,951 per incident, influencing both employer bottom lines and employee lives, safety professionals regularly face the challenge of reducing hand incidents on their sites (Robinson, 2016). In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported finger cuts and lacerations were the third-most-encountered causal diagnosis for time off work, resulting in an average of six lost work days.