Hand Safety and Glove Selection

Why it matters

Hands are the most injured body part in construction. Lacerations, crushes, punctures, and chemical burns almost always trace to one of two things: the wrong glove for the task, or no glove at all because "it was a quick job". The quick jobs are exactly the ones that bite.

Hazards

• ⚠ Cuts from blades, sheet metal, banding, and box knives
• ⚠ Pinch and crush points in material handling and equipment
• ⚠ Punctures from nails, wire, and rebar ties
• ⚠ Chemical burns from cement, adhesives, and solvents
• ⚠ Degloving from rings and jewelry caught on material

Controls and safe practices

• ✓ Match the glove to the task: cut-resistant for blades and metal, leather for rough material, chemical-resistant for solvents and wet cement.
• ✓ Inspect gloves at the start of the shift; replace them once they are torn or soaked through.
• ✓ Take rings and jewelry off before handling material or working near rotating tools.
• ✓ Never put your hand where you cannot see it: behind material, into pockets of debris, under loads.
• ✓ Use the right tool, not your hand: pry bars for separating, push sticks for saws, magnetic holders for nails.
• ✓ Keep a cut kit or first aid supplies where the crew actually works, not locked in the truck.

Crew discussion questions

1. Which tasks today need cut-resistant gloves instead of standard leather?
2. Where are the pinch points in what we are lifting or setting today?
3. Is anyone wearing rings around material handling or rotating equipment?
4. Where is the first aid kit right now?

Applicable OSHA standards

29 CFR 1926.95

More toolbox talks

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• Heat Illness Prevention
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• Trench and Excavation Safety
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