HexArmor? hand protection prevents scaffolding frame pinch injury.

Scaffolding is an integral part of any major construction project or facility turn around. During installation and de-construction, scaffolding creates a variety of hazards to workers' hands. Sharp edges, metal or wood slivers, and pinch points are all areas of potential concern for injury. Injuries on construction sites can be costly, which heightens the importance of taking proper safety precautions.

Facts

• Scaffolding is a part of the early phases of industrial construction projects. Workers must lift, bolt, and pin steel frame uprights as well as slide and position aluminium or wood planks. These tasks put workers hands in areas where they are at risk.
• Scaffolding is common in areas where temporary structure is needed to support people or material in the construction and/or repair area of a turn around.
• Cut, puncture and impact protection are important, as well as extreme dexterity.

Hand Injuries Common Among Scaffolding Riggers

According to the latest government statistics, hand injuries account for 15% - 20% of all scaffolding related injuries, with many of these hand injuries requiring medical attention. The major causes of hand injuries while working with scaffolding are: pinch points between uprights, lacerations from sheets of metal, impact-related injuries, and splinters from wood or metal planks.

Hexarmor Provides Needed Protection For Worker

A scaffolding erector was performing a regular work task of constructing a scaffold frame during a turnaround at a large mine smeltery. As the worker was joining two uprights, one of the sections slipped causing the upright to slam down onto the worker's palm. Luckily the worker had a pair of Chrome Series 4026 gloves on during the incident, and the SuperFabric plates within the glove deflected the force of the pinch-point, keeping the metal away from the worker's hand. Had the worker been wearing any other synthetic leather glove, he would have had to make a trip to the hospital for stitches or worse. The potential injury could have been a severe pinch to the lower palm that may have resulted in a Uprights causing pinch-point laceration and an LTI (lost time injury).

Uprights causing pinch-point

HexArmor Provides Needed Protection from Pinch Hazard

If the contractor employee was wearing a traditional leather driver's glove as opposed to the HexArmor protection and technology, the pinch would have penetrated the leather glove and trapped the individual's skin on his palm in between the two connecting pipes.

In the case of this near incident, the employee was wearing the correct protection and instead of his skin getting trapped between the two connecting pipes, the HexArmor "SuperFabric" was pinched and torn.

Chrome Series 4026

GGT5? MUD GRIP