Hand injuries account for over 20% of all workplace injuries in manufacturing. Each one means lost productivity, workers' comp claims, and human suffering. Most are preventable with the right protection strategies.
Common Hand Hazards
Manufacturing hands face cuts from sheet metal and sharp edges, abrasions from repetitive material handling, pinch points from machinery and equipment, and cumulative trauma from repetitive motions. Different hazards require different protection strategies.
The challenge is that many manufacturing tasks require fine motor control that heavy gloves prevent. Workers face a choice between protection and performance — and production demands often win.
When Gloves Work (and Don't)
Cut-resistant gloves are essential for handling sharp materials and operating cutting equipment. Properly rated gloves can prevent severe lacerations.
But gloves aren't appropriate for all tasks. Fine assembly work, quality inspection, and many machine operations require bare-hand dexterity. Gloves can actually increase risk around rotating equipment by providing material that can catch and pull hands into machinery.
When workers can't feel what they're doing, they make errors. Quality drops, cycle time increases, and frustration leads to removing protection entirely. Effective protection must preserve enough dexterity for the task.
Targeted Tape Protection
Self-adhering tape offers targeted protection for specific vulnerable areas without covering the entire hand. Wrap fingertips that contact sharp edges. Protect knuckles that brush against abrasive surfaces. Add grip to palms for secure material handling.
Unlike gloves, tape protection can be customized to specific tasks. More protection where needed, bare skin where dexterity is critical. This targeted approach provides better overall protection because workers actually use it.
Maintaining Dexterity
The key to effective protection is understanding exactly what each task requires. Some tasks need fingertip sensitivity. Others need palm grip. Still others need knuckle protection. Matching protection to requirements produces better outcomes than one-size-fits-all approaches.
OSHA Considerations
OSHA requires employers to assess workplace hazards and provide appropriate PPE. For hand hazards, this means identifying risks, selecting appropriate protection, and ensuring workers are trained in proper use.
Self-adhering tape can be part of a compliant hand protection program when hazard assessment indicates it provides appropriate protection for specific tasks. Document the assessment, provide training, and maintain records.
Implementation Strategy
Start with a task-level hazard assessment. What are the specific hand risks for each job? Where do injuries actually occur? Then match protection to risks — full gloves for high-hazard tasks, targeted tape for tasks requiring dexterity.