Construction Safety Week is an opportunity to refocus on hazards that affect us every day. One of the most frequent and preventable injuries across our work is hand and finger injuries. Our hands are involved in nearly every task—handling tools, setting survey equipment, loading vehicles, placing traffic control devices, lifting materials, and working around active construction operations.

Because our hands are always in use, they are often closest to hazards such as pinch points, sharp edges, moving equipment, live traffic, and repetitive tasks. Protecting our hands requires planning, awareness, and deliberate work practices, not just gloves.

Common Hand Hazards in Our Work

• Pinch points when setting up tripods, adjusting equipment, opening tailgates, or handling barriers
• Cuts and abrasions from stakes, rebar, metal edges, vegetation, and broken materials
• Struck by hazards when handling tools, hammers, or materials near others
• Hand injuries while working near traffic (cones, signs, barricades, truck doors)
• Caught between hazards around moving or rotating equipment
• Improper tool use (using tools not designed for the task)
• Repetitive motion and fatigue leading to reduced grip and awareness

Key Hand Safety Expectations

Plan the Task

• Think about hand placement before starting work
• Identify pinch points and sharp edges during the Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
• Plan safe material handling and tool use

Use the Right Tools

• Select tools designed for the task
• Never improvise or defeat guards
• Keep tools in good condition

Wear the Right-Hand Protection

• Use task specific gloves suited to the hazard
• Replace worn, torn, or contaminated gloves
• Remove gloves only when required for precision—and only when safe to do so

Maintain Situational Awareness

• Keep hands clear of moving parts
• Watch for vehicle movement when placing or removing traffic control devices
• Communicate with coworkers before moving materials

Don’t Rush

• Most hand injuries happen when we rush or take shortcuts
• Slow down, especially when conditions change

Our hands are essential to everything we do—at work and at home. Protecting them requires planning, awareness, proper tools, and personal responsibility. During Construction Safety Week, and every week, we commit to working deliberately and protecting our hands on every task.