Hands up for protection
June 1st 2004 The latest statistics from the Health and Safety Executive reveal that more than 2 million people believe they have been injured or exposed to illness as a result of their occupation. Here, Marigold Industrial highlights the extent to which workplace injuries are costing British industry and the growing problem of injured staff seeking compensation.
In 2001/2002, an estimated 2 328 000 people in Great Britain believed they were suffering from an illness that was caused or made worse by their current or past work (HSEs self reported, work related illness in 2001/2002). As a result of this, an estimated 32.9 million working days were lost in 2001/2002, with each affected employee taking an average 22.9 days off work.
Of the 2.3 million people suffering from injuries and illness, over 400 000 fell victim to upper limb injuries or skin problems. In 2000/2001, of the reported upper limb disorders requiring more than three days off work, 42% were injuries to the hands and fingers. In addition, 3900 new cases of work-related skin disease were diagnosed each year between 2000 and 2002 by specialist physicians: approximately 80% of these were contact dermatitis. Clearly, the workplace remains a hazardous place to be with the hands and arms of workers very much in the firing line.
Yet according to the HSE, 80% of workplace injuries are avoidable. Clearly, in an ideal world there would be no need for the employee to go anywhere near the hazards that threaten their hands and arms. Indeed, it is essential that workplace practices are monitored and, where possible, changed to engineer out unnecessary interaction between worker and hazard.
But in practical terms human interaction with potentially hazardous situations and harmful materials and substances during the working day is often unavoidable. No matter how industrial technology has developed, the hands continue to play an invaluable, and unequalled role in most industrial environments. As the main and most valuable tool in industry, it is essential that, where the hands and arms of employees are exposed to potentially harmful substances and situations, they are properly protected.
For the employer, the loss of a skilled worker to injury is just the start. Add to that increased downtime, increased management time and increased insurance premiums and it becomes clear that there isnt a short cut where hand and arm protection is concerned.
The industrial sector is suffering from growing numbers of employees seeking compensation for accidents at work. According to an extensive survey conducted by Marigold Industrial, the threat of growing litigation is becoming a significant reality. The survey revealed that 32% of engineering companies and 19% of manufacturing companies that took part in the survey have seen an increase in the number of compensation claims being sought against them. It also highlights that it is increasingly the individual staff member who is bringing about these actions, not union representatives working on their behalf.
Marigold Industrial, technical services manager, John Lambeth said: The compensation culture is growing by the day in this country, with litigation at an all time high, fuelled by seemingly endless television and radio adverts. This is no doubt adding to the already significant pressure on health and safety managers and means that it is essential that the right PPE for the tasks being carried out in the workplace is provided.
Where hand protection is concerned there are measures that can be taken to not only reduce the risk of injury, but protect the company should an injury occur. That means ensuring the right gloves for the job are sourced through approved hand protection specialists, working practices are regularly reviewed and staff are given training on hazards involved in their job.
He says another contributory factor to injury levels is that a high proportion of workers often have a too-casual approach to risk. According to health and safety managers questioned, almost two out of five employees 39% in the engineering sector have an It will never happen to me attitude to accidents.
John Lambeth added: The findings should act as a warning to employers to provide the best available protection and ensure that they educate workers about the hazards and remind them that they bear a responsibility to look after themselves health and safety cannot and should not be laid entirely at the door of the employer.
Accidents are a fact of working life and both employee and employer need to work together to ensure that if an accident does happen, the correct hand and arm protection has been selected to reduce as much as possible the potential for injury.
Comments
About 80% of work-related skin disease diagnosed each year between 2000 and 2002 were contact dermatitis
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As a market leader in hand protection, Marigold Industrial isnt just a safety glove manufacturer. It provides a hand protection solution for its customers.
Such is its expertise in the field of hand and arm protection that end users have come to rely on the pre and after sales service as well as the wide range of hand and arm protection solutions that it provides.
From high tech cut protection using the very latest in knitted fibre technology through to chemical protection and clean room/pharmaceutical products, Marigold Industrial combines a broad product range with vast hand protection knowledge and expertise.
For further information on how hand protection experts Marigold Industrial can help you find the right solution for your needs, contact them on 01992 456700. More articles from Marigold Industrial Ltd: | 
