2016 Q4 LIFE@reliance Newsletter

Hand injuries – like the vast majority of workplace injuries – are preventable. Still, within our Family of Companies hand injuries account for 40% of all injuries that have occurred this year. Wearing gloves has been proven to reduce the relative risk of injury by 60%. In the manufacturing environment, hand injuries generally result from physical activity and result in bruises, abrasions, cuts, punctures, fractures, and amputations to the hand.

HAND SAFETY IS UP TO YOU AND SAFE

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports: • 110,000 lost-time hand injuries annually • Hand injuries send more than one million workers to the emergency room each year • 70% of workers who experienced hand injuries were not wearing gloves • The remaining 30% of injured workers did wear gloves, but experienced injuries because the gloves were inadequate, damaged or the wrong type for the type of hazard present.

Additionally, the average hand injury claim now exceeds $6,000, with each lost time workers’ compensation claim reaching nearly $7,500, according to the BLS and National Safety Council. The cost of one incident that could have been prevented by workers wearing the right glove often far exceeds the cost of an entire hand protection program. The National Safety Council offers the following as a guide:

• Direct cost of a laceration: $10,000 • Stitches: $2,000 plus indirect costs • Butterfly: $300 • Severed Tendon: > $70,000

Below are 5 easy steps to work to eliminate hand injuries: 1. Training: Provide understandable training and reiterate the importance during Tool Box Talks. 2 . Evaluate and revise: Complete Job Safety Observations (JSOs) and Job Safety Analyses and make adjustments to processes to protect employees’ hands and fingers. 3. Provide Adequate PPE: Evaluate the PPE that is provided in your facility to ensure that it fits the need. 4. Eliminate the Hazards: Use the tools available to keep your hands away from pinch points. 5. Enforce Policies and Procedures: “Silence is consent”– do not allow employees to break safety rules by not using proper PPE or taking short cuts.

Focus on reducing hand injuries will further our mission to reduce injuries across the companies by 25% this year.

Congratulations to the Safety Stars Award winners for their safety achievements! Go to the Employee News section of RELIANCE roots to read about what the winning locations are doing!

CONTINENTAL

ALLOYS & SERVICES

JULY

AUGUST

Houston, Texas

Spring, Texas

Spokane, Washington SEPTEMBER

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