HC15
Repetitive use of hand tools (particularly those that compress the palm of the hand and are held with a pinch or precision grip) may result in the development of carpal tunnel syndrome and other musculoskeletal disorders of the hand, wrist, and arm. Workers in the screen-printing industry use wooden-handled squeegees to force ink through a screen and into a substrate. The industry standard handle is approximately 1 inch wide and is grasped in both hands using a pinch grip. The narrowness of the grip requires forceful contractions by muscles in the forearm and wrist. When the user exerts significant downward forces with the handle, the handle places pressure on the mid-palm of the hands, causing possible compression of the median nerve.
Studies funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) indicate that redesign of the squeegee handle can significantly reduce hand pain and fatigue.
To obtain more information about controlling this hazard or for information about other occupational health and safety issues:
|
--call NIOSH* at 1-800-35-NIOSH (1-800-356-4674), or |
*NIOSH is the Federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for preventing work-related illnesses and injuries. All HAZARD CONTROLS are based on research studies that show how worker exposures to hazardous agents or activities can be significantly reduced.
The principal contributors to this HAZARD CONTROLS are Katharyn A. Grant and Jerome P. Flesch, NIOSH. Research was performed under NIOSH Grant 1R43 OHO3357-01, Effect of Squeegee Design on Carpal Tunnel Pressure.
|
This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied or reprinted. NIOSH encourages all readers of this HAZARD CONTROLS to make it available to all interested employers and workers. |
