‘Hands-Off’ to Avoid Injuries Manufacturing and materials handling processes by their very nature can be labour-intensive, with manual interaction needed within various production and distribution chains, to get product to market. This coexistence between heavy equipment and human resources means that strict practices must be put in place to ensure the safety of employees. While the placement of barriers and guards around machines is one ways of minimising injuries, safety training is also vital in helping BlueScope Distribution keep employees, customers and communities safe. A more intimate approach to safety To keep safety front of mind, BlueScope Distribution periodically reiterates relevant safety topics through one-on-one conversations, where team leaders discuss safety matters with each team member individually. BlueScope Distribution’s Health Safety and Environment Manager, Brett Dixon, said this more inclusive approach to safety briefings had been successful within the company. “While it’s a more time-consuming process, we have found that it’s more effective than having all team members sitting in on a single presentation session,” Brett said, “and it’s a more engaging experience for participants as well.” The points raised are then regularly ‘spoken to’ through these one-on-one conversations, to reinforce and to keep them front of mind. One of the topics that’s often covered is hand safety. Focus on hand safety In our industry, hands are one of the body parts that are most susceptible to injury through pinching and crushing by striking tools, such as hammers, by cutting on sharp edges or even sustaining burns following contact with hot surfaces or chemicals. The complexity and delicate nature of human hands also means that recovery from injury can be a slow and frustrating process. One of the ways to reduce risk to the hands is to develop ‘no-touch tools’ and use them instead of the hands for certain operational tasks. For example, when attaching case hooks to lift flat products, no-touch tools must be used to insert the hooks, keeping hands clear of potential pinch points. Brett said that BlueScope Distribution was strongly committed to encouraging the uptake of no-touch tools, but there were some sticking points to overcome. “It can be challenging to develop and implement protocols for the use of equipment such as no-touch tools, because it may seem faster and easier to just use the hands,” he said. “However, the safety of our team is the number one priority and much more important than getting the task done quickly, so we’re continuously stressing the importance of keeping the hands out of harm’s way.” 30 Safety News – Hands Off