Like most construction companies, the largest number of accidents probably relate to hand injuries – from cuts and lacerations to abrasions and grazes our upper limbs are often the first to suffer. Over the first half of 2024, we analysed specific datapoints and trends from hand injuries to help identify and understand where and how these types of injuries were occurring. This then enabled us to design a specific awareness programme to target these incidents and improve the welfare of our workforce on site.
We devised a totally unique campaign called: Five Fingers, Zero Accidents – Don’t lose touch with Hand Safety!
It was delivered in the form of a dedicated toolbox talk from our HSEQ Team to each site with an emphasis initially on awareness as well as a clear 5-Step methodology to follow. We also gave each site a set of Hand Safety stickers, so that Supervisors could strategically place them in high traffic areas or where hand safety was a particular concern, to give a striking visual reminder of the reasons behind the campaign.
The campaign was launched in June 2024 with great success. Although a simple strategy to tackle a persistent problem, the visibility of the stickers really helped to reinforce the message several times daily, to change behavioural patterns.
The proof was in the results, with a 92% reduction in hand-related accidents between June and December 2024.
