Last year, 74% of all injuries in MIPS facilities involved hands and arms. 60% of these injuries resulted in open wounds which indicates insufficient distance from the source of danger.
Root cause of these injuries is most often identified as missing or incorrect PPE or the absence of suitable tools or equipment. These injuries can easily be prevented by following essential safety principles:
- Always wear the correct PPE; it must be appropriate for the task and the associated hazards.
- Use the proper tools and aids for the job.
- Check the condition of the working environment (cleanliness, lighting, stability, distance from hazards, etc.).
- Ensure machine safety is guaranteed and always stop the machine during maintenance work. Safety devices must be fully functional.
- Use designated walkways and stay alert for forklifts and other vehicles.
“We encourage all employees, regardless of job role or location, to be diligent about following safety principles to keep ourselves and our co-workers safe. Together, we can prevent even our most common injury types.”
- Oliver Lohmann, MIPS Safety Specialist Europe