HEALTH & SAFETY
• Abrasions. Abrasions and lacerations occur when skin is rubbed away by friction from belts, sanders, grinders and rough materials. Broken skin allows for easy absorption of toxic or infectious substances by the body.
• Cuts. These can occur when you use dull cutting tools or handle sharp metals and other materials with jagged edges.
• Puncture wounds. Puncture wounds occur when pointed objects or tools pierce the skin and deep tissues. For example, punctures can result from glass, safety wire, cotter-pins or even fl uids or air leaking under high pressure.
Not all hand injuries are immediate. The following
injuries can occur over a long period of time but are just a debilitating to the hands.
• Raynaud’s syndrome. Raynaud’s syndrome (or “white fi nger”) is caused by the vibrations your hands and fi ngers are subjected to when you work with electric or pneumatic tools. The skin, muscles and other tissues cannot get needed oxygen because of damage to the blood vessels of the hand. The result is a loss of sensation and control. You might experience blanching and numbness of the aff ected areas and you might notice a decreased sensitivity to heat, cold and pain.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). CTS results from pinching of the median nerve that runs through the carpal tunnel in the wrist. This syndrome is often found in people who work with their wrist bent or twisted, especially when using force. This is especially common in offi ce workers but is not uncommon in mechanics. The symptoms are numbness, tingling, burning, pain and loss of strength. Symptoms are often more acute at night and felt on only one side of the hand, the side of the index fi nger and thumb.
• Tenosynovitis. Also, called tendinitis, synovitis, bursitis, trigger fi nger or de Quervain’s disease, it is an infl ammation of the tendons and tendon-muscle attachments. It is caused by overuse of the hand and arm muscles, especially during rapid, forceful and repetitive movements and excessive arm extension. The areas of the hand where pain occurs are generally the base of the palm, the palm side of the fi ngers, the back of the wrist, and the side of the wrist near the palm.
If you have been working in the aviation industry as a mechanic for very long, you have likely experienced some or all of these injuries. You probably just take it in stride and say, “Oh, well, it’s all part of being a mechanic.” It doesn’t need to be that way. You don’t have to sacrifi ce your hands for the cause. I remember when I was growing up (centuries ago), most of the men in my family (grandfather, uncles and cousins) were missing fi ngers. I thought it was just part of growing up.
Other Precautions Remember that an injury can happen in a split second and result in a lifetime of disablement and hardship for you and your family. There is no reason to ignore these dangers with all of the technology at our disposal. In all of the years that I have been wrenching, I have never thought to use mechanic gloves. I’ve made fun of the younger generation of mechanics who had to put their gloves on to do maintenance. “How can you do precision work while you are wearing gloves?” I’m not laughing now. Technology has made great breakthroughs in mechanic gloves. NASCAR can take a lot of the credit for this technology. There are now specialty gloves for many diff erent tasks. I wish they had been around when I was younger. There are rubber and neoprene gloves available for handling toxic and corrosive chemicals. Use them. For years I worked with solvents, turbine oils and fuel unprotected. I’m paying for it now. There are also numerous “barrier creams” for the skin that can be used when painting that allows for mild soap and water clean-up of hands. No more MEK or thinners to remove the paint. Another important step to take when cleaning your hands is to use mild soaps and warm water, not hot. Hot water tends to remove too much of the body’s natural oils. After washing, replenish these oils with hand lotions and moisturizers. If your skin still gets too dry, there are many products such as Cornhuskers lotion, Bag Balm, Udder Cream and various hand-repair creams on the market. Protect that epidermis — it’s the only thing protecting you from your environment. As Fred Dehner wrote, “The best helping hand you
will ever receive is the one at the end of your own arm.” Protect yourself.
• Always be alert when working and work smarter, not harder.
• As much as possible, set your work up for your control and be aware of the hazards around you.
• Observe all of the safety rules and proper work practices applicable.
• Make sure all tools and equipment are in serviceable condition.
• Use adequate hand protection.
• In the event of injury, no matter how minor, administer fi rst aid immediately to prevent further damage to your body.
Terry L. Peed has been working in the aviation industry for more than 46 years. He is a Vietnam- era Navy veteran and is a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with an associate of science degree in aviation maintenance. Peed holds an A&P certifi cate with IA. He is employed by Air Methods
Corporation as a fi eld base mechanic at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI. You can contact him at
terrypeed@yahoo.com.
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HelicopterMaintenanceMagazine.com June | July 2016
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