ROUGHNECKING IS KNOWN FOR BEING THE WORK THAT SEPARATES THE MEN FROM THE BOYS.  ACCORDING TO IADC 2012 DATA, 43% OF ALL OIL AND GAS INJURIES OCCUR TO WORKERS’ HANDS AND FINGERS. THERE ARE MANY RISKS FOR HAND INJURIES THAT RANGE FROM BLUNT FORCE, IMPACT, CRUSHING, AND PINCHING.  FURTHERMORE, A GREAT NUMBER OF THESE INJURIES ARE “STRUCK BY” INCIDENTS, WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE MOST CLAIMS, COSTS, AND WORK-DAYS LOST.  ACCORDING TO THE LATEST DATA FROM THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL, THE AVERAGE COST OF A SINGLE HAND INJURY IS $21,918 (INDEMNITY AND MEDICAL COSTS).

WHY IMPACT GLOVES?

While manufacturing flame-resistant clothing for some of the world’s leading oil-and-gas companies, RPS realized that the hands and fingers are one of the most vulnerable parts of the body, accounting for 43 percent of reported incidents in a 2012 survey and 32 percent of lost-time incidents *. While usually not life-threatening, hand injuries can add up to huge costs, lost productivity, and reduced quality of life.

* International Association of Drilling Contractors (IACDC). IADC 2012 ISP Program Annual Report Index

TOTAL INDUSTRY REPORTED INCIDENTS, BY BODY PART

(2,507 total incidents)

Lower Extremities

14%

Head/Neck/Face

15%

Finger/Hands

43%

Torso/Back

10%

Shoulders/Arms

9%

Other

9%

PINCH POINTS

Any point between moving and stationary parts of equipment that poses the risk of getting a body part caught between them.  If a worker gets any portion of his body in these pinch points, injuries including amputations and fractures are a high probability and sometimes even death can result.  Most mechanical devices contain pinch points.  Choosing the right-hand safety impact protection can save your life.  Learn more about our CrudeHands Safety Program.

THE SOLUTION

CRUDE HANDS

Always striving to improve employee safety through innovative products, RPS set out to significantly reduce the number and severity of hands injuries caused by inadequate impact protection.
THE RESULT WAS AN IMPACT GLOVE THAT ACTUALLY WORKS. UNLIKE MANY OF OUR COMPETITORS, OUR IMPACT PROTECTION IS MORE THAN JUST A BARRIER TO A MOVING OBJECT; IT ACTUALLY ABSORBS AND REDUCES THE FORCE OF THE OBJECT, GREATLY REDUCING THE IMPACT TO THE HAND. USING A HIGH-PERFORMANCE MATERIAL CALLED D3O®, CRUDEHANDS™ GLOVES PROTECT ALL PARTS OF THE HANDS, INCLUDING THE VULNERABLE KNUCKLES AND FINGERTIPS. IN FACT, TESTING INDICATES THAT CRUDEHANDS™ GLOVES, FEATURING D3O®, OUTPERFORM OTHER IMPACT GLOVES MADE WITH MATERIALS SUCH AS TPR AND EVA FOAM BY UP TO 100 PERCENT.

INJURY CHART

FROM 2008-2012

Finger Injuries

From 2008-2012, the average cost of a disabling LTI or lost-workday case was $200,000 to the employer.

Hand Injuries

According to the NSC, 31,079 employees in the Oil/Gas industry experienced non-fatal hand/arm injuries in 2008.

All Other Injuries

In 2008, fires and explosions caused 18 deaths in the Oil/Gas industry, according to the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

DATA COMPILATION FOR IADC IMPACT TESTING

WORKER ROLES AND INJURY ACTIVITIES

60

FLOORMAN

22

ROUSTABOUT

18

DRILLER/ASSISTANT DRILLER

RIG POSITION AND TASKS THAT ARE MOST LIKELY TO ATTRIBUTE TO HAND AND FINGER INJURIES

RIG CONTRACTOR

CONNECTING DRILL PIPES
CONNECTING ANNULAR TO RAM BOP
CUTTING BULK SACK
MAINTENANCE OF MOVING EQUIPMENT
PULLING ELEVATOR

OPENING LOW-TORQUE VALVE

SERVICE CONTRACTOR

ASSEMBLING EQUIPMENT
LIFTING OPERATION
DISMANTLING EQUIPMENT
FUNCTION TESTING ANNULAR

WELLHEAD MAINTENANCE WORKSHOP

LIFTING OPERATION

TODAY, PPE MANUFACTURERS ARE BREEDING INNOVATION TO HELP BRING NEW TECHNOLOGY TO THE FIELD, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, ARE FORGING BETTER SOLUTIONS TO THE OLD WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT SAFETY.