Is there any doubt? Hands are crucial for our lives and work. The ability to grasp, hold and manipulate tools and objects with strength and dexterity is critical to our everyday lives, and especially to our work. It is, we are told, what sets us apart from most other creatures. And common phrases referring to “manual labor” or “being handy” recognize the central place our hands play in work. But because of their vital role in our working lives, hands are also vulnerable to injury and protecting hands from injury is a fundamental part of most workplace safety programs.
Too often, though, these efforts focus primarily on the palm side of the hand. Less attention is paid to protecting the back (or dorsal) side, which is critical for our hands to operate effectively. This becomes even more important in extreme environments where dorsal side injuries are more common. Think oil and gas drilling, extraction and refining; mining; heavy construction; demolition; cargo handling; and other industrial settings.