Preventing hand injuries in the steel industry through assessment, awareness and training

Hazards are ever-present in the steel plant environment, and a heightened awareness and emphasis on safety is a necessary priority for the industry. An interdisciplinary team of graduate students from Auburn University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham investigated hand injuries at CMC Steel Alabama, Birmingham, Ala. The team consisted of students in occupational health nursing, industrial and systems engineering, and industrial hygiene. The team's strengths include skills in Web-based research, video editing and production, communication and the use of various communication tools. The feedback from CMC Steel Alabama has been very positive, thanks to the significant employee engagement in the project. A hand injury, whether it occurs on or off the job, can be very expensive, with direct and indirect costs reaching into the thousands.