Machine Crush Hand Injury - An Overview!

Does your work involve handling large machines – commonly found in factories and manufacturing plants - every day? If you work in such a place, you need to be careful. Machines can often malfunction and that could result in accidents. You may have heard about instances of people being injured by machines at work sites.
Because the hand is the primary body part involved in such scenarios, the risk of injury to it is the highest. If the injury is severe, it can lead to amputation or on rare occasions, even death. Therefore, immediate treatment is vital.

Symptoms of a crushed hand
In this context, here are some common conditions of the hand:
• Fractures
• Dislocation
• Contusions
• Lacerations
• Dirt embedded in the bones and tissues.

How do crush accidents occur?
A hand crush accident most commonly occurs in three ways. These include-

1. Machines with moving parts
If you work at a machine with moving parts and your hands meet these moving parts, the chances of crush accidents are higher. Common machines that can lead to crush accidents include power shear equipment, punch presses and brake presses. These machines are quite common across manufacturing industries.

2. The accidental collapse of construction materials
Construction sites are common locations for crush accidents. If you work at such a place, you are always at danger from falling construction materials, such as walls, bricks and scaffolding. Such accidents can not only crush your hand in the process but may also lead to fatalities.

3. Accidental pinning by mobile equipment
Crush incidents can also occur if you are stuck between two heavy objects that are moving. For instance, if you work at a dock, you may be pinned down by power-driven vehicles. This can lead to crushing of your hands.

The long-term prognosis for hand crushes
If you experience such an accident, you will need a long time to recover. In some cases, your hand may be amputated to save your life. In other cases, you may lose functionality in the affected hand.

Treatment for crush injuries in the hand
Depending on the severity of the injury, immediate treatment may or may not be necessary.
• If it is a minor injury, you can administer first aid to the site after cleaning it thoroughly.
• If the injury is moderately serious, you will need to visit the doctor immediately. Depending on the kind of injury you experienced, your doctor may administer a tetanus shot to you.
• In case of serious crush injuries, surgery is necessary to rectify the tissue, muscle and bone damage. In some cases, amputation is performed to minimize the damage to the rest of your arm.

However, the best way to deal with hand crush injuries is to prevent them. Follow the safety measures while working with large machinery to avoid such devastating injuries.