Trying to de-stone avocadoes or attempting to separate frozen burgers by using a sharp knife lead to some of the most severe hand injuries in the home. But it’s not just those who work in the domestic setting who suffer hand injuries, which could lead to permanent disability affecting the injured person’s lifestyle holistically.

Enforcing health and safety measures in the workplace might be somewhat easier than doing so at home, but it is equally if not more important.

The hands are the human being’s most precious tools, principal occupational therapist Doriette Bonello said during a business breakfast by the Occupational Therapy of Mater Dei Hospital and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) to raise awareness on the prevention of hand injuries.

The implications of a hand injury are multiple, Ms Bonello said, as it affects all the aspects of the injured person’s life.

Stephan Spiteri, a young adult who suffered a hand injury at work around two and a half months ago, shared his experience, with the occupational therapists and OHSA professionals present. He was working on a construction site when his right hand was crushed. He suffered extensive swelling, which in turn damaged his forearm arteries and nerves. “My life changed within a few seconds,” Mr Spiteri said.

Assistant principal occupational therapist Rosemarie Testa explained that, from the first day they meet the hand-injury patients, their job is to help them return to the lifestyle they enjoyed before the injury. “It is not always possible to fully return all the hands’ functions. We have clients who would have to change their jobs after an injury. These people are at a higher risk,” Ms Testa explained.

Orthopaedic consultant Jason Zammit described his work as part of a three-step process. It starts when a patient who has suffered a hand injury is admitted to hospital and operated on, and then there is the convalescence period and eventually rehabilitation.

“Prevention and awareness are important, but workplaces should be rendered as safe as possible. The declining numbers of persons who are getting hand injuries show that we are on the right track ,” Mr Zammit said.

In 2009, 1,446 people were reported to have suffered hand injuries. This decreased by 26% to 1,065 in 2010. Most of these injuries happened in the workplace. He hopes that the numbers continue to decline.

“We see hand injuries that involve skin injuries such as lacerations, but injuries could be much worse. The most common injury we see is stress of the fingers’ tendons. The second large class of hand injuries are nerve injuries affecting sensation, which is a safety mechanism that, if damaged, makes a person even more prone to injury. Our job is to recreate the anatomy as close to the original as possible,” Mr Zammit said.

Most patients fall within the 25 to 35-year age bracket, he continued. They are mostly young earners and the main family bread winners, “so you can imagine their preoccupation”.

Principal occupational health and safety officer Charles Micallef insisted that continuous risk assessment is crucial to take control measures. Health and safety is not just about wearing adequate protective wear, but about eliminating danger as much as possible and to teach and supervise employees and maintain equipment. It is important to keep in mind that both employers and employees are responsible, Mr Micallef said.

OHSA CEO Mark Gauci remarked that the hands are the most important tool, but they are not easy to repair once damaged. Since the OHSA was set up, it has noted some amelioration. However, some employers and employees still falsely hope that accidents will not happen to them.

It is estimated that the financial impact of hand injuries is equal to around 4% of the EU’s gross domestic product. If applied in a Maltese context, this would amount to around €50 million.