How can we prevent injuries

1
How can we prevent injuries ?
1st European Hand Injury Prevention Congress,
25-27 june 2009 Bursa, Turkey

• Philippe Bellemère
• Prevention commission of Hand Trauma Committee
  (FESSH)
• and FESUM
• Clinique Jeanne dArc
• Nantes - France

2
A public health problem

• Number
• 4 to 20 of E.R. visits
• 14 million in Europe
• 6.2 million severe
• Psychological and physical consequences
• Cost
• Treatment
• Impairment and disabilities

Need of specific prevention
3
Hand trauma center

• Prevention of the impairment and the disabilities
  by hand surgeons.
• Prevention of the trauma is better with less cost.

4
Goals of prevention

• Educating people
• Identifying risk
• Avoiding risk by simple methods
• Improving security
• Machines
• Power tools
• Handled objects

5
Work related injuries

• 1/3 of hand traumas
• Decreased severity due to machine security.
• Workers with hand tools.
• Young apprentices
• Temporarily employed

6
Daily activitiy traumas are the 1 problem

• 2/3 of hand injuries

FESUM 2002 Chir Main 2003
7
Identifying the traumas

• 1 amputations
• 1/5 re-implanted
• Bite injuries
• 7.4 / 1000 in US
• lt 15 yrs 22 / 1000
• Ring finger
• 1 / day in France
• High pressure injuries.

8
Collecting and using data
Data trauma, populations, tools, activities, etc.
Insurance companies
Media
Power tool manufacturers and stores
Sports federations
Governmental authorities
9
General prevention message

• Machine danger
• Hand protected hand secured
• Be aware of alcool, stress, tiredness
• Remove rings
• Move children away

10
Specific messages
in the kitchen
DIY activities
outside
at work
in the bathroom
in the garden
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How to deliver the message?
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Reaching individuals

• Educational programs
• General public
• Professional students
• Industrial workers
• Continuing education

Very efficient but time, energy and money
consuming
13
The Media

• Public news papers
• Radio and TV
• Insurance compagny news letters

Better impact for seasoneal risk
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The Internet

• accidentsmain.fr

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How do we improve security ?

• Economic incentives
• Law enforcement
• National
• European

Point out what could be useful
16
Ring injuries prevention

• Normative standard process to make the ring more
  fragile

Fragilisation process
17
Power tool injury prevention

• Standards
• Leaflets
• Educational courses
• Stickers

18
How to get organized for prevention?

• In your own country create a legible structure
  dedicated to hand injury prevention
• Strategy
• Collect data
• Warn governmental autorities

19
European Hand Trauma Prevention Project

• From Hand Trauma Committee of the FESSH
• Goal
• Exchange of expertise and practical experience
• Sharing of prevention tools
• Setting-up database
• Make concrete propositions to
• European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
• European Commission for Public Health
• European Foundation for the Improvement of Living
  and Working Condition
• Committee of Environment, Public Health and Food
  Safety

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Logo  Dangerous for your hand 

• For sharp or power tools for cooking, gardening
  DIY
• Visible on
• boxes
• instruction notices
• tools

Should be a legal obligation !
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Conclusion

• Prevention is our responsibility
• Share your experience, data, prevention tools
• Contact us at the HTC

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION