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SAFETY
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© 6/2017 ECHO Inc.
ENGLISH
It is believed that a condition called Raynaud’s Phenomenon, which affects
the fingers of certain individuals, may be brought about by exposure to
vibration and cold. Exposure to vibration and cold may cause tingling and
burning sensations, followed by loss of color and numbness in the fingers.
The following precautions are strongly recommended, because the
minimum exposure, which might trigger the ailment, is unknown.
• Keep your body warm, especially
the head, neck, feet, ankles,
hands, and wrists.
• Maintain good blood circulation by
performing vigorous arm
exercises during frequent work
breaks, and also by not smoking.
• Limit the hours of operation. Try to
fill each day with jobs where
operating the unit or other hand-
held power equipment is not
required.
• If you experience discomfort, redness, and swelling of the fingers followed
by whitening and loss of feeling, consult your physician before further
exposing yourself to cold and vibration.
Repetitive Stress Injuries
(RSI)
It is believed that overusing the
muscles and tendons of the fingers,
hands, arms, and shoulders may
cause soreness, swelling,
numbness, weakness, and extreme
pain in those areas. Certain
repetitive hand activities may put
you at a high risk for developing a
Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI). An
extreme RSI condition is Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), which
could occur when your wrist swells
and squeezes a vital nerve that runs
through the area. Some believe that
prolonged exposure to vibration may contribute to CTS. CTS can cause
severe pain for months or even years.
To reduce the risk of RSI/CTS, do the following:
• Avoid using your wrist in a bent, extended, or twisted position. Instead try
to maintain a straight wrist position. Also, when grasping, use your whole
hand, not just the thumb and index finger.
