Ergonomics is how you do a job - Using hand tools

• Select hand tools that allow the user to maintain a neutral posture for the arm and wrist. Avoid extreme or awkward joint positions (i.e., bent wrist position).
• Keep forceful gripping to a minimum.
• Avoid prolonged gripping of the hand tool.
• Sharpen tool to reduce required forces.
• Minimize torque on the wrist and forearm when possible.
• Avoid pressure points on sensitive areas such as the palm.
• Avoid repetitive finger action.
• Select power or pneumatic tools with built-in vibration dampening.
• Soft coverings on a tool handle protect the hands from heat and cold and help reduce pressure points and slipperiness of the grip.
• Select hand tools that fit the hands of the worker. A tool that is too large or too small will produce stress in the hand and wrist. As a general rule, the ideal handle diameter for a man is 1.5 inches, and 1.3 inches for a woman.
• For trigger-activated tools, choose a grip size that allows activation with the middle part of the fingers. Activation with the fingertips can create nodules on nerve sheaths and cause trigger finger.
• The majority of commercially available tools are designed for the right hand. Ideally, tools should be symmetrical or be easily altered to be used by either the right or left hand.