How to Modify Tool Handles to Be Ergonomic

Since the beginning of time, humans have used tools to help them get things done. Early man relied on sharpened sticks and stones to hunt. Fast forward 3.2 million years and we're still developing tools, mostly to compensate for the physical limitations of our anatomy. In 1950, engineers began to study ergonomics, which is the relationship between the worker, the essential functions of the job and the equipment used, all in an effort to increase worker productivity and reduce injury. Simple modifications can improve a tool's ergonomic effectiveness by reducing harmful factors such as vibration, force, grip and hand position.

Instructions

Force and Grip

• 1

  Tool handle padding doesn't have to be thick to be effective.

  Apply rubberized materials or dip molded plastic to steel hand tools made with flat stock. Cushioning steel handles minimizes contact pressure on the palm of your hand.

• 2

  Rubber tape comes in many widths, and some are equipped with non-slip coatings.

  Wrap each handle on tools that open and close in the palm of your hand with a single band of rubberized tape to improve grip and decrease force. Apply spray adhesive grip on handles to create drag and improve grip.

• 3

  Bicycle grips are widely available and can be equipped with finger molding and end caps.

  Add bicycle grips or foam tape to single pole tool handles such as garden tools, manufacturing aids, mops and brooms. Tool handles should be 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter to decrease the grip strength needed to use the tool. A wider diameter handle allows you to keep your hands in a more open, neutral position when grasping your tools.

• 4

  Select elongated or reticulating tools to take advantage of leverage.

  Elongate short handles or replace tools with handles that are short and stubby. By lengthening a tool's handle, you generate beneficial leverage along a longer plane on tools where the work is done at the end of the tool, such as a hammer, wrench, shovel or rake.

• 5

  Wrist and hand orientation are improved with pistol grip handles.

  Replace handles containing inline controls and triggers with pistol grip devices where tool orientation causes discomfort while conducting the task. A pistol grip permits your wrist and hand to remain in a more neutral, comfortable position.

Repetitive Motion

• 6

  Adding a spring to a hand tool is a low-tech solution to easing hand pain.

  Switch to spring-loaded hand tools to minimize excessive tool manipulation in the palm of your hand. Mechanically assisted tools provide automatic recoil and ease contact stress of hand tools.

• 7

  Use a ratchet wrench when space to turn an ordinary wrench is limited.

  Select tools with built-in gears and ratchet mechanisms for tasks where high torque and tool velocity cause strain and fatigue.

• 8

  Add tools to your shed that have bent or curved handles. Such tools force correct wrist and elbow placement, improving grip strength and reducing force.