Dr. Koo Shares Power Tool Safety Tips for Summer

Dr. Sam Koo is a hand and upper extremity surgeon at Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine.  Preventative actions are often more important than pain management or orthobiologics. Dr. Koo provides some some insights in preventing summer injuries with these power tool safety tips.

As people become more active during the summer, injuries tend to increase.  This is especially true for those involving power tools such as lawnmowers and trimmers.  Some injuries like sports injuries can be tough to prevent, but others can be avoided by using simple safety practices and common sense.

One common mistake people often make is cutting grass in wet conditions, and then reaching down with a hand to clear out the chute once grass builds up.  This often leads to fingers or a hand slipping into the lawnmower blade.  The trauma sustained is often significant and can be life changing.  Please stay focused when using power tools and keep hands away from blades. If you must clean out a clogged chute, make sure to turn off power to the equipment and then use a stick or tool, not your hands.  If you do get injured, apply direct pressure to the injury and get to an ER as soon as possible.  See Beacon Orthopaedics for long term care of these injuries.