ABSTRACT
Hand tools assist the hands in performing a task by increasing the output force, precision, or efficiency of the hands or fingers. They can also help to protect the hands from injury, including cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs), if they are ergonomically designed. The meat hook is a tool that has become increasingly important to the meatpacking industry as the economic demands of high speed lines and the consumer demands for cuts of boneless lean meat have converged. Various changes in the design of this tool’s handle, for better fit to the human hand, have been developed. The rectangular handle of the mid-1970s was gradually replaced by the cylindrical handle shape of the mid-1980s and now by the custom moldable grip handle of the mid-1990s. This latest handle design is an elliptical curve to fit the palm of the hand with a “brass knuckle” series of indentations for the fingers. The handle material not only resists slipping (important in this industry environment), but also has “recoil give” to soften the grip under heavy pulling force. Comfort of the tool has made it popular among industry employees, and the reduction of CTD symptoms has made it recommended among physicians and therapists. The design of this handle was a joint venture between the material patent holder, the tool manufacturer and an industrial ergonomist. Both the design and handle material hold promise for tools in other industries as well.
