APM Team,

Over the past few years I have dedicated my blog before Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday) to an activity – the turkey hand drawing.

This year I did a little research on the human hand. In my research I found this book – The Wonder of the Human Hand: Care and Repair of the Body's Most Marvelous Instrument.

The anatomy of the hand is intricate – 27 bones connected by an array of joints, muscles, and tendons. The hand is a significant part of life – we use it to communicate (sign language), to connect (hand shake), to symbolize strength (raised fist) or devotion (hand over heart) or welcome (open hand), to share love (holding hands). To quote from cliffsnotes summary of the book. “The hand's cultural significance extends to practical domains such as craftsmanship, where skilled artisans and craftsmen harness its capabilities to create intricate works of art and functional objects. From the delicate brushstrokes of a painter to the precise movements of a surgeon, the hand serves as a conduit for human ingenuity and creativity.” I add – the skilled mechanic whose hands build and maintain the equipment that powers life. 

For our APM and our thousands of skilled mechanics, the hand is our most common tool. And it’s our hands that are most commonly injured – 13/20 injuries this year are to the hand or fingers. And the most common injury is a hand in the line of fire – we place our hand or finger in the path of a moving object (a swinging sledge hammer) or a hazardous energy release (hydraulic tool or jack that suddenly kicks back or out).

I again encourage you this Thanksgiving holiday to think about how wonderful our hands are, and how we use them to enjoy the holiday – making a dish for the family meal, throwing a ball with your children, writing a thank you note to a friend.

Please make a commitment specific to keeping your hands safe while you carve the turkey, heat the stuffing on the stove, or put up the holiday decorations this weekend. My 3 hand commitments:

• I will keep my hands out of the line of fire of moving objects and hazardous energy releases (for example, a carving knife or a windblown car door).

• I will shake the hands of all my family and friends we see next week. (The Centerville, TX crew.)

• I will keep my pinky and pointer fingers strong for this coming Saturday as a tradition renews. (Hook’em Horns!)

Finally, for the ~2,000+ craft who may be working this next week, many on Thanksgiving day, along with our corporate support teams (ops leaders, safety managers, tool center techs, job and payroll and billing and technology specialists), a special Thank You! for your sacrifice.

May we all enjoy a safe, healthy, and blessed Thanksgiving!