Control of ergonomic hazards from squeegee handles in the screen-printing industry. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Repetitive use of hand tools (particularly those that compress the palm of the hand and are held with a pinch or precision grip) may result in the development of carpal tunnel syndrome and other musculoskeletal disorders of the hand, wrist, and arm. Workers in the screen-printing industry use wooden-handled squeegees to force ink through a screen and into a substrate. The industry standard handle is approximately 1 inch wide and is grasped in both hands using a pinch grip. The narrowness of the grip requires forceful contractions by muscles in the forearm and wrist. When the user exerts significant downward forces with the handle, the handle places pressure on the mid-palm of the hands, causing possible compression of the median nerve.