Our top tips for safe knife use in the workplace.
In Australia, lacerations are by far the most common workplace injury, resulting in 28% of all reported events. At MARTOR, our mission is to reduce this number.
?Sharp tools are an unavoidable part of the workplace but with the right features, training and maintenance, knife-related injuries are highly preventable.
?Here are 5 easy steps you can take to maintain the safety and well-being of your team:
1.Keep your knives sharp.
?It may sound counter-intuitive, but sharper knives cause fewer injuries. With more precision and control, staff are significantly less likely to slip and cut themselves. Plus, with no tugging and pulling, sharp blades also make tasks a whole lot more productive for your team!
?It is important to encourage workers to report blunt or faulty blades, and complete regular equipment audits to maintain the integrity of your tools.
?When blunt or broken blades need replacing, make sure staff are disposing of them correctly to avoid injuring other workers or waste management staff. One easy way to do this is by joining MARTOR’s sustainable blade recycling program. Just purchase a sharps container and send your MARTOR waste back to our team to recycle safely.
2.Invest in safety features.
Proper safety equipment is a must-have, regardless of user experience. Luckily, many knives are now equipped with inbuilt safety features, adding that extra layer of injury prevention.?
When you are choosing equipment, opt for concealed blades, automatic blade retraction or fully automatic blade retraction to prevent the risk of injury.?
Knives have come a long way in terms of innovation, and where human error is sometimes inevitable, having inbuilt features will give you and your team the confidence to complete tasks safely.
3.Store your blades safely
Knife safety does not end when the task is complete. How you store your equipment is just as important. For example, knife blades should never be exposed, especially after they have been recently used. Encourage your workers to holster their knives or invest in automatically retracting blade knives, like the SECUPRO box cutter range.?
To prevent situations where knives are left on cluttered work benches or surfaces, you can also provide a safe and easy place to store tools. Magnetic holders or lock cupboards are a perfect way to store knives, plus they keep the work area nice and neat.
4.Use the right tool for the job
Many workplace injuries occur from using the wrong tool for the job. You wouldn’t use a kitchen knife to cut thick packing plastic, nor a pair of scissors to cut a box. Therefore it’s important to research which tool works for you.
So how do you find the right tools for the job? Worksafe Victoria recommends that employees use tools that are ergonomically designed, lightweight, and fitted with all the necessary safety guards.
There is a tool designed for every purpose. Head to our product filter to find out which one will work best for the task and team and view our certified ergonomic safety knives here
5.Train your staff
The last and most important tip is to train your team. Empower your staff with the best-practice knife handling tips and repeat the process for every new employee.
Training should take no more than 15 minutes, including information about using the knife, changing the blade, and disposing of old blades safely.
In conjunction with training, make sure staff have access to safety brochures, posters, and videos to refer to. All these free resources can be downloaded here!
After completing these five simple tips, you will be well on your way to a safer and more productive workplace.
At MARTOR, we have helped countless companies reduce their workplace injuries with our ergonomic knives and safety tools. Find out which ones are right for you by contacting us today via phone, email, or our website.
?P: 61 3 5940 4476
?W:www.martoraustralia.com.au