NO COMPROMISE ON SAFETY KNIVES

Moving Edge was featured in the November issue of Health and Safety at Work magazine.  Read all about it below:

While PPE is a hot topic within Health and Safety circles, the small, but nevertheless, essential preventative item that is the ‘safety knife’ receives relatively little attention in the media.

The choice, however, is quite extensive and can lead to some confusion for buyers during the selection process. This can be quite challenging for Health and Safety Officers in drawing up a Knife Policy as their primary concern is obviously safety, while for the users, it is more about cutting performance and productivity …. And for buyers, price is a big factor too!

Change in the workplace is never easy, especially when it involves converting individuals’ working techniques in their day-to-day job.  This can be a significant factor when specifying safety knives and gaining the support of users is imperative if the initiative is to be successful.

It is fair to say that safety knives have not always been warmly welcomed in the workplace with users believing that cutting performance is compromised.  Times have moved on in terms of safety knife design and development, and thankfully, this is becoming a view of the past.  But despite this, there are still those who continue to use open bladed knives for manual cutting operations not only posing a danger to themselves, but also potentially to others in the vicinity. 

Before purchasing knives, it is important to conduct a full risk assessment and knife audit. Safety knives vary hugely in style and performance. Direct communication with individuals from the various locations/departments in the workplace is the first step in evaluating precise requirements of safety knives. Then accurately listing the specific materials (such as cardboard, shrink wrapping, plastic strapping, netting) that are regularly handled in each area.  For instance, not all safety knives will cut cardboard well, so it is worth referring to the special features of each knife design.  A knife that performs well will be much better received by the user, and goes along way in developing a safe knife culture in the workplace.

Certain environments, such as in the food packaging industry, have very specific requirements for safety knives.  Some insist on a knife being 100% metal detectable and will thoroughly clean these in an autoclave, while others prefer a disposable knife to avoid the risk of cross-contamination.

A reputable safety knife manufacturer will always supply trial knives if requested, which is generally the best way of ascertaining suitability.  This is where it is imperative to ensure that users fully read the operating instructions for individual knife designs.  Some individuals will argue that they don’t need to be trained to use a ‘simple knife’ – mistake number one!  Incorrect use can dramatically inhibit performance and productivity.

For example, there is usually a correct angle at which to use certain styles of knives, allowing the blade to freely move through the material it is cutting, without snagging.  Some designs need to be held at a 45 degree angle, while others can be held in a more traditional style, similar to that of an open-bladed knife.

Cutting direction also depends on the knife design.  Some safety knives cut away from the user, while others (normally with a hook style head) cut towards them.  Some knives ‘slice’ rather than cut (again more of a hook style) to avoid snagging – rather like slicing a loaf of bread!

Such is the importance of correct training, responsible manufacturers will also ask for a signed consent form to ensure the instructions are fully understood by the operator before using the knives without supervision.  Knives normally come with full user instructions to ensure that in the absence of any formal training, the very minimum an employee does is to read the information carefully.  Some manufacturers welcome comments on feedback forms to work with customers in finding the right knife specification.

It is worth scrutinizing the overall design features of a safety knife.  A good knife should be comfortable to hold with an ergonomically designed handle.  The design should not risk damaging packaging contents, which can be costly in terms of lost goods.  More importantly, it can also risk contents becoming contaminated. 

Above all, the blade should not be left exposed when not performing the cut.  Some safety knives have a finger-safe gap and blade casing to protect the user from coming into direct contact with the sharp edge of the blade.  Others can have an auto-retractable blade (usually more of a utility style knife) – the blade simply springs back once it has left contact with the material it is cutting.

Some models will be lighter in weight (ie, plastic) while more heavy duty types, normally feature a metal body.   Even though plastic versions are lighter to hold, some designs have a surprisingly high breakforce reducing the risk of shattering and exposing the blade.  A hole in the knife body is useful for attaching a blade registration tag or lanyard for full knife control and inspection.

Also, some knives are disposable, while others are designed for replacement blades – the latter being popular for reducing wastage in zero to landfill initiatives.

If the safety knife features a removable blade that can be replaced or turned around, then users need to have instruction on this.   The minimum amount of exposure and time required during the blade change is recommended to minimise risks when handling the blade. In certain circumstances, the pin can be fixed to only allow blade removal with a special tool.  This can be an effective way of controlling the individuals who have permission to perform a blade change.  A key aspect of safety knives is that the blades are always sharp.  Safe sharps disposal is also essential with dedicated sharps bins.  Some manufacturers offer a sharps bin return service to ensure all blades are disposed of in a safe environment.

Other considerations are how the knife is to be used.  Will the handler have to carry this on his or her person, or will it be on a work bench?  The emergency services, or divers, will want a knife that cuts line, rope and seatbelts, but will need to carry it safely on their person without risking injury to themselves.

In short, the safety knife is a small device with a huge impact on the working environment.  It’s worth getting it right from the outset!