Share thisRecently we had the unpleasant experience of investigating a gruesome and almost deadly accident. A maintenance worker was removing a cable tie from a package on the loading dock and his pocketknife slipped and punctured his thigh, slicing his femoral artery. If it wasn’t for his quick thinking co-workers, and the fortunate proximity of the hospital emergency room, the outcome might have been tragic. Luckily, compression was applied by co-workers well-trained in first aid and a very short trip to the emergency room saved his life. The sad story here is that this accident was totally preventable.
The bigger story is that every year there are thousands of these types of accidents in every kind of business across the country. In one published report the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), statistics indicated that nearly forty percent of all medically treated injuries due to manual tools in the United States involved knives or retractable blades. These injuries happen due to broken blades, accidental cuts while changing blades, inappropriate use or mishandling of utility knives and, of course, using the wrong tool for the job.
Animal research facilities are no exception when it comes to jobs requiring cutting or the use of sharp blades. I guarantee your facility has a shipping/receiving area and many other areas where cutting is done without a second thought. So in this issue the Safety Guys offer a few basic tips on safe use of cutting instruments and preventing accidents and close calls.
Let’s take a look around
Have you noticed all the different applications around your facility that require some type of cutting or use of a utility knife? Almost all workers have something to cut during the week. In fact, we bet many carry pocketknives or utility knives in their pockets, on their tool belts, or at arm’s reach in a drawer or on the work bench. Some common uses are for opening boxes and packages, cutting cartons, string or strapping material, slicing shrink wrap, opening bags, and general maintenance.
Utility knives are one of the most common tools used in the work place, yet one of the most dangerous, especially in terms of the number and types of injuries produced. We often take these tools for granted and the dangers of inappropriate cutting equipment and procedures are too frequently overlooked. Let’s see if we can cut down on these injuries by taking a look at our cutting tools and some of the newer knives available and then evaluating a few tips on proper cutting techniques.