6 Safety Tips for Using Safety Cutters
Safety Cutters are often used in warehouses to open cardboard boxes of all shapes and sizes. They are an essential tool for all warehouse employees. However, the slightest overlook (i.e. loss of concentration) will injure your workers when the safety cutters are not used properly.
Here are six safety tips to prevent workplace injuries and encourage workplace safety.
#1 Keep Your Hands and Body Away from the Cutting Line
Often employees injure themselves when they try to quickly open the box by cutting in a straight line with force towards themselves. To prevent such accidents, employees should make a mental note of the cutting line. The user should keep their body and hands away from the cutting line. Another way to prevent this is to use an automatic retractable blade cutter. Such cutters are safer for the user as once the user lets go of the mechanism, it will retract the blade, thus preventing any significant injuries to the user.
#2 Focus on Your Work at Hand
Similarly, workers should refrain from using cutters with any equipment when they are distracted or tired of their safety; when the user cannot focus while doing their task, the risk of getting injured and injuring other workers around the person increases as well.
#3 Work on a Solid and Flat Surface
When using cutters to open items, it is best to have a flat and stable surface. Remember to clear your workspace before you start using the tool to prevent any mishaps from happening. Avoid cutting items on smooth surfaces and furniture. This is to avoid any damage to them. The best way to prevent this is to use a cutting board. Using a cutting board acts as a buffer between the knife and the surface, avoiding any damage to the surface.
#4 Always Wear Gloves
Wearing cut-resistant gloves when using a cutter will significantly minimise the chances of getting injured. High-quality cut-resistant gloves can prevent harm to your hands. With safety gloves, the user will feel more at ease when using their safety cutters as well!
#5 Retract the Blade when not in Use
A cutter should always be retracted when not in use. Cutters should be stored in a safe place away from easily accessible areas. An alternative solution would be using safety cutters with self-retracting blades that automatically retract once you let go of the trigger or whenever the cutter blade is no longer in contact with the material.
#6 Choosing the Right Safety Cutter
Lastly, the most important tip is choosing a suitable Safety Cutter for use. There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing a suitable Safety Cutter. The question now begs what features a good cutter should have. Firstly, the cutter should have an automatic retractable feature. Blades that automatically retract are the safest for the user and the product. For example, when the blade hits the product or is no longer cutting anything, it will be automatically retractable and prevent any harm to the user. A product like Easy-Cut is perfect for this.
Allowing users’ to replace the blade easily is another feature. A large number of injuries often occur when the user is replacing the blade. Prevent this from happening; many Safety Cutters are now designed to replace blades in mind, protecting both the product and the handler.
Another feature a good cutter should have is the ability to lock its blade in place. Blades like Easy-Cut and many other Safety Cutters can all lock their blades. The Easy-Cut series incorporates the flexibility and length of your blade to the thickness of the cardboard.
Watch this video on how to properly use Safety Cutters.