Tom is a long-term roofer. He started doing residential roofing but now does mostly commercial flat roofs. One day he was cutting rubber on a roof using a utility knife when the blade hung on the rubber and then slipped off the rubber in the direction of his non-dominant hand, cutting the area between his index finger and thumb.
Utility knives are used for things on jobsites, including cutting rubber, insulation, strapping, and open packaging. But one wrong move and these retractable blades can do serious harm. Many accidents involving utility knives occur for the following reasons:
- Drawing the knife towards you instead of away from your body.
- Working with a dull blade. (Dull blades require more pressure, increasing the potential for injury.)
- Trying to cut more than the knife can handle.
- Improperly storing the knife with the blade extended.
- Failing to wear personal protective equipment.
- Neglecting to inspect the tool before use.
Although there are many appropriate uses for utility knives, problems sometimes arise when employees don’t have or can’t find a utility knife. As a result, they tend to use whatever is handy, such as a pocketknife, or other tool with a sharp edge. This can quickly turn hazardous if the tool slips or is used incorrectly.
The following are safety precautions to keep in mind when using utility knives:
- Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes in case a blade breaks.
- Always use a sharp blade. They are safer than a dull blade.
- Wear cut-resistant gloves to protect your hands.
- Hand a utility knife to a co-worker with the handle first.
- Use one of the newer model self-retracting blade knives.
- Ensure the blades are properly positioned in the handle before use.
- Keep extremities out of the cutting path.
- Don’t apply too much pressure on the blade.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when changing blades.
- Don’t use utility knives to pry loose objects.
- Dispose of dull or broken blades in a puncture-resistant container.
DISCUSSION NOTES:
Have you ever been cut while using a utility knife? If so, what were the circumstances? What could you have done differently to have prevented that injury?
Can you envision a circumstance in which you need a utility knife and cannot locate one? What would you do?
Have any of you used a utility knife with a self-retracting blade? If so, what was your opinion of that technology?
Are there circumstances in which you are unable to cut away from yourself (instead of towards yourself)?