Health and safety focus | Getting Match Fit
Posted on Sunday, 19 January 2025 under Health & Safety
January and February’s health and safety focus is Getting Match Fit – refreshing you on best practice and using your tools to help you keep safe after the summer break.
Using a blunt knife requires more force than a sharp one, which can lead to muscle fatigue and strains over time. Keeping your knife sharp is key to not only doing your job well, but also doing your job safely.
Key points for knife sharpening:
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Always use a sharp knife. The force you use to push a blunt knife through is hazardous and strenuous for your body. The force required to use a blunt knife for one day is equivalent to the force of using a sharp knife for a week.
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Understand your knife and how sharp it is. Know the requirements of your job, and how your knife needs to be sharpened for different tasks.
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Throw away knives or sharpening equipment that are broken – if you need to know where to dispose of knives and other sharps, ask your supervisor.
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If you need to know how to sharpen your knife, ask your supervisor who can refer you to knife training, or ask your site’s knife trainer.
It's also important to practice knife safety at home. Keep these points in mind:
- Don't leave sharp knives in a sink full of water.
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Put knives sharp end down in the dishwasher or lay them flat.
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When carrying a knife, keep it low with the blade pointing down.
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Store knives in a safe place away from children.
