Safety Alert 96 - Blade Related Injuries

Safety Alert 96

Blade Related Injuries

Date

30 August 2021

Did you know?

The most common risk when using sharp blades or edges is an injury occurring such as a cut (laceration/ puncture), amputation or even a more severe life-threatening injury such as the severing of major blood vessels.

Tools or equipment with sharp blades or edges can include knives, box cutters, Stanley knives, conduit cutters etc.

Recent incidents at EGT

In the last month, EGT apprentices have experienced three injuries resulting from the use of knives or the incorrect use of sharp-bladed tools.

• On 12 July an apprentice suffered a deep laceration to one of their fingers when using a knife to cut the tape off a roll of electrical cable. The injury required stitches and prevented the injured person from performing their full duties.
• On 21 July an apprentice suffered a laceration to their thigh when attempting to cut the binding tape off a bundle of conduit with the blade on a pair of conduit cutters. Fortunately, they were able to resume work on full duties.
• On 8 August an apprentice suffered a laceration to one of their fingers when attempting to cut a piece of conduit laterally with the blade on a pair of conduit cutters. The wound required medical closure and prevented the injured apprentice from performing their full duties.

The following video re-enacts the 8 August incident and advises on what the correct procedure is for using a conduit cutter:

Recommendations

To prevent a further occurrence of injuries of this nature, all ECA WA employees (including EGT apprentices) are to note the following:

• ECA WA Open Bladed Knives Policy
  
  
  
  This policy has been updated and the use of knives of all types is now strictly prohibited at ECA WA facilities and by EGT apprentices working at host employer worksites.
• Always use the correct tool
  
  The correct tool for the task must always be used. Each tool is precisely designed for a specific purpose, so choosing the correct tool will not only decrease the amount of effort required to get a job done right, it will also decrease the chance of injury to the person using the tool. “Even if one's intentions are good, the wrong tool for the wrong task is the wrong tool for the wrong task.

Feedback

For further information regarding this Safety Alert, please contact EGT on (08) 6241 6100 or speak with your Field Officer.