Almost all businesses use some sort of utility knife or box cutter. At some point the blades for these knives and cutters become dull and workers need to dispose of them. To ensure optimal safety measures for your workplace, follow these blade disposal tips. 

Do not dispose of blades in a trashcan.
Whether they are rusted or dull, unwanted blades can be a safety hazard to anyone who comes in contact with them. If a blade is placed into a trashcan, there is the possibility for someone who is moving the trash to encounter the blade or for the blade to fall out of the trash and for someone to then make contact with it. Either way, throwing a blade into a trashcan or anywhere else, without properly disposing of it, is a safety hazard. 

Do dispose of blades in a leak proof container.

The proper way to dispose of a blade is in a leak proof container. You can purchase containers that are specifically made for the disposal of blades. Blade boxes or containers are designed so that you can dispose of an unwanted blade without contacting other blades. They are built so that the blades will stay within the confines of the container and not injure anyone, regardless of how sharp they are. When the blade box container is full, you turn the lid until it shuts. At this point it cannot be reopened, and you can dispose of the blade box container. We also suggest you purchase a wall mount bracket for your blade containers. Mounting the blade box on the wall makes it easily accessible for employees in the workplace.

Along with blade box containers, we recommend supplying workers with a smaller, personal blade container that can fit into their pocket, this is also known as a safebox. This is a good option for someone who needs to dispose of a blade while on the job or if the blade box is inaccessible.

Do not reuse a blade box container. Some blade box containers give you the option of opening them when they are full in order to discard the blades and reuse the container. We do not recommend this. When a blade container is full, the whole container should be discarded. Otherwise the purpose of keeping the blades out of contact is defeated.