Safety knives are becoming more common in the workplace. They are especially common for workers that often use utility knives and box cutters, such as shipping and receiving departments, retail/grocery stores, and restaurants. Safety knives and box cutters are used to open packages, cut strapping material, cut through tape, tear away shrink wrap, cut bags, and much more. More companies are investing in safety knives because knife accidents in the workplace are a common occurrence, which is not only bad for the injured workers, but can also cost companies thousands of dollars every year. 

The National Safety Council reported that over 1 million hand injuries occur each year, 63% of which are from knife lacerations. Each year there are 2.4 million hospital visits from cutting or piercing instruments and the average cost per claim for a direct or indirect laceration injury is $36,472. The main reason knife injuries are so prevalent in the workplace is because employees are not properly trained on how to use their cutting tools or on the safety precautions they should take while utilizing them.

The purpose of having employees use safety knives is for them to avoid injuries while working. However, they must be properly trained on how and when to use the safety knife. There are many kinds of safety knives, and each knife should have a different use. For example, the safest knife for slabbing would be a knife that has a fully retractable blade, but the safest knife for cutting shipping materials would be a knife that has a concealed blade. As a safety precaution, it is critical that workers are aware which knife is best for the material they are cutting. 

Using safety knives and cutters can reduce workplace injuries dramatically- they have a $3 to $1 return on investment. However, getting workers to use safety knives and use them properly can be challenging. Workers sometimes have a distaste for safety knives in the beginning, preferring to stick with the regular utility knives they have been using. Implementing a safety knife training program where workers not only learn how to properly use their safety knives and cutters, but also learn the value of the safety knife is essential. In a successful safety knife program, workers learn how to operate each of the safety knives they have, which knives they should use in different situations, and the overall value of using safety knives.