We had exactly this recently… Production worker using automatic retracting blade Stanley managed to slip as he cut some packaging.
Cue managers call for total ban on open blades (including maintenance staff), maintenance team already have a good choice of ‘safety’ tools, but unfortunately the majority are simply shite – I don’t actually know of a single one that makes the job easier/better, and I have known people injured more by some such as the poly pipe cutters…
Completely ignored was the fact that the blade in the operators knife was as sharp as the managers who decided blades should be banned and that the packaging only needed cutting because it was incompatible with our machine (ain’t central procurement great!) or that the blunt knife was used in a very amateur fashion.
Two weeks later, the receptionist cuts herself – how? – cutting a doughnut with a 10″ carving knife she has in her drawer, just in case!
Much the same as the usual hearing protection issue – here’s some ear plugs… Never will the first suggestion be anything but.
My favourite comment H&S wise is that PPE is designed for contractors – they are unable to change their working environment so must use PPE to lower the consequences of the hazards present. Permanent employees should not need PPE on a regular basis because the hazard should be able to be controlled at source.