It goes without saying that using a
guillotine-type paper cutter can be dangerous. Every single person who uses the a guillotine
style paper cutter, from children to volunteers to office workers needs
to be shown how to use the machine in a safe manner. In the following article we will discuss three
of the safety features you should make sure are in place before you
decide on a paper cutter for your office.
It goes without saying that using a
guillotine-type paper cutter can be dangerous. Anything with a super
sharp blade that is capable of cutting through thirty to forty sheets
of paper at one time is a force to be reckoned with, and needs to be
used with only the utmost care. Every single person who uses the a
guillotine style paper cutter, from children to volunteers to office
workers needs to be shown how to use the machine in a safe manner.
Also, it should go without saying that the cutter you choose for your
office should be equipped with the latest in safety devices before you
even consider buying. In the following article we will discuss three of
the safety features you should make sure are in place before you decide
on a paper cutter for your office.
Tension Spring: Unfortunately there are many accidents
that can happen even when the blade itself is not even in use. A
tension spring is a device that keeps the cutting blade from falling on
its own when the user lets go of the handle while it is in the upright
position. This is a basic safety feature that any paper cutter worth
its salt possesses. However, you should not take this feature for
granted. If the tension spring on your cutter somehow gets worn out or
broken, you should immediately remove the cutter from use. A cutter
without a tension spring can be extremely dangerous.
The
Blade Guard: This is a very important safety feature that is also
included on most guillotine type paper cutters. There are a couple of
different kinds of blade guards to consider. The simplest kind is just
a metal bar that runs along the board-effective enough, but usually
only on one side, and only keeps fingers from sliding across the
outside of the board. The other, much more effective type of blade
guard is a large piece of plastic in which the blade is virtually
encased, making it impossible for the user to touch the blade on either
side. This type of blade guard is usually only included on larger
heavier duty paper cutting machines.
The Blade Latch: There
is an old saying: tempt not. Humans being humans, when we see something
sharp, we are often, for some reason, enticed to run our fingers on it
to just how sharp it really is. A blade latch is a simple device that
keeps the blade locked in the down position when the cutter is not in
use. That way the blade is not exposed tempting people to touch it or
find out just how sharp it is. You should make sure that your machine
includes a blade latch. This is especially true since many users --
believe it or not -- remove the plastic blade guard because they think
it is too cumbersome to work around.
While you shouldn't by any means fear owning a paper cutter, you really
do need to take the time to ensure any future users' safety by making
sure that the above three safety measures are included with your
machine.
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at great prices. They even offer free shipping on all orders over $75.
Choose a paper cutter from manufacturers such as GBC, Swingline,
Akiles, Dahle, Martin Yale, Premier, Intimus, Triumph, Kutrimmer or
Challenge. They have a cutter or trimmer for virtually every budget.