Sharps and Blade Handling
A safety talk focused on handling sharps and blades safely, including razor knives, utility blades, broken glass, metal edges, puncture hazards, disposal, storage, and hand placement.
Scan to open or share
Point your phone at this code to open this talk, or screenshot it and text it to coworkers.
Use this talk in the field
Print this talk, create a sign-in sheet, or make a QR sticker crews can scan from equipment, work areas, safety boards, or job trailers.
Key Hazards
- Cuts from exposed blades, sharp edges, or broken materials
- Punctures from needles, wire, nails, or sharp debris
- Hands placed in the cutting path
- Loose blades or sharps left in drawers, trash, or toolboxes
- Improper disposal creating hazards for other workers
- Potential bloodborne pathogen exposure from contaminated sharps
2–3 Minute Talk Script
Sharps and blades can cause serious injuries during use, cleanup, storage, and disposal. Razor blades, utility knives, broken glass, needles, wire, metal scraps, and sharp tools should all be handled with care.
Workers should identify the sharp edge or point before grabbing, cutting, cleaning, or moving material. Many injuries happen when a worker reaches into a box, bag, drawer, sink, or pile without seeing what is inside.
When using a blade, workers should keep hands and body parts out of the cutting path. The cut should be directed away from the body and away from nearby coworkers.
The right tool should be used for the task. Safety knives, guarded cutters, scissors, snips, pliers, tongs, or other tools may be safer than handling a sharp object directly.
Broken glass and sharp debris should be picked up with tools, not bare hands. Brooms, dustpans, tongs, pliers, or puncture-resistant containers should be used when needed.
Used blades and sharps should not be thrown loose into regular trash, bags, boxes, or drawers. They should be placed in an approved container or another puncture-resistant container according to procedure.
Potentially contaminated sharps should be treated as a biohazard. Workers should avoid direct contact and follow bloodborne pathogen or site-specific cleanup procedures.
Safe sharps handling depends on visibility, control, and disposal. Know where the sharp edge is, keep hands out of the line of fire, and never leave a hidden blade for someone else to find.
Safety Reminders
- Keep hands out of the cutting path.
- Use the right tool for the sharp item or material.
- Do not reach blindly into bags, boxes, sinks, or containers.
- Pick up broken glass or sharp debris with tools.
- Dispose of blades and sharps in approved containers.
- Never leave loose blades in drawers, toolboxes, or trash.
- Follow biohazard procedures for contaminated sharps.
Ask the Crew
- What sharp edges, blades, or puncture hazards are present?
- Where will the blade go if it slips?
- Are workers using the right tool to handle the sharp item?
- Is an approved sharps or blade disposal container available?
- Could any sharp item be contaminated or hidden from the next worker?