Guillotine Paper Cutter Safety - 3 Important Features

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.

1.) 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.

2.) 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.

3.) 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.

by:Jeffrey McRitchie

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