Agri-business Safety

Agri-businesses are all about bringing nourishment and joy to the customers they serve, from freshly harvested produce, to beautiful landscape plants, to flower bouquets and fragrant bundles of lavender to brighten dreary days. A lot of work goes into creating all this loveliness, however, putting employees at risk for injuries. Even though injuries involving heavy farming machinery are a significant cause for concern, those involving repetitive, constant use of sharp tools are more prevalent. Here’s what you need to know about common agri-business injuries and what you can do to avoid them. 

Cuts

Cutting twine, netting, roots, packaging, flowers: as an agri-business owner, you and your employees spend a lot of time with sharp blades, and lacerations are a constant risk. According to the Journal of Emergency Medicine, over 8 million people were treated for knife injuries from 1990 to 2008, with a rate of 1.56 injuries per 1000 US residents per year. It naturally follows that agri-business workers, who are exposed to knives for hours at a time, are at even greater risk. Pocket and utility knives, which are common on these job sites, are responsible for almost half of all knife injuries. 

Repetitive Motion 

While cuts can get our attention—they are sudden, usually hurt, and often draw some blood—daily knife use can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome as well, a more gradual, but no less harmful, injury common with agri-business employees. The National Farm Medicine Center, in “Tips on Hand Tool Safety,”  emphasizes selecting the correct tool for the job, using tools that are comfortable in size and weight for the worker, and adjusting tools properly for the task and the worker’s abilities. Even seemingly “minor” deficiencies in tool effectiveness or comfort will multiply in impact over hours, days, and weeks of repetitive use, causing damage to nerves in the hands and wrists. 

The Handy Safety Knife Solution 

Preventing agri-business injuries is all about using the right tool and using it safely. You can prevent cuts and carpal tunnel syndrome with one small, affordable, but powerful change known as the Handy Safety Knife.

The National Farm Medicine Center recommends keeping blades away from the body while also keeping them out of pockets. The HTK Handy Safety Ring Knife is worn like a ring, so your employees can work with the convenience of a knife right at their literal fingertips without the blades ever coming in contact with their skin. With a sharp underside for heavy duty, efficient cutting, but a blunt tip that protects the body from those same sharp edges, the Handy Safety Knife allows your employees to work with the peace of mind that they’ll stay safe. The ring’s ergonomic design also decreases the chance of repetitive motion and carpal tunnel syndrome. 

As an agri-business owner, safety is your number one goal. It’s the same for Handy Safety Knife. (“Safety” is literally our middle name!) Learn how one small change can help your company grow better safety measures, too.

Learn more about our products and how Handy Safety Knife can help your employees stay safe.