During this toolbox meeting we will focus on the topic "cuts". Research shows that cuts are a common injury on the ''accident list''. This is no different at our organization (Unica).
This is the reason why this toolbox meeting is drafted. In this document we will discuss how to deal with cuts and how to prevent de occurrence of cuts, because ''prevention is always better than cure''.
Important causes of cuts that appear on Unica's accident list are:
- Protruding objects, such as nails and unfinished pipes.
- Mess in the workplace, such as loose plates or tools, that people trip over.
- Shoot out with tools such as knife, cutters or saw.
- Getting in touch with rotating parts.
Common consequences of these accidents include:
- Damage to head
- Damage to hand and arm
In addition to the appearance of scars, it also happens that employees have to miss body parts such as a finger (tip) or suffer other permanent injuries.
Especially when there is contact with rotating parts, such as V-belt transmissions or machine tools.
The common causes and consequences mentioned above already show that it is wise to wear personal protective equipment. Especially gloves and helmets are important, as they protect the most affected parts of the body.
In addition, it is important that the workplace are properly cleaned up and that there are no unnecessary loose or protruding parts at the workplace.
Of course, it is important to have a first aid kit in a standard and well-known place, so that help can be provided quickly if cuts do occur.
As far as personal protective equipment is concerned, reference is made to the toolbox meeting on this topic.
The severity of the cut
This depends on the depth of the cut, the length of the cut, the nature of the bleeding (venous and/or arterial), the degree of roughness of the causative object, the degree of contamination and the pressure with which the skin comes into contact with it (impacts).
Healing the cut
Cuts that go through the skin and are more than 3 mm deep and 13 mm long heal faster and more beautifully when it is stitched. Cuts with frayed edges usually heal less attractively, and it is best to have them evaluated by the doctor.
Treating the cut
The skin protects our body from dirt and bacteria. If this protection is lost due to a cut, the risk of inflammation (and thus a disruption of the healing process) is high. There is also a chance that the wound will become infected, because dirty residues of the used object remain in the wound. Nail and barbed wire injuries (rust) are examples of wounds that require extra attention and cleaning. It is therefore important that the cut is immediately disinfected and closed. For the proper treatment of cuts, a treatment schedule usually follows.
Note: Deep cuts (caused by long, thin, sharp objects such as nails or a knife) can be deceiving, as the wound is often small on the surface, while there can be serious damage to underlying tissues!
Step 1a: Cleaning and disinfecting
Always let the victim sit down and ask what happened. Before taking care of the cut, you should wash your hands yourself (if possible) and dry them thoroughly. It is best to rinse out a cut with clean (tap) water and let it bleed through for a while, so that the wound cleans itself. With the help of, for example, a washcloth and some soap, you can then further clean the area around the cut. In the case of large/deep cuts, you then press the wound gap closed without much force until the bleeding stops. If the wound continues to bleed, apply a bandage (gauze compress secured with the elastic bandage) and go directly to the doctor (hold the affected body part up as much as possible and continue to press the wound closed with one hand).
Step 1b: Disinfect
To prevent further infections, you should then disinfect the cut with, for example, Sterilon®, Betadine® or a special cleaning wipe.
This may prevent a wound infection.
Step 2: Cover
It is then recommended to cover the cut with one or more wound strips in such a way that the wound edges are well connected and do not give way at the edges. As a result, the pain is significantly reduced, the cut heals faster and the risk of scarring is the smallest. Cover with a sterile gauze. Secure the whole thing with a plaster.
If the bandage does not leak and there are no inflammatory symptoms, you can leave this bandage on for one to three days. You can also cover small cuts with a wound plaster (choose a plaster that covers the wound completely). Replace a patch daily or if it is dirty more often.
Step 3: Fixation
If you use a gauze compress, secure the elastic bandage with a small plaster. In case of a wound on the finger, you can additionally fix the gauze compress or plaster with a finger bandage. Loosening or shifting of the wound dressing is thus kept to a minimum while maintaining mobility.
This also prevents the wound dressing or plaster from getting dirty again quickly (the finger bandage can be washed out several times by hand).
Talk to each other about the following:
- Have you ever had a cut from work?
- Do you accept that we just have a cut every now and then and why?
- How do you deal with this problem in your work environment?
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