M aintenance W orker a v oids L aceration d uring c hange o v er at L arge P a P er P roducing F aci L ity Paper producing mills utilize extremely sharp slitter blades to cut down larger rolls of product into smaller specifed product sizes for customers These blades are adjusted maintained or replaced several times a day by maintenance mechanics whose hands are constantly in contact with these sharp blades putting them at risk every time they complete the task Here is the story of a maintenance worker who was fortunate to be wearing the right PPE for the job finding a solu T ion for main TE nanc E m E c H anics Changeovers are a very common part of maintaining production lines at paper mills The different types of slitter blades used to produce product must be adjusted or replaced daily in order to meet customer specifcations for fnished goods HexArmor had been working with a large international provider of packaging paper products and services to fnd a solution for lacerations that their mechanics were experiencing during routine maintenance on production lines The company had been using the Whizzard Glove a heavy duty Spectra blended cutresistant glove for years yet hand injuries were still present and the mechanics did not like how the gloves bulky ft got in the way of handling smaller parts lac E rac T ion a void E d using HE xarmor c H rom E s E ri E s HexArmor s team of T rusted Safety Advisors recommended the Chrome Series 4025 for the mechanics changing slitter blades as it has 360 o Level 5 ASTMCE cut protection as well as added impact guards on the back of hand in case of tool slips or bumps After about a month of use a mechanic performing a blade changeover came in contact with one of the slitter blades cutting through both the impact protection and the synthetic leather on the back of the Chrome Series 4025 While the glove itself was damaged the worker was not injured due to the high level of protection provided by the SuperFabric material underneath the surface of the glove Had the worker been wearing a competitive product he would have had to make a trip to the hospital for treatment The company would have had to pay out insurance claims as well as factor in lost time and revenue because of the injury Slitter Blades Changing circular slitter blades and straight edged doctor blades created hazards for the maintenance crews in charge of keeping machinery running Maintenance worker was wearing Chrome Series 4025 for approximately one month While changing slitter blades on a large production line the worker s hand came in contact with a blade but was not injured because of the SuperFabric layer in the Chrome Series 4025 Pulp Paper facts SuperFabric protects worker from injury