Posted By Ian Stone We have a training kitchens and hairdressing departments here at the College and get hundreds of nicks and cuts reported every year. None of these are serious just small. In the past we have looked at trying to reduce these. Talking to the staff the cuts happen mainly at the start of the course and then reduce as the year goes on (strangly they go up again towards the end of term) and its also an occupational hazard The kitchens have tried different gloves but have found these difficult to use and alsothe students dont use them in the real workplace. Does anyone else find this, and how have you come up with solutions? Many Thanks Ian

Posted By Dave Wilson Difficult one mate, young inexperienced people learning a trade where this happens, suppose its part of the learning curve, can't really give them blunt knives and scissors as the sharper the blade the better and easier to do the job. Not saying accept it but think there is not much you can do apart fromm close supervision of trainees.

Posted By Bill Elliott Ian, I'm with the others respondents. You should be considering however, the individuals involved. Is it the same people continually cutting themselves or is it (more likely) the inexperienced suffering during training to use equipment correctly. Adequate training, retraining and supervision coupled with good quality equipment adequately maintained and kept sharp - is the way forward.

Posted By Jim Sweetman Ian, Can't help but agree with the rest. We have a similar problem with assault courses and Royal Marines falling off them - you can't 'soften' hazardous training for elite troops but you can see to it that those supervising deal with things properly. To come back to your specific point, you can't really do much about the cutting but what about controlling the result? Someone mentioned hygiene and infection earlier. Infection from a cut can be cut down by high standards of hygiene. Tie this in with good First Aid procedures and a requirement for trainees to be suitably innoculated (someone from Occ Health could define what 'suitable' is). Keep up the good work! Jim