Posted By David Bannister
Does anybody know of the best way to dispose of broken bandsaw blades in a butchery factory? Current practice is by breaking them up by standing on one end and snapping in to small bits and then placing in general rubbish. Clearly this is bad practice and dangerous to several people. One operator mentioned a blade snapper that did the job within an enclosed box. Any leads?

Posted By Bob Youel
recycle properly and think of the bin person as theses blades cam injure them badly

Ask the supplier they may have an answer to your question and you may even get the supplier to take them back as part of their service & try keeping the original container that they came in and put them back in there

these blades are quite brittle so we used to have a small wooden jig where the top/ sides/ bottom was covered and a slot in the side allowed entry of the blade thereafter we snapped it by wiggling by hand. Any bits that came off either fell through the jig or were stopped by the jigs cover - sounds complicated but it was cheap and worked well however no matter which way its done its a hazardous action as these blades are deadly

Posted By Mike DF
Can you buy a yellow 'sharps' bin and put the bits in there pending proper disposal. I guess it depends how much you have to get rid off. The breaking-up operation sounds a bit dodgy too, I hope your guys have the gloves and glasses on to protect themselves.

I think the best bet is to return them to the supplier.

Posted By peter gotch 1
OK John

Fairly obvious to me that not many readers of this forum are likely to have operated bandsaws in the food industry.

Quite a lot will not recognise the differences between the use of bandsaws in a butchery factory and, say in a sawmill.

Quite a lot will not recognise that PPE for one hand is expected if you are operating a bandknife in the clothing industry, but that similar protection a definite NO on a bandsaw.

Aren't the limitations in knowledge, that we all have, precisely why we have this forum?

If you can't restrict your involvement to constructive input, should you perhaps take your attitudes elsewhere?

In nearly 30 years with my current employer and previously with HSE, I have reviewed systems and standards in numerous sectors - the vast majority of which I have NO direct experience of working in - but where this is often beneficial as I do NOT have the disbenefit of having already embraced custom and practice.

When I joined HSE in 1979, it was a matter of policy that they did not let you look at the sector that you had come from until your preconceptions as to acceptable standards had been challenged.

So, it would have been circa 1990, that I walked into a tube-bending factory to find MD looking down at me over his glasses. "Well, I don't suppose you have ever seen a tube-bending machine". Response - well, actually I am probably the only front line inspector who has operated tube-bending machines......and I see that you have a Cincinatti CNC operated tube-bending machine over in that corner....the last one of those that I saw I put a prohibition notice on."

[Didn't explain that I had only ever seen one CNC tube-bending machine before nor why I had served the PN]

BUT... the rest of the inspection was VERY easy!

On Monday it will be back to a report on audit of a train operating company. No, I have never driven a train nor maintained the track that it runs on - this doesn't mean that I cannot question standards and their implementation - in many respects my lack of knowledge is a positive benefit - we find problems that the insiders don't.

...and, finally, I chose to let others respond to your ascerbic comment about sewage workers.

BUT, the implication of your comment is

EITHER that we have to fully automate sewage processes, so as to avoid the need for workers to be downwind of e.g. anaerobic digesters [doubt that you would welcome the implications for your Council Tax]

OR we don't allow children out to enable them to develop natural immunity from various diseases that result from exposure to zoonoses.

Those that know me know my dedication to occupational health issues. My CPD was helped by a visit to Ukraine as part of an EHS audit team to look at an integrated iron and steelworks - just reinforced my view that we, the UK, lag WAY behind various other parts of the World on health rather than safety issues.

Regards, Peter

Posted By John Richards
Oh, I still don't think the "allowing naturally-gained immunity to develop" will fly as a defence in an industrial environment ?

Posted By steve e ashton
David:

There are devices available (e.g. see http://www.icstc.com/chopper.html ) but they are expensive ($2400 for this one!) and may not be cost effective for your needs.

Other than that reference, I can't help I'm afraid... I have previously seen a manually operated metal-cutting guillotine being used for the job, but the destruction was as hazardous as the coiling described in a previous post. I was unable at that time to come up with anything better...

Smaller units do exist and are routinely used for e.g. surgical blades (and hypodermics) but they are too small. I believe the police use sheers to destroy knives (and guns?)handed in during weapon amnesties, but again I don't think they are suitable for your application.

Sorry I can't be more helpful - I'd be very interested in hearing if anyone has solved this problem cost-effectively - and what the blade suppliers advice might be? There may be a market opportunity for a machine maker out there?

Steve