For more than 100 years, the TKM Group, as a family business, has stood for quality and sustainability in products and services. As the world market leader, it is its ambition to develop highly efficient tools and solutions with innovative ideas and advanced technology, all while setting sustainable trends.
The satisfaction of the customers, from the craftsman’s workshop to the global industrial company, has always been and still is the focus of its activities. Among its vast product portfolio, TKM is well known for high-quality Log Saw Blades, CBN Grinding Wheels, Bimetal Anvil and Perforation Knives, Core Cutting Knives, Stainless Steel Doctor Blades and Knives for packing machines (with and without teeth).
They guarantee optimal customer proximity and competent support through a worldwide network of their own sales, service and production companies, as well as through the high qualification and continuous training of their employees. Their motivation is always to find the best solution for the customers.
They take knowledge and experience from many industries and apply it to their products and services for the tissue paper industry. They transfer these experiences to the customers, thereby increasing the quality of products, optimizing production times and reducing customer costs. In this article, they focus on operational safety when handling cutting tools, especially Log Saw Blades.
Summary
Operational safety has developed enormously in recent years. In many places, safety shoes, safety glasses, high-visibility vests, safety gloves, bump caps and hearing protection are standard when working in production and converting departments.
Nevertheless, accidents still occur from time to time when handling cutting tools, due to a variety of causes.
TKM has dealt with this topic intensively over the last 10–15 years and today offers various products to make the handling of cutting tools even safer.
The details
The type of knife that carries by far the greatest risk of injury is the Log Saw Blade. It must be changed frequently and is extremely sharp both during installation and removal. In addition to the general rules for installing and removing Log Saw Blades, three things have a major impact on the risk of injury:
The cutting edge protection (only during installation). Even today, you can still find many Log Saw Blades on the market that only have a cheap plastic cutting edge protection. This gives the impression of safety that does not exist. Even a light touch on the edge protector causes the blade edge to cut through it.
TKM has been using a cutting edge protection with a metal “backbone” for about 15 years. This is considerably more expensive, but it withstands even quite hard contact. Accidents with a new blade have no consequences in the best case, but at least they are significantly reduced.
The blade guard (during installation and removal). Today you can find many different types of blade guards on the market, with different materials and durability. TKM has designed a simple and effective, but at the same time lightweight and high-quality blade guard. Especially the opening mechanism of the flap and the fastening screws are simple and designed for long durability.
The type of safety gloves. Safety gloves used in most of the plants fulfil today’s safety requirements, but with the razor-sharp Log Saw Blades, injuries are still possible. Safety gloves purely made from a stainless steel mesh, which protect the operators much better, are very slippery and do not give the user any sense of touch.
TKM, together with a safety glove manufacturer, developed a customized version which gives the user a sense of touch, with the fine metal mesh inside (including the fingers) offering a significantly higher grade of safety
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