Maintaining knife sharpness in industrial meat cutting : A matter of knife or meat cutter ability

• Knife sharpness is imperative in meat cutting. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of knife blade steel quality with meat cutters' individual ability to maintain the cutting edge sharp in an industrial production setting. Twelve meat cutters in two different companies using three different knives during normal production were studied in this quasi-experimental study. Methods included were measuring knife cutting force before and after knife use, time knives were used, ratings of sharpness and discomfort and interviews. Results showed that the meat cutters' skill of maintaining sharpness during work had a much larger effect on knife sharpness during work than the knife steel differences. The ability was also related to feelings of discomfort and to physical exertion. It was found that meat cutters using more knives were more likely to suffer from discomfort in the upper limbs, which is a risk for developing MSD.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik -- Produktionsteknik, arbetsvetenskap och ergonomi (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering -- Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Individual skill

MSD

Sharpness analyser

Steel quality

Cutting

Ergonomics

Cutting edges

Cutting forces

Individual skills

Industrial production

Knife sharpness

Meat cutters

Meats

adult

analytical parameters

Article

correlational study

devices

human

industry

knife

knife use

meat cutting

musculoskeletal disease

physical parameters

sharpness

skill

time knives were used

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)