Checklist template

Knife and slicer safety for restaurants

A ready-to-use checklist with 118 items in 6 sections, covering Knife handling, Storage, Slicers and guards, Cut-resistant gloves, Training, First aid. Use it as-is in Bindy, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 118 Items
  • 99 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 129 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Knife handling 24 items

  1. A sample of knives in use cuts a tomato or a sheet of paper without pressure Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Knives are sharpened or exchanged on the schedule set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Date of the last knife sharpening or knife exchange Date
  4. A honing steel is available at each prep station where knives are used Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Knife handles are free of cracks Yes / No 1 pt
  6. No knife handle is loose on its blade Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Blades have no chips or broken tips Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Damaged knives are taken out of use and held in a marked container Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Cutting boards sit on a non-slip mat or a damp cloth Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Employees observed cutting keep the fingertips of the guiding hand curled back Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Employees observed cutting direct the blade away from the body Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Cartons are opened with a safety cutter, not a kitchen knife Yes / No 1 pt
  13. A safety cutter with a retracting blade is kept at the receiving area Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Knives are carried at the side with the point down Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Employees carrying a knife call out "knife" or "sharp" when passing behind others Yes / No 1 pt
  16. No knife is left in a sink or in soapy water Yes / No 1 pt
  17. No knife is left under a towel or hanging over the edge of a counter Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Employees asked know to step back and let a falling knife drop Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Employees do not wear earbuds or use a phone while cutting Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Mandolines are used with their hand guard Yes / No 1 pt
  21. Immersion blenders are unplugged before the blade is touched Yes / No 1 pt
  22. Knives inspected during the visit Number
  23. Knives inspected that were dull or damaged Number
  24. Knife handling observed during the visit Rating
    • Safe technique by everyone observed 5 pts
    • Lapses by one employee 3 pts
    • Unsafe technique by several employees 1 pt

2. Storage 16 items

  1. Knives are stored on a magnetic strip, in a slotted rack or in blade guards Yes / No 1 pt
  2. No knife is stored loose in a drawer Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Magnetic strips are mounted firmly, away from walkways Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Knife racks can be taken apart or opened for cleaning Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Personal knife rolls are closed when not in use Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Personal knife rolls are stored off the prep line Yes / No 1 pt
  7. No knife was lying on an unattended prep station during the visit Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Dirty knives wait for washing in a marked container or flat on the drainboard, with the blade visible Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Spare slicer blades are stored in their guard or box Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Food processor discs and mandoline blades are stored in a labeled container Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Used cutter blades go into a rigid sharps container Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Pizza wheels and rocker knives are kept in a holder or guard Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Knives at carving stations or in open kitchens are out of guests' reach Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Knives from a knife exchange service are counted at each exchange Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Knives found stored loose or unguarded during the visit Number
  16. Knife storage Rating
    • Every blade racked or guarded 5 pts
    • A few knives out of place 3 pts
    • Knives loose in drawers or sinks 1 pt

3. Slicers and guards 23 items

  1. The slicer stands on a stable surface with all its non-slip feet Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The ring guard around the slicer blade is in place Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The food pusher (end weight) is fitted Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Operators observed push product with the food pusher, never with the hand Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The slice thickness dial is set to zero when the slicer is not in use Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The slicer is unplugged when it is not in use Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The slicer does not start when the carriage or guard is removed, where it has an interlock Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The slicer stays off after a power interruption until it is switched on again Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The power cord of the slicer is free of damage Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The sharpener assembly is mounted with its cover Yes / No 1 pt
  11. A list of employees authorized to use the slicer is posted at the machine Yes / No 1 pt
  12. No employee under the minimum age set by local regulation operates or cleans the slicer Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The cleaning procedure is posted at the slicer Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The slicer is unplugged before cleaning starts Yes / No 1 pt
  15. The blade is wiped from the center outward Yes / No 1 pt
  16. The blade removal tool supplied by the manufacturer is used when the blade is taken off Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Operators do not reach across the blade to collect slices Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Frozen or bone-in product is not put on the slicer Yes / No 1 pt
  19. Food processors and vegetable cutters do not run with the lid or guard open Yes / No 1 pt
  20. Manual cutters (tomato slicer, fry cutter, lettuce corer) have their pusher or guard Yes / No 1 pt
  21. The plunger is used to feed the meat grinder where one is used Yes / No 1 pt
  22. Date of the last service of the slicer Date
  23. Condition of the slicer and its guards Rating
    • All guards in place and working 5 pts
    • Minor defect not affecting a guard 3 pts
    • Guard missing or interlock defeated 1 pt

4. Cut-resistant gloves 17 items

  1. Cut-resistant gloves are kept at the slicer Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Cut-resistant gloves are kept at the dish area for washing blades Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Gloves are stocked in sizes that fit the employees on the schedule Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The gloves carry the cut-resistance rating specified by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Gloves in use have no holes or frayed fibers Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Spare gloves are in stock on site Yes / No 1 pt
  7. An employee observed cleaning the slicer blade wore a cut-resistant glove on each hand that touched the blade Yes / No 1 pt
  8. A cut-resistant glove is worn on the guiding hand for the tasks listed in company policy, such as shucking oysters or boning Yes / No 1 pt
  9. A mesh glove is used for oyster shucking or butchery where these are done Yes / No 1 pt
  10. A disposable glove is worn over the cut-resistant glove when handling ready-to-eat food Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Cut-resistant gloves are washed and sanitized after each use Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Clean gloves are hung to dry at a designated place Yes / No 1 pt
  13. The procedure posted at the slicer states whether gloves may be worn while the blade is turning Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Dish employees wear cut-resistant gloves when clearing broken glass Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Employees asked know that the gloves resist cuts but do not stop a blade point Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Pairs of cut-resistant gloves in usable condition on site Number
  17. Use of cut-resistant gloves during the visit Rating
    • Worn for every listed task 5 pts
    • Worn for slicer cleaning only 3 pts
    • Not worn 1 pt

5. Training 16 items

  1. New kitchen employees complete knife safety training before using knives Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Signed knife safety training records are on file Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Slicer training includes a demonstration signed off by a manager Yes / No 1 pt
  4. A slicer training record is on file for each employee on the authorized list Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Slicer training covers clearing a jam with the power disconnected Yes / No 1 pt
  6. A refresher training record is on file for each employee cut in the last 12 months Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Training material is available in the languages spoken by the kitchen team Yes / No 1 pt
  8. A pictogram safety sign is posted at the slicer Yes / No 1 pt
  9. An authorized operator asked could describe the slicer cleaning steps in order Yes / No 1 pt
  10. New prep cooks work next to an experienced cook until signed off Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Dish employees are trained on washing knives one at a time Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Shift managers asked could state the minimum age for slicer use Yes / No 1 pt
  13. An employee asked could recall a shift meeting in the last 3 months that covered knife or slicer safety Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Employees authorized to use the slicer Number
  15. Authorized employees without a slicer training record Number
  16. Knowledge of blade safety among employees asked Rating
    • All answered correctly 5 pts
    • Some gaps 3 pts
    • Most could not answer 1 pt

6. First aid 22 items

  1. A first aid kit is kept in or next to the kitchen Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The kitchen first aid kit can be opened without a key Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The kit holds adhesive bandages in several sizes Yes / No 1 pt
  4. The bandages are a visible color such as blue Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The kit holds sterile gauze Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The kit holds a pressure bandage for heavy bleeding Yes / No 1 pt
  7. The kit holds disposable gloves for the person giving first aid Yes / No 1 pt
  8. The kit has been restocked since the last recorded cut Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The first-aider on today's shift is named on the schedule or a posting Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Employees asked know to apply direct pressure to a bleeding cut Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The address of the nearest emergency room or urgent care clinic is posted Yes / No 1 pt
  12. An employee with a cut returns to food handling only with the cut bandaged and covered by a glove Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Food that may have been contaminated by blood is discarded Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The blade and the work surface are washed and sanitized after a cut before work resumes Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Every cut is entered in the injury log, including minor ones Yes / No 1 pt
  16. The investigation of each cut records its cause, such as a dull knife, a missing glove or rushing Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Cuts recorded in the last 12 months Number
  18. Cuts in the last 12 months that needed stitches or other medical treatment Number
  19. Date of the most recent recorded cut Date
  20. Name of the manager on duty Short text
  21. Overall knife and slicer safety Rating
    • Blades sharp and guarded, gloves worn, operators trained 5 pts
    • Guards in place, but lapses in storage, gloves or records 3 pts
    • Guard missing, untrained operator or unsafe handling seen 1 pt
  22. Corrective actions required Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the Bindy template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In Bindy you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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