Product Overview

Summary: This Knife Sharpening Safe Operating Procedure sets out a safe, consistent method for sharpening knives in Australian workplaces. It helps control laceration risks, cross-contamination, and equipment damage while ensuring knives are maintained to a professional standard for efficient, safe cutting tasks.

Knife sharpening is a routine task in many Australian workplaces, from commercial kitchens and butcheries to food manufacturing plants and agricultural operations. Poorly controlled sharpening practices can lead to deep lacerations, contamination of food products, damage to knives and sharpening equipment, and inconsistent cutting performance that slows production. This Knife Sharpening Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, step-by-step method for sharpening, honing, cleaning and storing knives so that workers can complete the task safely and efficiently every time.

Developed with Australian WHS expectations in mind, the procedure defines responsibilities, pre-use checks, required PPE, and safe body positioning to minimise the risk of cuts and strains. It addresses both manual sharpening systems (stones, steels, guided systems) and mechanical sharpeners, with controls for noise, flying particles and safe electrical use where relevant. By implementing this SOP, businesses can demonstrate a systematic approach to hazard management, support consistent training and competency assessment, and protect both workers and end customers through better hygiene and safer handling of sharp tools.

Key Benefits

• Reduce laceration and puncture injuries during sharpening, handling and testing of knives.
• Ensure knives are consistently sharpened to a safe, effective standard that supports efficient work.
• Support compliance with Australian WHS duties by documenting clear controls for knife-related hazards.
• Improve food safety and hygiene by specifying cleaning and sanitising steps before and after sharpening.
• Standardise training and competency assessment for all staff who sharpen or maintain knives.

Who is this for?

• Chefs and Cooks
• Butchers and Meat Processors
• Food Production Supervisors
• Catering Managers
• Hospitality Venue Managers
• WHS Coordinators
• Training and Induction Officers
• Facilities and Kitchen Managers
• Retail Delicatessen Supervisors
• Agricultural and Abattoir Supervisors

Hazards Addressed

• Lacerations and puncture wounds from contact with sharp blades
• Slips of the knife across sharpening stones, steels or guides
• Injury from incorrect grip, stance or body positioning while sharpening
• Eye injury from metal filings, sparks or chips when using mechanical sharpeners
• Electrical hazards from powered sharpening equipment
• Musculoskeletal strain from repetitive sharpening motions or poor ergonomics
• Cross-contamination of food-contact knives with biological or chemical contaminants
• Cuts during cleaning, transport and storage of sharpened knives

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Types of Knives and Sharpening Equipment
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Required PPE and Safety Equipment
• 5.0 Pre-use Checks and Equipment Inspection
• 6.0 Safe Knife Handling Principles
• 7.0 Manual Knife Sharpening Procedure (Stones, Steels, Guided Systems)
• 8.0 Mechanical Knife Sharpening Procedure (Powered Equipment)
• 9.0 Cleaning, Sanitising and Storage of Knives and Sharpening Tools
• 10.0 Hazard Identification and Risk Control Measures
• 11.0 Ergonomics and Manual Handling Considerations
• 12.0 Emergency Procedures for Cuts and Other Injuries
• 13.0 Training, Competency and Authorisation Requirements
• 14.0 Inspection, Maintenance and Recordkeeping
• 15.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth)
• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth)
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the work environment and facilities
• Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) – Food Standards Code, Standard 3.2.2: Food Safety Practices and General Requirements
• AS/NZS 4024.1: Safety of machinery (where mechanical sharpeners are used)
• AS/NZS 4381: Single-use face masks for use in health care (as guidance where splash protection is required)
• AS/NZS 2161: Occupational protective gloves