How to Use a Meat Slicer Safely
Meat slicers are efficient machines used to stock up deli counters with fresh meats and cheeses. As with any heavy machinery, there are some rules and tips to follow to ensure your safety. So how do you use a meat slicer safely? Read on to learn more.
How to Safely Use a Meat Slicer
Use these helpful tips when you’re about to slice some meat, cheese or vegetables and you can prevent an injury to yourself and others:
- Step 1: Put on food-safe gloves.
- Step 2: Tighten all knobs on the slicer.
- Step 3: With the motor off, pull the carriage completely toward you to unload and load food. Use the weight end to hold the food in place.
- Step 4: Rotate the thickness dial counterclockwise to your desired setting.
- Step 5: Push the START button.
- Step 6: Use the carriage handle to manually push the carriage back and forth. The carriage handle is the only part of the slicer you should touch while slicing.
- Step 7: Let the slices drop onto the receiving area.
- Warning: Don’t catch the slices with your hands.
- Step 8: Turn the slice thickness dial clockwise until it stops to close the gauge plate.
- Step 9: Unload the product from the slicer.
- Step 10: Turn off the knife motor after the last stroke. Make sure you pull the carriage toward you.
Meat Slicing Tips
No matter if you’re a seasoned professional or are just learning the basics of working a slicer, you’ll want to keep up with the best practices to help you stay safe. While wearing cut-resistant gloves is a great start, there are a few other tips you can follow to use a meat slicer safely. Here are just a couple to keep in mind:
- Find a firm place to keep the meat slicer - Having your slicer on a flat and firm surface will prevent shaking or skidding when in use.
- Pay close attention - If you’re distracted, it can be easy to gain an injury from the slicer. If you need to stop to talk to someone or complete another task, be sure to turn off the slicer.
- Clear off enough operating space - You’re less likely to come into close contact with the machine if you have more space around you and the slicer. Clean up clutter around the slicer and yourself so you have plenty of room to operate the equipment safely.
- Avoid the bones - Putting meat with bones in the slicer will damage the blades as well as the motor. These machines are not made for cutting bone. Also, if a chipped bone flies off of the slicer toward you, you could get hurt.
- Place the meat in the freezer for a bit before slicing - Freezing the meat for about 30 minutes before slicing will ensure there’s less of a chance of the meat being contaminated. It can also help prevent injury by preventing the fat from smearing and getting into your eyes.
Make sure you clean the slicer after use following the instructions in the operator’s manual or our cleaning video. If you’re interested in learning more about slicer maintenance, cleaning and more, check out the Resource Center.