How not to get hurt opening packages
"Tips for opening hard-plastic packages from Randall Culp of the Philadelphia Hand Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital:
•Always use heavy-duty scissors. Never attempt to open these packages using regular everyday scissors, X-acto knives or razor blades. Investing in a pair of durable, industrial scissors will alleviate immense amounts of frustration and prevent injuries.
•Always cut away from your body. Many times people incur self-inflicted stabbing injuries (puncture wounds) as a result of scissors and knives slipping or being forcefully misdirected.
•Make sure that the hand restraining or holding the package is completely clear and out of the way of the path you are cutting. Many sustain self-inflicted injuries as a result of the scissors and knives cutting through their own hands and fingers because they were in the path of the scissors or knives.
•Be careful handling the freshly cut plastic when prying open the package. People do not recognize how sharp the edges of the plastic are and often times sustain superficial lacerations from the plastic itself. For added hand and finger protection, you may consider wearing protective gloves when prying open the plastic package. [USATODAY.com]
It would have been helpful if he'd mentioned some companies that make the type of heavy duty scissors he's talking about -- I don't know anyone who has such a thing.
"From Barbie dolls kept in place by twist-ties and other attachments to Microsoft Xbox 360 faceplates entombed in thick layers of impenetrable plastic, the hardest part of buying certain products these days is opening them. . ."In a nutshell, it is pretty much all about retail theft," says Mary Ann Falkman, editor in chief of Packaging Digest, a trade publication. "Retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy and the like who sell these small electronic toys and gadgets demand that they be put in packaging that's next to impossible to steal from."But they could make it easier to open it when you get it home." They also want the item to be visible to customers and capable of withstanding long-distance shipping. "These toys take a journey that is sometimes thousands of miles from their manufacturing plant in Asia to a shipyard to a ship to a truck to a distribution center to a retail store shelf, and it has to withstand all of that," says Sara Rosales, vice president for Mattel Brands, which makes the Barbie doll among other popular toys. "I believe that people understand this is a very reliable way to keep the product in good condition." [USAToday]
