MARTOR UK has created a 10 level scale for grading the inherent safety of all hand held knives and cutters in which 1 is the safest and 10 lethal. Levels 1 to 6 incorporate a genuine safety feature and 7 to 10 covers all other types of knives. MARTOR’s range of safety knives and cutters includes several products in all levels from 1 to 6, but mainly in levels 2, 3 and 4.
MARTOR Safety Index for Cutters
Grading Scale Explained
The MARTOR Safety Index applies only to products sufficiently robust for repetitive use in the workplace. Specifically excluded are knives and cutters designed for light work and which might easily be used inappropriately. Also excluded are so called safety knives that are likely to fail or break during use because these increase rather than decrease the risk of accidents. The scale has been developed with users and safety professionals in several countries around the world. It grades and classifies knives and cutters according to specific features which in turn influence the reduction in the risk of accidents. The most appropriate level and cutting tool will vary from situation to situation dependant on the practical requirements of the cutting task.
Caution: The grading system is based on the assumption that knives will be used in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions and guidance.
Definitions for Levels 1 to 6 (Knives with safety features)
Level 1. Bladeless cutters such as those for ripping open paper reels or for splitting tapes used to seal boxes or cartons.
Level 2. Enclosed or concealed blade cutters in which a sharp blade is housed within an opening wide enough to accommodate sheet materials to be cut but too narrow for the blade to come in contact with the user. For example see MARTOR Combi 
Media Player (8.21 MB) - 
Realplayer (4.89 MB) - 
QuickTime (6.36 MB).
Level 3. Automatic blade retraction knives. These are knives fitted with razor sharp blades and include two safety features. 1, When not in use the blade is automatically parked within the knife handle or securely guarded. The knife is activated by bringing the blade into a normal knife position, or the guard retracted, using a push slider or other mechanism and starting a cut. 2, At the end of a cut or as soon as the blade loses contact with the material being cut the blade automatically and very rapidly retracts back into the handle or the guard securely covers a fixed blade. The blade retracts or the guard covers the blade irrespective of whether the blade or guard activation mechanism is still being applied. For example see MARTOR Megasafe Media Player (5.63 MB) - Realplayer (7.24 MB) - QuickTime (9.68 MB), and Lewis.
Level 4. Semi automatic blade retraction knives. Similar to level 3 but the automatic blade retraction system only operates when the blade activation mechanism is not being applied. For example on a thumb slider activation mechanism the thumb must be removed clear of the slider and its return path when the blade is out and a cut has been started. Once the thumb has been removed, blade retraction becomes automatic. By keeping the thumb slider extended the blade retraction system is over ridden. For example see MARTOR Profi Media Player (12.08 MB) - Realplayer (7.26 MB) - QuickTime (9.53 MB).
Level 5. Automatic, guarded fixed blade knives. These knives and cutters include different types of guards and blades and vary from automatic guards in level 3, because there is a greater possibility of the guard being over-ridden by the user. The common denominators are that the blade is fixed and the retractable guard protects the blade even when the guard activation mechanism is still in operation and a cut has been started. For example see MARTOR Ultrasafe , MARTOR Cut-O-Matic Media Player (5.67 MB) - Realplayer (7.3 MB), and Protex.
Level 6. Manual blade retraction knives/cutters, or knives/cutters with a manually operated blade guard. These are knives/cutters with razor sharp blades with the ability to park the blade within the handle by means of a manual mechanism or manually cover the blade with an attached guard.
“Knives and cutters without inherent safety features”
Level 7. Knives with an exposed, short fixed blade and a sharp point, for example standard ‘craft’ knives
Level 8. Knives fitted with snap off, segmented blades, typically 80mm in length
Level 9. Knives with long fixed blade and blunt end such as traditional meat carving and cobbler’s knives
Level 10. Knives with an exposed long fixed blade and a sharp point such as stilettos, hunting and butchers knives.