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Trauma shears are heavy-duty medical scissors used to cut clothing, seat belts, dressings, and other materials during emergency care. They have an angled blade and a blunt tip that help clinicians cut near the skin with less risk of injury. Emergency medical technicians, paramedics, nurses, and rescue workers commonly carry them. Trauma shears are for external cutting and are not used for surgery or invasive procedures.
read more about trauma shears ...Trauma shears are used when clothing or gear needs to be removed quickly so an injury can be seen and treated. They are common in trauma care, ambulance response, emergency rooms, athletic first aid, and rescue settings. The angled design helps the user slide the lower blade under fabric while keeping the blunt tip away from the patient’s skin. They can also cut tape, gauze, soft splints, and some tougher materials depending on the model.
Most trauma shears have a plastic handle, stainless steel blades, a blunt lower tip, and an angled cutting surface. Some models include serrated edges to grip fabric and reduce slipping while cutting. Heavier-duty versions can cut through denim, leather, boots, or seat belt material. Some shears also include measurement markings, ring cutters, oxygen wrench slots, or other rescue features.
A responder uses trauma shears by placing the blunt lower blade under the clothing or material that needs to be cut. The shears are directed away from the body when possible, and cutting is done slowly near skin, wounds, wires, tubes, or medical devices. In trauma care, clothing is often cut along seams to expose the injured area with less movement. Used shears should be cleaned, disinfected, or discarded according to the facility’s policy and the product design.
Trauma shears reduce cutting risk, but they still have sharp blades and need careful handling. They should not be used inside wounds, for surgical cutting, or in place of sterile instruments. Dull or damaged shears can slip, snag fabric, or take more force to use. After contact with blood or body fluids, reusable shears need proper cleaning and disinfection before reuse.
No. Bandage scissors are usually smaller and used mainly for dressings, gauze, and tape. Trauma shears are larger and built for faster cutting through clothing and tougher materials.
Many trauma shears can cut seat belts, but performance depends on the model and blade condition. Emergency responders should use tools rated for the materials they expect to cut.
Trauma shears are not usually sterile unless packaged and labeled that way. Reusable shears should be cleaned and disinfected after exposure to blood, body fluids, or contaminated surfaces.
Yes, the blades can still cut skin if used carelessly. The blunt tip helps lower that risk, but careful positioning and slow cutting are still needed near the body.
Product Classification. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpcd/classification.cfm?ID=LRW. Date Accessed June 15, 2026.
21 CFR 878.4800 -- Manual surgical instrument for general use. eCFR. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-H/part-878/subpart-E/section-878.4800. Date Accessed June 15, 2026.
Trauma Care Principles. StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547757/. Date Accessed June 15, 2026.
A Randomized Comparison of Clothing Removal Techniques in a Simulated Trauma Patient Exposure. Cureus (PubMed Central). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9578655/. Date Accessed June 15, 2026.
Utility EMS Shears 7-1/2" Stainless Steel Autoclavable Ea, 50 EA/CA. Henry Schein Medical. https://www.henryschein.com/us-en/medical/p/medical-surgical-supplies/surgical-instruments/ems-shears/4995727. Date Accessed June 15, 2026.