Specific Safety Hazards

Ana Fremaint and Naomi Elting

Floors

• Keep dry and non-slippery• Spills? Clean them! Clean

them now!• Cracks? Loose tile? Frayed

carpeting?• If floors are particularly

slippery, report it• Working with wood? Clean

up after yourself!• Avoid sweeping

Plumbing

• Emergency washing facilities are a must when working with hazardous material!

• No eyewash stations? Portable 5 gallons of water can work!

• Water temperature at sink. Sporadic temperature differences must be looked at

Lighting

• Heavy duty tools such as a jig saw require direct lighting

• Well lighted- poor lighting is a hazard

Room Size

• Activities should match up with space provided

• No activities that crowd up a space!

• If room cannot be adjusted, curriculum needs to be adjusted

• Space between work tables• Arrangement allows for an

easy exit in case of emergencies

Storage

• Storage space prevents cluttering and allows for easy movement

• Constant re-shuffling and crowded areas can cause accidents

• If you are a “Magpie”, all the more reason to organize your materials!

Noise• Restrict usage of power tools, or require ear

protection when working with something that makes a lot of noise

• Earplugs, headphones

ARTROOM ORDER

• Do NOT believe in “creative chaos”. • Keep track of all materials and tools being used• Adequate ventilation• If it’s not being used- stash it away! • A well maintained art room is a room that

encourages art production• Demonstrate proper care of materials and

equipment

Working with tools• Clear instruction must be given

when the equipment is first used.• Helping the students develop the

right habits for using tools is an important part of the art teachers job.

• Do not assume that students know how to correctly use tools before instruction is given.

• Always use the proper tool for the job, incorrect use of tools will damage the tools and make them unreliable and unsafe to use.

Cutting• Scissors• Paper cutters• Saws• Knives• Wood and linoleum cutters• Metal snips• Wire cutters• Keep cutting tools sharp. Dull or chipped blades slip

easily and cause painful cuts.• Always supervise students using a paper cutter.• Set up a system for distributing tools that minimizes

handling. In other words: Don’t have all 30 students walking around with scissors at the same time.

Piercing

• Punches• Awls• Drills• Scissors• Compasses• Puncture wounds to

hands, fingers, legs, or eyes are not uncommon, so carefully supervise during piercing activities.

Pounding

• Hammer• Wood mallets• Rubber mallets• Be aware that

hammers come in different weights and make sure that hammers are not too heavy for the student.

Squeezing and pinching

• Pliers• Vices• Printing presses• Fingers could easily

be pinched with these tools, but clear instruction can prevent that.

I like to pinch!

Heating and melting• Hotplates• Irons• Torches• Be aware of the flash point temperature of wax, use

candy thermometers to prevent fires.• Never extinguish a wax fire with water. Instead, cover

the container and remove it from the heat source.• Any butane, propane, or other gas tanks for torches

should be chained to prevent them from falling over and leaking.

• Burns are among the most painful and disfiguring injuries. It is important to prevent them and to know how to treat them.

Power tools• Electric drills• Drill presses• Band saws• Saber saw• Sanders• Designate specific areas for power tools to be used.• Carefully instruct and supervise while tools are in use.• Students should wear safety glasses and tie back long

hair.• Use three pronged, grounded extension cords.• Always places hoses where they will not be tripped

over.

Safety checklist

• Checklists are an effective way to control hazards

• Have students participate in filling out the checklist. This will help them learn that the condition of the art room and the tools are important.

QUIZ!

1) If there’s a mess on the floor, should it be swept or mopped?

2) Who do you contact if there are any maintenance issues in your room? (example, cracked floors, frayed carpeting)

3) Should power tools be used all over the classroom?

4) When is protective eye wear a good idea?5) Are dull blades still dangerous?