Ideas for Creating a Safer Practical Classroom


Here are a collection of ideas around creating a safer workshop for woodworking students.

Routines

Making students go through the same routine at the start and end of every class helps create a safe classroom. In short, here are mine:

Beginning of Class

  • Leave inappropriate items of clothing (i.e. blazers/jackets, ties, scarves, etc.) in theory room
  • Aprons on
  • Work out on bench (1 person per vice)
  • Stand around teachers bench, waiting for insruction

End of Class

  • Put name on work
  • Put work away
  • Put tools away (and hardware)
  • Wind vices in
  • Sweep benches
  • Sweep floor

Signs

Having signs up does help. To make your own professional looking safety signs  the easy eat, use this online safety sign generator. Laminating these signs will help them last longer.

Safety Equipment

Instead of having all your safety equipment in one spot, put the appropriate equipment near each machine.

All you need is a caddy for a pair of glasses and some ear muffs that attaches to the wall.

Rules

Safety rules have their own page which is here.

Keeping it Clean

How to keep the workshop clean has its own page here.