Safety Precautions or Attitudes in the Workshop

The following are the safety precautions or attitudes in the workshop:

1. Obedience: Pupils must obey the instructions of their teachers at all times
2. Humility: Show respect to everybody and when you are in doubt about anything, ask question.
3. Fiddling: Never play with any tool, equipment and machine in the workshop, such as ‘’ON/OFF’’ switch.
4. Horseplay: Do not run around in the workshop. Always, be patient and never rush.
5. Negligence: Report any fault or injury to your teacher, no matter how small.

General Safety Precautions in Workshops

1. Keep workshops clean and neat at all times.
2. Always use personal protective equipment such as gloves, goggle, boots, overall, helmet.
3. Do not use chisels or files without handle.
4. Clean machines after use.
5. Do not give sharp objects to your workshop mates by throwing or through the sharp-pointed edge.
6. Never put sharp objects to in your pockets. Keep them in tool rack.
7. Do not wear loose dresses, neck-tie, watches, chains and rings in the workshop.
8. Always use the right tools for the right job and in the correct way.
9. Do not remove chips from machine/bench with bare hands. Use wire brush.
10. After work, return all tools used. Keep tools in the tool rack.
11. Stop the machine and switch off power before leaving the workshop.

Accident Prevention Techniques

Steps to take in preventing accidents are:

(i) Routine Checking: This involves checking all machines to ensure that they are in good condition before setting them up for use.

(ii) Routine Servicing: It involves servicing all machines and changing the worn out parts regularly so that they can work effectively.

(iii) Students’ Comportment: Students should avoid noise-making and talkativeness in the workshop because this can make them lose concentration on the work they are doing.

(iv) Preventive Measures: Electronic equipment should be used with voltage stabilizers in order to prevent electrical fire as a result of power surge.

(v) Teachers’ Supervision: To prevent workshop accidents, every workshop lesson or practical session should be supervised by the teacher. Students should not be left alone in the workshop.

It is wiser to prevent an accident from happening than to cure the harm done after the accident. The protective safety devices include gloves to protect the palms and the fingers, the shield or goggle to protect the eyes, boots to protect the legs, the feet and toes, the helmet to protect the head and the overall to protect the chest.

Types of Fire

Fire accident is the burning activity that can destroy properties and life.

(i) Electrical fire: This happens when there is constant electrical spark, very high voltage and fluctuating electrical current in the workshop. Then, the electric cables, switches and sockets are melted and other properties destroyed.

(ii) Chemical fire: This happens when any inflammable material (called fuel) like grease, oil, gas, petrol, kerosene, or chemical catches fire in the presence of heat and oxygen.

Safety Precautions in Fire Accidents

(i) Stop all machines from the emergency stop.

(ii) Press the fire alarm.

(iii) Crawl out on the floor. Do not walk or run on your feet, to avoid falling.

(iv) Use the fire extinguisher or sand buckets, whichever is appropriate.

(v) Call the teachers or fire brigade.