Safety Policies

Never work alone

If you’re working alone, there’s no one else who can help you in the case of an accident. There’s also no one around who might see a dangerous situation developing before you yourself become aware of it, or to offer advice or feedback when you’re uncertain of the best way to approach a problem.

Wear the correct protective equipment

Closed-toed shoes are required at all times in the wood and metal shops. This is to reduce the severity of injuries if something drops on your feet. Most closed-toed shoes are casual, and provide little protection against impact from above, so choose footware which is appropriate to a workspace.

Safety glasses are required at all times in the wood and metal shops, as well as any time and place where there’s a chance of material breaking away. Even if you wear glasses, you’ll need to wear a pair of safety glasses over them which offer protection from the sides. You can find safety glasses at the entrances to the wood and metal shops.

Never wear gloves when using power tools. Gloves can easily catch on the moving parts of a power tool, pulling your hand into the tool with it, and in some cases, pulling the skin off of your hand entirely.

When in doubt, stop and ask

If you’re ever unsure about anything in the makerspace, safely stop what you’re doing and ask for advice. There will always be staff on hand who are happy to assist.