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Here we see an example of a range of excellent shelving in the storage of pupils work but not fully maintained. Cardboard, wood and other rubbish has been allowed to build up resulting in a significant risk to pupils and staff:

• Poor access to shelves
• Materials on floor - trip risk
• Lowers ethos of the department - poor organisation
• Gives pupils and staff a poor impression of the department

* Storage of pupils coats and bags (see below)

A common occurrence in shelf storage unsupported shelves in MDF. Here we have good intentions but lack of thought on the risk to the structural nature of MDF. The risks associated with this situation are:

• Collapse of shelves tipping contents of boxes onto pupils or staff
• Poor access to boxes as they trap each other
• Give pupils and staff a poor impression of the department
  

Here we see an example of the storage of pupils coats and bags. There are a number of risks associated with this:

• Insufficient storage for the size of class
• Inappropriate placed - the cupboard blocks a door
• Poor management of aprons
• The storage infringes onto the workshop and so reduces movement space.
  

This is always a difficult facility to place and manage but consideration needs to be given to:

• Having facility outside the workshop
• Containing coat/bags so they do not infringe a workshop space if in a workshop
• Consideration to waste space under benches
• Careful organisation/management
  

Storage above head height on top of unfixed cupboards is a serious hazard which needs to be avoided:

• Boxes can fall
• Access to the boxes difficult - Handling Awareness
  

Here are a series of photographs highlighting both hazards, poor classroom management and the lowering of the ethos of the department to people, staff and visitors.

In these examples we have a series of poor practices:

• missing cupboard doors showing contents of cupboards being disorganised, poor maintenance and poor management of pupils
• flat working surfaces being piled high with furniture, paper, and other materials making it impossible to access it by the pupils. This again gives the impression of poor classroom management. Also impartial equipment such as a vacuum former and shapersaw being poorly situated and being unable to be used properly by the pupils.
  

Here we have excess furniture, old cupboards sitting empty. We are all guilty of hoarding but there comes a point when the hoarding of furniture without it being effectively used affects the operation of the workshop. Here we have useful tables sitting on top of each other with rubbish blocking space to empty cupboards and an empty drawer unit sitting on another flat surface with again lots of excess materials preventing pupils from using the surfaces.

Material Preparation areas are prone to a build up of waste materials and also to poor layout of the resources to enable effective and correct safe use of the equipment.

In this case the excessive use of shelving, which in themselves are poorly managed, has resulted in the circular saw being unable to be used correctly by the operator

• Insufficient space around the circular saw for safe movement of operation
• Shelving prevents a through cut of long materials
• Extraction pipes on floor creating a trip hazard
• Bin for waste materials good idea but poorly positioned restricting access around machine.
  

Ensuring that pupils have access to the correct tooling for machines, that are in good condition and raise their ethos of the workshop.

In these photographs you can see that although there is a good quality pedestal drilling machine the lack of drills in the metal stand and the poor organisation of the machine and hand vices gives pupils and staff the wrong impression of the department. Also surfaces that are not regularly cleared of dust, swarf etc. suggests poor management of these resources.

Good Practices

Here are a series of photographs highlighting some good classroom & resource management in design and technology areas. These help to raise the ethos of the department for pupils, staff and visitors.

Here we see a bench mounted pillar drill mounted firmly onto a robust flat surface. Areas either side of the machine are clear allowing the operator to set their work up in a machine vice or hand vice before beginning drilling. The required tooling is right by the machine so pupils have it to hand. There is a floor mounted foot operated emergency stop button. This floor area around the machine is clear so no trip hazard. The only thing missing from this situation is yellow tape defining a no go/restricted area for pupils not using the equipment.

Here we see a floor mounted bandsaw that is fixed in a position providing clear access for the operator to the cutting areas. The area around the machine is clean of any debris and the positioning of a floor mounted foot operated emergency switch.

The dust extraction unit is neatly placed behind the machine and as far to one side so it does not interfere with the operators movement around the machine. The extraction unit piping is firmly fixed to the side of the machine and the electrical supply so there are no trailing wires creating a trip hazard. There is a clear sign on the machine for the wearing of safety goggles and unauthorised use. There should be the availability of pushsticks and goggles next to the machine. Again as with the previous example there should be a no go/restricted areas painted or taped onto the floor.

Here is a textile example where we have clear surfaces, no clutter on surfaces, or in front of cupboard. This raises the ethos of the department and instils good classroom management and organisation to the pupils.

Page last updated: March 4, 2003