You should try to develop a common sense / general knowledge and understanding of:

• safe working practices including identifying hazards and the need for risk assessments 

• the Health and Safety at Work act and how it influences products

• COSHH and safety precautions that need to be taken

• safe working practices in schools and colleges

• how designers ensure products are safe for use

• legislation used to protect consumers

• BSI and how products are tested to ensure safety

• measures taken to ensure the safety of products

• advice given to consumers and their rights

Revision Notes

You should be familiar with a range of safety procedures and legislation, in particular, the Health and Safety at Work act.

You should also be familiar with a range of signs and symbols and what they mean.

As the examination is UK based it would help to know about the British Standards institute (BSI), the use of the Kitemark and at least one BSI standard which should ideally be relevant to your own design work.

The UK 3 pin plug is a good example of a product with various safety features that meets BSI standards.

Ensure you can apply safe working practices in your own environment.

It is helpful to critically analyse a product such as a toy in order to understand its safety features.

Health and Safety at work & School

All employees have a right to work in places that are safe. Employers have a duty of care to ensure that procedures are in place to keep employees safe and to prevent them from being harmed or becoming ill through work.

In general employers should ensure the following:

• the workplace is free from risks to health

• welfare facilities such as First Aid are provided

• dangerous items and substances are stored safely

• machinery is safe to use, maintained and in good working order

• training and supervision is provided as necessary

• appropriate safety signage is provided

Employees also have to consider their own health and safety and use protective clothing required and follow procedures.

Safe working practice

Safe work practices are a set of guidelines that an employer may produce as part of an overall health and safety management system. This would usually cover:

The Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) was introduced in 1974 and is the main legislation for British health and safety law. To comply, all employers must ensure that all employees and visitors are protected in terms of health and safety.

All school workshops should have the HSWA on display and you should be instructed in the use of any potential tools, machinery or substances.

Hazards in working environments, and in the use of tools and materials, are identified by a series of symbols. There are standards which will need to be conformed to such as coloured backgrounds for a particular type of warning…much like road signs.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations (2002)

Employers need to prevent, reduce or control their workers’ exposure to substances considered hazardous to health. These might include:

• paints, varnishes, cleaning agents and adhesives

• fumes that may be created during a process such as soldering or brazing

• airborne particles such as dust created by cutting or sanding timber.

• if such substances are not controlled, this may lead to workers becoming hurt or ill. This could be from skin or lung irritation or from chemicals being splashed on skin or eyes.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations (2002)

There are eight principles to consider under COSHH regulations:

Safe working practices are primarily the same in schools and colleges as they are in industry as they all serve to keep the person doing the work safe from harm.

you should always observe the following when in a workshop environment:

• do not operate machinery unless you have been trained to do so

• PPE must be worn when using machinery

• all guards should be utilized when using machinery

• work areas should be kept neat, clean and free from hazards

• all students should be aware of the emergency procedures for injury, spills, fire etc.

• walkways should be kept clear and free from trip hazards 

• students must report to a teacher if they feel ill or are injured 

Ask yourself honestly, how many of these do you do every day?

As well as assessing the risks when designing and manufacturing products, the safe use of tools and machinery in a working environment also requires risk assessments to be completed. Anyone working in such an environment is required to assess the potential risks and how those risks can be reduced or negated.