Industrial Safety Award

[littlemissLish]

What are some of the Frequently asked questions so i have time to prepare a presentation

[vmorgs]

I am almost a month late posting a reply here but I just joined so hopefully this is still helpful.

I am one of the Safety Mentors for our team. Our first competition was this weekend and here are some of the questions we were asked:

Do you have a battery spill kit and documentation that everyone trained on how to use it? (So it's helpful for you, items needed for spill kit are: baking soda, PVC gloves, goggles OR face shield and a chemical resistant apron)

How does your team document injuries and do you have copies of the documentation reports in your binder?

Do you have a list of which team members are trained on which piece of equipment in your shop?

Have you done any safety related community outreach?

We were competing for this award and sadly, didn't win. So we are meeting with our newest Safety Mentor tonight (she works in Industrial Safety) to see what we can do to improve for our next District event. If she suggests anything that's too good not to share, I'll post an update tomorrow.

For what it's worth, the judges are from UL which is a product safety company. You might score bonus points with them by talking about what safety features, if any, are built into your robot. We have one built into our catapult but alas, we forgot to mention it to the judges when they stopped by.

[Hitchhiker 42]

We won at Waterbury and here is the gist of it:

• Have a clean, organized pit. The safety judges love that.
• Make sure you have safety items (e.g. fire extiguisher, battery spill kit) towards the front of your pit.
• Talk to them about your documentation
• Explain how you incorporate safety into your every meeting
• Show them binders with event info, FIRST safety manual, and your own documentations
• Explain how you train new members in safety.

I'm probably forgetting some things, but that's a large part of it. Good luck!

[3175leheh]

We've won the safety award at 3 events, including the FIM states, so I thought that I should add my part.

• The judges always want to know your outreach. This includes talking to younger kids about safety, running blood drives, teaching the community about safety, etc.
• Have SDS forms, NOT MSDS. MSDS is now out-of-date data sheets. SDS is used, because people who speak all languages can understand them.
• Have a list of allergies from team members on your team. In case an accident occurs, the EMTs know not to use latex gloves, not to give penicillin, etc.
• Have a list of your team's certification for Safety procedures, such as CPR and Seizure Prevention, etc, and machine operation, such as drill presses, hand drills, dremels, etc. Make sure that an adult signs it to ensure that it's valid.
• Have a fire extinguisher, and make sure that it is a UL-Certified ABC Fire Extinguisher. This type will cover all fires that occur at robotics competitions and in build spaces.
• Clean and organize your pit not just at the end of the day, but whenever you have the chance. This includes just after your drive team takes the robot to a match. It's pretty easy if you match up entering the pit right after the drive team leaves.
• Above all else, be excited about safety. That was what separated us and our presentation from the other teams at FIM.

Have fun and be safe! If you need anything, feel free to message me!

[vmorgs]

Originally Posted by 3175leheh

We've won the safety award at 3 events, including the FIM states, so I thought that I should add my part.

• The judges always want to know your outreach. This includes talking to younger kids about safety, running blood drives, teaching the community about safety, etc.
• Have SDS forms, NOT MSDS. MSDS is now out-of-date data sheets. SDS is used, because people who speak all languages can understand them.
• Have a list of allergies from team members on your team. In case an accident occurs, the EMTs know not to use latex gloves, not to give penicillin, etc.
• Have a list of your team's certification for Safety procedures, such as CPR and Seizure Prevention, etc, and machine operation, such as drill presses, hand drills, dremels, etc. Make sure that an adult signs it to ensure that it's valid.
• Have a fire extinguisher, and make sure that it is a UL-Certified ABC Fire Extinguisher. This type will cover all fires that occur at robotics competitions and in build spaces.
• Clean and organize your pit not just at the end of the day, but whenever you have the chance. This includes just after your drive team takes the robot to a match. It's pretty easy if you match up entering the pit right after the drive team leaves.
• Above all else, be excited about safety. That was what separated us and our presentation from the other teams at FIM.

Have fun and be safe! If you need anything, feel free to message me!

Question about safety Outreach. Our teams Safety Captain is a karate instructor and he wanted the team to host a personal safety training thing for the general public. Do you think this is the kind of safety Outreach they are looking for?

[3175leheh]

If you open it up to the public, this would be a great form of outreach!

[vmorgs]

Originally Posted by 3175leheh

If you open it up to the public, this would be a great form of outreach!

That was his plan!

[Road Rash]

Originally Posted by 3175leheh

Have SDS forms, NOT MSDS. MSDS is now out-of-date data sheets. SDS is used, because people who speak all languages can understand them.

First off, thanks for the all the bullet points and I commend you for being a student focused on safety. I just became a parent mentor for 5586 last night. I've decided to focus on safety since I have 30 years of industrial experience working in, on or around machinery that can kill you easily if you're not focused on your job. The last 6 years as a trainer in our facility writing a lot of procedures focused on safety. Our team does need help in this area and I think I can help develop some basic guidelines and procedures to reduce hazards and unsafe practices.

As far as the quote above, I noticed that the 2016 FRC Safety Manual uses a MSDS example in Appendix C. That certainly doesn't sit well with me in the age of GHS.

[shui054]

Originally Posted by Road Rash

First off, thanks for the all the bullet points and I commend you for being a student focused on safety. I just became a parent mentor for 5586 last night. I've decided to focus on safety since I have 30 years of industrial experience working in, on or around machinery that can kill you easily if you're not focused on your job. The last 6 years as a trainer in our facility writing a lot of procedures focused on safety. Our team does need help in this area and I think I can help develop some basic guidelines and procedures to reduce hazards and unsafe practices.

As far as the quote above, I noticed that the 2016 FRC Safety Manual uses a MSDS example in Appendix C. That certainly doesn't sit well with me in the age of GHS.

Wow! Would it alright if I got an opinion of my teams safety program from you guys? I'm trying to think of ways for improvement.

[MrRoboSteve]

3081 won Industrial Safety last year. Here's how.

After the 2014 season, we did an analysis of how people were injured during the build season and what behaviors were causing the injuries. The result of the analysis was that we had inadequate workholding in our shop, which is the school's wood shop.

We designed and build three vise* units -- one for the standing drill press table, and two that clamp into wood vises -- that allowed us a convenient means to achieve 100% vise workholding.

We then wrote a report -- it was three pages long, black and white, with a couple photos -- and our safety captain went to other team's pits and told the story, giving the teams a handout.

* corrected per this

[Road Rash]

Originally Posted by shui054

Wow! Would it alright if I got an opinion of my teams safety program from you guys? I'm trying to think of ways for improvement.

Give me some time. I'm trying to come up with a plan for a young team. I have a lot to learn myself before I feel comfortable assessing or auditing another program.

I would highly suggest looking for what you need here at CD. This place is a goldmine full of good information if you know where to look. The "search" button above is an excellent place to start.

[Eagleeyedan]

Originally Posted by shui054

Wow! Would it alright if I got an opinion of my teams safety program from you guys? I'm trying to think of ways for improvement.

Hey Shui, I am a safety captain alumn of C.O.R.E. 2062. I was a Championship safety award winning safety captain and multiple time regional safety award winner as well in my time on the team and I'd be glad to help and critique if would like I help a lot of teams on CD and have a lot of resources for new teams, new safety captains, established teams that want to boost their programs, and lots of advice on safety in FIRST. I'll be more than happy to offer whatever I can to you!