School Shop Policy

[Kyle]

Since MOE isn't from just one school we work on DuPont sites. To be able to use any machines or tools on site the student must go through training from our MOE U program so every student can operate each tool and machine safely and properly.

[Sscamatt]

I think we have the same policy at our school. But they are lenient and let us slide as long as there is an adult in the room.

[Steve W]

Our team policy is that the students can't work the table saw or compound mitre saw. This is not a school policy but ours. Last year we had 2 minor accidents to the mentors using them. I understand your frustration as we have mills etc that even the mentors cannot touch because they are not certified (we are certifiable though ). We live with what we have and do the best. remember that the schools have people that know insurance and their policies. They do what they do not to hinder us but to protect the system. If there was an accident and if they didn't follow the proper procedures, there may be no more FIRST in your school.

Cheer up, Watch what your dad does, learn from him and build a GREAT robot (just not as good as mine).

[Cory]

Hey, at least you guys have a shop.

Back home in CA, schools with shops are the exception, not the rule.

In the last 15-20 years they've decided that a hands on, practical approach to learning is not as important as book learning, and have been phasing out shops ever since.

[Alex1072]

Our shop consists of a bench top drill press, grinder, and miter saw. This year a parent wanted to donate a band saw, but our school won't let us get one because of safety reasons. Frustrating? Yes. But I can see the justification. We don't have a shop and our team advisor teachers are not trained to teach shop. Although they do have some experiance with shops. As has been mentioned, an accident could disband the whole team.

[Daniel Brim]

Originally Posted by Cory

Hey, at least you guys have a shop.

Back home in CA, schools with shops are the exception, not the rule.

In the last 15-20 years they've decided that a hands on, practical approach to learning is not as important as book learning, and have been phasing out shops ever since.

We're very lucky in this respact. Our school too is phasing out hands-on electives (even though those probably prepare you better for the real world). We are using our school's "Construction Technology" classroom (one of the only hands-on classes at school). We can use SOME tools that are in that class, but not all (for example we can't use thier table saw). We do have vertical & horizontal bandsaws, a drill press, a grinder, a cut-off saw, and a mill that we can use, along with assorted hand tools. The general policy is that as long as a mentor is present, you can use the tool, and since we have an abundance of mentors this year, the policy works fine.

-Daniel

[KTorak]

We just need an adult present in the wood shop or machine shop to use the machines...although, each student had to attend a general team meeting and get a 15 minute lecture, aka "machines will cut off fingers, blah, blah, tie hair back, blah, blah" Mostly common knowledge.

[Bcahn836]

Our school's policy is the same, you must be certified to use the machine or have the supervision of a certified adult or mentor. All of the students that take the engineering course where the robotics team is ran out of are all certified and all those who take intro to engineering at the home school are certified. the other students must go through a short class about machine use and safety which last about 2 meetings. But the one of the shop teachers must be present in order to use any of the shop machinery.

[wafflesk]

All schools with machine shops are very veyr lucky. Our team has a biology lab to work in. Our school being a catholic doesnt have the money to get a machine shop. UT stinks working in a little bio lab and a back closet instead of a machine shop like some teams but we get by. We have a band saw and drill press that we are allwoed to use(as long as we have goggles on!) and that helps a lot. Still ive always dreamt of havign a nice machine shop to work in,

[Logan Byers]

Originally Posted by KTorak

We just need an adult present in the wood shop or machine shop to use the machines...although, each student had to attend a general team meeting and get a 15 minute lecture, aka "machines will cut off fingers, blah, blah, tie hair back, blah, blah" Mostly common knowledge.

Our rules our almost exactly alike. We also have to go through the lectures too. For those without shops, I sincerely feel sorry for you. But even though there are rules against it, we still work without supervision some times. It is mostly CNC work, but we have used the shop without supervision most of the time. What they don't know won't hurt them I guess (or at least until they find out!) For those without shops, I sincerely feel sorry for you.

[CyberWolf_22]

Our mentor is a certified shop instructor but our school does not have a shop so we have a robotics laboratory which is just a pretty big class room that we have had wired for 220V and have put our tools in. I think at one time it was some kind of computer lab. Also are instructor always has to be in the room for us to use the tools. We also have a certification program that goes strait through our head mentor if he has shown you how to use the tools and he trusts you to use them properly you are allowed if he does not trust you, you can't use the tools. I think this is just a team policy not a district one since we do not have a "Shop".

[cnield]

Our school's policy is as follows:

Students can use the machines as long as they have taken a shop class recently and theres and adult present.

Adults/mentors can use the machines with no problem as far as I can tell. All of our mentors are trained in their use so it doesn't really matter.

It also helps that the shop instructor is quite interested in our projects.

[Stillen]

I'm for safety but I see this as a pain, but also for your protection. At our school we have a policy that students can use the machines, but they have to first pass a safety exam on that machine and a shop safety exam. This "certifies" them on that piece of equipment. This allows the student on that machine while a instructor or adult is in that room. I mean how can one or two instructors stand over the shoulder of 12-15 students running machines

[Kyle Love]

As far as I know, we have no rules that say students can operate machines or that students have to have certain classes to operate machines. We do try to teach people how to use the machines the first few times to make sure no "accidents" happen. Proudly, we have never had an injury, that required real medical attention.

[Stillen]

When I had "shop" back in High School they emphazied safety to the fullest extreme. I'm glad they did, I still have a full set of 7 fingers........