Permission (or no permission) to use Power Tools

[AAllio]

Dear Members,
I am the Safety Mentor for team 2415. We are based at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta, GA. I just found out the other day (after our rookie year and using a variety of power tools in our RoboDen) that we have an official school policy that students NOT use any form of power tool on campus. I am devoted (as well as the head coach, mentors, and team members) to insuring that our robotics program remain strong and has the opportunity to further grow and develop.

I am posting here in hopes that teams at other schools which faced a similar "stubling point" could share with me their success stories on how they managed to secure permission from school officials the right for students to use all kinds of power tools in order to design and build prototypes as well as a working robot. My initial plans were to have our attorneys generate a waiver form that parents sign in order to grant permission for their child to use the power tools once they have been thoroughly taught all the safety precautions specific to each tool.

It might be worthy to note that we are a private school and that we have a relatively large endowment to "protect". All ideas and suggestions are more than welcome! Feel free to contact me directly at andreaa@westminster.net .

Thanks a bunch in advance! Andrea Allio

[Tom Line]

Create Release forms and get them approved by your school administrators. Then make it mandatory that all students on the team have them signed by parents.

If you'd like to go a step further, bring in someone who knows what they're doing and teach a short class WITH PARENTS PRESENT.

[Molten]

We came acrossed a similar problem in the past and I simply persuaded the school officials that it was in the best interest of the team and by result, the best thing for the school. I let them know that such a rule was crippling our learning ability.

Now, I am quite the persuasive fellow at such things and it might not work the same with you, but you might try and just talk to the officials. You never know what might happen.

[Roger]

To add to the parent release forms, have a sign-off form that the student actually went thru a "class" on learning each piece of equipment. As a parent I get forms like this all the time and it's like pulling teeth finding out if my children actually learned what I'm signing. Having a teacher/mentor signature gives a little more assurance.

Hmmm. Okay, maybe a form of three parts: Request to learn and parent release to learn; teacher sign-off completed; parent release to use.

Does the school have any other shops on campus? (Metal - wood - okay, even kitchens?) A blanket rule about no power tools seems rather vague. Even electric typewriters can be dangerous!

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Roger

Does the school have any other shops on campus? (Metal - wood - okay, even kitchens?) A blanket rule about no power tools seems rather vague. Even electric typewriters can be dangerous!

Or computers...Those are power tools, right?

If you have any team parents, have them talk to the administration, too. Parents pay the school for their kids to attend, right? I don't think the school will want to risk losing income. (That's why they have the policy in the first place.) But, if the team continues and does well, then they could gain students. (And money.)

[Roger]

Pencil sharpeners, fax machines, copiers.

Lockers, chairs, doors, stairs.

Now you're scaring me......

Parents are an excellent way to convince the powers-that-be that the team needs to learn/use power tools to build a robot. But from within the team has to be the effort to show that a safe method is in place. If paperwork has to be attached, so be it.

[dtengineering]

By and large it makes sense to not allow students to use power tools, both for liability and safety reasons, UNLESS they are both instructed and supervised by qualified individuals, preferably teachers with training in technology education or industrial education.

Surely there are schools in your district that have shops, and have developed appropriate guidlines rather than blanket bans on power tool use. Perhaps those could serve as a model.

In general, however, the power tool ban leaves me shocked. I can't think of a public secondary school in British Columbia that doesn't have some form of shop or that would ban students from using power tools. Almost all schools across the province have woodwork shops, and most have Metal and/or Automotive shops, and specifically trained teachers to run them.

Jason

[sanddrag]

Power tools don't hurt people. Poorly instructed people hurt themselves, using power tools.

Have formal training sessions, write up a good safety test, make everyone get 100% on the test, and make sure a mentor is present when using the tools.

The school is being silly with this policy. What do they expect when the kids get to college? At college, I can run lathes, CNC mills, roller benders, torches, plasma cutters, welders, and forklifts, all unsupervised.

[Bob Steele]

On our team we have not had to face an administrative/district challenge but then again, we didn't ask....
...better to ask forgiveness when you didn't know there was a rule... than permission....so to speak...

However, incumbent in the process is that we develop a safe way for students to interact with power tools. We have an extensive safety plan which we are implementing.

Next year a student will have to show that they know safe practices to use any tools... a simple shop safety test for most hand tools and specific tests for the smaller hand tools.

We also implemented what we call a "CUT MONITOR" The cut monitor is an adult mentor/parent that observes the set up of the more dangerous power tools including chop saws, band saws, mill, etc.

When a student is ready to make the cut he gets a mentor to observe the cut setup and the cut while it is being made. This helps to insure that someone is observing and commenting on the method and the practice. Setup is crucial.

Of course, cut monitors need to be trained too...

Any team needs to remember that all it takes to lose the privilege of working with power tools is usually ONE mistake and ONE injury.

Coupled with the possible injury and its consequences, which can be devastating to both the team and the individual, the loss of privileges and possible loss of the entire program are very real possibilities in this world of litigation.

Safety must be a PRIME directive in any team....

[Martijn]

Hi, our team is actually just down the road from yours (1414 at Atlanta International School). Although we never really had any issues of the sort, we do go through several steps to ensure the safety of all of the students on the team. We have parents sign off a release form, which has been approved by the school. Furthermore, all students go through a training program on all of the power tools prior the program, so that they all know how to use the tools properly. Finally, there is also a safety test, which all students must complete every year on general workshop safety rules. We also heard last year from the drama department (where students do set construction), that it is actually Georgia State Law to also have a safety test on file for all students who are using the power tools.
If you would like it see our release forms and/or safety test as an example, just PM me, and i will be glad to send them over.

[nlknauss]

Most schools that have an Industrial Arts or Technology Education program have classes where there should be safety exams in place. When you approach your administration, definitely present to them your plans for having both written and practical exams. Anything you do to show that your students are proficient with any piece of powered equipment should work for your administration.

Also consider where your focus needs to be when you plan the exams. I am required to give a safety exam for each individual machine or tool a student will use in my classroom. This includes everything from the table saw, drill press, band saw, and sanders down to soldering irons, x-acto knives, and other hand tools. It can be a little tedious, but it protects you and the school if something were to happen.

[AAllio]

Yes, I would very much like to see these forms. You can contact me directly at andreaa@westminster.net.

Thanks, Andrea

[AAllio]

Bob, do you have your safety plan written out and could you share it with me electronically? My e-mail address is andreaa@westminster.net.

Thanks, Andrea

[Bob Steele]

Originally Posted by AAllio

Bob, do you have your safety plan written out and could you share it with me electronically? My e-mail address is andreaa@westminster.net.

Thanks, Andrea

Most of our documents are in white papers here on CD.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/2101

It is the Skunkworks Safety and Health Plan 2007-2008

If you want the appendices that go with it... please visit our website

www.ahsrobotics.us They were too big to put on CD.

This plan has actually been reviewed by an Industrial Hygienist...

I hope it helps you...

[AAllio]

Sanddrag, do you have a copy of the safety test you give students that you can send to me electronically? My e-mail address is andreaa@westminster.net.

Thanks, Andrea