Health and Safety

Health and safety has a central role in the Material Technology Wood (MTW) or Construction Studies (CS)
classroom and through educating students on the precautions that need to be implemented, insure that the
risk of injury is drastically reduced. Through setting out rules and routines around the use of machinery,
power tools and hand tools helps guarantee the safety of your students in the classroom. The Department
of Education and Science states, “all activity either inside or outside the classroom should have firmly
established rules and guidelines regarding safe use of materials and equipment and this will need to be
continually stressed and revised as appropriate to the activity” (The Department of Education and Science,
2009, p. 13).

It is vital that from the outset students are introduced to the rules and routines in the practical classroom
from day one. From wearing the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) to tool maintenance, it is of
upmost importance the students understand their importance in relation to safety and the adverse effect that
could occur if not complied with. Throughout my time on placement, I have always stressed the importance
of safety in my lessons and there are many strategies that I’ve employed to assist me. I have done this
through the use of higher order questioning during the demonstrations and having the students preform
recap demonstration on tool or machinery which they have previously used. Safety posters are on display
over each machine and posters demonstrating best practice in tool use are hung around the classroom. My
cooperating teacher insisted it was very important to highlight the posters when demonstrating how to use
the machine so that the students could use them as a checklist before using machinery (Finnerty, 2018).

Another major consideration that need to be addressed is the ventilation and extraction of wood dust in
the practical classroom, “Hardwood or softwood dusts generated during work processes can be hazardous
to your health.” (Health and Safety Authority, 2011). Unlike other health hazards in the practical
classroom, the effects of wood dust don’t happen instantaneously but over a period of time.
“There are several potential health effects associated with exposure to hard and soft woods. Some
examples are provided below:
• Exposure to wood dusts may lead to irritation or inflammation of the respiratory tract (e.g.
rhinitis or runny nose, sneezing), asthma or cancer (particularly sino-nasal).
• Allergic reactions and irritation can lead to dermatitis from exposure to fine wood dust of
certain species.” (Health and Safety Authority, 2011).
It is our responsibility as teachers that these risks are reduced in our classroom. Through taking precautions
to reduce exposure to dust such as, the use of efficient extraction systems and Respiratory Protective
Equipment (RPE) e.g. dust masks when sanding, the health effects are drastically minimised.

As MTW and CS teachers the health and safety of our students is a priority. We as teachers need to ensure
that our students understand the dangers associated with working with tools and machinery and how
potential dangers can be avoided. The strategies that a teacher employs will ensure the safety of all in the
practical classroom.

Bibliography
Finnerty, J. (2018). Health and Safety, P.C.A.

Health and Safety Authority, 2011. Woodworking Information Sheet, s.l.: Health and Safety Authority.

The Department of Education and Science, 2009. Materials Technology Wood Syllabus, Dublin:
Department of Education and Science.