The following content is developed using the resources provided by the Department of Education and Training

General:

There should be appropriate signage/instructions in and around the Technology Room. Electrical cables should be tagged each year and checked prior to use. Machines should have easily visible (BIG and RED) and accessible (near by but not hidden or obstructed) emergency stop switches. Various Acts and Standards require that all dangerous machinery is to be properly guarded. People get hurt because there is no guard or the guard has been removed, disabled or modified in some way.

When using machines staff must ensure that

• no one has defeated the guard
• all materials to be used are clear of the working parts of the machine
• guards are regularly checked and maintained in good working order
• they have been trained to use the machine.

Modification to equipment:

Teachers must not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety and welfare. Teachers should not modify equipment to meet a specific need. Original manufacturer's specifications should be maintained. Any changes to the original specifications must be made by the manufacturer. It is an offence against the OHS Act (2000) and its relevant regulations to interfere with or misuse occupational health and safety equipment.

Risk Assessment:

Having identified the hazards in the workplace and prioritised them in terms of severity and likelihood, it is necessary toconsider what action to take to remove or reduce the potential for an accident. This is known as risk control. For the purposes of the OH&S Regulation 2001, an obligation to control a risk to health or safety (in any case in which the elimination of the risk is not reasonably practicable) is an obligation to take the following measures (in the order specified) to minimise the risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable:

• firstly, substituting the hazard giving rise to the risk with a hazard that gives rise to a lesser risk,
• secondly, isolating the hazard from the person put at risk,
• thirdly, minimising the risk by engineering means,
• fourthly, minimising the risk by administrative means (for example, by adopting safe working practices or providing appropriate training, instruction or information),
• fifthly, using personal protective equipment.

A combination of the above measures is required to be taken to minimise the risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable if no single measure is sufficient for that purpose.