Health and safety is one of the most important things when it comes to working in an art environment. There are many tools, processes and environments which can be a risk to you and the people around you. To ensure that you are not at risk you can carry out simple little tasks which ensure the safety of you and others. You can start by clearing your work area whilst you are not working in it, this makes the risk of tools and substances very slim. You can dispose of substances properly, for example in a bin and not the drain depending on the substance as some things may clog the pipes which will cost unnecessary time and money to fix. Clear the floor area around you to prevent slipping/falling, or if there is an accident there is nothing on the floor to injure yourself on. When working with machinery such as a printing press make sure you are wearing protective gear if it is needed and tie away any loose clothing and tie back long hair. If a spillage of any substance should occur then you should clean it up immediately to avoid disasters. If you are working by windows take into consideration the wind etc in case of any accidental breakages/spillages. There are countless amounts of health and safety factors to consider but these are just a few important ones to start off with.
The website below shows a checklist of what is considered when an environment is being tested for health and safety regulations.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/classroom-checklist.pdf
CCAD tick the following boxes regarding health and safety:
- Work environment and work systems are safe
- Correct storage plans
- Safe transportation of substances
- Supervision where necessary
-Training in how to use machinery
- Guidance to safe points in the event of a fire
(http://moodle.ccad.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/5520/mod_resource/content/3/Handbook%20-%20General%20Information.pdf)
