Repair Café Safety Guidelines
We're thrilled to have you share your skills at our events. We ask you to remember that Repair Cafés are learning events, so please work with the owners of broken items helping them understand what you are doing and follow the repair process. Involve them in the repair.
Always consider safety. There is an experienced, designated safety volunteer at every event on hand to answer any questions about safety.
Please read through our safety guidelines below and sign to show you agree to follow.
Set-Up
- Check with hosts before soldering. Ventilation can be an issue in some venues.
- Hosts or the designated safety volunteer will locate and draw your attention to fire extinguishers and fire exits. If you miss the announcement, please familiarize yourself with their locations or ask a host.
Basics
- Children must be accompanied at all times by their guardians and kept an appropriate distance from chemicals, soldering and dangerous tools.
- Be mindful when opening a device or using any force as bits may go flying (into someone's eye). If this is a risk, ask for eye protection and/or move away from others.
- Careful with drinks! Do not not consume spillable drinks at repair tables. Closed top cups are recommended for fixers. If you don’t have one we will have a few available. A mug of tea is nice for humans, but not for electrical and electronics devices. Spillages may create an electric shock hazard.
Workplace
- A clean and tidy workspace is of utmost importance. Take some time between repairs to ensure the work area is clean and clear.
- Clear away any tools directly after use.
- Ensure floors are kept clear from sawdust, swarf, or spills.
- Extension leads must be taped to the floor where possible and kept out of the flow of foot traffic.
Tools
- Ensure tools are in good working order. Sharp tools should be kept sharp. A blunt saw can slip and cause injury.
- If a tool is not in good working order, it must be removed to a place where it will not be picked up or used eg. your car, or bag.
- Familiarize yourself with the operating procedures of any equipment you are using. This includes sewing machines, multi tools, hand tools etc.. Ensure you follow any manufacturer’s safety guidelines when using the devices. If in doubt, find someone who is experienced with the tool and ask for advice.
- When using blades or sharp instruments, always cut away from your body, and we recommend you use gloves.
- Tools must be stored correctly after use and shouldn’t be left loose.
- Soldering irons must be kept well away from anywhere they could be touched accidentally if they are still hot. It is recommended to use an iron holder.
Electricity if you have any doubt or question, find the host who will call a designated safety volunteer
- All participants with mains-operated electrical devices must test them on arrival and before leaving. If you need to plug a device in the mains, test it first. After a repair, please direct people to the testing area.
- Only repair mains equipment if you are competent to do so. To plug in a mains appliance, you must be using an RCD or a dedicated mains isolating transformer.
- Beware of stored high voltage in switched mode power supplies, even a very long time after it has been disconnected from the mains.
- If you smell burning immediately unplug at the power plug and then assess the problem with our designated safety volunteer.
- We usually do not repair powertools or high-wattage electricals such as microwaves and CRT TVs. We can make exceptions, but they will be assigned by hosts to experienced volunteers. If in doubt, ask a host.
- For any old electrical device, always check that the wiring in the mains plug is to good standards.
- If a device has been shorting out electrical circuits, connect the device only after being certain you have found and corrected the problem.
Using cans and chemicals and performing work that generates dust and particles
- Keep chemicals away from any flame or direct sunlight.
- Do not spray flammable or volatile liquid on a live circuit or close to a soldering iron.
- Keep chemicals such as solvents far away from other people, especially children.
- Conduct dust generating activities in a well ventilated area and wear a mask where possible.
Making Repairs
- Check power cords and plugs before dismantling an item
- If you question the safety of an appliance: Stay away from it. Ask another volunteer for assistance as they may have more experience. Explain to its owner why you feel its unsafe to use.
- Ask for assistance. Never hesitate to ask someone for help. Don’t grip anything between your knees, chin and shoulder, but do ask someone else to hold it for you, or use a clamp to secure the workpiece.
- Always check an appliance is unplugged before dismantling.
- Keep a safe distance when testing, even if an electrical safety test has been performed.
PPE
- Please use a face mask, gloves, glasses and other forms of PPE appropriately
I have read and agree to follow the above safety guidelines. If at any time I have doubts about a repair, I will check with the Repair Café host before proceeding.
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