Safety & Preparation
Essential requirements for workshop participation
⚠️ MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
All students must comply with these requirements to participate in any workshop activity:
Overalls or Boiler Suit
Full-body coverage required for all workshop activities
Steel Toe Boots
Safety footwear required for all levels of training
Complete PPE is required for all workshop participation. Students without proper safety equipment will not be able to access the workshop.
What We Provide
- Safety glasses and face shields
- Welding helmets and equipment
- Hearing protection
- Specialized PPE (as required)
What You Must Bring
- Overalls or boiler suit (mandatory)
- Steel toe boots (mandatory)
- Work gloves (leather recommended)
- Hair ties (if applicable)
New to the workshop? PPE can be borrowed for your first few sessions. If you plan to use the space regularly, we recommend purchasing your own equipment.
View PPE Purchasing GuideEquipment-Specific Safety Requirements
🟣 High Risk Equipment Safety
All Welding & Plasma Cutting Equipment
- UV Radiation Protection: Auto-darkening helmets, protective screens
- Respiratory Protection: Local exhaust ventilation, appropriate RPE
- Fire Prevention: Fire-resistant clothing, fire extinguishers nearby
- Eye Protection: Welding-grade face shields, UV-filtering curtains
- Training Required: Mandatory Purple Level completion
🟡 Medium Risk Equipment Safety
Power Tools & Heavy Machinery
- PPE Requirements: Safety glasses, hearing protection, appropriate clothing
- Training: Complete operator training on safe procedures
- Machine Guarding: Proper guards and safety devices operational
- Workspace Control: Clear work areas, proper lighting, ventilation
- Training Required: Yellow Level completion minimum
⚡ FastSpotter Resistance Welder Safety
- High Current Hazard: Never touch live terminals or wrap cables around body
- Hot Electrodes: Electrodes become extremely hot - never touch with bare hands after welding
- Hand Safety: Keep hands, fingers clear of electrodes and clamp during operation
- Level Operation: Machine must remain level (>15° tilt creates tip hazard)
- Magnetic Fields: Strong fields can affect pacemakers and damage electronics
- Buddy System: Never operate alone - pair work required for all resistance welding
- Emergency Access: Maintain accessible emergency stop/power switch at all times
🟢 Low Risk Equipment Safety
Light Pneumatic Tools
- Basic PPE: Safety glasses, hearing protection as needed
- Ergonomic Practices: Proper tool handling, regular breaks
- Training Required: Green Level completion
Work Glove Requirements
Choosing the right gloves is essential for protecting your hands while maintaining dexterity. You need gloves that shield against sparks and heat but still allow you to handle workpieces safely.
⭐ Leather/Fleece Gloves
Thin leather or leather/fleece combination gloves provide the strongest barrier against sparks, heat, sharp edges, and hot particles. Ensure they fit snugly for better control and safety.
- Excellent heat protection
- Good dexterity when properly fitted
- Protection against sharp edges
- Durable for workshop use
⭐ Heat-Resistant Grip Gloves
Offer snug, elastic fit preserving dexterity, ideal for precision tasks. Ensure they are specifically heat-resistant versions.
- Excellent dexterity
- Limited heat protection
- Good for light tasks
- Must be heat-resistant variety
❌ Gardening Gloves (Not Recommended)
Usually made from rubber or synthetic materials, these lack sufficient heat resistance and can melt, potentially sticking to skin.
- No heat protection
- Can melt and stick to skin
- Not suitable for metalwork
- Safety hazard in workshop
Clothing Guidelines
✅ What to Wear
- Full-body overalls or boiler suit — complete coverage, MANDATORY
- Natural fibre materials — cotton preferred; no synthetics that melt
- Close-fitting cuffs and ankles — nothing loose or dangling
- Steel-toe boots — full protection against impact and sparks, MANDATORY
- Appropriate work gloves — leather or heat-resistant variety
❌ What NOT to Wear
- Loose or ill-fitting clothing — can catch in machinery
- Short sleeves or shorts — exposes skin to sparks and UV
- Synthetic materials — fleece, nylon, polyester (melts under heat)
- Soft footwear — trainers, canvas shoes, open-toed shoes
- Jewellery, loose hair, scarves — entanglement hazard around machinery
- Backpacks or jackets in the work area — fire and tripping hazard
✓ Pre-Workshop Checklist
Go through this checklist before every session. Students who are not ready will be asked to leave and rebook.
Clothing
Overalls or boiler suit ✓
Steel-toe boots ✓
Work gloves ✓
Personal Preparation
Hair tied back if long ✓
Jewellery removed ✓
Phone/devices stored ✓
Booking Confirmed
SISO booking confirmed for the correct training level ✓
Questions Ready
Any safety or equipment questions prepared for the instructor ✓
Important: Inappropriate Clothing Policy
Mandatory Compliance: All participants must follow clothing requirements. Students arriving without required overalls/boiler suits and steel-toe boots will not be permitted to participate in workshop activities.
Appropriate clothing is mandatory for workshop entry and participation - no exceptions.
Questions or Concerns?
First, check our FAQ section for common questions.
For additional support, contact the Fabrication Station team:
Contact Workshop TeamResponse within 1-2 business days