Workshop Safety and Hand Tools
FoundationWorkshop work demands protective clothing, safety rules and a tidy work area. Learn the safe use of the utility knife, screwdriver and saw, and meet the four classes of tools: measuring, marking, holding and cutting.
- Wear protective clothing in the workshop: apron, goggles, covered shoes, hair tied back
- Hand-tool safety: score lightly with the knife, match the screwdriver tip, clamp before sawing
- Four tool classes: measuring, marking, holding and cutting — each with its own job
文體小知識：科技知識說明文以清楚的步驟和守則說明工具的用途與安全用法，令讀者能夠正確、安全地完成工作。
§Text Passage
1The most exciting part of Design & Technology is walking into the workshop and turning ideas into real objects. But the workshop holds sharp blades, heavy tools and powered equipment, so safety always comes first. Before entering, put on proper protective clothing such as an apron and goggles, tie back long hair and change out of sandals. For example, chips fly about when drilling or cutting — goggles are the last line of defence for your eyes.
2Hand tools help when used correctly and injure when misused. Draw a utility knife slowly along the cutting line, never towards yourself or others, and retract the blade at once after use. Choose the right screwdriver tip — flat for flat screws, cross for cross — and press the force into the screw rather than letting it slip sideways. When sawing, clamp the material first, start with a small angle, and keep your eyes on the marked line. Every tool has its own purpose; never play with tools or wave them about.
3Workshop tools are grouped by function into four classes. Measuring tools measure length and angle, such as steel rules and protractors. Marking tools leave layout lines on the material, such as scribers and carpenter's pencils. Holding tools fix the material, such as vices and clamps. Cutting tools remove unwanted material, such as saws, files and utility knives. Choose tools to suit the job, clean and store them after use, and replace blunt saw teeth promptly — tools that are cared for stay safe and last long.
4Good housekeeping is the foundation of safety: return tools to their places, keep benches tidy, keep floors clear of offcuts and oil, and never run cables across walkways. Before using electrical equipment, check the plug and cable for damage. Store and dispose of chemicals and chemical waste according to the labels. Focus, follow the rules and remind one another — these are the working attitudes a workshop demands. Safety is not a slogan but a habit in every movement.
1Summary 重點摘要
Workshop work demands protective clothing, safety rules and a tidy work area. Learn the safe use of the utility knife, screwdriver and saw, and meet the four classes of tools: measuring, marking, holding and cutting.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Clothing that protects the body at work, such as aprons and goggles.
Eyewear protecting the eyes from flying chips and chemicals.
A hand tool with a retractable blade for cutting thin sheet material.
A tool for driving screws, with flat or cross tips.
A toothed tool for cutting wood and plastic.
A tool for measuring size, such as a steel rule or protractor.
A tool that leaves layout marks on material, such as a scriber or carpenter's pencil.
A tool that holds material steady, such as a vice or G-clamp.
A tool fixed to the bench edge for gripping work firmly.
Keeping the work area tidy, organised and safe.
3Step by step Steps
- Protective clothing and entry rulesThe first thing in the workshop is putting on proper protective clothing: an apron guards your body and clothes, goggles stop flying chips, long hair must be tied back, loose sleeves and necklaces tucked away, and sandals exchanged for covered shoes. Protective gear is not decoration but protection matched to the risk of the job. For example, sawing and drilling throw up wood and metal chips; one chip in the eye can damage sight, and goggles are the last line of defence for your eyes.
- Safety rules and attitudeWorkshop safety rests on rules and attitude: listen to the safety briefing first, never start a machine without the teacher's approval, use tools only for their intended purpose, stay focused with no phones, keep clear of classmates and report any danger at once. Hurrying and showing off cause most accidents. For example, rather than sawing while on the phone, finish the job first and then reply to messages; a few minutes of focus beats weeks of recovery after an injury. Safety is a habit, not a slogan.
- Using a utility knife safelyThe utility knife cuts card and thin plastic sheet and is also one of the most injury-prone tools. Lay a cutting mat on the bench, press a steel rule along the cutting line, extend the blade only a little, and score lightly along the rule in several passes, never pointing the blade towards yourself or others. For example, cutting a display board in one heavy stroke lets the blade jam and jump, hurting your hand; scoring three or four light passes is accurate and safe. Retract the blade at once after use and return the knife to the rack.
- Using screwdrivers and saws safelyMatch the screwdriver tip exactly to the screw — flat to flat, cross to cross, correct size — or it will slip and cut your hand. Keep the shank in line with the screw, press forward while turning, and never use a screwdriver as a chisel or lever. Before sawing, clamp the work firmly and mark the line; start the cut with a few light pulls guided by your thumb nail, then saw with long strokes — push with force, relax on the return. For example, if the timber slips while sawing, the teeth can jump and scrape the back of your hand; clamping is the first step of safety.
- Measuring and marking toolsMeasuring and marking tools decide whether the work is accurate. Steel rules measure length, protractors measure angles, and try squares check right angles. Scribers and carpenter's pencils leave clear cutting lines on the material, while centre punches mark starting points on metal. For example, to make a photo frame, measure the four sides with a steel rule, draw perpendicular lines with a try square, then cut along the marks so the corners meet neatly. Hold the rule tight against the work and read at eye level for accuracy.
- Holding and cutting toolsHolding tools fix the material so both hands can work safely: a vice grips wood blocks at the bench edge, and a G-clamp presses a template onto the bench. Cutting tools remove unwanted material — besides saws and utility knives, files trim edges and sandpaper smooths surfaces. For example, when filing a plastic edge without clamping, the work slides with the file and the sharp edge can cut your palm; clamp it first, push the file with one hand and lift slightly on the return stroke — efficient and safe at once.
- Housekeeping and closing downGood housekeeping means returning tools to their places at once, keeping only the tools and material in use on the bench, leaving the floor free of offcuts and oil, routing cables neatly away from walkways, storing chemicals and chemical waste by label, and checking plugs and cables before using electrical equipment. Closing down matters as much: switch off all power, count the tools back, clean the bench and sweep the floor. For example, a utility knife left on the bench may cut the next class, and wood dust on the floor can cause slips — both are the price of poor management.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: your classmate Yan is making a wooden pen holder in the workshop for the first time. How do you help her run the safety checklist?
- Clothing check → apron and goggles on, hair tied back, covered shoes worn
- Tool check → saw teeth sound and tight, utility knife blade retracted, tips undamaged
- Work-area check → wood block clamped in the vice, bench tidy, cables off the walkway
- Procedure check → mark before cutting, start the saw gently, keep distance from the next group
- Answer: Run the checklist item by item: clothing — apron and goggles ready, hair tied, footwear proper; tools — saw teeth sound, blade retracted, tips intact; work area — work clamped, bench clear, walkway free; procedure — measure and mark before cutting, small starting angle, light force, full concentration. Begin only when all four pass, keep reminding each other during work, and afterwards return the tools and clean the bench. Safety must be seen through from start to finish.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Before entering the workshop, which is correct? A. wear sandals for comfort B. tie back hair and put on an apron C. wear a necklace
Q2What is the correct way to cut card with a utility knife?
Q3Give one example each of measuring, marking, holding and cutting tools.
Q4Why must a screwdriver tip match the screw slot?
Q5Name two things to do when closing down the workshop.
8Recap Recap
- Wear protective clothing in the workshop: apron, goggles, covered shoes, hair tied back
- Hand-tool safety: score lightly with the knife, match the screwdriver tip, clamp before sawing
- Four tool classes: measuring, marking, holding and cutting — each with its own job
- Good housekeeping: tools returned, bench tidy, walkways clear
- Safety is rules plus attitude: focus, follow the rules, remind one another