Genesee Robotic Area Youth Team Leviathons Team 1322

Member of the Mid-Michigan Robotics Alliance

*** SAFETY FIRST *** SAFETY FIRST ***

Our team has learned about safety the hard way. During the 2006 build season one of our mentors was doing some minor repairs to a design on the robot and hurt himself very bad. He was pushing a small piece of aluminum through a 10 inch table saw and partway through, the piece was kicked back by the table saw and he nearly lost two of his fingers. With this it started a major turn of events in FIRST with safety. When FIRST heard of this they started the strong safety measures in effect now. During the 2006 Great Lakes Regional guards and protection for moving parts were required for the first time. That mentor was the poster child for safety that year and the whole team learned an important lesson in SAFETY.

We have implemented a safety captain, and go over safety rules regularly. If any person goes against the rules for safety they will be asked to leave. Their is no room for error in this important issue. Every member is issued safety glasses and are required to use them. They are told not to use any power tools unless an adult is present. All safety guards are not to be removed and all pieces are to be safely clamped. The power to the robot is not to be turned on unless all hands, feet and hair is clear.

FIRST considers Safety to be a key component of the FIRST Robotics Competition. All teams are asked to have a Safety Captain as part of the team structure, this individual may be identified via a badge, provided by FIRST at the Regional Competitions and Championship.

All Members must read the FIRST Safety Manual

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Safety and the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).........................................................1

Purpose...................................................................................................................................1

Scope......................................................................................................................................1

Responsibilities......................................................................................................................1

Participants............................................................................................................................. 1

Mentor(s) ..............................................................................................................................2

Student Safety Captain.........................................................................................................2

Injury Reporting Requirement..........................................................................................2

Safety Inspections .............................................................................................................3

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)................................................................................3

Eye and Face Protection......................................................................................................... 3

Hand Protection............................................................................................................................. 3

Gloves: ................................................................................................................................3

Mechanical Guards:..............................................................................................................4

Hearing Protection................................................................................................................4

Foot Protection .....................................................................................................................4

Other Preventives.................................................................................................................4

Safety Requirements.........................................................................................................4

General Safety.................................................................................................................... 4

Competition Safety............................................................................................................ 5

Pit Station Safety................................................................................................................. 5

Soldering...........................................................................................................................6

Hand Tools.........................................................................................................................6

Tool Rules........................................................................................................................... 6

Tool Storage...................................................................................................................... 6

Stored Energy...................................................................................................................7

Battery Safety.........................................................................................................7

General Damaged Battery Information/Warnings.......................................................... 7

Necessary Safety Materials........................................................................................... 8

Procedure for Handling a Leaking Battery........................................................................ 8

When an electrolyte leak occurs:.......................................................................................8

At a FIRST event: ............................................................................................................8

Battery Disposal.............................................................................................................. 9

Charging and Handling..................................................................................................... 9

Ongoing Battery Inspection............................................................................................... 9

Chemical Safety..............................................................................................................9

Respect Of Electricity...................................................................................................10

At the Events:................................................................................................................10

Setting up the Team Pit Station........................................................................................ 10

Working in the Pit........................................................................................................... 10

Using the Practice Area/Field........................................................................................... 11

Safe Robot Lifting, Handling, and Transporting Requirements............................................. 11

Pre-Lift: .............................................................................................................................11

During the Lift: ....................................................................................................................11

Post Match:.........................................................................................................................12

Transporting: ......................................................................................................................12

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 2

Safety Awareness and Recognition Program...................................................................12

Key Objectives................................................................................................................... 12

Safety Advisory............................................................................................................... 13

Safety Credits/Tokens........................................................................................................ 13

Initial Tokens ......................................................................................................................13

Earned Tokens ...................................................................................................................14

Token Storage ....................................................................................................................14

Safety Recognitions And.................................................................................................... 14

Top 3 Safe Teams ..............................................................................................................14

Star of the Day Award.........................................................................................................14

UL Industrial Safety Award .................................................................................................14

Safety in your WorkSpaces................................................................................................15

Appendix A: Safety Checklist ...............................................................................................i

Appendix B: Corrective Action Plan.....................................................................................ii

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 1

SAFETY AND THE FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION (FRC)

Instilling a culture of safety is a value that every individual in the FIRST community must

embrace as we pursue its mission and vision. FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) has

adopted safety as a core value and has established the framework for safety leadership in all

aspects of the program.

FIRST believes that the teams that take the lead in developing safety programs and policies

have a positive and lasting impact on each team member, mentor, their communities, and their

present and future work places. FIRST recognizes the teams that demonstrate safety

throughout their programs and are truly committed to developing and nurturing a safety culture.

PURPOSE

This safety manual is an easy-to-use guide for important safety information and provides FRC

participants with a basic set of requirements to maintain a safe environment during the build

season and at competition events.

SCOPE

This manual applies to anyone involved with the FIRST Robotics Competition including all

student team members, mentors, and support personnel.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Everyone is responsible for safety during team meetings and the design, build, travel, and

event phases of the competition. Please read this entire manual for details on how to be safe.

Participants

As an FRC participant, you are expected to:

 Be familiar with this manual as well as the safety-related requirements applicable to

your work area.

 Be familiar with any site restrictions listed in the “Site Info” listed on the web regarding

competition site location(s).

 Work in a safe and responsible manner.

 Understand and follow established safety requirements.

 Use personal protective equipment (PPE), safe guards, and other safety equipment

when needed or as required.

 Identify and report any unsafe or hazardous conditions to the student safety captain.

This includes work practices that may cause an accident.

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 2

Mentor(s)

 Provide guidance on the safe working requirements associated with the various

tasks and tools involved with constructing the robot.

 Offer safety design considerations to the team so the robot itself is designed to

eliminate or minimize hazards to an acceptable level.

 Familiarize yourself with relevant event safety and restrictions by reading the webposted

“At the Events” section of the FRC Manual and “Site Info” for your event(s).

Go over it with the team and work with the safety captain to monitor safety

behaviors.

 Coach the student safety captain to ensure that he/she understands and adequately

fulfills the position’s responsibilities.

 Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS): Collect and store one for any chemicals,

paint, and batteries, etc. the team uses. You can usually obtain these sheets from

the manufacturer’s web site or by calling the manufacturer directly.

* Become familiar with them and the related emergency procedures.

* Inform the safety captain of the MSDS storage location.

Student Safety Captain

 Coordinate, deliver, and track safety training for the individual team members. Bring

your log to events and continue to make comments about infractions and/or

continuing improvements.

 Provide support for any safety questions or concerns that may arise. Seek

guidance, as appropriate, from your team mentors.

 Conduct safety inspections of the general work site, especially the robot construction

area. This also applies to the Pit Station during competition events.

 Encourage your team to display positive safety behaviors at all times.

 Know where to find, and become familiar with the Material Safety Data Sheets

(MSDS) and related emergency procedures.

INJURY REPORTING REQUIREMENT

Regardless of severity, report all accidents, injuries, and near misses to your team’s mentor

and your team’s safety captain. Even injuries that you determine as minor may become

serious if proper medical attention is not provided in a timely manner. Remember, each minor

event is usually a precursor to a major event.

When at FIRST events, report any injuries to the Pit Administration supervisor. He or she will

document the injury or illness on an Incident Report sheet.

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 3

SAFETY INSPECTIONS

The safety captain should inspect the work areas on a routine basis. Determine and document

the frequency of inspections by the potential risk in the work. Refer to Appendix A and B of

this Manual for a sample checklist and a corrective actions page. Where applicable, develop

and close out corrective actions for identified deficiencies in a timely manner.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

The proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is an important element to help ensure

FRC Participants are protected from hazards in the work area. The following describes the

common PPE that you are required to wear as part of constructing a robot.

Eye and Face Protection

Eye and face protection is required when there is a risk of exposure to the following:

 Flying particles

 Chemical exposure (such as splashes, splatters, and sprays)

Wear non-shaded, ANSI-approved eye protection in the following areas:

 Your team’s “at home” work stations when doing any work on the robot including,

grinding, drilling, soldering, cutting, welding, etc.

 NEW – At FIRST events:

* Anywhere in the pit area, including walk ways and pit stations

* On the Playing Field

* On the Practice Field

* Any area posted with signs requiring the use of eye protection

There are several forms of eye/face protection available to provide protection from these

hazards, including safety glasses with side shields, goggles, and face shields. Inspect

equipment for damage each time it is worn. If you wear prescription glasses, and they are

not approved safety glasses, you must wear approved safety goggles over them to achieve

adequate protection.

Hand Protection

Hand protection is designed to protect against heat, electrical, chemical and mechanical

hazards. Use proper gloves and mechanical tool guards.

Gloves:

 FRC participants should work with the team mentor to ensure the selected glove is

the correct one to use for the project at hand. For example, chemical-resistant

gloves afford some measure of chemical protection. Wear them when handling

chemicals.

 Check your gloves for proper size, absence of cracks and holes, and good flexibility

and grip before you wear them.

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 4

Mechanical Guards:

 Provide safety guards for power tools where required.

 Never use any equipment without safety guards in place.

 Notify your Safety captain and mentor of any broken or defective equipment, and

take it out of service until repairs are made.

Hearing Protection

Make hearing protection devices available, such as earplugs and earmuffs, where there

are objectionable/questionable sound levels. A team mentor can provide assistance in

evaluating high-noise tasks and determining appropriate hearing protection devices.

At events, earplugs are available at the Pit Administration Station.

Foot Protection

When engaged in FIRST activities, all FRC participants must wear shoes that

completely cover the entire foot. Shoes must have closed-toes and heels to protect

against foot injuries, regardless of work location. Flip-Flops, Sandals, Mules, Crocs,

etc. are not acceptable when working on or near the robot or while attending FIRST

competitions.

In some cases, safety shoes or toe guards are appropriate for areas where heavy

objects can fall on your foot. Notify your team mentor if you encounter such situations,

and determine the safest way to perform the task.

Other Preventives

Ensure that team members or mentors are not wearing ties, loose clothing, jewelry, or

hanging key chains when near or working on moving or rotating machinery. Tie hair

back or cover it.

SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

The following are some areas, practices, and functions for which teams will be

inspected/monitored for safety conformity and innovation. This list is not all-inclusive, and the

Safety Advisors will constantly watch for any positive and negative safety practices. Horseplay

is not permitted at any time.

General Safety

 Follow safe work practices, safe use of all tools, and maintain a healthy attitude

regarding safety.

 Always walk and work in a controlled and thoughtful manner.

 Wear ANSI-approved non-shaded safety glasses, closed-toed shoes, gloves where

needed, and use hearing protection if necessary.

 Keep full control of robot at all times with no one in the robot's path at anytime.

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 5

 Assist other teams with safety issues. Display Gracious Professionalism and care

enough to act with good behavior at all times.

 Take special care when working at higher-than-normal height.

 Always fully open a ladder and never stand on the top step.

Competition Safety

 Use the buddy system when traveling and while at the event.

 Travel safely and carefully between the Pit and the playing field.

 Demonstrate safe behaviors in the heat of competition.

 Exhibit a planned, safe lifting procedure of the robot, including cart removal after the lift.

 Make sure the robot is properly secured if you must work underneath it or if the robot is

on an unstable surface.

 Assist other teams with safety issues.

Pit Station Safety

 Control access to your Pit area; visitors are required to comply with PPE rules.

 Keep your aisle clear for pedestrians and robot transit.

 When transporting your robot, politely keep pedestrians alert to your movement.

 Adhere to the specifics in the FRC Manual, “At the Events” section

* Teams cannot build any structure to support people or items for storage above the

work area in their team pit station.

* No Team Station structures, signs, banners, or displays can be higher than 10 feet

above the floor.

* Securely mount team pit station signs, banners, and displays to the structure.

 Be aware of your neighbors. Alert them if there is a hazard in your station or near

theirs.

 Maintain a clean, neat, and orderly Pit Station at all times. Remember, there are

inspections after teams leave so be sure to include:

* The floor in and around your Pit Station

* Proper tool storage

* Proper care of batteries and battery chargers

* Tidy storage of personal belongings and equipment

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 6

SOLDERING

Soldering can be dangerous because of the heat from the iron and the chemical fumes and

vapors released from the solder and flux, respectively. When soldering, observe the following

points:

 NEW - At FIRST events: Use lead-free solder only and solder with electrically heated

soldering iron/gun only.

 No torches or open flames of any kind are allowed in the buildings.

 Wear eye and face protection.

 Solder in well-ventilated areas.

 Never touch the iron/gun. It heats to extreme temperatures that will cause severe burns.

 Prevent burns: Wear cotton clothing that covers your arms and legs.

 Always wash your hands with soap and water after handling solder.

 Work on a fire resistant surface.

 Keep your soldering iron in its protective holder when not actually being used.

 Do not leave any hot tools, such as a hot drill bit, where someone can accidentally

contact the hot element.

HAND TOOLS

Constructing a robot will sometimes require the use of hand tools. Most people think of hand

tools as wrenches, screwdrivers, chisels, and so forth, but the term also applies to any handheld

tool or implement used to accomplish a task. This includes all sorts of things used to

grasp, lift, push, pull, carry, or clean. Always use the proper tool for the job.

Example: DO NOT use a wrench for a hammer or a screwdriver as a chisel.

Tool Rules

 Before using any tool, check to see if it is in good condition. Don’t use defective, dull, or

broken tools. Don’t put them back on the shelf; remove them from service and notify

the Safety captain and mentor so they can be replaced or sent for repair.

 When using a screwdriver or other tools, place the work on the bench or hard surface

rather than the palm of your hand.

 When using knives/blades, direct your cutting strokes away from your hand and body,

and be aware of those around you.

Tool Storage

 Store sharp-edged or pointed tools in a safe place. When carrying, cover the point or

edges with shields. NEVER carry unshielded tools in your pocket.

 Don’t leave tools on overhead work surfaces. They may fall and strike someone below.

 Store equipment in a location where it will not create a safety hazard or get damaged.

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 7

STORED ENERGY

Plan out the required activities when servicing or making repairs to the robot. Make sure all

teammates are aware that work is being done on the robot. Address the following:

1. Ensure no one is working on the robot when it will be energized during repairs.

2. Electrical Energy: Disconnect the electric power source

 Always de-energize the robot before working on it by unplugging the 12V and 7.2V

batteries.

 Open the main circuit breaker (“re-set” lever is released).

3. Pneumatic Energy: Always vent any compressed air to the atmosphere.

 This applies to all parts of the pneumatic system.

 Open the main vent valve and verify that all pressure gauges on the robot indicate

zero pressure.

4. Miscellaneous Energy Sources:

 Relieve any compressed or stretched springs.

 Lower all raised robot arms or devices that could drop down to a lower position on

the robot.

BATTERY SAFETY

CAUTION: Batteries contain acid. This substance, H2SO4, is a corrosive, colorless liquid that

will burn your eyes, skin, and clothing. The team mentor and safety captain should post the

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and train all team members about battery safety. You can

find Emergency handling and first aid on the MSDS, proper protection for handling cracked or

damaged batteries, and information on disposal of the battery.

http://www.mkbattery.com/images/MSDS_smallsealed_line.pdf

General Damaged Battery Information/Warnings

Any battery that is visibly damaged in any way is dangerous and unusable, and should be

set aside and handled accordingly because:

1. It contains stored electrical energy that could cause the battery to rapidly heat up due to

an internal electrical short circuit, and possibly explode.

2. The 12V batteries FIRST provided in your Kit contain sulfuric acid that will burn human

tissue on contact.

 Immediately flush any contacted skin with a large quantity of water

 Seek medical treatment

Periodically inspect your batteries for any signs of damage or leaking electrolyte.

Remember that a dropped battery may be cracked, but the crack may not be visible and

might eventually leak electrolyte.

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 8

 Don't take a chance. Don’t use it.

 Treat it as a hazardous material and process it in accordance with the battery's

MSDS.

Necessary Safety Materials

FIRST recommends that teams keep the following items readily available whenever

working with batteries:

1. A box of bicarbonate of soda to neutralize any exposed acid electrolyte.

2. A pair of acid-resistant rubber or plastic leak-proof gloves to wear when handling a

leaking battery.

3. A suitable non-metallic leak-proof container in which to place the defective battery.

Procedure for Handling a Leaking Battery

When an electrolyte leak occurs:

 Neutralize it by pouring the bicarbonate of soda on all wetted surfaces. The bicarbonate

of soda itself is not dangerous, and will react with the acid in the electrolyte leaving a

safe residue that can be disposed of in a conventional manner such as rinsing with

water.

 Put on the gloves before handling the battery.

 Place the battery in the leak-proof container for removal.

 Be sure to neutralize any acid on the gloves before removing and storing them.

 Follow emergency handling instructions of the MSDS, and notify mentor.

 Seek medical attention.

 Properly dispose of the battery, which is now a hazardous material.

At a FIRST event:

 Immediately send the person in contact with acid to the First Aid Station/EMTs

 Report incident to the Pit Administration Supervisor so he/she can fill out an Incident

Report. Provide team number and available information.

 Obtain sodium bicarbonate from the Pit Administration Supervisor and carefully sprinkle

the sodium bicarbonate on the spill, then clean it and dispose of the now-neutralized

cleanup materials in the trash.

 Dispose of the battery properly. Read below.

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 9

Battery Disposal

The Interstate Batteries Company http://www.interstatebatteries.com has volunteered to

accept and properly dispose of any FIRST team's batteries, and you can find a location

near you from the above web site.

Most retailers of automotive batteries will accept and properly dispose of them at no cost.

Charging and Handling

 When a battery is neither connected to the robot nor the battery charger, use the battery

protector safety plugs FIRST provides in the Kit of Parts.

 Keep the battery charging area clean and orderly.

 Place your battery charger in an area where cooling air can freely circulate around the

charger. Battery chargers can fail without proper ventilation.

 Do not short out the battery terminals. If metal tools/parts contact the terminals

simultaneously, it will create a direct short circuit. This may cause high heat to develop

in the battery terminal/part/tool area and the battery could explode.

 If a quick disconnect is not available and you must use tools to disconnect the battery,

make sure metal tools don’t contact both terminals at the same time.

Ongoing Battery Inspection

 Periodically inspect your battery for any evidence of damage, such as a cracked case or

leaking electrolyte.

 Bent terminals can also be a potential leak source.

 After each competition round, inspect the battery.

 Check your battery prior to competing in each round.

CHEMICAL SAFETY

 Keep chemical containers in good condition.

 Make sure all chemical containers have labels placed by the manufacturer.

 Ensure all labels are legible.

 Become familiar with the chemicals you may use as part of the FRC. Read safety

precautions and instructions for use located on the chemical’s label.

 Store all chemicals in an orderly way. Obtain Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for

the chemicals your team uses. These sheets provide information on the correct

handling of a spill or injury.

 If you are exposed to a chemical, notify your safety captain and team mentor

immediately and consult the MSDS if necessary.

 Don’t use any highly flammable materials, such as cleaning solutions, at FIRST events

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 10

RESPECT OF ELECTRICITY

Proper use and respect for electricity is paramount. The following are general guidelines for

ensuring basic electrical safety requirements are met.

 Inspect your equipment cords and extension cords routinely to ensure they are in good

condition.

 DO NOT overload electrical fixtures and/or receptacles.

 Avoid the following electrical / power supply setups to prevent overloading.

1. Power strip plugged into another power strip.

2. Extension cord plugged into another extension cord.

3. Extension cord plugged into a power strip.

4. Multi-device receptacle plugged into a power strip or extension cord.

AT THE EVENTS:

Follow the following safety considerations when constructing the Pit station at the FRC

Event(s):

 Registration: An adult will register your team. He/she will be asked to verify and sign

a statement that the team has enough safety glasses for all mentors, team members,

and team guests who will be entering the Pit.

 NEW: Safety glasses are required everywhere in the Pit.

1. To gain entrance to the Pit, every person will have to wear a pair of safety glasses.

2. Don’t ship all glasses and goggles in the crate or you won’t be able to enter the Pit.

Setting up the Team Pit Station

 Bring and use work gloves for uncrating and re-crating.

 Design and set up your Pit Station safely - properly use a ladder - don’t climb on tables.

 Observe the ten-foot height limit for all portions of your pit station.

 Use proper tools to safely hang banners. Banners must also adhere to the ten-foot

height limit.

Working in the Pit

 Properly use the power supplies; don’t daisy chain, for example.

 Keep the work area neat and orderly.

 Participants should be wearing PPE in the Pit at all times, including:

* ANSI-approved, non-shaded safety glasses with approved side shields

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 11

* Safety goggles over prescription glasses

* Appropriate footwear - no open-toed shoes or sandals

Using the Practice Area/Field

If your event has a practice field/area, be sure to obey the rules for maintaining an

“exclusion zone” around the area. This zone will help ensure that robots and moving parts

will not exceed the practice area. It will help prevent accidents to those persons viewing

the sessions or traveling nearby who may not be aware of the movement of the robots.

Of course, be sure to wear safety glasses and use safe lifting practices. Make sure the

field is clear of debris, and be gracious by picking up any foreign materials. The designated

volunteers are there to help maintain a safe area. Please cooperate with them.

Safe Robot Lifting, Handling, and Transporting Requirements

Take a few moments to ensure your team knows how to lift your robot properly and safely.

Practice the procedures prior to beginning the season so everyone has the same method

and goals at the events.

Pre-Lift:

 Ensure all transporters are wearing PPE.

 Make sure the robot is safe to move:

 Are all parts of the robot secured?

 Is the robot powered off?

 Is anyone still working on the robot?

 Have a pre-lift briefing to determine direction and path.

 Ensure that the areas and paths are clear of debris and hazards.

 Are there enough people to perform the lift safely? Two to four people are preferred.

During the Lift:

If using a lifting device to lift the robot, ensure participants know how to use it properly.

 Appoint a team member to control pedestrian traffic in the area.

 Appoint someone to coordinate the lift to make sure you are all ready to begin.

 Each lifter should place his/her feet close to the robot and adopt a balanced position.

 All persons should lift at the same time using proper body mechanics. These

include:

1. Lift with the legs, keeping your back straight

2. Do not twist your body. Use your feet if you need to turn.

3. Use proper hand holds to grasp the robot and make sure you have a safe,

secure lift point before starting the lift.

 Bend your knees to a comfortable degree and get a good handhold. Maintain

normal spinal curves.

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 12

 Tighten your stomach muscles and commence lifting the robot, using your leg

muscles if you are lifting the robot up from the floor. Keep the robot close to your

body, and coordinate lift speed with the others.

 Make sure the cart is stable and will not roll. Coordinate correct placement on the

cart.

Post Match:

 Relieve all stored energy and open the main circuit breaker on the robot.

 Ensure that the robot is made safe prior to lifting it off the playing field, no dangling

parts, etc.

 Remove debris from the playing field.

 Use the above “Pre-lift” and “During the lift” procedures.

 Use the gate opening to exit the playing field. Don’t climb over the railing.

Transporting:

 Make sure the robot is secured to the cart.

 Keep the cart under control at all times, especially when removing or placing the

robot.

 Use Gracious Professionalism around others to prevent damage or injury. Do not

include music on your robot transporter.

 Use patience and control when moving the robot, especially in crowded areas.

Walk; don’t run.

 Ensure that the cart will not roll away or pose a hazard, especially upon robot

removal. Use a chock block if necessary.

 Use the gate opening when entering/exiting the playing field. Don’t climb over the

railing.

SAFETY AWARENESS AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM

Bruce Power began working on this program in 2004 by developing key elements and a

structure of safety within the FIRST environment. Underwriters Laboratories has agreed to

sponsor the Safety Awareness and Recognition Program and provide professional Safety

Advisors at the FIRST Robotics Competition Regionals and Championship events to continue

developing greater safety awareness and consistency. FIRST thanks both organizations for

their dedication to safety and safety education.

Key Objectives

The key objectives of the Safety Awareness and Recognition Program are:

a. Ensure participants, staff and the public have injury-free competitions

b. Motivate participants to learn and follow safe individual and group practices as a life

skill

c. Select the winning team for the UL Industrial Safety Award

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 13

The Safety Advisors will rate safe performance in three key areas:

1. Safe Behaviors

2. Physical Conditions

3. PPE Usage

The Program uses coaching and positive reinforcement to meet its objectives. The Safety

Advisors will have a structured assessment and scoring process as a guide to select the

team that best meets the Program objectives. Please read below for a description of the

expected “safe” activities that advisors will assess over the course of a typical Regional

competition or the Championship.

Safety Advisory Process

The Safety Advisors will:

1. Provide positive verbal feedback for safe behaviors and conditions

2. Correct non-safe behaviors and mentor correct actions

3. Hand out safety “credits” – the 3 teams that earn the most safety tokens win an

award. Teams earn safety tokens by other teams and Safety Advisors noticing safe

practices and conditions and giving tokens as positive feedback. Teams collect the

tokens, count them, and turn them in on the last day of the event.

4. Designate the “Star of the Day” person – to a mentor or student

5. Select the winner of the UL Industrial Safety Award

Prior to the competition, team mentors typically coach participants on working together.

They also show the students how to use equipment and construct and operate the robot

safely.

Throughout the competition, the easily recognizable, green-shirted Safety Advisors will

continuously tour in pairs to observe activities in the Pit, practice field, queue line, and

playing fields to identify the safety habits of the teams. This includes observing the

uncrating of robots and transporting them between the Pit and playing fields. Safety

Advisors will use plastic safety tokens, or credits, to recognize and encourage safe

behaviors at the competition.

Do not hesitate to talk with the Safety Advisors and ask questions.

Safety Credits/Tokens

The purpose of the safety tokens is to encourage teams to accumulate their safety credits

through innovation and good safety performance. The tokens are a tangible count of their

positive awareness.

Initial Tokens

Each team will receive 10 safety credits/tokens in its registration packet. Each team

should keep five of them and give the other five credits to other teams as “peer

recognition” for good, safety performance. It is up to each team to decide whether to

give one or two tokens to different teams, or all five to one team it determines to follow

particularly safe practices. Refer below to “Top 3 Safe Teams.”

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 14

Earned Tokens

Teams will earn additional credits whenever a Safety Advisor sees an individual or team

demonstrating a safe behavior deserving recognition. Verbal feedback from the Safety

Advisors will explain why credits were awarded and will strengthen the impact of using

the credits/tokens by ensuring that participants understand how they are doing from a

safety perspective and how this links to the number of credits they receive.

Token Storage

We recommend that teams exhibit their support of safety by keeping a non-breakable

container in their pit station to store the earned tokens and display them to the other

FRC teams. Be creative!!

Safety Recognitions And Awards

The Safety Awareness and Recognition program rewards teams and individuals for their

exceptional dedication to safe working methods and considerations by providing the

awards below.

Top 3 Safe Teams

The 3 teams that collect the most safety credits will be recognized during the Awards

Ceremony. They will also receive pins to acknowledge their accomplishment and

should pick them up at the Pit Administration Station following the ceremony.

NOTE: The winner of the UL Industrial Safety Award is not eligible to receive these pins

because that team will receive a separate pin during the awards ceremony.

Star of the Day Award

The Safety Advisors select the “Star of the Day” on Thursday and Friday. On the

following day(s), you will be able to see the winner’s name and team affiliation on a

poster near the Pit Administration Station. This will be visible for the duration of that

competition. This individual is presented with a small token of appreciation.

This award can go to any student or mentor who, in the opinion of the Safety Advisors,

has made a noteworthy contribution to promoting a culture of safety and is a person that

the rest of the FIRST community should emulate.

UL Industrial Safety Award

This award celebrates the team that progresses beyond safety fundamentals by using

innovative ways to eliminate or protect against hazards. The winning team consistently

demonstrates excellence in industrial safety performance that shines throughout the

competition from uncrating to re-pack.

Safety Advisors are volunteers who will observe all the teams and select the one that

best meets the criteria for the UL Industrial Safety Award. As the Safety Advisors

systematically tour through the Pit, practice and competition field areas, they record the

performance of the teams and individual team members on the Safety Performance

Score Sheet.

FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual 2007 15

SAFETY IN YOUR WORK SPACES

We recommend that teams implement a safety program. You will find an inspection sheet in

the Appendix, which will be a guideline at the events. Safety Advisors will be on site and will

be monitoring safety and will be using a similar checklist for each team to help document

strengths and weaknesses of event safety.

We recommend that teams implement a checklist of their own to monitor their unique work

facility safety situations. The following are examples of things that may occur in a less than

perfect area. Check for items such as:

 Are stacked items at least 18" below sprinkler heads?

 Are stacks stable and secure against sliding and collapse?

 Are heavy or bulky items stored below shoulder level?

 Are floors free of slipping and tripping hazards?

 Are all light fixtures functional?

 Are illumination levels sufficient for the detail of work performed?

Review your workspace and note and make any improvements to the safety of the

environment and those working there. The mentors and safety captain should constantly

monitor team safety and the conditions at the work facility so the area is secure from liability,

injury, danger, or risk.

Good Luck and Be Safe!!

2007 FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual - Appendix i

APPENDIX A: SAFETY CHECKLIST

Date: Location/Area: Inspector(s):

Teams should review the condition of the inspected area per the criteria in the checklist below.

Assess each item and answer the question by placing a “” in the appropriate column. For any

questions answered “no” below, complete a Corrective Action Plan (see next page).

Safety Advisors will use a similar checklist when they inspect the Pit and individual Pit Stations

during competition events.

Key: Y = Yes N = No NA = Not applicable

NO. ITEM Y N NA LOCATION/NOTES

A HAND & PORTABLE TOOLS

1 Are powered tools in good condition with no evidence of damage?

2 Are tools properly stored when not in use?

3 Are guards and safety devices in place and operational?

B CHEMICALS

1 Are chemical containers properly labeled and in good condition with

no sign of damage?

2 Are MSDSs posted/readily available and team members aware?

C ELECTRICAL

1 Are cords and plugs free of broken insulation, exposed wiring, and

provided with grounded connections where applicable?

2 Are electrical outlets overloaded? (1 power strip used per outlet)

3 Is the battery charger situated so there is air circulating around it?

4 Do batteries not connected to the robot or charger have the battery

protector safety plugs on the terminals?

5 Are the batteries visibly ok, terminals not bent, no cracks in case?

D THE TEAM PIT STATION

1 Is team equipment within the designated space? Aisle clear?

2 Is the area free of slipping and tripping hazards?

3 Is storage of materials orderly?

4 Does the area conform to the 10’ height restriction? This includes

banners, signs, and all construction.

5 Are the work surfaces neat and uncluttered?

E PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

1 Is PPE available for FRC Participants and their visitors?

2 Is PPE worn by team members where required/posted?

3 Is PPE properly maintained and stored?

F RESPECT OF STORED ENERGY DANGERS

1. After Competing: Does the team relieve electrical, pneumatic, and

miscellaneous energy before moving the robot off the field?

2 In the Pit: Does the team ensure no one is working on the robot

while it is energized?

2007 FIRST Robotics Competition Team Safety Manual - Appendix Page ii

APPENDIX B: CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN

Use this Corrective Action Plan to monitor changes your mentor, safety captain, or the event

Safety Advisor recommends.

ITEM

NO.

DESCRIPTION AND CORRECTIVE ACTION TARGET

DATE

COMPLETION

DATE

PERSON(S)

RESPONSIBLE

Positive Findings:

Comments:

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