Initiating Corrective Actions Through Knowledge & Cooperation

1. Initiating Corrective Actions Through Knowledge & Cooperation Hannah French Chelsea Ermer

2. Prevention is the Key • Students should avoid materials that may make them sick & techniques that can injure them • As a teacher you should know about the materials you are using & the potential safety hazards that exist DO YOUR RESEARCH!

3. General Art-Making Space Conditions • Housekeeping: • Is there dirt, debris, and/or dust? • Is there adequate storage & access? • Is there visible safety information & warning signs? • Tools & Equipment: • What is the placement in the room? • What is the condition of the tools and/or equipment? • Is there a maintenance schedule? • Lightning: • Is natural & artificial light adequate? • Ventilation: • What are the provisions for fresh air?

4. Current Practices • Instructional methods: • How & to what extent are health & safety included? • Health & safety procedures should be addressed thoroughly! • Students’ responsibility: • Do students know what is expected of them? • Monitoring procedures: • Who ensures that correct practices are followed? • What are they consequences of infractions? (Pertaining to safety & discipline) • Art activity space management: • How is the distribution & pick up of tools being handled? • How are the hazardous materials being handled? • How is hazardous waste being disposed of & handled?

5. Age & Risk Group • Bodily development: • What are the natural defenses for the age of your students? • Is manual dexterity well developed or had it been impaired by age or illness? • Human weakness: • What students may have allergies, chemical sensitivities, or respiratory problems? • Exposure accumulation: • What is the frequency & term of exposure? • Medical records: Is a medical record kept for the teachers & art activity leaders whose exposure is long term? • Skill development: • Do students have adequate knowledge of correct procedures or do they take things for granted? • Students must understand that the reasoning behind correct procedures is for their own safety & the safety of other students • This is why pre-assessment & thorough instruction is imperative!

6. Materials & Activities • Toxicity: • What are the relative ratings of materials used? • Ingestion, inhalation, & absorption through the skin: • What are the possibilities of these occurring? • Power tools: • Is noise level a problem? • Are tools located or used with concern for safety? • Activities in the curriculum: • Have they been selected to minimize problems?

7. Pre-Assessment • Finding out what students already know is another important part of introducing a new art lesson • Pre-activity tests can explain what students already know & what they need to learn regarding safety procedures • Ways you can assess your student’s prior knowledge safety regarding different materials and processes: • Written test • Class discussion • Peer demonstration

8. Pre-Assessment • Pre-assessment test will provide the following information: • Have they done this process before in another school or class? • Have they already mastered the skills required? • Do they know how to use the necessary tools? • Do they understand the possible hazards of the process? • Do they have any examples of previous works?

9. Student’s Need to Know… • Art materials can be dangerous if not handled with care & responsibility • There is no need to fear the art materials or processes as long as you know the correct way to use them • Just because you have worked with a material/process/tool before you may be unaware of the proper way to use or do it

10. Teachers Need to Remember… • Students come to the art work space with no real understanding of the dangers involved with the materials or tools they will use • Good art-making space management reduces accidents & injuries as well as health problems • Less toxic materials can usually be substituted for toxic ones with little or no extra cost • Learning how to use tools & equipment correctly & safely is no more difficult than learning how to use them incorrectly

11. Teachers Need to Remember… • Practices learned in art-making activities will be those the students follow elsewhere & in subsequent years • Teachers must find out what students do & do not know about art process & materials • Lesson plans & hand outs should always include health & safety notes • We can put students in charge of their own safety with materials but they must prove to us first that they are responsible & understand the proper safety measures

12. Teachers Need to Remember… This information alone does not create a health and safety program, it is up to us as teachers to be fully aware of existing conditions and implement appropriate practice!