Tools, Equipment and Workshop Safety
Hand tools and machines
Know the purpose and safe use of marking-out tools (try square, marking gauge, engineer's square), cutting tools (tenon saw, coping saw, hacksaw, chisels, files), shaping tools (planes, rasps, abrasive papers) and assembly tools (clamps, sash cramps, screwdrivers). For machines, understand the drill press, band saw, scroll saw, lathe and sander, and which guards and hold-down devices each requires.
Safety principles
Candidates should apply a hierarchy: eliminate the hazard, guard it, then rely on personal protective equipment (PPE) as the last line. Know PPE for each activity - goggles for cutting and drilling, dust masks and extraction for sanding MDF, ear protection for noisy machines, and no loose clothing or jewellery near rotating parts. Understand safe working practices: secure the workpiece, use the correct blade for the material, keep hands clear of the cut line, never leave a machine running unattended, and report damage.
Common traps
Questions often test which tool suits which job - a marking gauge marks parallel to an edge, a try square checks squareness. Another trap is treating PPE as the primary control rather than the last resort. Watch for items that seem safe but are not, such as cutting towards the body or using a blunt blade (which needs more force and is more dangerous).
Worked rule of thumb
Before any machine operation, run the S-S-G-P check: Secure the work, Set the guard, Get the right PPE, Position hands clear. If any step fails, stop.