Health and safety, tools and equipment
Risk assessment and machine safety
Before practical work, identify hazards and controls: needle injuries, moving parts, electricity, heat, sharp tools, dust and chemicals. Sewing machines need a needle guard, correct threading with the machine off, hair tied back and jewellery removed. Overlockers have exposed blades - keep fingers clear and unplug before cleaning. Rotary cutters are retracted after each cut and used with a mat and ruler. Irons sit on a stand with the cord away from the walkway.
Chemicals and environment
Dyes, discharge pastes, spray adhesives and solvents need ventilation, gloves, goggles and the manufacturer's safety data. Never decant into unlabelled bottles. Store flammables in a metal cabinet. Keep gangways clear, bag fabric waste, and know first-aid and fire procedures.
Tools and needles
Fabric shears cut cloth only; paper blunts them. Machine needles: 70/10 for lightweight, 80/12 general, 90/14 denim, 100/16 heavy. Hand needles: sharps for general sewing, betweens for quilting. Use a thimble, tailor's chalk, French curve, tracing wheel and dressmaker's ham as intended.
Worked example: an ironing station risk assessment - hazard: burns and trips; controls: auto shut-off iron, heatproof mat, cord tidied, water refilled when cold, station away from the walkway.
Traps: treating safety as common sense; using fabric shears on paper; forcing the machine with the wrong needle; leaving an iron face-down.