Health, Safety, Sustainability and Ethical Practice
What this domain tests
This domain tests safe workshop practice, environmental impact and ethical decisions in textile and garment work. Expect risk assessment, waste hierarchy and fair-trade reasoning.
Core rules
- Hazards include needles and pins, shears, irons, rotary cutters, machine belts, chemical dyes and solvents. Control by guarding, correct technique, PPE (goggles, gloves, apron), ventilation, safe storage and first aid.
- Good posture, lighting and frequent breaks reduce strain. Keep floors dry, cables tidy and irons on stands.
- Sustainability hierarchy: reduce, reuse, repair, recycle. Choose durable fibres, low-water dyes, accurate cutting to reduce waste, and avoid overproduction.
- Ethical practice: fair wages, no child labour, safe conditions, honest labelling, animal welfare and transparency. “Natural” is not automatically sustainable-cotton can be water-intensive.
Worked example
A small workshop plans to dye cotton fabric. Identify controls. Risk: dye powder inhalation and skin contact; hot water burns; wastewater pollution. Controls: weigh dye in a ventilated area, wear gloves, mask and goggles, add dye to water carefully, use the recommended recipe, treat or dispose of wastewater responsibly, and store chemicals labelled and locked. The reasoning links each hazard to a control, not just “be careful”.
Traps
Do not wear loose sleeves near a machine; do not leave hot irons unattended. Do not call a fibre sustainable without considering water, energy, labour and disposal. Do not confuse “recyclable” with “recycled”. Greenwashing uses vague claims; ask for evidence.