Health, Safety and Sustainable Practice in Textiles
What the exam tests
This domain links workshop safety, personal health and sustainable textile practice. Questions ask you to identify hazards, choose controls, and evaluate fibre and garment choices beyond appearance.
Hazards and controls
- Sharps: needles, pins, rotary cutters and shears. Store them closed, cut away from the body, and never leave pins in a cushion where a hand will land.
- Heat: irons and pressers. Keep cords clear, use a stable board, and never leave a hot iron face-down.
- Chemicals: dyes, bleaches and solvents. Use gloves, ventilation and labelled containers; never decant into drink bottles.
- Ergonomics and dust: adjust chair and table height, take breaks, and brush lint away rather than inhaling it.
Sustainable practice
Reduce first: buy only what the project needs, use pattern layouts efficiently, and keep scraps for samples or patchwork. Reuse garments and notions; recycle fibres where facilities exist. Choose durable, repairable construction and avoid unnecessary packaging. Natural fibres are not automatically sustainable: cotton can be water-intensive, and viscose production can pollute. Check claims rather than accepting “green” labels.
Worked example
A workshop ironing station has a frayed cord and no heat mat. Risk: electric shock and scorch marks. Controls: unplug and replace the cord, fit a heat-resistant mat, keep the water jug away from the socket, and place the station away from walkways. Record the action and check the iron’s thermostat before use.
Traps
Do not treat PPE as a substitute for removing the hazard. Do not assume “natural” or “biodegradable” means low impact. Do not pour dye waste down a sink without checking local rules.