Enrichment · STEM Explorations

Open the makerspace
the same safe way.

Makerspace accidents rarely come from one big mistake. They come from a laser left alone for a minute, a first-aid kit nobody restocked, a cut of the wrong plastic. Run the same checks each time you open: the room, the rules for each tool running that day, closing. Log near misses too; they show what to fix before it matters.

Open a sessionWhat you get

Your sessions

The worked example is made up: two sessions of an after-school club in a library makerspace, with a first-aid kit to restock and a near miss on the laser cutter. Saved on this device only.

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What you get

Enrichment · STEM ExplorationsFree

What you finish with
A record per session with date, space, adult in charge, makers present and the tools running; seven room checks, six tool rules and four closing steps; incidents and near misses with what changes. Flags anything not done, every incident, and a laser running with its rules marked not running; counts sessions, maker visits and incidents.
Who it is for
Teachers, librarians and club leaders who run school and library makerspaces, and the student makers who help open and close them.
Format
Browser checklist with a saved record per session. Prints the day’s checklist, every session as a log or a blank checklist for the wall; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The STEM Explorations space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Before anyone arrives, run the room checks.
  2. Mark the rules for each tool running today; mark the rest not running.
  3. Log any incident or near miss as it happens, with what changes.
  4. Close: tools off and unplugged, laser bed cleared, supplies noted.
  5. Print the log each month for whoever oversees the space.

Open a session

Layers

Most injuries start with one gapRoomexits, extinguisher, ventilationTrainingsigned off on the toolProtectionglasses, tied hair, no loose sleevesWatchingan adult and the operator, every jobEach layer has holes. An injury happens when the holes line up, so every layer counts.Most injuries start with one gapRoomexits, extinguisher, ventilationTrainingsigned off on the toolProtectionglasses, tied hair, no loose sleevesWatchingan adult and the operator, every jobEach layer has holes. An injury happenswhen the holes line up, so every layercounts.
The layered picture is a common way safety teams think about accidents; no single check is enough by itself.

The laser cutter

Laser cutters cut by burning, so small flames are normal and fires are possible. Someone stays with every job. Materials like PVC and vinyl give off hydrogen chloride when cut, which harms people and corrodes the machine; keep a list of approved materials beside it and ask makers to bring the product name for anything else.

Eye protection

Safety glasses for anyone using or standing near a cutting, drilling or soldering tool. Look for the ANSI Z87.1 mark, which means the lenses and frames passed impact testing. Laser cutters with a closed lid protect from the beam; open-frame lasers need glasses rated for that laser’s wavelength.

Sources

  1. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Eye and Face Protection, 29 CFR 1910.133, and Personal Protective Equipment (osha.gov).
  2. American National Standards Institute and ISEA. ANSI/ISEA Z87.1: occupational eye and face protection.
  3. National Fire Protection Association. Portable fire extinguishers (NFPA 10) and extinguisher basics (nfpa.org).
  4. National Science Teaching Association. Safety in the Science Classroom, Laboratory, or Field Sites (nsta.org).

The worked example is made up. Follow your school’s or library’s own safety policy and each tool maker’s instructions. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.