From the Vantage Point

Safety first

Published:  Tuesday, September 2, 2008 (4 months, 1 week ago)
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Since the beginning of organized education systems, teachers have been explaining school safety rules and procedures to their students during the first days of school. That’s how it is at Vantage, too, but with more depth than the traditional tornado and fire drill preparation.
As a career center, Vantage students work with the same equipment and tools used in business and industry every day. Student safety is one of the primary concerns.
The first days of school have been devoted to safety.  In Science classes, Mrs. Harpel and Mrs. Drerup helped answer the question “Why do we have to wear safety goggles in Science?” by conducting an experiment that demonstrated the effects exposure to acid would have on eyeballs. Acid was dropped on raw eggs to show the damage that can be caused if goggles aren’t worn. The teachers showed what would happen at 5 seconds and at 30 seconds, demonstrating the importance of getting to the eye wash station quickly. Science classes are continuing their safety experiments by learning how to light burners properly, measuring boiling liquid and diluting acids.
Career technical teachers throughout the building have safety issues that must be addressed in each individual lab. In Ag Diesel, Fischer demonstrated the proper use of all equipment including a fire extinguisher. In Carpentry, Robinson demonstrated the safe and correct operation of machinery in the lab including table saws, radial arm saw, jointer, circular saw and shapers and then requires students to pass a safety test with a 100 percent for each piece of equipment in the lab.
In Health Careers, Rohrs teaches her students the importance of gowns, gloves, masks and face shields during their initial discussion on blood borne pathogens.
Computer Networking Technology students learn how to balance their safety with the delicate state of computer equipment. Of course they’re reminded to always unplug computers they are working on, but they also wear an ESD wrist strap. The Electro Static Discharge (ESD) wrist strap grounds the students so they don’t get shocked. It also protects the computer equipment from receiving any static charge from the student. For additional safety, all of the computers under repair are also grounded by an ESD rubber mat.
In addition to learning the proper use of the equipment, Welding students wear helmets, eye protection, leather jackets and gloves for protection from heat and burns.  Wright and his senior welding class formed a safety committee. These members have the responsibility of making sure everyone in the lab is wearing proper safety gear and that all equipment is organized and stored in its proper location.
The beginning of the school year is a time to get ready to learn and at Vantage, that also means how to be safe in all of the career technical programs and academic classes.

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