The start of Term 2 is one of the busiest transition periods for TAS coordinators. New classes, new student groups, and often the first time junior students are using workshop machinery. Running a pre-term audit of your TAS room is not just good practice - in many schools it is a mandatory WHS requirement.
Here is the checklist you should be working through right now:
Safety Equipment Check
Start with the non-negotiable safety infrastructure. Confirm that all first aid kits are stocked to the workshop-specific standard, which requires additional items beyond a standard first aid kit including eye wash stations, burn treatment materials, and appropriate wound dressings for laceration injuries.
Check that fire extinguishers are within their current service date and positioned correctly relative to machinery and chemical storage. Verify that all emergency exit signage is visible, unobstructed, and illuminated if required. If your room has a safety shower or eye wash station, test that it is operational.
Top up with any extras you need from our safety and medical range.
Tool Audit
Before students return, complete a full tool audit against your workshop's master inventory. Every tool should be accounted for, checked for damage or wear, and confirmed to be in safe working condition. Bladed tools should be inspected for chipped or damaged cutting edges. Handles should be free from cracks or splinters. Any tool that is not in safe condition should be tagged out of service before the first lesson.
Tools that were borrowed, loaned, or used in an end-of-year project and not yet returned should be tracked down during the holiday period, not on the first day of term.
How did they look? Anything need replacing? Fill the gap.
Storage Check
Test every lockable cabinet in the room to confirm the locking mechanism is functioning correctly. A cabinet with a faulty lock is not a lockable cabinet under WHS requirements, regardless of its physical construction. Check that chemical storage areas are compliant with the substances currently being stored and that the SDS register is current.
Review the organisation of tool storage boards and cabinets. Tools that migrated to the wrong location during Term 1 should be returned to their designated positions. Replace any damaged holders, clips, or hooks that are no longer securing tools reliably.
Make sure accessibility is how it should be, especially with the chemical storage.
Dust Extraction and Ventilation
Clean or replace filters in all dust extraction units before the first session. Check ducting connections at each machine for leaks, blockages, or disconnections that may have occurred during end-of-term cleaning. Run the system and confirm adequate suction at each machine outlet before students arrive.
If your room relies on natural ventilation, confirm that all vents and openings are clear and functional. Ventilation that was adequate during cooler months may need supplementing in warmer weather when windows and doors may need to remain closed for noise management.
Bench and Vice Inspection
Inspect each workbench for surface damage, instability, or damage to the frame. Benches that wobble need to be assessed before students use them. Check vice mechanisms on all benches and lubricate as required. Replace any vice jaws that are damaged, misaligned, or showing significant wear.
Check all bench-mounted equipment including drill press tables, grinder rests, and tool rests for correct alignment and secure mounting.
Time to update for a sturdier, durable bench, that will last.
Student Induction Refresher
The first lesson of Term 2 should include a safety induction refresher for all students, regardless of their experience. Cover tool handling and storage procedures, emergency procedures, PPE requirements for the session, and any changes to the room layout or equipment since Term 1.
For Year 7 students encountering the workshop for the first time, this induction is a foundational lesson, not an administrative overhead. The time invested here pays dividends in safety and tool care for the rest of the year.
And round it off by running through the government's own workplace inspection checklist. Make sure you’re covering all possibilities for such a high risk environment.
Contact Noxx before term starts to fast-track any urgent storage or bench replacements. Call 1300 066 990 or visit noxxindustries.com.au.