Safety Certification
How to get certified to use equipment safely

Get Certified
How to get certified to use the Makerspace Equipment.
Introduction
The Rockville Makerspace and Tool Library currently offers one certification in Woodshop Safety, which is required for anyone before they use the tools in the Woodshop.
The certification process is still under active development and subject to change.
Future certification tracks are planned for wood turning and metal work.
General Format:
The steps to get certified include:
Home study of required documents and videos
Submit an open-book quiz, with 100% score to makerspace@rockvillesciencecenter.org with the Subject "Safety Certification Quiz".
Schedule an in-person check via email. The in-person check consists of
A multiple choice exam (closed book). Must get 100% correct
After passing the exam, doing an In-Person Skills Check with a Makerspace instructor
Current Certifications Offered:
Woodshop Safety -- Certifies user in the safe operation of the Band Saw, Drill Press, Disc/Belt Sander, and Scroll Saw with Wood. 
(Proposal only) New Equipment Certification -- Certify to use equipment which we don't have a procedure for yet.
Safety Certification Policies
There is no time limit on the multiple choice exam.
Reasonable test taking accommodations can be discussed ahead of time with the safety instructor.
Members will get the chance to retake the Multiple Choice certification exam or in-person skills check after learning what they got wrong and what to go back and study. The retake must be scheduled for at least one week later, and with a different instructor.
After a second attempt at the certification exam, in order to ensure a deep knowledge of safety policies, further attempts of the exam are allowed only after a cooling-off period of at least one month, and proof positive of further study, including taking classes, shadowing certified users, or other actions at the instructor's discretion.   
Woodshop Safety Certification:
THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION: All of the links should work now -- please contact Patrick on Slack if you find anything that needs to be improved.
INFO NEEDED: Estimated Time to Complete. If you'd like to help, edit this page with a rough estimate of how long it took you to read the documents, watch the videos, and complete the quizzes.
TBD
 
^ Your time here
We will edit this page with a time range once we have some data points.
 
To become certified in the use of the Band Saw, Drill Press, Belt/Disk Sander, and Scroll Saw for use with wood, please complete the following:
Home study
Read these required documents and watch these required videos.
General Shop Safety Self-Study
General Shop Safety Video
Woodshop Rules Document
Facility Safety Plan Document
Drill Press Self-Study
Drill Press Safety Video
Drill Press Manual Document
Bandsaw Self-Study
Bandsaw Safety Video
Bandsaw Manual Document
Disc/Belt Sander Self-Study
Disc/Belt Sander Safety Video
Disc/Belt Sander Manual Document
Scroll Saw Self-Study
Scroll Saw Safety Video
Scroll Saw Manual Document
Self-Study Quizzes
Complete the Self-Study Quiz on each topic, making sure that every answer is complete and correct. You can choose to either complete them while watching the videos and reading the manuals, or after reading and watching, whichever method will better help you learn the material.
Note: During the pilot program, these quizzes require a Google account as a shortcut to facilitate editing a copy. The full version of the program will use fillable PDF forms instead for improved compatibility. Please visit the Volunteer page if you would like to help with this conversion!
General Shop Safety Quiz
Drill Press Safety Quiz
Bandsaw Safety Quiz
Disc/Belt Sander Quiz
Scroll Saw Safety Quiz
Submit the quizzes to makerspace@rockvillesciencecenter.org with the Subject "Safety Certification Quiz".
We will email back with your quiz result, and pending 100% correct completion of the quiz, we'll schedule an in-person check with an instructor. This check consists of:
A multiple choice exam (closed book). Must get 100% correct to continue.
An In-Person Skills Check on the equipment with a Makerspace instructor.
New Equipment Certification (proposal):
If you would like to use a different piece of equipment besides what we offer here, here is our temporary proceedure:
If you have not already, complete the Woodshop Safety Certification above.
Email makerspace@rockvillesciencecenter.org with the subject, "New Equipment Certification" and email body containing:
The make and model of the equipment you'd like to use at the makerspace which is requires safety certification, and tool library inventory number if it exists.
The user manual of this make and model (can be attached as a file or linked)
A video, which you have watched, demonstrating safe operation of that type of equipment (can be attached as a file or linked)
Five or more open ended "quiz questions" and their answers, on the subject of safety guidelines for the equipment. The questions should be answerable by reading the manual and/or watching the video.
We will respond to your email with follow up instructions, including an in-person check with this equipment.
This proposal needs to be confirmed by the Makerspace Manager before it can be used. Check back to see if this has occurred.

Volunteer Projects and Tasks
What you can do to help out with certification and safety
Introduction
Thanks for your interest in helping the Makerspace Community!
Volunteer Projects require some independent work and problem solving, and taking ownership of the solution and seeing it through, but you have the full resources of other volunteers and staff to help you.
Volunteer Tasks can be done by anyone, more than once, and help build the capacity of the Makerspace and strengthen the community. If you would like help to get started, please email makerspace@rockvillesciencecenter.org or talk to Patrick in person at the Makerspace.
Please add your name if you'd like to take on a project, and strike through when you are finished. Thank you for helping the makerspace community!
Volunteer Projects
Add Subtitles to Safety Training Videos (they sometimes automatically generate on the google drive version, might not be necessary) -- Your name here :)
Improve safety signage -- Your name here :)
Help add other certification tracks to our program -- Your name here :)
Improve the facility diagram on the Facility Safety Plan Document
Improved bases for desktop power tools
^ Your Project Idea Here -- Your name here :)
Standing Volunteer Tasks to help with:
Get certified in Woodshop Safety if you aren't already
Volunteer to shadow an in-person check for someone else's certification
Help fabricate and organize scrap wood pieces for people to certify on
^ Your Task Idea Here