Safety FIRST!

With the crate packed and shipped, Team 359 has officially hung up their tools and cameras to another six-week build season and have traded it for their next task: a one-way ticket to the 2011 FRC regional competitions. Safety FIRST is a way of life in the ohana that is the Hawaiian Kids, and it follows us all the way to the tournament. Before going to the venue and competing against your fellow teams, it is vital to follow the most important rule of being safe: Always wear your safety glasses and covered shoes. It is a requirement of all the regionals, and it is a simple safety rule to follow. At the competition, you will be surrounded by hundreds of people, both young and old, visiting and competing in the tournament, and they must be safe as well, so you must do everything that you can to ensure that they are just as safe as you are. The pits will especially be crowded, and with only a 10 ft. by 10 ft. work area given for each team, space is tight. Because of that, it is good to have a designated pit crew there at all times with the rest of the team staying clear of the space to prevent traffic jams in the pit and aisle. Most of the time, robots are shuttled around using a cart and thus the driver of the cart must be weary of their surroundings. Have a “spotter” clear the crowds when traveling to the field, asking people to make way for the robot. Yelling is not necessary- however, you must be loud enough to be heard by those immediately around the robot. Lastly, battery handling is crucial. Inappropriate handling of the batteries may result in a leakage of the battery acid. To prevent this, place batteries far from the edge of the table and make sure the cords attached to the chargers are out of the way. Should there be an accident, pour baking soda over the acid- baking soda being a neutralizer, it allows the acid to be swept up safely. You should still wear gloves when you clean it up, though. We can all do our part to be safe- as long as we are observant and are aware of the rules, everyone should have a safe build season. Stay classy, stay safe, and we will see you at the competition!