Risk Assessment
Date of Assessment:
Assessed by:
Review date:
Role:
What is the task, activity, person or environment you are assessing?
Ceramics lesson preparation, lesson with pupils, and cleaning/ tidying up afterwards
What
hazards are
present or
may be
generated?
Who might be
harmed by the
hazards and
how?
What control measures/
precautions are in place to
eliminate or reduce the risk?
Silica dust
from dried
pottery
materials/
clay
Silica dust can
be harmful if
inhaled,
causing
damage to the
respiratory
system,
potentially
leading to
respiratory
disease. This
could apply to
anyone in the
vicinity
Air-borne dusts levels are kept
to a minimum by:
 After lessons, wet clay is
scraped from working
surfaces before it has time to
dry
 Surfaces are then wiped
down at the end of the lesson
 Floors are washed daily
 Dry materials are stored in
labelled sealed containers
 Heating systems in the art
rooms are not convector/
blower type heaters, reducing
the amount of airborne dust
 Cleaning staff are made
Is the
residual risk
acceptable?
Yes
No
No
If no to the previous
question, what additional
control measures/
precautions are needed to
manage the risk?
Additional control measures
implemented:
Containers of dry materials
are to be moved from art
classroom into cupboards in
locked art storeroom to
prevent unauthorised
access by pupils
DT
technician
Action by
whom?
Action
by
when
?
End of
next
week
Date
complete
What
hazards are
present or
may be
generated?
Who might be
harmed by the
hazards and
how?
What control measures/
precautions are in place to
eliminate or reduce the risk?
Yes

Clay – skin
contact
Wet clay
and glazes
on floor
Wet clay can
cause
dermatitis to
anyone
handling it
repeatedly.
Pupils are not
likely to be at
risk due to the
short times
they are
handling it, but
teachers/
technicians
could be.
Wet clay and
glazes would
create a slip
hazard to
anyone in the
vicinity if
dropped/
spilled on floor.
Is the
residual risk
acceptable?



aware of the need for wet
cleaning methods wherever
possible
Pupils wear aprons which are
washable/ wipe clean, and
made to wash hands before
leaving the classroom
Staff made aware of possible
signs of dermatitis e.g. red,
dry or cracked skin
Staff reduce the handling
time as much as possible
Staff wash hands regularly
and use moisturisers
 Pupils told to pick up any clay
they drop and inform an adult
 Floor is wiped immediately to
remove clay or glaze. Signs
used until the risk of slipping
is removed
Yes
Yes
No
If no to the previous
question, what additional
control measures/
precautions are needed to
manage the risk?
Additional control measures
implemented:
Action by
whom?
Action
by
when
?
Date
complete
What
hazards are
present or
may be
generated?
Who might be
harmed by the
hazards and
how?
What control measures/
precautions are in place to
eliminate or reduce the risk?
Kilns
Everyone who
is in the
building could
be at risk if a
fire started.
Anyone coming
in contact with
the kiln could
suffer burns.
Unauthorised
access by
pupils, could
potentially lead
to burns, fires,
etc
 The room is designed
appropriately so a clear
space of at least 45mm is
kept around the kiln to aide
ventilation, and there are air
bricks in the wall adjacent to
the kiln
 Combustible material is never
stored on or around the kiln,
even when it is not in use
 A carbon dioxide fire
extinguisher is kept by the
door of the kiln room
 Training is purchased from a
competent specialist kiln
company for staff that use
kiln. Only trained adults to
carry out firing process
 The kiln is regularly inspected
by a competent specialist
contractor (e.g. Celtic Kiln
Care)
 The electrical isolation switch
for the kiln is labelled and is
in a convenient position
 The kiln is in a separate
room, behind a locked door
 The door has a heat lock
fitted, so it cannot be opened
until the temperature
decreases to a safe level
after firing
Is the
residual risk
acceptable?
Yes
No
If no to the previous
question, what additional
control measures/
precautions are needed to
manage the risk?
Additional control measures
implemented:
Action by
whom?
Action
by
when
?
Date
complete
What
hazards are
present or
may be
generated?
Potter’s
wheel
Who might be
harmed by the
hazards and
how?
Trapping and
entanglement
hazards could
affect anyone
who uses the
wheel.
What control measures/
precautions are in place to
eliminate or reduce the risk?
Is the
residual risk
acceptable?
Yes
 If left to fire overnight, the
caretaker is informed
whenever this takes place.
He has emergency contact
details of the person trained
to use the kiln
 Operating instructions are on
display in the kiln room, and
include emergency
procedures
 Moving parts e.g. the belt and
pulley drives are completely
enclosed by guards, which
have a fail-safe on them to
prevent the wheel being
switched on whilst the guard
is not on
 Pupils are allowed to use the
wheel, but only with one-toone supervision levels. Long
hair is always tied back, and
ties taken off before using the
wheel
 The wheel is situated in a
corner of the classroom,
away from the paths through
the classroom with the
highest footfall
No
If no to the previous
question, what additional
control measures/
precautions are needed to
manage the risk?
Additional control measures
implemented:
Action by
whom?
Action
by
when
?
Date
complete
What
hazards are
present or
may be
generated?
Who might be
harmed by the
hazards and
how?
What control measures/
precautions are in place to
eliminate or reduce the risk?
Glazes
The materials
used in glazes
can be irritant,
harmful or even
toxic to anyone
by skin contact,
ingestion or
inhalation
 Materials for which a material
safety data sheet is not
available are not used
 Pupils and guardians are told
that pottery items are
decorative and not intended
to be used with food or drink
products
 Glazes are prepared by the
art technician only, by adding
the dry glaze material to
water, and not vice versa, to
reduce dust formation.
Gloves and an apron are
worn
 Adequate first aid and eye
wash facilities are available
 Only leadless (<1% lead)
glazes are used
 No one is allowed to eat or
drink in the art room
 Glazes kept in locked art
storeroom
 Dry cleaning methods are not
used and staff are aware of
the hazards
Is the
residual risk
acceptable?
Yes
No
If no to the previous
question, what additional
control measures/
precautions are needed to
manage the risk?
Additional control measures
implemented:
Action by
whom?
Action
by
when
?
Date
complete