Apply: Identify Hazards and Demonstrate PPE in the Shop

Apply and Reflect

Field Activity: Shop Safety Walk and PPE Demonstration

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Identify Hazards and Demonstrate PPE in the Shop

Section 1: Overview

A safety walk isn’t a formality — it’s a skill. Experienced workers see hazards that new workers walk past every day. This week, your job is to slow down, look critically at your work environment, and document what you find. You’ll identify at least five specific safety risks in the shop and demonstrate proper PPE selection and use for at least three different tasks.

This Month’s Competency:

Month 1: OSHA and Electrical Safety in Sign Fabrication

Section 2: Apply – Skill Demonstration

Goal:

Complete a documented shop hazard identification walk and demonstrate correct PPE use for assigned fabrication tasks, as evaluated by your journeyman.

Identify at least five specific safety hazards present in the CN Signs shop environment
Classify each hazard using OSHA hazard categories covered in Week 2
Select and correctly don the appropriate PPE for at least three different fabrication or electrical tasks
Explain to your journeyman why each piece of PPE is required for the task and what hazard it mitigates

Assignment:

Conduct the Shop Safety Walk: Walk the entire CN Signs shop floor with your journeyman. Observe each work area — fabrication, electrical assembly, paint/coating, storage, and common areas. Look for physical, electrical, chemical, and ergonomic hazards.; Document at least five specific hazards on your assignment sheet. For each hazard, record: the location, the type of hazard (electrical, chemical, mechanical, etc.), the OSHA standard it relates to (if known), and what the correct corrective action or control is.
Demonstrate PPE Selection and Use: Your journeyman will assign you three tasks from your current shop work — for example, cutting sheet metal, applying vinyl with solvent cleaner, or routing a substrate. For each task, select the required PPE before starting, explain your selection out loud to your journeyman, and don the PPE correctly.; Your journeyman will observe and evaluate whether you selected the right PPE, wore it correctly, and could explain what hazard it protects against. Do not proceed with the task until your journeyman confirms your PPE is correct.
Complete and Submit Your Reflection: After the walk and PPE demonstration, complete the written reflection section of your assignment sheet. Answer these questions: What was the most surprising hazard you found? What PPE selection was the most difficult decision and why? What is one safety habit you will commit to going forward?; Take photos of your hazard findings (if permitted by your employer) and attach them to your submission. Submit your completed assignment sheet and reflection through this lesson before Week 4 begins.

Your Submission for this section:

Submit your completed Shop Safety Walk documentation sheet, your PPE demonstration log (signed by your journeyman), and your written reflection. Photos of identified hazards are encouraged if your employer permits.

Section 3: Evaluation Rubric

Criterion	Exceeds (4)	Meets (3)	Approaches (2)	Needs Support (1)
Hazard Identification	Identifies 7 or more specific hazards with accurate OSHA classification and specific corrective actions for each. Demonstrates independent observation beyond what journeyman prompted.	Identifies at least 5 specific hazards with correct hazard type classification and a reasonable corrective action identified for each.	Identifies 3–4 hazards but classifications are partially incorrect or corrective actions are vague or missing.	Identifies fewer than 3 hazards or cannot accurately classify hazard types without significant journeyman assistance.
PPE Selection	Independently selects correct PPE for all three tasks before being prompted, explains the specific hazard each item mitigates, and identifies any additional controls that should be in place.	Selects correct PPE for all three assigned tasks and can explain what hazard each item protects against when asked.	Selects correct PPE for 2 of 3 tasks or requires journeyman prompting to make the correct selection.	Unable to select correct PPE for most tasks without direct instruction or selects PPE that does not match the hazard.
PPE Donning and Use	Dons all PPE correctly and efficiently for all three tasks with no errors. Adjusts fit appropriately and verifies readiness before beginning work.	Dons PPE correctly for all three tasks with minimal or no prompting. PPE is worn properly throughout the demonstration.	Dons PPE with minor errors on 1–2 tasks (e.g., improper fit, missing adjustment) that required journeyman correction.	Dons PPE incorrectly on multiple tasks or requires repeated correction to wear PPE as intended.
Written Reflection	Reflection demonstrates genuine critical thinking. Apprentice identifies a non-obvious insight, connects the activity to a specific OSHA standard from Week 2, and commits to a specific, measurable safety habit.	Reflection answers all three required questions with clear, complete responses. Shows understanding of why safety practices matter in context.	Reflection answers questions but responses are brief, surface-level, or do not clearly connect to the shop walk experience.	Reflection is incomplete, missing one or more required questions, or responses show minimal engagement with the activity.

Section 4: Upload & Documentation Protocol

Save your completed assignment as a PDF or image file
Name the file: [LastName_FirstName_Month#_Week3]
Upload the file using the submission button on this page
Your instructor will review and score using the rubric above