Occupational safety and health — Tools and materials

Occupational safety and health — Tools and materials is the tools-and-materials module of Occupational safety and health for vocational learners in blacksmithing, artist blacksmithing and artistic metalwork. You will learn to recognise hazards created by tools, machinery, stock, coatings and workshop processes; choose controls in the correct order; check tools and materials before use; and judge whether a work setup is ready for competent, supervised production.

Accessible image note: The photograph shows a blacksmith striking heated bar on an anvil. Use it to identify the hot workpiece, hammer, anvil, scale and spark zone. A photograph is not evidence that every control required in your workplace is present.

Course metadata	Details
Module	Tools and materials
Parent course	Occupational safety and health
Learners	Vocational learners in blacksmithing and artistic metalwork
Selected jurisdiction	United Kingdom
Legal scope used here	Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has separate health-and-safety arrangements and is outside the legal scope of this module.
Vocational pathway example	England only
Language	English
Review date	1 September 2026
OER status	Original learning text and activities are intended for reuse under CC BY-SA 4.0. Embedded media retain the licences stated on their source pages.
Review status	Ready for review by a competent blacksmithing or metalwork educator and a Great Britain occupational-safety specialist

Safety boundary: This course supports learning; it does not authorise you to light a forge, operate a power hammer, grinder, press, welding set, gas system or other hazardous equipment. Practical work involving heat, flame, rotating machinery, pressure, hazardous substances, lifting or powered equipment must take place only where you are authorised, trained and supervised under the workplace or training provider's risk assessment and safe system of work.

Precedence: Current legislation, HSE guidance, applicable product and British Standards information, the employer's risk assessment, manufacturer instructions, local safe systems of work, emergency arrangements and the instructions of a competent supervisor take precedence over this learning resource.

Introduction

Blacksmithing combines high temperatures, impact, sharp and heavy stock, hand tools, powered machinery, noise, vibration, fumes, dusts and sometimes flammable gases. Artistic metalwork can add welding, grinding, drilling, polishing, finishing chemicals and complex manual handling. Good craft practice therefore depends on more than wearing PPE: it starts with known materials, suitable equipment, competent people, effective engineering controls and disciplined workshop organisation.

A practical way to think about the workshop is:

Known material
     ↓
Suitable tool and workholding
     ↓
Competent, authorised operator
     ↓
Controlled process and environment
     ↓
Inspection and quality check
     ↓
Safe, traceable finished work

If one link is uncertain, stop and resolve the uncertainty before work continues.

Video use: The HSE story introduces the role of the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain. Use it as regulatory context, not as task-specific permission to operate equipment.

Jurisdiction, Authority and Precedence

United Kingdom selected. For legal claims in this module, the detailed occupational-safety framework is explicitly limited to Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales, where the Health and Safety Executive provides national guidance and regulation alongside local-authority enforcement in relevant sectors. Northern Ireland is not covered by these GB legal statements; it has separate arrangements through the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland.

UK terminology note: The requested course title uses the international phrase “occupational safety and health”. In Great Britain, practitioners, vocational providers and the regulator more commonly use health and safety, and that wording is used when referring to legislation and HSE guidance.

England vocational pathway example. The training-pathway examples later in the course use England's apprenticeship and qualification information. They are not presented as UK-wide qualification equivalence.

No automatic equivalence. This module does not claim that a qualification, competence card, PPE certification, standard, safety duty or job title from another country is automatically equivalent in Great Britain or England. Where cross-border recognition matters, check the competent authority, awarding organisation, employer and current standards requirements for the place where the work is carried out.

Learner duty in practice. Follow the safe system of work, use controls correctly, co-operate with instruction and supervision, report defects and unsafe conditions, and do not use equipment for which you have not been trained and authorised.

Great Britain Legal Framework

This is a learning summary, not legal advice. Always check current legislation and HSE guidance for the actual workplace.

Great Britain framework	Relevance to tools and materials
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974	Employers have broad duties to protect employees and others, so far as is reasonably practicable. Employees must take reasonable care of themselves and others affected by their work and co-operate so legal duties can be met.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999	Risk assessment and management arrangements underpin safe systems of work, training, supervision and control of workshop risks.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998	Applies broadly to work equipment. Equipment must be suitable, maintained, inspected where necessary and used by people with adequate information, instruction and training, with appropriate safeguarding and isolation.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002	Relevant to process-generated dust and fume as well as paints, degreasers, metalworking fluids and other hazardous substances.
Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005	Requires assessment and control of harmful noise exposure, with defined action and limit values.
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 as amended	PPE must be selected from the risk assessment, be suitable and compatible, maintained and supported by information, instruction and training.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992	Requires hazardous manual handling to be avoided where reasonably practicable, assessed when it cannot be avoided and reduced so far as reasonably practicable.
Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002	Relevant to fire and explosion risks from LPG, flammable liquids, gases, combustible dusts and other dangerous substances.

HSE: Managing risks and risk assessment

HSE: PUWER overview

HSE: COSHH

HSE: Noise at work

HSE: Personal protective equipment

HSE: Manual handling at work

HSE: DSEAR

Where learners are under 18, the employer or training setting must also take account of young people's possible lack of experience, awareness or maturity. HSE advises clear and sufficient instruction, training and supervision, with supervision proportionate to the risk.

HSE: Young people at work

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, you should be able to explain the difference between a hazard and a risk; apply the hierarchy of control to forge and metalwork scenarios; identify common hand tools, workholding devices, machines and stock forms; distinguish known stock from uncertain or contaminated material; carry out a supervised pre-use readiness check; identify when PUWER, COSHH, noise, manual-handling, PPE or DSEAR controls may be relevant; explain why extraction, guarding and safe systems come before reliance on PPE alone; recognise defects that require a stop-and-report response; connect safety controls with workmanship and sustainability; and document decisions in a form suitable for workplace or college review.

Core Concepts

Concept	Meaning in a forge or metalwork workshop	Example
Hazard	Something with the potential to cause harm.	An unguarded rotating wheel, hot stock, welding fume or unstable long bar.
Risk	The combination of how likely harm is and how serious it could be.	The chance and consequence of a hand contacting a moving abrasive wheel during a poorly controlled task.
Control measure	A measure that removes a hazard or reduces exposure to it.	Substituting a lower-fume process, fitting LEV, guarding a machine or establishing an exclusion zone.
Competence	The combination of knowledge, training, skill and experience needed to carry out a task safely.	A learner may understand a power hammer in theory but still require supervised practical training before use.
Safe system of work	A defined method for carrying out a task while controlling identified risks.	A workshop procedure covering inspection, authorised use, isolation, housekeeping and emergency response.
Residual risk	Risk that remains after higher-order controls are applied.	Eye exposure from occasional particles after enclosure and extraction may still require suitable eye protection.

Hierarchy of Control

Use controls in an order that favours eliminating or physically controlling danger before relying on individual behaviour or PPE.

Priority	Control level	Blacksmithing or metalwork example
Highest	Eliminate	Do not heat unknown coated scrap; use verified clean stock instead.
High	Substitute	Select a process or product that generates less hazardous fume, dust or vapour where technically suitable.
High	Engineering control	Guard dangerous moving parts, enclose a process, use LEV, secure stock or mechanise handling.
Supporting	Administrative control	Authorisation, training, supervision, inspection schedules, signage, exclusion zones and a safe system of work.
Final layer	PPE and RPE	Suitable eye, face, hearing, hand, foot, body or respiratory protection for residual risk after other controls.

Key point: PPE is important but should not be treated as the first or only solution when a higher-order control can reduce the risk at source.

Tools for Blacksmithing and Artistic Metalwork

Tool choice affects both safety and quality. A hammer that is loose on its handle, tongs that do not match the stock, a damaged abrasive wheel or an unstable work rest can turn a familiar process into a serious risk.

Hand Forging Tools

Accessible image note: The photograph shows a blacksmith's hammer. In a pre-use check, examine the striking faces, edges, head security and handle condition. A damaged or loose tool is removed from service and reported rather than improvised into continued use.

Tool	Practitioner use	Pre-use considerations
Anvil	Supports forging, cutting, bending and forming operations.	Stable base, sound working surfaces, clear space around horn and hardy hole, no loose obstruction.
Hand hammer	Delivers controlled blows for drawing, upsetting, setting down and planishing.	Secure head, sound handle, appropriate mass and face geometry, no dangerous mushrooming or cracking.
Tongs	Hold and control hot stock.	Jaw shape and reins suit the stock; secure grip is confirmed on cold stock before heating.
Leg vice	Holds work for bending, twisting or controlled striking.	Secure mounting, sound screw and jaws, suitable work position, no improvised extension unless authorised by procedure.
Hardy tool	Anvil-mounted bottom tool used for operations such as cutting or forming.	Correct shank fit, correct orientation, controlled striking method and clear hand position.
Punch and drift	Produces or sizes holes in hot material.	Sound striking end, correct section, suitable tongs or workholding and planned cooling or lubrication procedure where specified.
Fuller and set hammer	Localise or refine forged transitions and shoulders.	Correct tool selection, sound striking surfaces and clear communication when used by more than one person.
Swage and swage block	Forms repeatable curves, rounds or sections.	Stable support, correct cavity or profile and adequate clearance for the workpiece and striking tool.

Accessible image note: A swage block contains multiple shaped openings and recesses. The correct feature must be selected for the workpiece, and the block must be supported securely before work starts.

Measuring, Marking and Workholding

Accurate measurement reduces rework and unnecessary heating. Typical tools include steel rules, squares, callipers, dividers, scribers, centre punches, templates, jigs and stops. Before use, check that measuring faces are clean, the tool is appropriate for hot or cold use, and the workpiece is stable. Never place a precision measuring tool on hot stock unless it is specifically designed and the method permits it.

Jigs and fixtures can improve repeatability and reduce awkward hand positions, but they become work equipment when used at work and must themselves be suitable, stable and maintained.

Powered and Fixed Equipment

Accessible image note: This photograph shows a power hammer in a smithy. Treat it as an example of the machine category, not as a model safe setup. Powered forging machinery requires task-specific risk assessment, safeguarding, training, maintenance, authorised use and suitable emergency and isolation arrangements.

Equipment	Typical purpose	Main control questions before authorised use
Power hammer	Repeated powered blows for drawing, forming and tooling.	Are guards and controls effective, the dies secure, the workholding method suitable, the operating zone controlled, and the operator trained?
Press or fly press	Controlled forming, punching or setting operations.	Are dangerous parts safeguarded, tooling secure, controls suitable and access to the danger zone prevented or controlled?
Bandsaw or cold saw	Cuts bar and section to length.	Is the blade or cutting zone guarded as far as practicable, stock supported, vice or clamp effective and operator trained?
Pedestal drill	Drills holes in cold work.	Is the work mechanically secured, rotating parts guarded as required, correct speed and tool selected, and loose clothing or hair controlled?
Angle grinder	Cutting, grinding or surface preparation with the correct accessory.	Is the accessory compatible and within rated speed, guard fitted and positioned, side handle used where required, workpiece secured and sparks directed safely?
Bench grinder or linisher	Tool dressing and controlled abrasive finishing.	Are wheel or belt, guards, work rests and extraction in serviceable condition and correctly adjusted under the manufacturer's instructions?
Welding equipment	Joins or builds metal assemblies.	Are fume, radiation, electrical, fire and gas risks controlled, with suitable LEV or RPE as required and competent supervision?
LEV system	Captures dust or fume near its source.	Is the hood in the capture zone, airflow effective, system maintained and statutory examination in date where required?

Accessible image note: The image shows a bench grinder. Use it to discuss wheel guarding, work-rest position, eye and face protection, spark direction and local extraction. Do not infer safe adjustment distances from a photograph; use the manufacturer's instructions and your workplace procedure.

Accessible image note: The photograph shows angle grinding of steel. Identify the rotating accessory, possible fragment trajectory, spark path, airborne dust, noise and workholding issues. The task requires a suitable disc, guard, secure workpiece, controlled surroundings and task-specific PPE determined by risk assessment.

PUWER: Great Britain Work-Equipment Baseline

Under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, work equipment must be suitable for its intended use, safe and maintained, inspected where necessary, and used by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training. Suitable safeguards may include guards, emergency stops, isolation from energy sources, markings and warning devices. This applies broadly to machinery, appliances, tools and installations used at work.

For vocational learners, the practical rule is simple: do not defeat a guard, improvise an unsafe modification, bypass an interlock or carry out maintenance beyond your authorisation. Stop, isolate only if your training and procedure require and permit it, and report the defect to the responsible person.

HSE: PUWER overview

Materials

Material identification is a safety control and a quality control. Forging behaviour, hardenability, fume generation, fire risk, finish compatibility and weldability depend on material composition and surface condition.

Accessible image note: The image shows assorted metal bar stock. In a teaching workshop, stock should be stored so its grade, section, condition and intended use can be identified without guesswork.

Common Stock Forms and Material Families

Material or form	Typical relevance	Safety and quality note
Low-carbon steel	Common training and decorative forging material because it is generally forgeable and weldable with appropriate procedures.	Use stock with known specification and condition; do not assume all mild-looking steel is the same grade.
Medium- and high-carbon steels	Useful where strength, wear resistance or heat treatment is required.	Grade-specific forging and heat-treatment knowledge is essential; incorrect cooling can create cracking or unexpected hardness.
Tool steels	Used for punches, chisels and specialist tooling when the grade and heat treatment are controlled.	Unknown tool steel should not be heat treated by guesswork; follow material data and competent instruction.
Wrought iron or heritage ferrous material	May be used in conservation and specialist artistic work.	Confirm provenance and condition; conservation work may require heritage-specific methods and documentation.
Stainless and other alloy steels	Used for corrosion resistance or design requirements.	Alloy composition affects hot-working range, fumes, abrasives and welding controls; use process-specific data.
Copper, brass and bronze	Used in decorative metalwork, fittings and non-ferrous details.	Heating and joining can create metal-specific fume risks; verify alloy, coatings and process controls first.
Round, square and flat bar	Core forge stock forms.	Store securely and support long lengths so they cannot roll, spring or obstruct routes.
Plate, sheet, tube and section	Common in fabricated artistic metalwork.	Control sharp edges, unstable stacking, lifting and cutting hazards.

Known Stock Versus Unknown Scrap

Known stock has enough reliable information to make a justified process decision: grade or specification where relevant, source, surface condition, coating status, contamination status and intended use. A colour, spark pattern or magnet test may support identification in a controlled teaching exercise, but it is not a substitute for traceability when composition matters.

Do not place unknown, painted, plated, galvanised, oily, solvent-contaminated or otherwise suspect metal into a forge simply to see what happens. Heating coatings and contaminants can generate hazardous fumes or fire risk. If identity or surface treatment is uncertain, quarantine the item and ask a competent supervisor to determine the correct route using procurement records, labels, safety data, testing or disposal procedures.

Stock Storage and Handling

Long and heavy stock can roll, fall, spring, trap hands or create trip hazards. HSE guidance on steel stock highlights risks from loading and unloading, storage systems, workplace transport, mechanical lifting and sharp edges. Apply the manual-handling hierarchy: avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, assess operations that cannot be avoided, and reduce risk with layout changes, mechanical aids, smaller loads or other suitable measures.

HSE: Safety in the storage and handling of steel and other metal stock

HSE: Manual handling at work

Health Hazards from Materials and Processes

COSHH: Dust, Fume, Mist and Chemicals

In engineering work, substances hazardous to health can include dust from mechanical cutting and shaping, welding and cutting fume, metalworking-fluid mist, lubricants, paints, degreasers and stripping products. A COSHH assessment must consider not only purchased products and their safety data sheets but also substances created by the process, such as grinding dust or welding fume.

Use the hierarchy: prevent or reduce generation where possible, capture contaminants with suitable engineering control such as LEV, maintain those controls, then use correctly selected RPE when needed for residual exposure.

HSE: COSHH and engineering workers

Video use: This LEV demonstration shows the idea of a capture zone. In a real workshop, the correct hood position, airflow and examination requirements come from the system design, commissioning information, COSHH assessment and competent instruction.

Video use: Use this HSE-associated demonstration to discuss how capture effectiveness falls as the source moves away from the hood. Do not improvise LEV modifications without competent assessment.

Video use: Table extraction can be useful for suitable processes when correctly designed and used. The task must remain within the effective capture zone.

Welding Fume

HSE states that all welding fume can cause lung cancer and requires exposure to be controlled. For indoor welding, suitable LEV is a principal source-control measure. If LEV alone does not achieve adequate control, or LEV is not reasonably practicable for the task, suitable RPE is required. Outdoors, HSE advises suitable RPE because LEV is not effective in the same way. Welding also requires controls for radiation, electrical, fire and gas hazards.

HSE: Welding fume — protect your workers

Video use: Compare a capture hood with greater enclosure. The learning point is the control principle: containing or enclosing a contaminant source can improve capture when the task allows it.

Respiratory Protective Equipment and Inclusion

Tight-fitting RPE must fit the individual wearer and requires face-fit testing. Facial hair in the sealing area prevents a reliable seal. HSE notes that alternative forms of RPE that do not rely on a tight face seal are available where there are good reasons for facial hair, including religious reasons. Any alternative still has to be suitable for the hazard and selected through the risk assessment.

Inclusive practice also means providing PPE in sizes and designs that fit the person, adapting instruction for communication or access needs, and making reasonable adjustments without removing essential safeguards.

HSE: RPE fit testing basics

Physical and Mechanical Hazards

Abrasive Wheels and Grinding

Abrasive wheels and discs can fail violently if the wrong product is selected, damaged, over-speeded or mounted incorrectly. Grinding also creates particles, sparks, dust, noise and vibration. HSE guidance HSG17 covers wheel characteristics, training, mounting, guards, handheld grinders and PPE.

For learners, the safe rule is: use only the machine and abrasive product specified by your training provider or workplace; check compatibility and maximum speed; inspect for damage according to the manufacturer and local procedure; keep required guards in position; secure the work; direct sparks away from people, flammables and gas equipment; and stop if vibration, noise or wheel behaviour changes unexpectedly.

HSE: Safety in the use of abrasive wheels

Video use: This extraction demonstration supports discussion of source capture during sanding or abrasive work. Use the principle only within a properly designed workplace control system.

Noise

Hammering, power hammers, grinders, linishers, saws and compressed-air systems can create significant noise. Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 in Great Britain, the lower exposure action value is 80 dB(A) daily or weekly exposure and the upper action value is 85 dB(A). The exposure limit value is 87 dB(A), taking account of hearing protection. Peak action and limit values also apply.

Do not use hearing protection as a reason to ignore quieter methods, maintenance, enclosure, damping, distance or exposure-time controls. Hearing protection must be suitable and compatible with communication and other PPE.

HSE: Noise Regulations

Vibration, Ergonomics and Repetition

Repeated hammering and powered hand-tool use can contribute to hand-arm vibration exposure, fatigue and upper-limb strain. Tool mass, handle size, grip, posture, work height, striking technique, material temperature and production rate affect effort. Choose the smallest suitable tool, maintain it, arrange the work at a sensible height, avoid unnecessary force, and follow workplace controls for exposure time and health surveillance where applicable.

A skilled blacksmith does not prove competence by using the heaviest hammer. Quality comes from controlled energy, accurate tool placement, appropriate heat and repeatable technique.

Entanglement and Moving Machinery

Rotating drills, linishers, lathes and other machinery can catch gloves, jewellery, loose clothing and hair. A glove that protects against a sharp edge may create a different risk near a rotating part. Therefore glove selection is task-specific: never assume that wearing gloves is automatically safer around all machinery.

Secure hair and loose clothing, remove or control jewellery according to workplace rules, use mechanical workholding, keep guards in place and follow the machine-specific safe system.

Authentic Great Britain enforcement example: In February 2026, HSE reported that Somers Forge Limited was fined after a fatal lathe entanglement. HSE found failures including allowing handheld emery cloth on a rotating component, access to dangerous moving parts, PPE that could create entanglement risk, and the absence of a suitable risk assessment and safe operating procedure. The learning point is not to copy a familiar workshop shortcut: rotating machinery needs a task-specific method that prevents access to the danger zone.

HSE: Forging company fined over fatal lathe entanglement

Fire, Gas and Hot-Metal Controls

Hot stock can look deceptively similar to cold stock after visible colour has faded. Workplaces should use a clear hot-metal system, such as a designated rack or marked hot zone, agreed verbal warnings and suitable tongs. Never leave hot work where another person may handle it unknowingly.

For LPG, fuel gas, solvents, paints and combustible dusts, the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 may apply in Great Britain. Employers must identify dangerous substances, assess risks, eliminate or control those risks, control ignition sources and prepare suitable emergency arrangements.

Gas systems require competent installation, maintenance and workplace procedures. Learners must not improvise regulators, hoses, cylinder connections, burners, forge controls or leak tests.

HSE: DSEAR

HSE: Gas safety for employers

PPE and Relevant British Standards

In Great Britain, PPE is selected from the risk assessment after higher-order controls have been considered. It must be fit for purpose, maintained and stored properly, used correctly, and supported by information, instruction and training.

Examples of current British Standards checked for this module are shown below. These examples do not by themselves prove that a product is suitable for a particular blacksmithing task. Check the current standard, product marking and manufacturer information at the time of procurement or assessment.

Example standard	Area	Status checked 1 September 2026	Practical note
BS EN ISO 20345:2022+A1:2024	Safety footwear	BSI lists the edition as current.	Select footwear for the assessed mechanical, thermal, slip and other risks; a generic toe-cap claim is not enough.
BS EN ISO 16321-1:2022+A1:2025	Occupational eye and face protection	BSI lists the edition as current.	Match impact, optical radiation, heat, molten metal, dust or splash protection to the actual task.
BS EN 388:2016+A1:2018	Protective gloves against mechanical risks	BSI lists the release as current and under review.	Match abrasion, cut, tear, puncture and impact performance to the task, but consider entanglement risk near rotating machinery.
BS EN 407:2020	Gloves and other hand protection against thermal risks	BSI lists this as the current release.	Thermal performance must match the exposure; gloves do not replace correct tongs, workholding or hot-metal control.

HSE: PPE overview

BSI: BS EN ISO 20345

BSI: BS EN ISO 16321-1

BSI: BS EN 388

BSI: BS EN 407

Vocational Training Context

England only. Skills England lists the Blacksmith apprenticeship standard ST0378 version 1.1 as approved for delivery at Level 3, with a typical duration of 48 months. The standard includes hand forging tools, powered equipment, welding and extraction, together with health-and-safety knowledge such as risk assessment, COSHH, PPE, noise, fumes, manual handling, health surveillance and safe systems.

City & Guilds lists the Level 2 Certificate in Forgework 8485-02, with current assessment and centre materials on its qualification page. Qualification availability, registration dates, centre approval and funding can change, so always verify directly with the awarding organisation and training provider.

Skills England: Blacksmith ST0378 version 1.1

City & Guilds: Forgework 8485

No automatic equivalence: An England apprenticeship or qualification should not be described as automatically equivalent to a pathway in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or another country without an explicit decision from the relevant competent body.

Supervised Demonstration: Tool-and-Material Readiness Check

This demonstration deliberately stops before hazardous operation. It teaches the decision process a learner should complete with a competent supervisor before a basic hand-forging station is authorised for use.

Step	Learner action	Supervisor or quality checkpoint
Confirm authorisation	Read the task brief, drawing, risk assessment and local safe system of work. State which operations you are authorised to perform.	The supervisor confirms scope, supervision level and stop conditions.
Identify the stock	Read the stock label or traceability record and examine surface condition while cold.	Material grade or specification, section and coating status are sufficiently known for the planned process.
Reject uncertainty	Segregate any unknown, coated, contaminated or damaged stock for supervisor review.	No suspect material enters the heating process by guesswork.
Inspect the hammer	Check head security, faces, edges and handle condition without striking.	No looseness, cracking, severe mushrooming or other defect that requires removal from service.
Cold-fit the tongs	Select tongs that hold the cold stock securely and allow controlled orientation.	Jaws fit the section and the learner can maintain control without an unsafe grip.
Check the anvil and work area	Confirm the anvil is stable and the floor, routes and striking zone are clear.	Hot-metal route, quench location if used by procedure, exclusion zone and emergency access are clear.
Verify environmental controls	Identify the ventilation or LEV, fire controls, fuel or gas controls and emergency arrangements relevant to the station.	The supervisor confirms that required systems are in service. The learner does not adjust unfamiliar gas or extraction equipment.
Check PPE compatibility	Put on only the PPE specified by the assessment and confirm fit, visibility, hearing and movement are not compromised.	PPE fits the individual and does not create a new entanglement or communication hazard.
Rehearse the movement cold	With the forge not in use for the rehearsal, practise the intended movement from stock position to anvil and safe hot-metal location.	The supervisor checks body position, clearances, communication and workholding before authorising the live task.
Obtain start permission	State the stop conditions: damaged tool, uncertain material, failed control, lost workholding, unsafe person in the zone or instruction not understood.	Only the competent supervisor authorises progression to hazardous operation under the workplace procedure.

Quality standard for the readiness check: the right material is positively identified; tools are suitable and serviceable; workholding is secure; the workstation is stable and clear; higher-order controls are available and functioning; PPE is task-specific and correctly fitted; and the learner can explain when to stop.

Process Observation: Forging Tongs

This practitioner video by Torbjörn Åhman shows the craft sequence used to forge a pair of fireplace tongs. It is included for process observation only. It is not UK legal guidance and it must not be copied as an unsupervised operating exercise. Compare what you see with your own workplace risk assessment, tool condition, guarding, ventilation, PPE, supervision and hot-metal controls.

Observation prompts: identify where tool choice changes; note how stock is held; identify moments when hot metal could be mistaken for cold; note when measurement or alignment checks occur; and distinguish craft technique from safety controls that may be outside the camera frame.

Common Errors and Corrective Responses

Common error	Why it matters	Corrective response
Using unknown scrap because it appears to be ordinary steel	Composition, coatings or contamination may be unknown.	Quarantine, identify and approve the material before heating, cutting or welding.
Choosing tongs by appearance rather than stock fit	Poor grip can lead to dropped or rotating hot work.	Cold-fit the tongs to the actual section and ask for the correct tool.
Continuing with a loose hammer head	The head can move or detach during striking.	Remove the tool from use, label or report it and obtain a serviceable tool.
Treating PPE as the main fume control	RPE does not remove contamination from the workplace and may be less reliable than source control.	Prevent or reduce generation, use suitable LEV, then add suitable RPE where needed.
Moving an LEV hood far from the source for convenience	Capture effectiveness can fall sharply with distance and cross-draughts.	Position the hood within its designed capture zone according to training and system instructions.
Grinding with a disc whose type or speed rating is not verified	Accessory failure can eject high-energy fragments.	Stop and verify accessory compatibility, condition and machine speed before use.
Wearing unsuitable gloves near rotating machinery	Material can be caught and draw the hand into moving parts.	Follow the machine-specific assessment and use workholding instead of placing hands near danger.
Leaving hot stock on an ordinary bench	Another person may handle it after visible colour has faded.	Use the designated hot-metal system and communicate clearly.
Carrying long stock through a congested workshop alone	The stock can strike people, snag equipment or overload the handler.	Plan the route and use suitable handling aids or assistance under the handling assessment.
Bypassing a guard to improve access	Direct access to dangerous parts is created.	Stop and use the correct setup, tooling or authorised method; never defeat safeguarding.

Quality Criteria

Safe work and high-quality craft reinforce each other. Use these criteria during supervised production and final inspection.

Area	Quality criteria
Material	Correct, traceable stock; suitable grade; clean condition; no unassessed coating or contamination.
Tool selection	Tool geometry and size match the process and stock; no defect that affects control.
Workholding	Stock is securely controlled without placing hands in a predictable danger zone.
Dimensions	Finished length, section, hole size, fit and other drawing requirements are within the specified tolerance.
Form	Lines, curves, tapers and transitions are deliberate, smooth and consistent with the design.
Surface	No unintended sharp burrs, deep grinder gouges, harmful scale pockets or finish defects that compromise use.
Forging integrity	No unacceptable cracks, laps, cold shuts or other defects for the intended service.
Assembly	Joints align, fasteners or rivets fit, and welds are produced and inspected to the applicable procedure.
Safety control	Guards, extraction, workholding, isolation and PPE requirements were followed and defects were reported.
Documentation	Material identity, deviations, inspection results and relevant maintenance or defect reports are recorded.

Sustainability

Sustainable craft is not simply using scrap. It means choosing materials and processes that reduce waste, energy use, hazardous exposure and premature failure while maintaining safety and performance.

Practice	Sustainability benefit	Safety condition
Select stock close to the required section	Reduces cutting waste and unnecessary forging energy.	Stock identity and properties remain suitable for the design.
Nest cuts and segregate clean offcuts	Improves material yield and recycling.	Offcuts remain traceable and storage does not create sharp-edge or trip hazards.
Repair serviceable tools through an authorised maintenance system	Extends tool life and reduces replacement demand.	Safety-critical repairs are completed and inspected by competent people.
Maintain forges, burners and extraction	Can improve energy and capture performance.	Gas, combustion and LEV work is carried out only by competent authorised people.
Minimise unnecessary reheating	Reduces fuel or electricity use and scaling loss.	Never rush the process or exceed the safe working range to save energy.
Choose lower-hazard finishes where technically suitable	Can reduce solvent and disposal burdens.	Substitution must be supported by COSHH assessment and product data.
Design for repair and disassembly	Extends service life of gates, furniture and artistic objects.	Structural and functional requirements remain satisfied.

Important: Reclaimed or recycled metal is not automatically sustainable if its identity, coating or contamination is unknown. Safe traceability is part of responsible material use.

Inclusive Workshop Practice

A safe training workshop must fit controls to real people rather than expecting every learner to fit one standard size or communication method. PPE should be available in suitable sizes and designs. Instruction can combine demonstration, diagrams, written steps, plain language and checked understanding. Work height, hammer mass, tool-handle dimensions and handling aids can often be adapted without reducing the intended learning outcome.

Reasonable adjustments must preserve essential safety controls. For example, a learner who cannot obtain an adequate seal with tight-fitting RPE needs a competent assessment of suitable alternatives rather than being excluded by assumption or told to use a leaking mask. Supervisors should also plan communication where hearing protection, noise or visual obstruction makes normal speech difficult.

Glossary

Term	Practitioner meaning
Anvil	Hardened work surface and forming tool used for forging and related operations.
Hardy hole	Square hole in many anvils used to locate compatible bottom tools.
Tongs	Hand tool for gripping and manipulating hot stock.
Fuller	Tool used to localise deformation and create transitions or grooves.
Swage	Shaped tool or recess used to form a controlled profile.
Stock	Raw metal section or workpiece supplied for processing.
Heat	In forge practice, a controlled heating cycle or the hot workpiece being processed.
Scale	Oxide formed on hot metal surfaces.
Drawing out	Lengthening metal while reducing its cross-section by forging.
Upsetting	Increasing cross-section by shortening material under compression.
Planishing	Controlled finishing blows used to refine surface and form.
PUWER	Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
COSHH	Control of Substances Hazardous to Health framework used to assess and control hazardous exposure.
DSEAR	Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002.
LEV	Local exhaust ventilation that captures airborne contamination near its source.
RPE	Respiratory protective equipment.
Face-fit test	Test used to confirm that a particular tight-fitting facepiece adequately fits an individual wearer.
Isolation	Making equipment safe from relevant energy sources before specified intervention, using the authorised procedure.
Guard	Physical safeguard intended to prevent or restrict access to a danger zone.
Residual risk	Risk remaining after other control measures have been applied.
Traceability	Ability to link material or equipment to reliable identification, specification or record.

Reflection

Use these prompts for a learning journal or small-group review: Which control in your workshop removes risk at source rather than relying on behaviour? Which tools have the most important pre-use checks? How does material traceability affect both safety and artistic quality? Where could a workholding jig reduce hand exposure? Which quality defect could also indicate a safety-control problem? What would make you stop a task even if production pressure is high?

Interactive Tasks

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

What should you do first with unknown coated scrap intended for forging? (Quarantine it until material and coating are assessed) (!Heat it briefly to identify the coating) (!Grind all surfaces without checking) (!Assume it is ordinary mild steel)

Which statement best describes a PUWER expectation for work equipment? (It must be suitable maintained and used by trained people) (!It only needs PPE for the operator) (!It may be used with guards removed if production is slow) (!It is safe whenever it has been used before)

What is the main purpose of local exhaust ventilation? (Capture airborne contamination near its source) (!Cool the workpiece after forging) (!Increase the speed of a grinder) (!Replace all need for risk assessment)

What is the lower daily or weekly noise exposure action value in Great Britain? (80 dB A weighted) (!70 dB A weighted) (!90 dB A weighted) (!100 dB A weighted)

Which is the highest-priority control where it is practicable? (Eliminate the hazard) (!Issue more warning signs) (!Add more PPE) (!Ask workers to be more careful)

What should determine whether tongs are suitable for a forging task? (A secure fit to the actual stock and process) (!Their colour) (!Their age) (!Their place on the rack)

What does DSEAR principally address in this workshop context? (Fire explosion and dangerous substance safety risks) (!Artistic design copyright) (!Dimensional tolerances) (!Apprenticeship funding)

What is the correct response to an unexpectedly vibrating angle grinder? (Stop and report or inspect under the authorised procedure) (!Grip it harder and continue) (!Remove the guard) (!Increase pressure on the disc)

When is PPE normally considered in the hierarchy of control? (After higher-order controls for remaining risk) (!Before eliminating the hazard) (!Instead of machine guarding) (!Only after an injury)

What level is the current England Blacksmith apprenticeship ST0378 version 1.1? (Level 3) (!Level 1) (!Level 5) (!Level 7)

Memory Game

Anvil	Supports forging work
Tongs	Hold and control a workpiece
Swage	Forms a controlled profile
Extraction	Captures airborne contamination near source
Guarding	Restricts access to dangerous machinery parts
Traceability	Links material to reliable identification

Drag and Drop

Match the correct terms.	Topic
Known stock	Material with identified grade and condition
Engineering control	Physical measure such as guarding or extraction
Hot-metal zone	Marked area for items that may burn
Face-fit test	Check that a tight facepiece fits an individual wearer
Pre-use check	Inspection completed before a tool or machine is used

...

Crossword Puzzle

Anvil	What forging tool provides the main striking surface?
Tongs	What tool holds and controls hot stock?
Guarding	What physical safeguard restricts access to dangerous machine parts?
Extraction	What source-control method removes dust or fume near where it is generated?
Forging	What process shapes metal by controlled compressive force?
Alloy	What word describes a metallic material made from more than one element?

LearningApps

Cloze Text

Before work begins, the material should have sufficient

for the planned process. A tool with a serious defect must be

from service and reported. Under the hierarchy of control, you should first consider whether a hazard can be

. Airborne contamination should be controlled at source with suitable

where the assessment requires it. A tight-fitting respirator must pass an appropriate

test for the wearer. Work equipment used at work falls within the broad scope of

. Fire and explosion risks from dangerous substances may fall under

. Hot stock should be placed in the designated

system rather than left on an ordinary bench. Quality inspection should look for defects such as cracks, laps and

. If a control fails or the material is uncertain, the correct action is to

and seek competent guidance.

Open-Ended Tasks

Easy

Tool Identification Board: Photograph or draw only isolated cold tools provided by your tutor, label their practitioner names, uses and visible defect signs, and ask a competent supervisor to check your labels before publication.
Material Passport: Create a sample stock tag for a known piece of metal showing grade or specification, section, source, coating status and intended process without heating or cutting the material.
Safety Vocabulary Poster: Produce an accessible one-page poster that explains hazard, risk, control, competence, LEV and traceability in your own words using workshop examples.
Reflection Log: Observe a supervised workshop session and record one example each of elimination, engineering control, administrative control and PPE without operating hazardous equipment yourself.

Standard

Forge Risk Map: With tutor approval, produce an annotated plan of your training workshop showing pedestrian routes, hot-metal zones, storage, emergency access and controlled machine areas, then explain why each boundary is placed where it is.
Practitioner Interview: Interview a blacksmith, metalworker or workshop supervisor about tool selection, maintenance, material identification and near-miss learning, then compare the answers with current HSE guidance.
Video Critique: Create a short narrated critique of one course video that separates visible craft technique from safety controls that may be outside the camera frame; do not film a live hazardous demonstration.
Tool Balance Experiment: Under supervision and with cold tools only, compare approved training hammers by mass, grip, balance and comfortable reach without striking, then recommend which ergonomic factors should influence tool selection.

Advanced

COSHH Control Proposal: Using an authorised real or simulated grinding, welding or finishing process, draft a COSHH control proposal from the product data and process-generated contaminants, prioritising prevention and engineering controls before RPE.
Storage Improvement Project: Redesign a steel-stock, abrasive or fuel-gas storage area on paper using current Great Britain guidance, but do not move cylinders, heavy stock or live equipment unless specifically trained, authorised and supervised.
Supervised Workplace Visit: Visit a forge or artistic-metalwork workshop with a competent host and audit tool condition, material traceability, workholding, guarding, extraction, noise controls and stop-work arrangements using a pre-agreed checklist.
Sustainability and Quality Brief: Design a low-waste decorative forged component using known material and repairable construction, and justify how stock choice, process plan, safety controls, inspection and end-of-life recycling work together.

Learning Assessment

Unknown Material Scenario: Given a case involving unlabelled plated stock requested for urgent forging, explain what you would stop, what information you would seek, which controls apply and how you would communicate the production impact.
Hand Hammer and Power Hammer Comparison: Compare the hazards and control measures for producing the same feature by hand hammer and by power hammer, explaining which controls are process-specific and which apply to both.
Grinding Setup Review: Analyse a supplied workshop photograph or schematic of an abrasive task, identify evidence and missing information, and propose a hierarchy-based control plan without assuming that visible PPE makes the setup safe.
Readiness Check Assessment: Demonstrate the cold pre-use tool-and-material readiness check under supervision and explain the reason for every stop condition before any hot or powered work is authorised.
Quality and Safety Diagnosis: Given a forged sample with a dimensional error, a lap and heavy grinder marks, explain possible process causes, how each defect affects fitness for purpose, and which safety or control decisions should be reviewed.
Jurisdiction Transfer Task: Explain why an England qualification or a British Standard reference does not automatically establish legal or vocational equivalence in another country, and identify which competent authorities would need to be checked.

Evidence of Learning

Evidence should show both knowledge and practical judgement. Suitable evidence includes a correctly completed tool-and-material readiness checklist; a risk-control map that applies the hierarchy in the right order; accurate identification of hand tools, powered equipment and stock forms; a material passport demonstrating traceability; a supervised practical observation record showing safe workholding and stop-work behaviour; a COSHH or grinding-control proposal supported by current official guidance; quality-inspection records that distinguish dimensional, surface and forging defects; a sustainability brief that does not trade away safety; and reflective commentary showing that you can recognise the limits of your own competence and seek supervision.

A strong portfolio demonstrates transfer: you can apply the same decision structure to an unfamiliar tool or material by asking what the hazard is, what evidence is known, whether the equipment is suitable, which higher-order controls are possible, what competence is required, how quality will be checked and when the task must stop.

Official Sources and Expert Review Notes

The following sources were checked for this version on 1 September 2026. Reviewers should re-check them before high-stakes delivery because law, guidance, standards and qualifications can change.

Authority	Source	Use in this module
Health and Safety Executive	Managing risks and risk assessment	Hazard identification, assessment and control
Health and Safety Executive	PUWER overview	Suitability, maintenance, inspection, guarding, isolation and training
Health and Safety Executive	COSHH and engineering	Dust, fume, metalworking fluids and chemical controls
Health and Safety Executive	Welding fume controls	Avoidance, LEV and RPE
Health and Safety Executive	PPE overview	Selection, provision, maintenance and training
Health and Safety Executive	Noise Regulations	Great Britain action and limit values
Health and Safety Executive	DSEAR	Fire and explosion control
Health and Safety Executive	HSG17 abrasive wheels	Abrasive-wheel training and safeguards
Health and Safety Executive	HSG246 metal stock	Storage and handling of steel and other metal stock
Health and Safety Executive	Young people at work	Risk, instruction, training and supervision for learners under 18
Skills England	Blacksmith ST0378 version 1.1	England apprenticeship context
City & Guilds	Forgework 8485	England qualification example
British Standards Institution	BS EN ISO 20345	Example current safety-footwear standard
British Standards Institution	BS EN ISO 16321-1	Example current eye-and-face standard
British Standards Institution	BS EN 388	Example current mechanical-glove release
British Standards Institution	BS EN 407	Example current thermal-glove release

Expert-review checklist: confirm that the training provider's actual machines and forge systems match the controls described; confirm local emergency and supervision arrangements; re-check the legal scope for Great Britain; verify qualification availability in England; verify current BSI editions; review terminology with practising blacksmiths and artistic metalworkers; and confirm that every practical activity remains supervised at the level required by the learner's competence and workplace assessment.

Media Credits and Open Licensing

The original teaching text and activities in this aiMOOC are intended as open educational resources under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons media retain their own licences and attribution requirements; follow each linked file page when reusing or adapting them. YouTube videos are embedded for educational viewing and remain subject to their creators' rights and platform terms.

Media	Source and licence note	Learning purpose
Blacksmith working.jpg	Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0	Identify hot-work, striking and spark-zone hazards.
Blacksmith Hammer.jpg	Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0	Tool identification and pre-use inspection.
SmithsSwageBlock.jpg	Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5	Swage-block identification and stable setup.
Assorted bar stock.jpg	Wikimedia Commons, public domain	Stock forms, traceability and storage.
4 artist blacksmith forging with power hammer.JPG	Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0	Powered-forging hazard analysis.
Work shop machines.bench grinder.jpg	Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0	Abrasive-wheel guarding and setup discussion.
A welder using an angle grinder to grind steel.jpg	Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0	Angle-grinding risk analysis.

OERs on the Topic

For broader background, use the English Wikipedia article as a starting point, then return to the competent Great Britain sources above for legal and workplace decisions.