Safety

Build a safety-first robotics culture.

Safety is the foundation of every successful FRC team: a value woven through build season, travel, and competition that keeps students, mentors, volunteers, and spectators injury-free. This branch covers the official FIRST Robotics Competition & FIRST Tech Challenge Safety Manual requirements — PPE, shop and tool safety, machine guarding, sealed-lead-acid and lithium-ion battery handling, pneumatics and electrical safety — plus the enforced event and pit rules from the Game Manual, and the people and programs that drive a safety culture: the Student Safety Captain, the Safety All Star, the UL Solutions Safety Managers, and the Safety Animation Award. You will learn not just the rules, but how to lead a team that genuinely lives them.

7 modules 28 lessons

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Curriculum

Safety in FIRST is a value, not a checklist. This module explains the culture of safety every team must embrace, who is responsible for it, and the official roles and recognition programs — the Student Safety Captain, UL Solutions Safety Managers, the Safety All Star, and the Safety Animation Award.

What you'll learn

What a culture of safety means in FIRST and why it is now required for eligibility for every FRC award
The role of the Student Safety Captain and how UL Solutions Safety Managers and the Safety All Star recognition work at events
How to choose, inspect, and enforce correct PPE: ANSI Z87.1 / CE EN166 / CSA Z94.3 / AS-NZS 1337 eye protection, closed-toe footwear, gloves, and hearing protection
Safe use, inspection, and storage of hand tools and shop machines, including machine guarding and controlling stored energy
How to handle, charge, store, and dispose of FRC 12V sealed-lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion packs without injury or fire
The architecture and safe operation of an FRC pneumatic system: 120 psi storage, 60 psi working pressure, the 125 psi relief valve, regulators, and venting
Robot electrical safety basics: the 120A main breaker, the Anderson SB50 connector, the Power Distribution Hub, de-energizing, and avoiding shorts
The enforced event and pit safety rules from the FRC Game Manual Event Rules section, including eye protection, the 10-foot height limit, and the 10-minute exception
How to write a team safety manual and run inspections using the FIRST Safety Checklist and Corrective and Preventative Action Plan

Tools & tech

ANSI Z87.1 / CE EN166 / CSA Z94.3 / AS-NZS 1337 rated safety glasses with side shieldsClosed-toe, closed-heel substantial shoes (and toe guards where needed)Nitrile and cut-resistant gloves; acid-resistant rubber or plastic leak-proof glovesClass C (or ABC) fire extinguisher; battery spill kit (sodium bicarbonate, leak-proof non-metallic container)Smart battery charger rated 6A or less per battery with a maintenance/float modeBattery Beak load tester (CTR Electronics, am-0995)FRC 12V 18Ah sealed lead acid battery with Anderson SB50 connectorREV Robotics Pneumatic Hub or CTRE Pneumatics Control Module, primary pressure regulator, 125 psi relief valve, manual vent plug, two pressure gaugesFirst aid kit and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) binderFIRST Safety Checklist and Corrective & Preventative Action Plan (Appendices A & B)

Prerequisites

• No prior experience required
• Helpful: basic familiarity with an FRC robot's major systems (battery, control system, pneumatics)

Safety

Curriculum

Foundations: A Culture of Safety and the People Who Lead It

PPE and Shop Safety

Battery, Pneumatics, and Electrical Safety

Events, Robot Handling, and Your Team Safety Program

Safety Worked Examples & Mini-Projects

Common Safety Mistakes & Troubleshooting

Advanced Safety Engineering & Case Studies