However careful you are, kilns, torches, drills, files, knives, and chemicals, are potentially dangerous. If there's an accident, you won't have time to find out what to do, so think about safety issues before you start work. Generally:

If you're working with electric kilns, gas hobs, and butane torches, there's always a risk that you'll have an accident with hot metal or set fire to something.
It's important to have a fire extinguisher, nearby. Read the instructions as soon as you unpack it, learn how to treat burns, buy a basic first aid kit, and fit a smoke alarm.

When firing, materials can flare up or explode, so wear safety glasses: you've only got one pair of eyes. If you work a lot with metal, glass, or beads, in a hot kiln, wear anti-glare glasses.
Drilling and filing release tiny bits of material that, given a chance, head straight for your eyes. Don't blow your work area clean: use a mini-vac.

If you're working at home, check your building and contents insurance to see what's covered if there's an accident. You might find that using a kiln is excluded. Your policy might not cover you if you're running a small business.

If you're running courses at your home or workplace, you may need public liability insurance. And check that you have complied with local health and safety regulations and change-of-use planning consent. These might include providing protective eyeware, fire extinguishers, first-aid training, disabled access, a bathroom, and fire exits.

ELECTRICITY

IT WAS OVER IN A FLASH

Most people understand very little about electricity and we've heard of every possible disaster: from blowing the fuse to melting a day's work to paying £400 for an un-necessary extra circuit.

In case you avoided a technical education, there are three commonly-used electrical measurements: Volts, for example 230V, is the pushing power. Amps, for example 5A, is the amount being pushed. Watts, for example 60W, is the energy. They're related by a simple formula: Volts x Amps = Watts. So, a 230V 13A plug can deliver nearly 3000W.

As an example, the SC-2 kiln is rated at 230V 7.6A. If this is correct, it has a 1748W element, usually written as 1.748kW where a kilowatt is a thousand watts. It uses less power than a 2KW heater, you can plug it in to a regular socket, and it costs about 14p/hour to run.

It's interesting that a 10W radio will fill the room, a 100W light bulb will light the room, and a 1000W heater will warm the room. So, as we pay for electricity by the kilowatt, it's heating devices that cost the most to run.
Sadly, riding an excercise bike can only generate about 60W of light so, although the exercise keeps you warm, it's hard to be energy-independent. Especially as most of the light bulb's energy is heat rather than light.

Most domestic and small-business buildings have a main fusebox. The different fuses restrict the amount of current that can be drawn by function groups, such as the lights on one floor, the power sockets on one floor, the kitchen sockets, ovens and grills, a shower and pump, or a garage and outside lights. If you exceed a fuse's rating, it pops.

To supply lights, the fusebox uses several ring mains, each ring separately fused and rated at 5A or about 1200W. Typically, a ring main starts at the fusebox, visits several wall switches and lights in different rooms on the same floor, and returns to the fusebox. The whole circuit is earthed at the fusebox. A lighting circuit is not designed to power heating devices.

To supply power sockets, the fusebox uses several ring mains, each ring separately fused and rated at 30A or about 7000W. Typically, a ring main starts at the fusebox, visits several double sockets in different rooms on the same floor, and returns to the fusebox. The whole circuit is earthed at the fusebox.

To generalise, you can't plug lots of heating devices into all the sockets: neither the fuse nor the cable will survive, although the fuse should pop before the cable burns out.

Also, in older properties, several owners with varying levels of skill, may have changed the circuit or extended it. So, take care.

EXTENSION LEADS

SOCKETS TO SPARE

An extension lead lets you extend the wall socket to a more useful place. Usually, it has a 13A cable and one to six sockets. It's OK for a phone, light, computer, tumbler, drill, and other lower power devices, but not for a collection of kilns and heaters.

Adapters, which convert one socket to two or three, aren't suitable for kilns or heaters. They often seem to get hot and discolour.

A coiled extension can get dangerously hot when running any sort of kiln or heater, so always completely unroll it even if it's on a special drum.

Whichever length you buy, you'll wish you'd bought a longer one, with more sockets. We generally use 3.0 metre six-socket extensions with individual socket switches and indicator lights.

Kitiki doesn't sell extension leads. The prices vary for no apparent reason: I've seen exactly the same lead for £2.99 and £13.99. You should be able to buy one locally. However, if you can't get to the shops, mail or call.

CIRCUIT BREAKERS

RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICE

Typically, we run a tumbler, drill, and work light, from an extension lead plugged into an electronic RCD adapter. However, don't plug two kilns, or a kiln and any sort of heater, into the same extension. Don't touch anything electrical with wet hands.

Although most kilns have a built-in safety cut-out, all equipment in a work environment should plug into an electronic RCD adapter. These detect most dangerous electrical faults because current leaks to earth and triggers the cut-out almost immediately. They're available from DIY stores.

Kitiki doesn't sell RCDs. The prices vary so much for no apparent reason: I've seen exactly the same product for £6.99 at B+Q and £11.99 in a high street electrical shop. You should be able to buy one locally. However, if you can't get to the shops, mail or call.

MODELLING KNIVES

THE CUTTING EDGE

Art Clay, before it's dried, cuts easily. Using a good-quality modelling knife with sharp blades, you can divide up the clay, cut out shapes, trim off excess, cut the paper type, and generally refine your work.

However, modelling knife blades are very sharp, and dangerous to children and pets if they fall on the floor. Trying to pick up new blades from a flat surface is a good way to cut your fingers: so keep the blades on a magnetic strip.
The strip can lie on your worktop or be fixed to another surface using contact glue or double-sided tape. Before sticking the strip, check which side is more magnetic. Silver isn't magnetic, so the strips won't attract clay offcuts or filings.

Don't cut Art Clay on any wooden surface: cutting may release tiny slivers of wood. Although these will burn away during firing, they'll leave holes and may cause cracks.

The Kitiki magnetic strip is 100mm x 10mm, although we may be able to supply special sizes if you mail or call. The strips are cut on an industrial guillotine, so are not easy to cut cleanly at home.

ROTARY TOOLS

THE CUTTING EDGE

Mini-drills accept a range of drill bits, wire brushes, abrasive discs, grinding wheels, rotary cutters, engraving tips, and polishing pads, so wire-brush strands, grinding grit, tiny particles, or scraps of polish, may fly off. As they are all bound to head straight for your eyes, it's important to wear safety glasses.

The Kitiki mini-drill has an electronic speed control so, when you turn it on, it doesn't immediately go at maximum speed.

CLEAR SAFETY GLASSES

SEE IT COMING

Drilling and filing release tiny bits of material that, given a chance, head straight for your eyes. Don't blow your work area clean: use a mini-vac.

The Kitiki clear safety glasses are made from impact-resistant plastic, fit over normal glasses, and can be cleaned with warm soapy water.

DARK SAFETY GLASSES

EYE CARE

When looking into a hot kiln, you must protect your eyes, especially as some materials can flare up or explode. One minor incident could ruin your sight.

The Kitiki dark safety glasses are made from impact-resistant plastic, fit over normal glasses, and can be cleaned with warm soapy water.

HEAT RESISTANT GLOVES

HAND CARE

Just because something isn't glowing, it doesn't mean you can pick it up. Use the gloves when loading materials or shelves. Heat blisters are painful and take a long time to heal.

The Kitiki hear resistsnt gloves are made from a special fibre, fit most hands, and can be cleaned with warm soapy water.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER

PLAN AHEAD

If you're working with electric kilns, gas hobs, and butane torches, you need to be aware of the risks, however slight. It's important to have a fire extinguisher, nearby. Read the instructions as soon as you unpack it, buy a basic first aid kit, learn how to treat burns, and fit a smoke alarm.

As soon as the fire is put out, ventilate the room, and make sure that you haven't got the chemical on your skin or in your eyes. If you do, wash with lots of water. If you have any consequential effects, get medical attention.

The Kitiki fire extinguisher is rated for electrical fires. It contains sodium bicarbonate, a dry chemical that is non-toxic, helps prevent re-ignition, and doesn't soak soft furnishings.