At the Finger Lakes competition I learned a great many things about safety. A few things I wanted to share.... 1) MSDS is no longer called MSDS... weird right? It is called SDS because it is less broad of a subject. For example, MSDS has the word material in it so wouldn't it include Aluminum and Plastic? However, with SDS it is a bit less broad of a spectrum. It is still perfectly acceptable to call them MSDS because that is a term that is well known, I have decided to label our binder with both MSDS and SDS.

2) Having those rubber floor pads that snap together is a very safe practice. You can run wire under them which eliminates that tripping hazard and they also provide more traction. The extra traction allows for, again, less of a tripping hazard. The mats are also easy to clean and keep the floor of the event cleaner!

3) PRINT MORE THAN ENOUGH COPIES!!! This was a major issue I faced at RIT, I didn't have enough personal health assessments to keep interviewing pit dwellers every hour on the hour. It was a lesson learned for me.

4) Finally, don't let the stress get to you, relax and try your best! Remember, you are surround by your fellow FIRST teams and your friends. Don't ever get discouraged.