Velocity Data Labs / teacher resource
Risk assessment helper
A planning aid for a supervised classroom activity. Adapt it with the school and venue before use; it does not replace their approved safety procedures.
Important: The primary workshop uses supervised physical simulator stations. This is a planning document, not a substitute for the school’s WHS, IT/security, site induction, emergency or electrical processes. The school and programme lead must approve rig, data, licensing and venue-specific controls before students arrive. A device-only alternative requires a separate assessment of its school-device and software risks.
Basics
Core equipment
- Host PC, accepted simulator stations, wheels/pedals and displays
- Venue-approved power, cable covers and accessible room layout
- School-approved LFS licence/login and settings profile
- Recorder, student-code mapping and teacher handoff
- Labelled sample-data fallback
Highest risks / controls
- Trips/electrical faults: secure cables, inspect power, keep exits clear
- Unstable equipment/force feedback: secure, limit and supervise stations
- Unlicensed access/settings drift: confirm entitlement and approved profile
- Public multiplayer: default to single-player and apply school IT controls
- Student data: minimise, protect and delete under school policy
School-facing essentials
Device and software safeguards
LFS licence, login and settings
- Obtain written LFS educational terms and confirm school/device/user/concurrent-seat scope before issuing a quote; show the recurring licence cost separately.
- Use only school-approved accounts and installation. Do not share teacher/admin credentials with students.
- Apply and check the approved settings profile before every LFS launch. This is repeatable configuration, not a security lock on unmanaged devices or direct launch.
- Use school-managed account/application controls where students must not change settings; allow approved accessibility/input variants.
Multiplayer, privacy and fallback
- Default to single-player and confirm LFS connectivity/entitlement separately. School IT restricts public multiplayer; an LFS admin can kick/spectate only on a host the school controls.
- If multiplayer is a learning requirement, use a private teacher-administered server with a named moderator, approved participant list and shutdown procedure.
- Use pseudonymous session codes where possible, keep student data off projected/public screens, and clear local/shared-device copies under the school retention plan.
- Use the labelled sample dataset if licence, login, network or local capture fails. Do not delay the class or use another student's data.
Workshop equipment
- Host PC with telemetry software; accepted screen-based stations, wheel-and-pedal sets, displays and powered USB hubs.
- Stable tables and chairs, secured wheel stands and monitor arms; route power, display, USB and pedal leads away from walkways and protect any unavoidable crossing with rated cable covers.
- Venue-approved power with the required RCD and surge protection, confirmed with the venue. Do not daisy-chain powerboards.
- Optional cycling activity: a secured and correctly fitted bike/trainer, reachable physical stop and clear space; participation is voluntary.
- For every delivery, confirm teacher supervision, first-aid access, accessible alternatives and a clear emergency route.
Highest risks and controls
- Trips and blocked exits: route and secure every cable before students enter.
- Electrical/fire risk: keep equipment dry, avoid daisy-chaining, inspect and isolate faults.
- Unstable equipment or force feedback: secure stands, limit force and stop before adjustment.
- Medical distress or cycling discomfort: participation is voluntary; stop, rest and follow the school health plan.
Audience-specific brief
Lab technician / technical operator
What you need to control
- Inspect the host PC, displays, wheels, pedals, USB hubs, stands, leads and cable protection before students enter.
- Confirm the approved power path, RCD/surge protection, ventilation, stable mounting and an accessible isolation point. Never daisy-chain boards.
- Confirm station mapping, force-feedback limits, stop controls and software readiness. Isolate power before moving or repairing equipment.
- For the cycling add-on, secure the bike/trainer, check fit and comfort, keep the physical stop action reachable, and read power/cadence without controlling resistance.
- Record faults, near misses and stop-work decisions. Keep technical component details in the internal setup record, not the school-facing assessment.
School / venue / supervising teacher
What you need to approve
- Room layout, clear walkways, exits, assembly point, accessible participation, first aid, medical information and supervision ratios.
- Students receive a short briefing: walk, stay in the assigned station, keep hands/feet clear, follow the stop instruction, and stop if unwell.
- The venue confirms its electrical, emergency, child-safety, privacy and incident-reporting requirements. No drinks near equipment.
- For cycling, participation is supervised and voluntary, the bike is fitted and secured, and students may choose observation or analysis instead.
- Use pseudonymous student codes. Compare anonymised power curves with facilitator/public references as data examples, not as a ranking of student bodies or athletic ability.
Activity scope
The primary program has students take guided turns at supervised simulator rigs, then interpret telemetry through parallel data and rules activities. Confirm LFS educational licence/login, settings and school multiplayer controls before delivery. Use labelled sample data if a station or accepted capture path is unavailable.
Device-only software/activity delivery is a separate optional format and requires its own school-device, licensing and IT acceptance. Cycling remains a separately scoped optional activity.
People and supervision
Students, school staff, programme staff, volunteers and visitors may be present. The school retains responsibility for student supervision, medical information, emergency procedures and behaviour expectations. The programme lead controls equipment setup, technical operation and stop-work decisions.
Use the school’s required staff-to-student ratio and never leave students unsupervised around powered equipment.
Risk matrix
Likelihood: 1 Rare, 2 Unlikely, 3 Possible, 4 Likely, 5 Almost certain. Consequence: 1 Minor, 2 Moderate, 3 Serious, 4 Major, 5 Severe. Rating is likelihood x consequence.
1 Low2 Low3 Medium4 Medium5 High2 Low4 Low6 Medium8 High10 High3 Low6 Medium9 High12 High15 High4 Medium8 High12 High16 High20 High5 Medium10 High15 High20 High25 High
Physical simulator rig hazard assessment
The following station, electrical, movement and supervision controls apply to every rig-workshop delivery. Review them against the actual venue and equipment. Cycling hazards apply only if that optional activity is separately approved.
| Hazard / impact | How it could happen | Controls before and during activity | Emergency / response | Initial | Residual | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trips, slips and falls Injury to students, staff or visitors. | Power, USB, display and pedal cables cross walkways; bags, chairs or stands obstruct circulation; students move while watching screens. | Plan a cable route before setup. Keep cables behind stations or along walls. Use rated cable covers or secure floor ramps where a crossing is unavoidable. Tape alone is not a cable-protection system. Mark a clear walkway and emergency exit. Keep bags in a designated area. No loose adaptors or powerboards on the floor. Inspect after every rotation. | Stop the activity. Keep the area clear. Provide first aid and notify the supervising teacher. Preserve the scene for review if an injury occurs. | High | Medium | Programme lead / teacher |
| Fall from or collision with equipment Impact injury, toppled monitor or damaged equipment. | Unstable wheel stand, monitor arm, table or chair; a student pulls the wheel or catches a cable; equipment is moved while connected. | Use stable stands on level floors. Lock or secure monitor arms and check clamps. Do not allow students to climb, lean on or move rigs. Use chairs with stable feet and enough clearance. Keep monitors outside the wheel’s movement envelope. Pack down only after power is isolated. Maintain a no-running rule. | Stop and isolate the affected station. Do not lift a student with a suspected injury. Follow the school first-aid and emergency plan. | High | Low | Programme lead |
| Electrical shock / earth leakage Shock, burns or serious injury. | Damaged lead, wet environment, faulty power supply, overloaded or modified equipment, damaged plug or exposed cable. | Use only undamaged, approved equipment and leads. Keep electrical equipment dry and away from drinks. Use the venue-approved RCD/surge-protected supply without daisy-chaining boards. Test protection before use and do not bypass a trip. Keep plugs and isolation points accessible. School/venue electrical requirements take precedence. | Do not touch a person in contact with live equipment until power is isolated. Call emergency services as required and follow the school electrical incident procedure. | High | Low | Programme lead / venue |
| Overload, heat or fire Fire, smoke, equipment damage or loss of power. | Too many loads on one board/circuit, blocked ventilation, damaged supply, high PC load or other school equipment sharing the circuit. | Confirm venue circuit capacity before setup. Keep vents clear and keep an accessible shutdown path. Do not add kettles, heaters, chargers or other high-load appliances. Use the approved equipment list and isolate any item that becomes hot, damaged or unreliable. | Stop use, isolate power if safe, evacuate for smoke/fire and call emergency services. Do not use water on electrical equipment. | High | Low | Programme lead / venue |
| Power surge / transient Loss or damage to equipment. | Voltage transient, faulty supply or venue power event. | Use the venue-approved surge protection and confirm indicators are active. RCD protection addresses leakage/shock risk; it is not the same as surge protection. Do not claim protection against direct lightning strike or sustained overvoltage. Disconnect equipment during storms or venue electrical faults if instructed by the school. | Stop, isolate and label damaged equipment. Do not return it to service until inspected. | Medium | Low | Programme lead |
| Wheel force feedback / pedal injury Hand, wrist, foot or leg strain; unexpected movement. | Force feedback is set too high; a wheel rotates unexpectedly; student places fingers in a pinch area; pedal or stand shifts. | Set force feedback to a controlled level. Brief students to keep hands clear of spokes/attachments and to remove feet before an instructor changes settings. Check wheel clamps, pedals and stands before each group. Use seated operation and one student per control position. Provide an accessible stop control and stop the game before physical adjustment. | Release controls, stop the instance and provide first aid. Record and review any pain, pinch or near miss. | Medium | Low | Programme lead / teacher |
| Manual handling Back, shoulder or crush injury during setup and pack-down. | Moving PC, monitors, stands, wheel rigs, boards or cable bags alone; awkward lifting or unstable stacking. | Use a written load-in plan. Split heavy or awkward loads. Use two people for large monitors and the PC. Use cases/trolleys where available. Keep fingers clear while folding stands. Do not carry equipment through a student group. Store heavy items low and secure transport loads. | Stop work for pain or loss of control. Seek first aid and report the incident. | Medium | Low | All setup staff |
| Monitor / display failure or falling object Impact injury, broken screen or sharp fragments. | Incorrect monitor-arm rating, loose clamp, unstable table or cable pulling on the display. | Use mounts rated for the actual 24-inch monitor weight. Inspect screws, clamps and tilt before students enter. Keep screen stands outside walkways. Route cables with strain relief. Do not use a damaged screen. Confirm the venue surface can carry the mount. | Clear the area, isolate and report. Treat broken glass as a sharp hazard; do not allow students to clean it. | Medium | Low | Programme lead |
| Student behaviour / collision Injury, damage or disruption. | Running, horseplay, pulling cables, reaching into another station, crowding or leaving the assigned rotation. | Teacher briefing and visible boundaries. One active driver per station. Spectators stand behind a marked line. Use a clear rotation signal and stop-work instruction. Keep a roll and station allocation. Programme staff and teacher maintain line of sight. | Pause all stations, separate students and follow the school behaviour/incident process. | Medium | Low | Teacher / programme lead |
| Medical condition / illness Asthma, seizure, diabetes, anxiety, sensory overload or other illness. | Student participates without required information, medication or adjustment; heat, noise, stress or prolonged screen use causes symptoms. | School provides relevant medical and accessibility information through its normal process. Maintain first-aid kit, asthma plan and emergency contacts. Allow breaks, observation-only roles and alternative worksheet tasks. Keep water available away from electrical equipment. Do not require a student to drive. | Stop participation, notify the teacher and follow the student’s health plan. Call emergency services where required. | High | Low | Teacher / first aider |
| Visual discomfort / motion sickness Nausea, dizziness, headache or distress. | Rapid motion, high screen brightness, long continuous use or an individual sensitivity. | Screen-based activity has no VR headset, but students can stop immediately. Provide short turns, breaks and a spectator/worksheet role. Reduce visual effects and brightness where appropriate. Never pressure a student to continue. | Stop the activity, seat the student safely, provide water and notify the teacher. Follow the health plan if symptoms persist. | Medium | Low | Teacher / programme lead |
| Noise / hearing and communication Discomfort, missed instructions or loss of supervision. | Six engines and monitor speakers operate together; students cannot hear stop instructions. | Use the agreed Windows/LFS volume settings. Keep a clear verbal stop signal and visual signal. Avoid individual headphones unless separately assessed. Keep volume low enough for staff to communicate. Provide quiet breaks. | Stop or mute stations if a student cannot hear instructions or reports discomfort. | Low | Low | Programme lead |
| Data / privacy Unintended disclosure of student identity or performance. | Student names in reports, files left on the PC/USB, screenshots or shared results without consent. | Prefer pseudonymous IDs. Collect only data needed for the activity. Hand reports directly to the teacher on a school-approved USB, preferably school-supplied or encrypted. Restrict access, confirm receipt and define deletion/return timing. Do not publish names or identifiable images without consent. Confirm the school’s privacy process before delivery. | Stop sharing, preserve relevant records, notify the school contact and follow the school privacy/incident process. | Medium | Low | Programme lead / school |
| Emergency evacuation / blocked egress Delayed evacuation or injury during an emergency. | Rigs, chairs, bags or cables reduce the width of an exit path; staff do not know the assembly point. | School provides the emergency plan and assembly point. Inspect and photograph the room layout before students enter. Keep exits, fire equipment and aisles clear. Identify the person responsible for power isolation and roll checks. Stop and pack down only after the area is safe. | Follow the school alarm and evacuation procedure; take the roll and report to the assembly point. | High | Low | School / all staff |
Pre-start checklist
School has approved the rig layout, room, power/cable plan, supervision and accessible alternatives.
Written LFS educational entitlement and recurring school cost are confirmed.
Approved settings profile, station mapping and telemetry ports are verified before each launch.
Public multiplayer is blocked or the approved private-server/moderator plan is ready.
Student data, identifiers, report mapping and teacher handoff follow school policy.
Every active rig passes a brief capture check; labelled sample data is ready if a station fails.
Venue induction completed; emergency exits and assembly point confirmed.
First-aid kit, medical information, emergency contacts and roll are available through the school process.
If device-only delivery is selected, its separate device/profile/software acceptance is documented.
Stop-work triggers
RCD trips, burning smell, smoke, heat, sparking or damaged electrical equipment.
A cable cover moves, a cable becomes exposed or an exit route is blocked.
A monitor arm, table, wheel stand or pedal set becomes unstable.
A student reports pain, dizziness, nausea, distress or a medical symptom.
Force feedback behaves unexpectedly or a wheel/pedal disconnects.
The teacher, venue contact or programme lead is no longer confident the controls are effective.
After an incident: make the area safe, provide first aid, notify the school, record the event and review this assessment before restarting.
Approval and review
Venue-specific changes, school requirements and incidents must be recorded. This assessment should be reviewed before each delivery and whenever the equipment, room, student group or activity changes.
Programme lead / date
School representative / date
Venue / WHS contact / date