Hang this poster beside the 3D printer, so the checklist is in front of whoever starts a print.
What is on the poster
The printer
- Enclosed, with interlocked panels, and filtration or exhaust.
- In a ventilated room, never a closet, with a local exhaust hood above it where you have one.
The material
- PLA, or the lowest-emission filament the job allows. ABS gives off more ultrafine particles.
- Read the safety data sheet. Lowest effective temperature. Approved materials only.
While it prints
- Start it, step back, and come back when it is done. No hovering, no watching at close range.
- Students keep back. Print after hours where you can.
- A strong smell or fumes: step back, ventilate, tell the teacher. Anyone with asthma or allergies stays away.
After
- Off, unplugged and cool before cleaning or repairs.
- Gloves and eye protection for cleaning or finishing chemicals, with the safety data sheet read first. Dispose of waste properly.
A basic face mask does not stop ultrafine particles. Students run a 3D printer only under direct adult supervision.
Built to the Science Safety Teaching Standard
This poster carries the SSTS mark. Like every Science Safety course, it is built to the Science Safety Teaching Standard (SSTS): every rule on it is taken from the body that governs it, at its current edition, and the source is printed on the poster, so you can check it yourself.
Stay current
When you get this poster, it is saved to your Science Safety account. If we revise the poster, or the 3D Printers module it comes from changes, we will email you, and the latest version will be waiting under Downloads in your account. Every revision carries its revision number and date at the bottom of the poster, so you can tell at a glance whether the copy on your wall is current.
Printing and hanging
- One-page PDF, US letter (8.5 by 11 inches).
- White background, so it prints clearly on any office or classroom printer without using much ink.
- Hang it on the wall beside the 3D printer, at eye level.
- The QR code in the blue title band opens this page, so anyone can get their own copy.
- The QR code at the bottom opens the 3D Printers module.
Learn more
The 3D Printers module teaches the full topic this poster comes from.
Sources:
- 3D Printing Safety at Work – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (reviewed September 30, 2026)
- Study of 3D printer emissions, 2019 – UL Chemical Safety and Georgia Institute of Technology (reviewed September 30, 2026)
- 3D Printer Safety – University of Washington Environmental Health and Safety (reviewed September 30, 2026)
- 3D Printing Research – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (reviewed September 30, 2026)
Poster SSP-0021, Rev. 1, September 2026.
