Also my coworker was shot in her house by someone with an "unloaded" gun.

I believe that it's the unloaded firearm that is actually the most dangerous of all.

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This famous DEA agent made sure his gun was unloaded, then had his partner verify his gun was unloaded.  Then violated all of the safety rules.  Didn't work out.

And I bet if he had a cable lock run through the slide and magazine well, that accident would not have occurred.    There are different levels of safety and stupidity.  The safest thing to do is to make the presentation without the firearm or if you must show a firearm because it's "cool", permanently disable one for exhibition purposes, then VERIFY you're using the disabled firearm before presenting.  For a presentation, all you need is the shell of a pistol, not your functioning every day carry weapon.

In my opinion, in a classroom setting where there literally is no safe place to point the firearm except straight up or down (luckily he picked down lol), there should have been no firearm display at all.  That situation goes far beyond "sweeping someone" at the range or at home, as pretty much any direction you're pointing is going to be at someone.  When I was a kid, I've been on these "war on drugs" type of presentations where the cops show off their ARs and whatnot to try to impress an auditorium packed full of kids.  To me, that is just stupid.

I've been going to Honolulu Firearms and Range now that I got a membership there.  They seem to allow uncasing and holstering guns in the waiting area.  I see a lot of safety violations.

ugh, that's a bad idea cause if you uncase and holster weapons there at the waiting table, you're pointing the guns at the back of people shooting at the range.

When I went to Honolulu firearms a while ago to look around, I don't recall noticing an rso

There may have been an rso but maybe he was taking a break since there was an outside instructor running a class to get a handgun permit.

#MeToo
I yelled too - but they didn't listen

Not trying to start an argument here. Nor do I want to get into how one has been trained in safe gun handling. And how one practices safe gun handling. So I will just state how I was trained.

When I was around 8-10 years old (Mid to late 60's) my father took me to a 3 or 4 evening class put on by the NRA that dealt with life safety issues. The class dealt with items like what to do if you get lost while hiking or camping, proper use and handling of knives, how to deal with snake bites and of course how to safely handle firearms. This course also included how to shoot and culminated in live fire and activities for young people.

I was trained that while handling a firearm, you open the cylinder or rack the slide and prop it open so you can see it is unloaded. If it is loaded, unload it. In other words it is not enough to just see an open cylinder and slide I won't get into the specific reasons for why as I am sure some here will want to debate these reasons. However, I was also taught a couple of things. Like never accept a firearm that you cannot visually see has an open cylinder or has an open slide. But the gun is still considered loaded until it is in your physical posession and you visually check that it is in fact unloaded. Another thing they were adamant about was once that firearm left your posession you consider that firearm loaded. Combine this with never pointing a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot then sweeping someone with an unloaded gun is unacceptable. Under any circumstances. Which also means allowing oneself to be swept is also unacceptable under any circumstances IMHO.

I understand that this was a long time ago (50 years) so maybe gun safety rules and training have changed over the years. I don't know. Maybe one of the certified NRA instructors here can update me on the more recent gun safety practices.

No worry, main rules (4) will remain the same as long as the projectiles still exit the muzzle.
 
Actually, the reason I became an NRA instructor was because of my first experiences at the Hawaii range. 
Got swept more than a floor at a bar with free peanuts ! 

When I went to Honolulu firearms a while ago to look around, I don't recall noticing an rso

There may have been an rso but maybe he was taking a break since there was an outside instructor running a class to get a handgun permit.

They don't have an official RSO (guy standing there all day).  But they know the regulars and when someone comes in who isn't one, they watch more closely usually.

I understand that this was a long time ago (50 years) so maybe gun safety rules and training have changed over the years. I don't know. Maybe one of the certified NRA instructors here can update me on the more recent gun safety practices.

Basic rules still the same.

ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. This is the primary rule of gun safety. ...
ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. ...
ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

I haven’t been to Honolulu Firearms in a long time, but saw some scary stuff last time so was there. While waiting for the range to free up, I saw the guys in one lane pointing their guns directly at the dividing wall and the guys on the other side was none the wiser. Ever seen the holes in that divider?

Damn!

#MeToo
I yelled too - but they didn't listen

Mitch said that some people asked if they could catch the chickens and eat them. He said you don't want to eat those chickens... they're full of lead.

They don't have an official RSO (guy standing there all day).  But they know the regulars and when someone comes in who isn't one, they watch more closely usually.

I have had the same experience there, I go there periodically. Once i was shooting there and one of the workers was watching through the glass window. One of the shooters was drawing from a shoulder holster. He quickly entered and stopped that. I was glad he did.

Basic rules still the same.

ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. This is the primary rule of gun safety. ...
ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. ...
ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

This!!

Basic rules still the same.

ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. This is the primary rule of gun safety. ...
ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. ...
ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

NRA's version...
1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

The last one of either is a toughy if in CCW/HD mode.]

My version is
1. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded ( nobody likes being swept, even with an  "Empty Gun".   
Besides, it' sets precedent for a bad habit. 
2. Never point a firearm at something you are not willing to destroy.   
3. Keep your finger off of the trigger  until ready to shoot. (confirmed target). 
4. Know your target and what is behind it or could be possibly moving in front of or behind it. 

3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

The last one of either is a toughy if in CCW/HD mode.]

I consider self defense as being in use.