Health & Safety Policy

Health & Safety is the responsibility of every Hackspace Citizen** It is your duty to make sure they are safe and not endagering themselves or others!

The Hackspace contains a lot of potentially dangerous tools for members to use: If you are not confident using a tool or machine DO NOT USE IT! Some equipment requires inductions whilst others do not however we do recommend you read AND FOLLOW any safety guides or instructions next to the machines. Please also ensure you use PPE when required to do so.

If you have any concerns over another member's safety approach them and discuss it with them or alternatively you can raise it with the Health and Safety Sub Committee via the Hackspace Helpdesk.

Our Health and Safety Statement can be found below:

This policy helps guide people away from practices that are known to cause injury. Hackspace members, guests, and other space users must follow this policy.

Those who do not follow this policy may be warned, asked to leave, or banned.

1. If you're not sure, do not risk it, and ask someone who is.
   • Other members may have advice or guidance that can help you.
   • We're more than happy to share knowledge around.
2. Do Not Be On Fire.
   • This basic rule is the guiding light of safety rules, and as such, we have adopted it as our foundation of our health and safety rules.
   • Do not allow others to be on fire, or the space to be on fire.
   • Use the firefighting tools only if it is safe to do so, and immediately call the fire brigade.

• Information on what PPE is required can be found on the page for that tool in the members system (and hopefully soon on the tool itself)
• Sensible use is required - protect yourself.

• Some tools are dangerous, even if they don't seem so, and require an induction before you may use them. These are labelled.
• If you're not sure if a tool requires an induction, ask!

• If it has a label saying “Do Not Use” then Do Not Use it!
• Does it appear to be in working order?
• Are any power cables damaged?
• Are all shields in place and secured?
• Does the emergency stop button work?

• A piece of paper with “Do Not Use” is sufficient, with reason why
• Let others know by posting a topic on the forum.

• Remove all hazards for the next person wanting to use this tool.

1. Your working area.
2. Other members.
3. Whether you really know how to use the equipment in a safe and sensible way.

Equipment can have quirks, certain ways of working, and some may be safer than others. All wisdom should be on the hackspace wiki tool pages.

If you're unsure on how to use a tool, pleae ask. Someone will gladly impart any wisdom. If you have wisdom, please add it to the wiki so others can benefit from it.

• Often, a quiet word with someone not following this policy is enough to remind them of the risks, and to follow the policy.
• It is better to let someone know that their behaviour is liable to break the policy, than for them to break them.

• If someone is doing something against this policy, is likely to injure someone, or has any likelihood of seriously injuring someone, anyone may ask them to stop using that tool.
• They may also be required to leave the space, subject to the Code of Conduct.

• Anyone using any tool that requires training in an unsafe way can be required to go through training again before they are allowed to use the tool.
• Anyone using any tool in an unsafe way may be reminded of how to use that tool properly and safely.
• Anyone attempts to circumvent this can be asked to leave the space by any member, and reported as in the Citizen Hackspace Agreement
• The board may decide to ban members who circumvent such restrictions, either temporarily or permanently.

• If someone has used equipment dangerously or recklessly, the board may permanently or temporarily ban that person from using that piece of equipment.
• Anyone found to be attempting to circumvent this can be asked to leave by any member, and can be banned from the space.
• The board may decide to ban members who circumvent such restrictions, either temporarily or permanently.

This is done by the same process as laid out in our Citizen Hackspace Agreement, but it's worth reiterating that

• Any member can remove a non-member for unsafe working practices
• Two or more members (or one board member) can remove a member from the space for unsafe working practices.
• If safe to do so, remove power from the equipment that they are using.
• Do not put yourself in danger, call the police if it is required.

This is done by the same process as laid out in our Citizen Hackspace Agreement