Cohousing-L Mailing List: Cohousing Common Workshop Safety/Use Policies

[Charles Maclean (advocate]

Fellow Co-Houser's,

- Please respond to advocate [at] philanthropynow.com

The Trillium Hollow Cohousing Community in Portland, Oregon has a three car
garage that has been converted into an extensive workshop with:

- Many owned and loaned wood working tools and equipment

- Many shelves and drawers of hardware

- Automotive, plumbing, electrical, woodworking and painting parts, supplies
and tools 

- Locked storage option for some personal tools and supplies

- Operating budget of about $250 a year

Here are some questions that we are muddling through:

1. Should the workshop be locked for child safety and/or theft prevention?

2. Should children (over age 11) be allowed in workshop unaccompanied by a
supervising adult?  What are the pros and cons of having a restricted area
where children can have access to their own designated non electrical tools,
nails-screws-other hardware, scrap lumber and other project materials?

3. How should broken, lost, abused equipment be handled?

4. How are liability issues to be addressed?

5. How should noncompliance with agreed upon workshop safety or usage
policies be addressed?

Here is a working draft of the policy that is now being discussed, but has
not yet been passed by the community.

Your comments welcome.

Charles Maclean
Workshop Team Champion
503.297/1490

####

Draft For Distribution and Discussion - March  5, 2005

Trillium Hollow Cohousing - Workshop Use & Safety Agreement

Thanks to donations by generous members and friends (Bruce, Rene, Bob Powne,
Len Laviolette, Ken S, Charles, Emmer and others) we have a well equipped
workshop.

Use of the workshop is a privilege based on following safety and use
expectations. I understand and agree to:

1.  Use only community owned items unless given specific permission by the
owner of those personally owned items that are marked.  Owners of personal
items may put them in locked or unlock boxes.   The community assumes no
responsibility for personal items stored in the garage.

 2.  Sign out all tools, machinery and equipment used outside the workshop.
Owners of personal items are responsible for sign out and return of their
items they allow others to use.  Off site use of tools requires advance
approval by a team member. 

3. Report to the Workshop Task Team and/or Repair and Maintenance team loss,
damage breakage, or theft of any item from the workshop and negotiate a
solution acceptable to the team.

4.  Wear proper safety equipment (eye shield, mask, gloves etc) when using
saws, drills, and grinders and any other dangerous tools or equipment and
wear foot ware when in the workshop.

5.  Before using electric saws, drills, grinders and other potentially
dangerous equipment obtain needed training from a qualified neighbor.

6.  Hold harmless the Trillium Hollow Home Owners Association, board, its
agents, neighbors and guests from any liability or responsibility for injury
resulting from workshop or tool use.  If there is a dispute, the provisions
of the Trillium Hollow Bylaws will apply.
 
7. Always close and lock the workshop doors to protect children and
possessions.  An easy to use combination lock will be installed.

8.  Children under age 11 may not be in the workshop unless accompanied by
an adult who is directly supervising them.  

9. Quiet hours will be honored in workshop respecting the neighbors living
above.

I agree to live by the letter and spirit of this agreement.  Compliance is
based on self-monitoring, feedback from other users and from the Workshop &
R & M Team and finally board action for non-compliance complaints.  Not
following these agreements may result in loss of workshop use privileges

Agreed by:

Name                                           Date