Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Workshops

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Oct 22, 2024, at 1:45 PM, Dean smith via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] 
> cohousing.org> wrote:
> 
> We’re under construction in the PNW.  One of the first additions to our 
> community is a planned workshop that would contain power and hand tools 
> contributed by members and some purchased in common. I’m concerned about 
> safety and legal exposure of such a workshop.  What if someone gets hurt?  
> What if someone breaths sawdust?  


We have had a workshop for 25 years. Years ago, there were occasional problems 
with fumes coming into the common house but today most of the solutions people 
use are odorless and non-toxic. The most important thing to remember is that 
the workshop will be like a _home_ workshop, not a professional or educational 
workspace used by dozens of people every day.

Except on workdays or when the workshop is being cleaned there is rarely more 
than one person working there for a few hours, maybe 1-3 days a week. Someone 
might use it more frequently when doing a project but it is more likely to be 
empty than in use. That doesn’t mean it is unimportant. It is very important 
for keeping tools and things used for repairs in the common house, units, etc. 
Also for the things to fix bicycles and recharge car batteries. 

It is also a good selling point. It’s rather like a hot tub that everyone wants 
and few use.

Ask your insurance person about liability concerns. Most of the equipment is 
not dangerous and people already use all the items in their homes — they are 
now just stored and often used in one place. 

Our lawyer only turned purple when people mentioned table saws. We don’t have 
those.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org