Cohousing-L Mailing List: Cohousing Workshop Safety and Use Policy From Trillium Hollow, Portland

[Charles Maclean (advocate]

Trillium Hollow Cohousing - Workshop Use & Safety Agreement 
Approved August 7, 2005

Thanks to donations by generous members and friends, 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 or community.  A functioning workshop
requires that tools, hardware and materials be returned to their designated
location.  Repeated failure to sign-out tools and materials or return same
to their designated location may result in loss of workshop privileges.
Members currently are Len, Charles, Ken S, Ivan and Gathel.

4.  We strongly recommend that shop users 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.
Not doing so exposes the user to significant danger of injury for which the
community is held harmless.  Anyone choosing to not use proper safety
equipment assumes full responsibility for any negative outcomes and holds
the community harmless.

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

6. Be responsible for communicating these policies to any guest or vendors
before they use the shop and be responsible for their behavior and policy
compliance.

7.  Hold harmless the THOA 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 TH Bylaws will apply. 

8. Always close the workshop doors to protect children and possessions.  

9.  Residents' children under 10 may not be in the workshop unless
accompanied by an adult who is directly supervising them. Parents who wish
to allow children age 10 or older in the shop will be asked to sign an
approval that releases the community from liability.  The parents of
nonresident visiting children over age 10 who wish to use the shop will be
asked to sign an approval that releases the community from liability.
Parents who allow their children to use the workshop are encouraged to train
their children in the safe use of tools or have someone else provide the
training.   The kid gate must be kept in place unless materials are being
moved in and out.

10. Quiet hours (between 9AM-9PM (Sunday-Thursday) on week days and 9AM-10PM
on weekends (Friday and Saturday).  will be honored in workshop by residents
in the larger community, guests and vendors respecting the neighbors living
above the larger community.

I and my guests who use the workshop and any vendors 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