Code of Conduct
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WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR MEMBERS, RENTERS, AND ARE PUTTING CLASSES UP! WE CAN'T WAIT TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITY AGAIN!
The WorcShop’s Code of Conduct - AKA Policies & Procedures
The WorcShop strives to provide a safe, productive, and fun work environment for its members. In light of this mission, we ask members to obey the following policies and procedures for working in the WorcShop facility. Failure to obey these policies and procedures may cause harm to members and others and potentially makes the WorcShop unwelcoming to others. A member’s failure to abide by these Policies and Procedures may result in the immediate termination of the member’s license to use the WorcShop and its facilities. Please take them seriously. The WorcShop reserves the right to change these policies and procedures as needed and with notice to members.
Individual Safety: All members including but not limited to temporary members and/or volunteers (hereinafter “Members”) must obey all posted signs and literature pertaining to the safe use of the WorcShop facilities, including but not limited to, signs regarding appropriate shop clothing and protective gear, techniques for safe equipment use, material-specific precautions for equipment, and machine tool lockouts. Members may not use equipment they are not trained to use. Heavy Machinery shall not be used after staffed hours without another member in the facility. Please notify staff of unsafe work conditions. Volunteering to help upgrade safety is highly encouraged.
Shared Safety: In a shared and open facility like the WorcShop, it is possible for less experienced members to operate equipment dangerously without knowing it. Members must lookout for unsafe behavior, and if comfortable approach, and offer feedback to fellow members if observations of unsafe work are made. Members must notify staff immediately if any piece of equipment or infrastructure is known to be unsafe. All members are encouraged to actively increase the safety of others by immediately informing other members when observing unsafe conditions. An urgent safety interrupt is an acceptable exception to an active social boundary.
Respectful Behavior: Members shall behave respectfully, courteously, and professionally to fellow members during both in-person and electronic interactions. Discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and/or hate speech is not tolerated at the WorcShop and is cause for termination of WorcShop membership. This should not have had to be added, but keep your hands to yourself without enthusiastic verbal consent from the other person.
Personal Interactions and Social Boundaries: The WorcShop is a community-oriented facility. As such there will be members that represent all manner of viewpoints, personality types, and beliefs that offer the potential of personality conflicts. Members have a right to establish Social Boundaries of “no talking” and “no interaction” with other members. If a member requests that another member to stop talking to them or to stop interacting with them then the Social Boundary is established and immediately in effect. Boundaries MUST be explicitly stated and emailed to theworcshop@gmail.com. Social Boundaries may be rescinded at any time by the issuing member by sending another email to WorcShop Admin. Facility scheduling conflicts will be mediated by WorcShop staff.
Courtesy of Individual Spaces: If members are renting space from the WorcShop, members must keep their individual space(s) orderly as determined by WorcShop staff. Members shall not make any unauthorized entry into any individual workspaces without explicit permission. DO NOT use other members' personal tools or equipment without explicit permission from that member.
Courtesy of Shared Spaces: Noise levels shall be kept to a reasonable, respectful minimum for the comfort and enjoyment of those in the immediate area. Loud music, tool use, and/or other noise will not be permitted in the open rental areas without the explicit permission of the members around the member making the request. No fumes and/or flames are permitted in unventilated areas. The shared spaces shall be returned to a clean condition after member use. Activities and/or classes in the shared spaces including but not limited to any official WorcShop activities shall not be interrupted by members. Headphones or earbuds are highly encouraged.
Kitchen/Classroom: The kitchen facilities must remain available for all members. As such, dirty dishes are not permitted to remain in the sink. Dishes shall be washed promptly with no exceptions. If the stainer or dishwasher is full then members are encouraged to put the clean dishes away. Members failing to adhere to this standard will lose kitchen privileges. If you leave food in the kitchen, you MUST monitor it and toss it when it is no longer good. You should label your food with your name and the date you’re adding it to the kitchen. Things left in the fridge for more than 2 weeks will be thrown out on the next refrigerator cleaning cycle.
Presence: Inactivity and lack of physical presence at the WorcShop community facility can be detrimental to the WorcShop’s mission and prevent others from using the space. A member must inform WorcShop staff of any extended absences or extenuating circumstances that might prevent a member from attending. Otherwise, the WorcShop expects members to make regular use of WorcShop facilities. Membership dues will be collected regardless of use, unless you have filled out a membership change form. Membership changes can take up to 30 days to process.
Guests: Non-member guests are permitted in the WorcShop, and must sign in with the WorcShop office. Non-member guests shall not use WorcShop equipment, shared areas, or interfere with other members. The actions of Non-member guests are the sole responsibility of the sponsoring member.
Intoxicants: The WorcShop is an industrial environment and as such carries with it an inherent risk of injury. We require all members and guests to be unimpaired from intoxicants while on the premises. If a member or guest is judged to be beyond a reasonable level of impairment by the staff: - The member or guest may be required to procure a ride home immediately. - The member’s membership may be suspended for a period of time determined by the Executive Director. - The member’s membership may be revoked. In the event, membership is revoked all subleased spaces must be vacated under the supervision of a WorcShop staff within a period of (14) days. Any items remaining after (14) days will be discarded. An appeal may be written to Randal Meraki, 11 Hankey St. Rochdale MA, 01542 to ask for a membership to be reinstated.
Tolerance of Feedback: Please be open to constructive feedback from fellow members, especially as it pertains to the safe use of WorcShop equipment, respectful communication, and/or behavior.
Combustible Gasses and Fuels Policy: Flammable tanks can be stored in the sandblasting room in Building 3 until outdoor storage is built. Then all fuel will need to be stored there.
EXCEPTIONS: In-use oxy-acetylene carts, in-use forklift propane tank, and hand torches. To operate a propane forge: Perform a visual inspection of propane forge. Look for damaged regulators, hoses, forge lining, etc. If anything is amiss, report it to WorcShop staff. Retrieve the “in use” propane tank from the combustible fuel storage cage. Hook up a propane tank to the forge. Perform a soap-bubble test on the propane tank fitting to ensure a secure seal. Disconnect and return the propane tank to the storage area immediately upon completing forge work.
The WorcShop Services Addendum
All memberships and any other use of the facilities at The WorcShop are subject to The WorcShop Membership Agreement, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference, and a copy of which is available on The WorcShop WIKI at https://theworcshoprochdale.com/mw19/index.php/Code_of_Conduct
Payment Terms, Cancellations, and Refunds: Payment for membership and space are due monthly on or before the member’s billing date; Failure to make timely payment within five days of the billing date will result in the charge of a late fee in the amount of 5% of the member’s monthly fee on a monthly recurring basement until the outstanding balance is paid in full;
All monthly membership dues are recurring by default: Returned/declined payments are subject to a $30 fee per transaction 14 days written notice is required to terminate memberships and/or space rentals. Handwritten certified mail or Email (theWorcShop@gmail.com) cancellations are accepted; All membership purchases are final and non-refundable without exception; Membership billing errors must be reported within 60 days of the error, in writing, to a WorcShop Administrator by emailing theWorcShop@gmail.com. The WorcShop will not refund membership billing errors older than 60 days.
Membership Limitations: Monthly membership access to WorcShop shared areas is only available during posted times. Monthly memberships are only available to persons 18+. Day, visitor, and student passes are only available with Member supervision.
All membership times are when your keycard will unlock the doors. You will not be forced to leave at the specific end times pertaining to your membership. For example: if you have a weekday membership (which has the hours of 9 AM - 6 PM) and arrive at 5 PM you are allowed to stay past 6 PM and continue working, but, if you leave the building after 6 PM your keycard will not unlock the doors until 9 AM the next day. Also, each member may bring a guest (1) to help with projects, if needed. Each guest must stay with the member who brought them. Guests are not allowed to use WorcShop power tools and equipment without filling out and signing the release and waiver of liability form, paying for a guest pass & completing requisite training. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.
If you have any questions, please email us a TheWorcShop@gmail.com
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Updated 06.07.23 JF