Robson Ranch Desert Woodcrafters
Shop Procedures
Jan. 4, 2016
ROBSON RANCH WOOD SHOP
GENERAL SHOP OPERATING PROCEDURES
The General Shop Operating Procedures are an adjunct to the Robson Ranch Desert Woodcrafters (RRDW) Charter and designed to implement daily operations of the shop without the cumbersome requirements associated with changing the Club Charter.
For expedience, Shop Procedures may be implemented or changed as necessary by the Executive Board for immediate implementation. Review of such changes will be made at the next regular Membership meeting.
We encourage all members participating in shop activities to understand and to follow all operating procedures and rules. A good understanding of the procedures and rules will enhance the proficiency of your activity and enhance the operating life of the equipment and tools. We particularly encourage you to understand and use the operation procedures for your safety, as well as that of others. Following strict safe practices will avoid injury to you and others and eliminate damage to equipment and the resulting down time.
The Wood Shop is open only to Members except for “open house” projects or demonstrations to which non-member residents are invited.
Membership will have two classifications: Full Membership and Associate Membership. Full Membership permits participation in all Club activities including use of workshop machines, tools, and other equipment. An Associate Member can participate in all Club activities, including training classes, but cannot use workshop machines, tools and equipment, or shop supplies.
Dues and user fees must have been paid to become a Member. The current annual user fees (January to January) for Full Members $40 Initiation fee, to be paid by new members the first year of membership only and $60 per year for maintenance of the tools, replacement parts, shop materials and upgrades of equipment. User fees may be adjusted as needed. Associate Membership annual dues are $25.00 with no Initiation fee.
NORMAL OPERATION
1. The Wood Shop will be open for operation ONLY-WHEN A SHOP MONITOR IS PRESENT
2. The shop hours will be dependent on availability of monitors and member need. The shop schedule and available monitors will be maintained using the website calendar (Robson Ranch Woodworkers.org). Cleanup will begin before the posted closing time of the shop as determined by the Monitor
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT OPERATION
Special arrangements can be made for other times; however the following must be followed:
1. The shop must meet the requirement of being open to all members,
2. THERE MUST BE AT LEAST TWO (2) MEMBERS IN THE SHOP AT ALL TIMES - ONE OF THE MEMBERS MUST BE A DESIGNATED MONITOR, and have completed the Monitor training class.
MONITORS
1. Monitors will have a marking on their wood shop badges indicating that they are qualified monitors.
2. Monitor cannot work on any projects, while acting as a monitor, if shop power tools are being used
3. Two monitors may work in the shop on projects but if a non-monitor is working in the shop one of the monitors must assume the monitor responsibility.
AUTHORIZED USE OF THE WOOD SHOP
1. Members utilizing the Wood Shop must attend the "Wood Shop Orientation & Training session" prior to participating in any shop activity
2. Participants’ must check in with the Monitor, wearing their wood shop badge, prior to using any equipment to insure that he/she is certified as having received the appropriate class(es), and is up-to-date with their Club dues. All badges will be stored in the shop.
3. Members must maintain their annual membership on a continuous basis to participate in the wood shop. Any member who allows his/her membership to lapse for one or more years must pay their current membership in full and attend a "Wood Shop Orientation & Training session" prior to using the wood shop. This requirement is put in place to insure all participants are familiar with the latest equipment.
4. Members must log in, with their name, log in time, and an emergency phone number as they enter the wood shop prior to any activity and log out when they are finished.
5. The wood shop cannot be used to carry on any commercial endeavor. This is not to thwart the incidental personal sale of hand crafted wood items (carvings, toy models, turnings, etc.); however no member may be involved in an ongoing program of selling wood items made or formed using wood shop equipment unless the entire proceeds are donated to the Desert Woodcrafters Club. This includes making items and selling them at craft fairs, hobby shows, etc. The purpose of this rule is to insure the equipment in the wood shop is available to as many members as possible on a daily basis.
6. Relatives and/or friends of members are encouraged to visit the shop but must be escorted at all times by a member.
7. Non-members or visitors, with the exception of non-member Trainers will not be allowed to operate any of the equipment within the Shop. All nonmembers or visitors must stop at the Monitor’s desk before entering the Shop equipment area.
8. The Executive Committee must approve any organized project to produce wood products in the wood shop, either commercial or charitable in nature. An organized project is defined as one whereby more than one individual member combines his/her efforts with one or more other members to produce said wood products. Members who desire to engage in an organized project must secure Executive Committee approval before proceeding with their respective project. Requests by, the Home Owners Association and/or the Facilities Department to either make wood repairs or to construct wooden projects are excluded from this policy. These latter requests must be approved by a single member of the executive committee before work commences.
9. The shop may be closed from time-to-time in order to conduct Orientation, equipment Training, and/or ongoing Maintenance.
SAFETY RULES AND GUIDELINES:
MONITOR:
The Monitor is in charge of all shop activities. He/she has completed a training class in order to be qualified for that position. The Monitor is authorized to remove any Member from the shop who, in their estimation, is not operating the equipment safely, or is conducting an operation in a hazardous manner. If necessary, the Monitor may cease all operation and close the shop.
Personal Guidelines and Safety:
1. The shop will not be opened unless a Shop Monitor is on duty or at least two (2) members, who have completed the safety orientation & training class, are in the shop. (One member must have completed Monitor training and be the monitor.)
2. No one should use equipment until he or she has attended the “Wood Shop Orientation & Training session" and feels comfortable with its operation.
3. Smoking inside the Shop is not allowed. Consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises is not allowed unless associated with a Club sponsored social event. No shop equipment may be in operation whenever alcoholic beverages are present.
4. Persons under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication containing drugs will not be allowed to participate in any shop activity. Members should be aware of implications or side effects of any medications they may be taking.
5. Eye protection should be worn at all times when the activity can produce dust or metal particles.
6. Hearing protection should be worn when working around machines that are especially noisy.
7. Long hair MUST be secured so that it does not obstruct vision or risk becoming entangled in equipment.
8. When working around any type of operating equipment avoid wearing loose fitting clothes. If wearing long sleeve shirts, roll the sleeves up above the elbows. Do not wear ties or long straps around your neck when operating machinery. Remove loose fitting watches, jewelry, and any loose items in shirt pockets. The use of loose fitting work gloves are not allowed when operating machinery. The use of any gloves is strongly discouraged when operating machinery; however, tight fitting (golf, batting, woodworking) gloves may be worn at the user's discretion.
9. When the shop is in operation only Closed toed shoes are allowed
10. Never interrupt or disturb someone operating a machine.
11. All accidents, even if very small, must be reported to the Monitor.
12. If the monitor blows their whistle, all activity must cease immediately due to a major incident within the wood shop.
13. The Dust Collection System Is automatically activated when a machine that is on the system is activated. After the equipment is switched on, allow a 5 second delay before actual use of the machine so as to allow the vacuum system to come up to full speed.
Equipment Maintenance and Safety:
1. Tables and floor must be kept clean of clutter during and after use of machinery or table areas. To maximize table availability projects not in “glue up” must be removed from the table tops when the member leaves the shop and stored in approved areas, or taken home.
3. When working on large items which are standing on the floor, they must not be left standing where they will obstruct the shop Monitor’s view or prohibit a normal fire exit flow.
4. DISCONNECT POWER SUPPLY WHEN ADJUSTING MACHINES, REPAIRING EQUIPMENT, CHANGING ATTACHMENTS, OR CLEANING.
5. Make sure machine’s work surface is unobstructed and clean before use.
6. Turn off equipment after use and re-set any adjustments made i.e. blade angle. Never leave equipment that is running unattended.
7. Use of safety guards (table saws, band saws, jointer) is required; however should a guard be removed (for dado, etc.), the user MUST replace the guard before leaving the machine.
8. The Saw Stop, table saw, is the latest in safety technology. Contact with the spinning blade will trigger the safety brake, instantly stopping the blade to minimize personal injury. Excess wood moisture content, treated wood, staples or metal contact may also trigger the system.
Once activated, both the blade and the safety cartridge must be replaced (approx. $150.00). The individual activating the safety system will be responsible for the cost of replacing the blade and brake cartridge. Only the Shop Manager or trained designee can replace the cartridge.
9. Return all tools to their proper storage place after use.
10. No equipment, clamps, or hand tools can be removed from the Shop.
11. Each user is responsible for maintaining a clean work area and equipment during and after use. This includes any residual materials on the floor.
12. Insure that no material starts to smoke or burn as this may cause a fire in the wood shop. This is especially true when using the Band Saws.
Material Guidelines and Safety:
1. No metal, glass (including glass block) or cement board (Hardiplank type material) is to be worked on in the shop. Treated lumber, PVC, acrylic sheets (Plexiglas®) may be worked on if approved by the Shop Manager. Other material may be excluded from the shop if its use is felt to be dangerous to workers or harmful to the equipment. Used lumber must be inspected by the Monitor for nails, staples, concrete and/or foreign debris before being worked.
2. Overnight bench storage of personal wood and/or projects is permitted only when an individual is working on a single project and will return the following morning to work on that project. This pertains to all areas inside and outside the Wood shop. One cannot store wood that will be used for multiple projects even though the individual is in the Wood shop daily. Failure to comply with this policy will result in the wood and/or projects removal from the Wood shop. The Executive Board may designate wood storage areas for club projects. Further, if wood is to be left for any reason the name of the person leaving it must be attached to the wood. If the wood is left in a clamped state, the attachment must also include when it was clamped and when it can be unclamped (no longer than 3 hours after clamping).
3. Storage of any flammable items, of any kind, will not be permitted in the shop.
4. ALWAYS examine your material for loose knots, sand, gravel, rocks, screws, staples or nails before cutting or planning.
SHOP MANAGER:
The shop manager function may be shared by the Executive Board, appointed by the Executive Board or assigned by Robson Ranch management.
Functions:
Oversees:
1. Repair and maintenance of all shop machines, tools, and equipment.
2. Installation of machines, tools, stands, benches, and dust control equipment, etc.
3. Building improvements to the shop.
Plans:
1. Shop maintenance
2. Shop tool and machinery layout and design.
Purchases:
1. New tools and machines approved by Executive Board, and oversee the sale of replaced equipment.
2. Supplies
3. Hand tools, bits, blades, etc.
Maintains:
1. All of the shop equipment.