Helping a Full-Time Shop Member

Occasionally, full-time shop members may need assistance on larger projects that span multiple sessions or weeks.

These are the expectations, responsibilities, and practical rules for people who are assisting a full-time shop member over an extended period (multiple sessions or weeks). Please follow these guidelines to keep the shop safe, efficient, and respectful for everyone.

Helpers are guests of the shop. They are here at the invitation of a full-time member who takes full responsibility for them. Guests may assist on projects and use the space while their host is present, but they are not members and do not have independent access.

Full time members should ensure their helpers are familiar with and follow all shop and community rules. They are your responsibility while in the shop. They should be covered under your insurance and if they damage anything, you are responsible for it.

Shop Policy for Helpers

The following policy was set by the Shop board and applies to every helper brought into the space. These requirements are non-negotiable and must be followed.

Safety training

Before a helper uses anything in the shop, they MUST receive safety training from the Shop Manager. This includes:

• Helpers MUST get general safety training from the Shop Manager.
• Helpers MUST get specific, hands-on training on each tool they will use.

Announcing your helper

• Helpers MUST be announced in Discord.
• If a helper will be around for a longer period of time, they MUST have a picture on the board so everyone in the shop can recognize them.

No unattended usage

• There MUST be no unattended usage of the space. If you have an assistant, you MUST be in the space with them.
• If someone needs to come in to make a quick cut or grab something, they MUST post in Discord and communicate.

Insurance

• Helpers MUST be on your insurance. See the insurance guide for details.

Give back and offset your impact

You MUST give back to the space and offset the impact to the community. Ways to do that include:

• Buy a flex membership for a month.
• Buy new blades for tools.
• Buy seltzers or food for the shop.

The maintenance impact MUST be covered.

Clean up

• The shop MUST be cleaned at the end of each day.

Long-term helpers

If someone is helping for more than a month, you MUST buy a flex membership for them. Once they have a flex membership, they will get a key.

Checklist for full-time members bringing in helpers

• Have them read this page and the following:
  • Code of Conduct
  • Shop Rules
  • Leaving The shop
• Review and discuss the above rules with the helper and reinforce their importance.
• Have the Shop Manager give them general safety training and specific training on each tool they will use.
• Add them to Discord, announce them, and tell them to ask questions and communicate there.
• Add a picture of them to the board if they will be around for a longer period.
• Confirm they are covered under your insurance.
• Make sure you are in the space whenever your helper is here.
• Give back to the space to offset your impact (flex membership, new blades, seltzers/food) and cover the maintenance impact.
• Clean the shop at the end of each day.
• If they are helping for more than a month, buy them a flex membership so they can get a key.

TL;DR Helpers are guests. They are trained by the Shop Manager, announced in Discord, covered by your insurance, and never in the space without you. You give back to offset the impact, clean up at the end of each day, and if they stick around more than a month, you get them a flex membership. We are a community space, each tool is owned by someone, and we all share responsibility for keeping the shop safe and functional. When in doubt, communicate it in Discord.