Equipment policies

All of the equipment within the Nanofabrication Facility is available for anyone to use, subject to approval and training.

General

All facility users are expected to conduct themselves in a safe and appropriate manner. The cleanroom is an environmentally sensitive area. While a lapse in protocol may not adversely affect your own work, it may affect someone else's. If you see someone not following the safety procedures, please send an email to the facility manager and include as much information as possible such as date, time, nature of the incident and, if known, the name(s) of those involved.

Cleanroom guidelines:

• Appropriate cleanroom attire must be worn at all times

• Headphones may be worn (provided the user can still hear other people)

• Chemicals and other materials are not to be brought into the cleanroom without prior consent

• Wipe down any items being brought into the cleanroom with IPA

Chemical Safety

Before beginning any wet work in the cleanroom, users should have completed WHMIS training and be familiar with basic chemical safety. 

In addition to basic chemical safety, users are expected to:

• Mark any beaker they use with their name, date, and chemical contained

• Empty and clean any beaker used as soon as it is not needed

• Dispose of their chemicals in the designated manner

• Leave the wet bench as clean (or cleaner) than they found it

• Clean up their own spills (unless it is unsafe to do so)

Acids, hydroxides, peroxides, and water all look the same therefore it is VERY important to clean up any spills you make.  You know what was spilt and can take the appropriate cleaning measures. The next person wouldn't know what it is or which safety precautions to take.  If you find an unlabeled beaker with something in it, contact the facility manager. DO NOT dispose of it yourself if you don't know what it is. Don't guess, if you guess wrong it could explode.