You can't work on projects when you're injured! But also, it's no fun for anyone. At Brisbane Makerspace, safety is extremely important. In an environment like ours, there are certain risks that a lot of people aren't normally exposed to.
If a safety incident occurs, no matter how small, it must be reported via the member portal or email to staff. Try to capture as many details as possible. We'll keep a record of incidents so we can improve our documentation and procedures.
You must not do anything that poses an unacceptable safety risk.
If you see someone about to do something that poses an unacceptable safety risk, you should politely but firmly advise them to stop and explain why. If you have to stop someone, please file an incident report so that we can improve our documentation and procedures.
You must not be under the influence of any illegal drugs or substances while on site. You must not use any tools whilst under the influence of alcohol or prescription medication that may cause a safety hazard.
You must not use any aerosols (like spray paint etc.) or any substance that produces an unpleasant smell in the upstairs workspace area. You are only permitted to use these aerosols/substances in the basement or carpark area.
Exceptions to this policy include household cleaning products (and similar) that are provided by BMS like air freshener, bug spray, etc. or if you receive permission from staff.
The use of any tool poses certain risks. Some are low risk like a pair of scissors, and others are high risk such as our laser cutter. We try to reduce the chances of any safety incidents happening through extensive training, documentation, and procedures.
It is a requirement before using a tool for the first time, that you read its wiki page and complete any required inductions. Some very low-risk tools (like scissors or rulers) may not have a wiki page, but it's still important to be safe when using them. Our Tool Inductions policy explains how our traffic light induction system works.
Some tools have a specific procedure that must be followed every time you use the tool. A summary of the most important steps is attached to some of these tools and is called "just in time documentation" (or JIT doc for short). If you see a JIT doc, you are required to follow all relevant steps at a minimum.
Due to the various hazards that exist at Brisbane Makerspace, we require everyone on site to wear closed in shoes (sandals etc. are not permitted). We recommend that you remove all jewellery and tie up long hair before working with tools.
We have a range of basic PPE such as safety glasses and gloves. You are encouraged to bring your own PPE as it's likely to be more comfortable and better fitting. We require that you wear appropriate PPE at all times.
All workspaces must be left clean and tidy both during and after, you are using them. An untidy workspace is a common cause of safety incidents and should be avoided.
All electrical work that requires an electrical license must be completed by a licensed electrician. Most of the time, this means any project where voltages above 120v DC or 50v RMS AC are present.
Our lease disallows storing explosive or flammable goods on site due to the fire risk presented in a heritage listed building. As such, members are prohibited from storing any chemical or substance on site that carries a dangerous goods warning label relating to fire or explosion. "Pre-Approved Chemicals & Substances" in the section below are exempt from this policy.
There is also a limit on the amount of batteries a member may store on site. Members must not store more than a total of 100Wh of batteries at any one time. This should allow work on small power banks and battery projects while balancing the fire safety risk.
Due to the nature of the tools and resources available at Brisbane Makerspace, we sometimes have to deal with chemicals and dangerous substances. We have requirements in place to ensure we maintain a safe workshop and that we have the necessary documentation in the event of an incident.
All chemicals and dangerous substances that are bought on site must have an MSDS inserted into the MSDS folder near the chemical storage area. In addition, before bringing something new on-site, you must have written permission from Brisbane Makerspace to do so. A chemical or dangerous substance is not allowed to be bought on-site, even temporarily, without a relevant MSDS and written approval from Brisbane Makerspace.
If you bring something on-site, you are responsible for removing it from the site, and safely/legally disposing of it.
The following list presents a low enough risk to be pre-approved. That means anything on this list is allowed to be bought on-site and used, as long as you follow the relevant safety procedures.
When dealing with anything that is at risk of being splashed or spilt, at a minimum, you must wear gloves and safety glasses. The MSDS is linked below for each pre-approved chemical.