Equipment Use & Physical Presence

Mandatory Tool Reservations, Enable/Disable Protocols & Presence Requirements

Following applies to ALL members

Non compliance will result in loss of member privileges

  1. You may only use equipment on which you have been trained (by staff) and authorized to use.

  2. You MUST reserve time on equipment through Badger.

    • It is NOT acceptable to make multiple short tool reservations to "hold" the system until you arrive.

    • If no longer needed you MUST delete your reservation as soon as possible (ideally 24hrs prior).

  3. When using equipment you MUST enable the tool at the start of your session and you MUST disable it at the end. 

    • It is NOT acceptable, for example on a vacuum deposition system, to enable, load your sample, disable, wait and then enable the tool just prior to your deposition. If a system is loaded with your sample, no one else can use the system and you are therefore charged for the entire time that your sample is in the system.

    • You MUST be physically present in the lab BOTH when enabling it and disabling it (NO remote enables/disables).

    • If you are using a hotplate in a hood in a lab, for safety reasons you MUST remain in the lab.

    • It is your responsibility to disable a tool when done so no one else uses the tool under your credentials.

    • Treat ENABLES as you would your banking card: if you forget your banking card & PIN at an ATM the bank will not reimburse stolen funds.

    • BEFORE leaving the QNC Cleanroom, CHECK the monitor installed at the main entrance to make sure no equipment is enabled under your name.

  4. ONLY the user who made the reservation is authorized to use the system during the time booked. 

  5. ONLY the user who has enabled the system in Badger is authorized to use the system.

  6. Equipment reservations should be carefully planned. For any given reservation:

    • you must enable the tool as soon as possible after your reservation start time. NOTE: Reservation is automatically deleted if tool is not enabled within 15 minutes of the start time.

    • you must aim to disable the tool before the reservation end time.

  7. If you finish early, disable the tool: Badger will delete the remainder of your reservation & let someone else use it.

  8. If you repeatedly book sessions which do not get used you will see your access privileges suspended. 

  9. If you repeatedly exceed your booking time you will see your access privileges suspended.

  10. NEW (March 2021): No more than 3 tools may be enabled at the same time by one lab member.

Please Note

  • Only Staff members are authorized to delete past bookings.

  • New lab members whom have been authorized to access the QNFCF facility should install a local instance of Badger on their computers. Instructions for doing so can be found here.