Buddy System

Safety Buddy and Working Alone guidelines

 

Except for well-defined exceptions no one should ever work in the lab alone

  1. For reasons of personal safety lab members must in general never work in the lab alone. It is highly recommended that people work in groups of at least two, in particular during evening and weekend hours, even if working on equipment not specifically requiring the presence of a Safety Buddy.

  2. IMPORTANT: Some pieces of equipment must absolutely NOT be used unless you have identified someone to be your Safety Buddy. You must ask your Buddy to remain nearby (within earshot) while you are working on the equipment. 

    • If a Safety Buddy is absolutely required this will be listed on the tool's General Info & System Capabilities page. Click here for an example. 

    • Note that a Safety Buddy is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY when using any fume hood rated for use with acids or bases. The ONLY EXCEPTION to this rule is for people handling less than 250mL of TMAH developer in the ACIDBASEnonHF hood as detailed here.

    • A Safety Buddy can be an existing lab member who is authorized to be in the lab. 

    • Technical members of the QNFCF Team may also act as your Safety Buddy.

  3. Except for the minor exceptions specifically listed here, every individual lab member is responsible for making sure that another lab or staff member is present with them in the lab when working with a fume hood.

  4. Please refer to the University of Waterloo's Working Alone Guideline. It is the responsibility of all lab members to familiarize themselves with this and all other University safety guidelines.

Non compliance will result in loss of member privileges