Attachment #2
Campus Machine Shop Review Summary
In April 2010, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety undertook a review of all student-use
machine shops on campus in light of a fatal accident at Yale University involving an undergraduate
student using a lathe. Princeton University has approximately 18 spaces designated as machine shops
used for academic research, academic support and/or extracurricular activity.
Findings during this review developed around several central themes: supervision policies, shop hours,
training, access control, personal protective equipment/dress code, and emergency response devices
(i.e., telephones, emergency stop buttons, etc.).
Through several meetings of a campus machine shop working group made up of various departmental
representatives, the following guiding principles were developed:
1. Undergraduate work must be supervised.
2. Work alone by undergraduates prohibited. For all other principle groups (staff, faculty, grad
students), working alone would be strongly discouraged.
3. Work permitted from 8 am – 2 am.
4. Princeton-specific training to meet minimum standards and kept on file in online Learning
Center Database.
5. Doors locked with hotel-style locks providing up to date access and audit trail.
6. Uniform shop posting detailing shop rules, how to report emergencies and contact
information.
7. EHS checklist-driven formal inspection each academic term.
8. Initial training for shop administrators (train-the-trainer) and periodic meetings.
9. Telephone located in work space. While most spaces have this in place, it was suggested that
a form of single-button blue-light-type emergency telephone may be a better solution in this
environment.
10. Established dress code and personal protective equipment requirements.
11. Emergency Stop Buttons in shop or on equipment as beneficial
While many of these guiding principles apply to shops used for independent student theater
productions, the program is managed differently under the auspices of the Office of the Dean of
Undergraduate Students, the Program for Theater and Dance and the Production Office at Richardson
Auditorium. Reasons for this include:
•
The difference in the nature of the shop work performed in theater shops as compared to
academic research shops. Theater shops tend to build similar steps, platforms and flats over
and over again. They are working almost exclusively with wood and the use of the equipment
tends to be of shorter duration and less precise.
Attachment #2
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•
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The variety of tools is minimal. Fixed power tools tend to be limited to mitre saws and table
saws equipped with SawStop technology.
Work in theater spaces happens less in the shop than on the stage, where portable tools are the
tool of choice. Our accident history includes more injuries associated with activities like striking
sets and stage work than shop accidents.
Mandatory training for all technical theater students is offered 3-4 times per year. This is a joint
effort conducted by EHS, the Production Office at Richardson Auditorium, and the Program in
Theater and Dance. This training covers a variety of health and safety topics and includes handson instruction in the different tools in a shop setting.
School of Architecture
Short-term
recommendations
Long-term
recommendations
School of Architecture Laboratory
Description
Academic shop in School of Architecture Building. Contains table saw, radial arm saw, laser cutters, and computerized routing table.
Training
• Provided & records kept by John Hunter
• Includes SoA Shop Safety Manual
Access
Open 9 - 9
Physical keys are kept by John, Bill Tansley, Cynthia and select
graduate student shop monitors
Supervision Trained person on site at all times: John, Bill or graduate student
shop monitors.
If only staffed by shop monitors, no use of table saw or radial arm
saw
Emergency Telephone in space
PPE
Available and enforced
Other Notes John and Bill work very closely with students
Architecture Lab
Description
Academic shop in freestanding building near Jadwin Gym. Contains a variety of woodworking equipment including lathe, table saw,
radial arm saw, routers, grinders, sanders, etc.
Training
• Provided & records kept by John Hunter
• Includes SoA Shop Safety Manual
Physical key
Open 9 am - 4:30 pm as work space. Machines are locked out if
John or Bill are not present
Undergraduate class meets here during fall semester
Access
Supervision
Unsupervised workspace from 9 am - 4:30 pm. No unsupervised
machine use
Class work is supervised
Emergency Phone in workspace
PPE
Available and enforced when supervision is present
Other notes Work alone with handtools is allowed
School of Architecture Visual Studies Lab (VSL)
Description
Work space for independent student use in basement of SoA building containing small supply of hand tools, band saw, disc sander,
compound mitre saw, drill press
Training
• Provided & records kept by John Hunter
• Includes SoA Shop Safety Manual
Prox access provided by Cynthia Nelson once training/orientation
completed. 24/7 work is permitted.
Access
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
Other Notes
Green = Best Practices
Red = Gaps
Unsupervised work is permitted
Telephone in space
Available
Work alone is possible
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School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS)
SEAS Shop
Description
Academic shop in E-Quad run by SEAS central administration staff and used by all students except MAE and technical staff. Contains
lathes, milling machines, drill presses and other metalworking equipment
Training
Students must go through training provided by machine shop staff
to use.
Access
Physical keys held by shop staff. Shop is open during regular
business hours by trained staff. Shop equipment is powered down
after normal business hours.
Shop work is supervised by shop staff
Phone in shop and 2 emergency shut-off buttons are located at
either end.
Available and enforced
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
MAE Shop
Description
Training
Academic shop in E-Quad connected to SEAS shop. Run by MAE Department. Contains lathes, milling machines, drill presses and other
metalworking equipment
Students must attend training given by Glenn Northey.
Access
Combination lock on door. Each student is provided an individual
combination based on their student id number to discourage
sharing. 24/7 work is permitted.
Supervision
Glenn and one assistant are present during extended business
hours. Unsupervised work is permitted.
Telephone in space; 2 emergency stop buttons to be installed
Available and enforced when staff are present
Emergency
PPE
MAE Shop - Forrestal Campus
Description Academic shop in the Gas Dynamics Building on the Forrestal Campus run by a technical staff member in the MAE Department who
works for Prof. Lex Smits. Contains lathes, milling machines, drill presses and other metalworking equipment
Training
No student use at this time, so no training is required.
Access
Access is open to anyone who has key to building. There are two
unrelated experiments in the shop and Prof. Naomi Leonard's lab
must walk through shop to access building bathrooms.
Supervision
At this time, work is only done by Dan Hoffman, MAE technical staff
member
No phone in space
Emergency
Establish protocols
should students
request use of
machines
Implement protocol
to lock out machines
when not in use
Have telephone
installed in space
PPE
Safety glasses are available.
Other notes
Green = Best Practices
Red = Gaps
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Physics
Student Shop
Description
Academic shop staffed by technical staff member (new since October).
Training
Course offered as needed (2-3 students at a time). Course involves
a half day orientation and then supervised manufacture of three
Access
Supervision
Onity lock with audit trail. Geoff Gettelfinger provides access based
on those completing course. Currently, technical staff, faculty, and
Steve Lowe is present during normal working hours.
Emergency
Phone in space
Discontinue "special
dispensation" access
PPE
Available and enforced when staff are present
Other notes Shop guidelines in process of revision. Prohibition of working alone
is being considered as well as no unsupervised undergraduate
work.
Pro Shop
Description
Technical metalworking shop staffed and operated by technical staff members only
Training
No student use
Access
Onity lock - only technical staff members & Geoff Gettelfinger
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
No student use
Phone in space
Present
Metals Stockroom
Description
Training
Access
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
Green = Best Practices
Red = Gaps
Metal stockroom area which also contains 2 band saws, cut-off saw, roller, shearer and welder.
No training requirement
No training requirement
Undergraduates may only access space during business hours when
staffed. Graduate students have access to space 24/7 to sign out
materials and cut stock.
No specific supervision for tool use. Students can sign out
materials if Ted Lewis is not present.
Phone in space
Present
Prevent access to
space or machines
unless trained
3
Molecular Biology
Description
Small shop in support of academic activities. Currently used exclusively by Mike Fredericks or Special Facilities personnel
Training
Access
No student use
EM Key
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
No student use
Description
Training
Access
Small metalworking shop in support of academic activities. Currently used exclusively by George Rose
No student use
George has exclusive access. Door is locked if he is gone for any
reason
No student use
Phone in George's office
Present
Have lock rekeyed
and/or lockout
equipment
Geosciences
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
Astrophysics
Description
Small metalworking shop to support academic activities. Used exclusively by 2 technical staff members.
Training
Access
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
No student use
Only Michael Carr & department manager have keys
No student use
Phone in space
Present
Description
Training
Access
Small shop in support of academic activities. Used exclusively by Gary Drozd.
No student use
Outside door is card access. Inside door is keyed off grand master.
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
No student use
Phone in space
Present
Psychology
Green = Best Practices
Red = Gaps
4
Lewis Center for the Arts
Sculpture Shop
Description
Training
Access
Supervision
Academic shop in Visual Arts Department. Contains variety of woodworking equipment and welding apparatus
All students must go through Safety Check-Out prior to work in
shop. Records are kept by Marjorie.
Physical key lock. Shop is locked when staff are not present. Shop
staff, Sr. faculty and main office have keys
No unsupervised work is permitted. Work must take place during
scheduled shop hours or as part of an academic class. Work on
lathe, metal chop saw and welder are always directly supervised.
Emergency Phone in office which is open during shop hours
PPE
Available and strictly enforced
Other notes Course instructor makes first assignment a series of cuts on each
common-use piece of equipment in addition to Safety Check-Out
Theater and Dance Shop
Description
Training
Access
Woodworking shop in 185 Nassau Street to support Theater and Dance activities. No academic classes offered by T&D
Students must have attended Technical Theater Safety Training to
schedule shop with Kelly Arlinghaus
Students who schedule shop time are granted temporary prox
access to building and sign out keys to shop from front office.
Supervision Unsupervised work is permitted
Emergency Phone in shop
PPE
Available for use
Other notes Robust shop manual and step-by-step tool guide
Theater and Dance Shop at 755 Alexander
Description Woodworking shop maintained by Theater and Dance Program - 4 paid staff members. No student use except to gather materials and
props.
Training
Access
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
Consider protocols if
students would
request use of
machines
No training as there is no student use.
Physical key lock kept by paid staff.
No student use.
Phone in shop
Available.
Murray-Dodge Theater
Description
Training
Access
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
Independent student group-run theater (Theatre Intime) with woodworking shop
Student technical theater training required
Student-controlled.
Unsupervised work, 24/7
Phone in space
Available
McCarter Theater (755 Alexander)
Description
Training
Access
Supervision
Emergency
PPE
Woodworking shop at 755 Alexander controlled by McCarter Theater staff & used by Triangle Club students
Student technical theater training required (self-policed)
Students have keys and schedule time with McCarter Tech Director (Chris Nelson)
Unsupervised work, 24/7
Phone in space
Available
Other Locations for Consideration
Lab spaces
(over 12 identified so far)
Student theater spaces
Maintenance shops (MacMillan and SF)
Green = Best Practices
Red = Gaps
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