Rules

Adopted from London Hackspace

East Essex Hackspace is run entirely by its members and, on the whole, this works pretty well. As hackers we hate making rules almost as much as we hate following them, so we really want to keep the number of rules to a minimum. We can only do this if members and visitors observe the spirit -- not just the letter -- of these rules; they are here firstly for your safety, and secondly to prevent annoyance to other users of the space.

In addition to these rules, all members and visitors are expected to observe the Code of Conduct.

Rule Zero

0. Do not be on fire.

Safety

1. Don't use tools unless you're sure you know how to do so safely. If you see someone working in an unsafe way, it's your duty to stop them and let them know.
2. Don't defeat or hack safety features/equipment. This is for other people's safety as much as yours.
3. Check the wiki for instructions. Read the warnings. If in doubt, ask.

Making Decisions

4. If something is broken, fix it; don't complain. If you can't fix it, tell the trustees ASAP.
5. If you're doing something major, ask the discord first.

Etiquette

6. Do not treat the Hackspace like your home, it is a shared space. Sleeping anywhere on Hackspace property is forbidden. (also see Sleeping in Hackspace and Receiving Mail)
7. Equipment should be treated with care and respect. If a tool is damaged while you're using it, you must tell the discord. If you damage a tool due to misuse, the trustees may ask you to contribute money towards its replacement or repair.

Personal Items

8. Members are allowed to store personal items in the space, but they must be kept in one of the plastic boxes, labelled with your name and membership number. One box per member. Empty boxes may be recycled for other members if needed. See also: Storage.
9. Larger/more items may be allowed, but please note that space is limited.

Donating, Loaning, or Borrowing Items

10. Carefully consider the true usefulness of an item before bringing it to the space. Disposal requires effort and space is limited. Seek permission for large items.
11. If you're leaving something and you would rather it was not mercilessly ripped apart, please label it accordingly.
12. Likewise, if something looks expensive or useful please don't mercilessly rip it apart without asking first.
13. Don't remove tools from the space without asking the mailing list first.

Tidiness

14. Workbenches should be completely clean when you leave - be considerate for the next user. Please put tools back where you found them.
15. Wash your dirty crockery and cutlery before leaving the space. Don't leave it in the sink.
16. Any items left on a workbench overnight become fair game. Put your stuff back in your box.
17. If you have engaged in any waste generating activity (e.g. peeling wires, welding, grinding etc), hoover the spot.

Disposal

19. If you think something should be thrown out, put it in the outgoing trash box. Two weeks later the box will go in the skip.
20. If something is too big to fit in the trash box, you should probably post to the list about it.
21. If you want to throw something away which looks useful, make sure the mailing list is informed well in advance. (Also see: Storage#Disposal)

Penalties

If you continually annoy or endanger others by ignoring these rules, the trustees have the right to impose sanctions, as described in the Grievance Procedure. It is not something they want to do.