This policy only covers projects you work on in our workshop. Tool use is covered under our Training policy
Before you work on a project at the Artifactory, you must assess if your project could:
- Kill, injure, or otherwise impact on the health and safety of any person.
- Damage property, premises, or the environment.
- Damage the Artifactory's reputation in the community - i.e. our social license to operate.
You must demonstrate to the committee that:
- You have the appropriate skills, knowledge, and qualifications to both a) safely, and b) legally, work on the project.
- You have identified hazards, and implemented controls, to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
The committee may require you to submit a formal risk assessment, in writing, before approving your project.
Dangerous projects must be approved by at least two committee members or delegated approvers.
Dangerous projects will not typically be approved for Day Pass users (casual attendees), due to the amount of volunteer effort required to manage these projects.
Danger comes in many forms, a non-exhaustive list has been included below to help you gauge and understand what we consider dangerous. If you are unsure whether your project is considered dangerous please reach out via #general on Slack or via email.
Commercial devices are excluded from this category provided that you aren't modifying the device or wiring it yourself.
- Voltages over 50V AC or 120V ripple-free DC
- Current exceeding 10A
- Intentional electrical arcing
- Stored electrical energy (capacitors, inductors) with the potential to discharge into people
- Self assembled battery packs (e.g. spot welding lithium-ion batteries)
- Any system over 20 PSI where fittings are not commercially crimped or vessels are not certified for the expected pressure.
- Any system over 145 PSI
3D printer builds are excluded from this category
- Expected temperatures of solids less than -20°C or greater than 200°C
- Expected temperatures of liquids less than -50°C or greater than 100°C
- Flammable gases
- Open flames
- Lasers greater than Class 3R
- Artificial UV light less than 300nm
- Microwave radiation outside of a properly functioning microwave appliance
- Radioactive material
- Ionising radiation
- Substances with the ability to cause harm when exposed to skin or eyes including:
- Concentrated acids, bases, and oxidizing agents. For example: sodium hydroxide, concentrated hydrochloric and sulfuric acid, potassium permanganate, chlorine gas.
- Heavy metals such as mercury
- Materials that react in a highly exothermic manner when exposed to water (e.g. alkali metals like elemental sodium/potassium)
- Bromine and other volatile toxic liquids
- Large quantities of gases (Where the quantity is high enough to adversely affect breathing)
- Suspended loads with the potential to fall on people or cause crush injuries
- Springs with the potential to cause injury
- Exposed fast moving parts
- Projectiles
- Controlled weapons or edged weapons as defined in relevant legislation
The following types of projects are absolutely prohibited:
- Prohibited weapons and firearms as defined in relevant legislation
- Accessories for prohibited weapons and firearms
- Drugs and drug paraphernalia
- Material containing asbestos
- Fractal burning / Lichtenburg burning
The following people may approve projects (alongside members of the committee). Please do not contact these people directly unless directed.
- Blake Samuels
- Doug Bateman
- Steve Hodges
- Stewart Greenhill
- 2025-02-15:
- Previous "Dangerous projects and tools" policy replaced by "Dangerous projects" policy.
- Blake Samuels, Doug Bateman, Steve Hodges, and Stewart Greenhill appointed as delegated approvers for dangerous projects.