[labnetwork] Cleanroom Buddy protocol

[Mark M Crain]

Hi Everyone

I am interested in an informal survey of facilities implementing a
*buddy system* in their multi user labs. Our microfabrication
cleanroom user base is around 50 research students and staff.  The user
size of this facility puts us in a situation where there may not always
2 or more people in the cleanroom at all times; this has precipitated a
number of requests from students and faculty about conditions in which
they can enter the cleanroom as a *solitary user*.

Here are some of the conditions in which people want to be able to work
in the facility alone.   

1)	staff cleaning the floors, stock wafers, organize in dry bays
alone
2)	using tools like profilometers, ellipsometers, or wire bonder 
alone
3)	sputtering and evaporation systems
4)	Can staff walk through chemical storage areas alone?
5)	What is your schools *buddy system* policy for individual
researchers labs?
6)	Do cameras and a TGM system count as a buddy?

PRO*s to the *Solitary User*
Researchers can work during hours most productive to them.  It*s good
to have happy paying users.

CON*s to the *Solitary User*
Even if the solitary access requests are to complete some relatively
safe task, there are still many hazards in the facility and some
equipment (furnaces, PECVD) may actually be in active use even without
the tool user being in the room.  This is the foundation of my concern
for permitting any *solitary users*.  Users may be tempted to do
short unapproved *solitary user* processes like an HF dip before a
potentially approved process such as sputtering.

I am looking forward your replies about the Buddy System.  Thank you
for your time.

Mark Crain
Cleanroom Manager
University of Louisville