[labnetwork] After-hours work in cleanroom and laboratories

[Pramod C Karulkar]

After-hour work is very critical to turning around experiments faster 
and increasing the throughput.  Issues such as equipment cost, 
maintenance charges, and expiration of chemicals require that one gets 
as much use out of the fab as possible.   Hence every effort should be 
made to retain some level of after-hour capabilities. However, the 
traditional 1+1 buddy system may not work effectively.    It is not 
worth setting up an after-hour, volunteer buddy system if it is not 
binding, you do not have a system to monitor it, and you cannot address 
violations effectively.  A manager's hands are usually tied on the last 
issue in a multi-user, community supported academic lab until something 
bad happens.  Two buddies are ineffective in addressing safety issues if 
they are working in bays that are far apart in the lab.  Moreover, a 
buddy system does not do anything if the people involved are very 
inexperienced.  Finally, the success of after-hour operations in the 
area of safety depends on effective after-hour incident response.  A fab 
has to invest efforts in setting up a reliable, effective after-hour 
response for running an after hour operation.

I went through many iterations of after-hour work that finally resulted 
in a facility that could be run all round the clock if some time 
critical work (that compensated for efforts) had to be finished.  Here 
are some possibilities for a experimental facility.  (1) Establishing a 
larger than two buddy group (4+) with video monitoring and well 
rehearsed incident response process may work. (2) It is more work for 
the manager but prearranged after-hour work could be allowed if enough 
sign-up to work.  (3) The fab could be opened after-hours only for 
certain non- or less-hazardous processes (SEM, optical inspections, 
analytical work,  putting together lot starts, some packaging/assembly 
operations,  metal depositions in automated tools, some lithography 
processes etc.) and make sure that hazardous operations are absolutely 
discontinued after-hours.  SOP's should reflect this. (4) The fab could 
be left open after-hours for specific periods such as during the first 
week of the month or on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only etc to allow 
catch-up work.

Some examples of "bad things" that can happen more often on after-hour 
shifts:  Breakdown of cleanroom protocol,  amateurs locking up or 
damaging  equipment (e.g., microscopes), rearranging work spaces,  
moving or removing equipment no matter how small, unreported process or 
safety issues,  pouring or mixing of chemicals,  poorly addressed  spill 
or breakage, processing nonstandard  substrates or parts  (shape, size, 
material) that may result in contamination, reprogramming, or breakdown, 
non-standard processes (increasing or resetting temperatures, modifying 
gas connections  etc.  You have to think of what may happen and set up 
protocols/processes to prevent mishaps.

Hope this helps.
Good luck.
Pramod Karulkar

*/Pramod C Karulkar Ph. D. /**/
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On 11/20/2013 5:40 AM, Weaver, John R wrote:
> Due to some headcount reductions we are re-thinking our after-hours 
> lab work. Previously we had trained "lab attendants" who watched over 
> things until midnight, then required the "buddy system" after that. 
> Now we are looking at just using the buddy system after 5:00 pm.
> How do you handle things in your facility? Are you happy with the results?
> Thanks in advance,
> John
> */John R. Weaver/*
> */Facility Manager/*
> */Birck Nanotechnology Center/*
> */1205 West State Street/*
> */West Lafayette IN 47907/*
> */(765) 494-5494/*
> */_jrweaver at purdue.edu_/* <mailto:jrweaver at purdue.edu>
> */nano.purdue.edu/*
>
>
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