Lab Standards

[JArnbak]

The Idea:

• We need a common ruleset across all labs :
  • To make transitioning from one lab to the other easier.
  • To increase working experience in labs.
  • To make the labs more inviting to visitors.
  • To improve general lab safety.
  • To strengthen the feeling of community both in and across all labs.
• Lab order and cleaning should be high priority
• In order to make lab organization and cleaning more enjoyable, a competition will be implemented with winners receiving a price every 6 months.

[JArnbak]

Order standards:

• All optics on optical tables should be labeled (if no permanent engravings or tags are available and visible). The label should include, but not be limited to:
  • Type.
  • Wavelength.
  • Special properties (e.g. focal length of a lens, polish of a mirror etc).
• No coats or other outdoor clothes in the labs.
• Always wear labshoes – no socks.
• Always wear labcoats, hairnets and gloves when working with loss-sensitive experiments (e.g. squeezing).
  • The judgement of this is up to the individual lab and should be clearly disclosed at the entryway to the lab.
• Avoid cardboard on the optical tables.
• No drinks close to the optical tables and/or lab equipment.
  • Drinks should be kept and drunk only near desks.
• No food in the labs.
• Try to keep equipment off the top of the optical table enclosures.
• Tidy up the optical tables
  • Unused optics should be properly stored when not in use
  • Screw drivers, hex keys etc. should be put back in their place when finished using.
• Windows of the flow hood enclosures should always be closed when not working on the table
• The flow hood level should be kept at a reasonable level at all times (you should be able to feel the air being pushed out of the enclosure)
  • If sensitive experiments are running, the air flow can be turned down if the windows are closed.

[JArnbak]

Safety standards:

• Avoid blocking passage between optical tables (ensure at least one good path of passage)
• No permanent equipment (oscilloscopes, high voltage amplifiers, etc) on the floor.
• No cables / fibers on the floor or hanging between tables.
• No unblocked or stray, unused beams on the table.
  • Beams should always be properly blocked using the right type of blocks fitting the beam power and wavelength.
• Use safety googles when aligning.
  • When an experiment is running and the beam path is fixed googles can be removed.
• Never keep your head in eye-height with the beam height.
• Try to avoid vertical beams.
  • If you need to change beam height vertically then there should be a closed enclosure around.
• All optical tables should have protection on the windows to block beams from leaving the table.
• Always earth the optical table and keep track of the grounding of equipment.
• When disconnecting cables with high voltage, turn off the power before disconnecting.
• Never leave live cables (of high voltage) exposed.
• If working on weekends in the lab, make sure your lab mates know.

[JArnbak]

House tournament:

• In order to keep people interested in keeping a high level of hygiene and order, we will implement a competition every 6 months.
• Every week I will visit the labs
• I will make note of the level of hygiene and order and give points between -5 and + 10.
• After 6 months I will calculate an average point level across the weekly measurements.
• The lab with the highest point average will receive a nice (!) price.
• The score will be kept secret until the final reveal.
• I will point out faults and absences when visiting the lab, but not reveal the points.
• Theoreticians and support personal are also included in this tournament. They will join the lab related to their work. If they are involved in more than one lab, we will try to balance the lab teams out.
• There will be a 2 week grace period after the announcement of the tournament until the scoring starts. This is to allow people to implement the new standards.

[JArnbak]

To-do:

• [x] Feedback from PIs
• [x] Present to the group
• [ ] Implement the tournament