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Hackspace Install Standards

This document describes the general standards that all areas should meet when being installed or changed. This is to ensure the Hackspace is: Easier to understand and use. Easier to keep in good condition. More accessible. Consistent across all areas.

Walkways Walkways should be a minimum of 1m wide, and ideally 1.2m wide. If feasible any walkway designated as a fire exit route should be marked out on the floor.

Desks and Benches All desks and benches must follow a ‘100% clear desk’ principle, and have standardised ‘clear desk’ signage affixed above or nearby. The only items that should live on desks are: Fixed infrastructure, such as power distribution, signage, and extraction, which should be securely fixed to the bench. Benchtop equipment and machinery, for which the bench is the intended work space. Examples of this include pillar drills, computers, or microscopes. Where practical the equipment should be fixed down or the bench should be otherwise marked or modified to indicate that the equipment is supposed to be there.

Machinery All machines must have sufficient safe working space around them. Where relevant, standardised safety notices must be displayed on the wall behind each machine, or on the machine if there is no wall. Any machine accessories must have a home close to the machine, to the same standard as all other hackspace-owned items (See below). Fixed machines that require extraction must be permanently connected to an extraction system. Cabling must be managed to avoid trip hazards and mess. Long runs or extension leads should be clipped in place or routed behind furniture.

Hackspace Items and Storage All Hackspace items, including tools, equipment, consumables, PPE, and machine accessories should have an obvious, unambiguous, high-quality home. Storage for hackspace items should always be mat black. The preferred storage type for all hackspace items is always shadow-boards, with dowel pins, labels, and outlines. If a shadow-board is not feasible, custom-compartmentalised labeled shelving is also acceptable. Drawers and cupboards should not be used unless unavoidable. If they are used, measures must be taken to ensure only the desired items can physically be put in the drawer or cupboard. Where tools, etc, require instructions or safety notices, these must be affixed beside the item on its storage location. Any storage area for Hackspace items should not also allow for the storage of personal or donated items (see below), or otherwise make it unclear whether an item belongs to Hackspace or not. Any area which could encourage unplanned or ad-hoc storage should be identified, and measures put in place to prevent this from happening, for example: Unused shelf space should be boxed off until needed. The top of tall units should be sloped. All Hackspace Items should only have one home on each floor of the space.

Storage Spaces for Personal Items Any personal items at the space must be stored in our two personal storage systems (Personal Boxes and Short Stay). Any spaces designed for the storage of personal items must form part of one of these two systems, and no other spaces should be created or implied for the storage of personal items. Personal storage must not take place in the woodshop or metalshop.

Storage Spaces for Shared Items (Hack Racks) Items which members wish to gift for others to use must be stored in designated Hack Racks. Storage for shared items should always be Hackspace Orange. Hack Racks can be designated in any area, for the sharing of specialised items used in that area. Hack Racks should be clearly demarcated, and should feature standardised ‘Hack Rack’ signage, identifying what types of item are wanted and unwanted.

Waste Standard bins should be present in every area, along with standardised signage indicating accepted categories of waste and emptying instructions. Specialist bins can be included in areas, but should also include standardised signage.