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<p class="MsoNormal">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.<br>
<br>
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. <br>
<br>
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. </p>
Hope this helps. <br>
Good luck. <br>
Pramod Karulkar<br>
<br>
<b><i>Pramod C Karulkar Ph. D.
</i></b><b><i><br>
</i></b><b><i>Home 2*5*3* 3*0*3 0*4*1*8
</i></b><b><i><br>
</i></b><b><i>6024 33rd Street Ct NW
</i></b><b><i><br>
</i></b><b><i>Gig Harbor WA 98335 </i></b><br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 11/20/2013 5:40 AM, Weaver, John R
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:6A848421F695C54A9210C1A873C96AC212F0435E@WPVEXCMBX04.purdue.lcl"
type="cite">
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<font face="Calibri" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;">
<div>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.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>How do you handle things in your facility? Are you happy
with the results?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thanks in advance,</div>
<div>John</div>
<div> </div>
<div><font face="Cambria" size="2"><span
style="font-size:9pt;"><b><i>John R. Weaver</i></b></span></font></div>
<div><font face="Cambria" size="2"><span
style="font-size:9pt;"><b><i>Facility Manager</i></b></span></font></div>
<div><font face="Cambria" size="2"><span
style="font-size:9pt;"><b><i>Birck Nanotechnology Center</i></b></span></font></div>
<div><font face="Cambria" size="2"><span
style="font-size:9pt;"><b><i>1205 West State Street</i></b></span></font></div>
<div><font face="Cambria" size="2"><span
style="font-size:9pt;"><b><i>West Lafayette IN 47907</i></b></span></font></div>
<div><font face="Cambria" size="2"><span
style="font-size:9pt;"><b><i>(765) 494-5494</i></b></span></font></div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:jrweaver@purdue.edu"><font face="Cambria"
size="2" color="blue"><span style="font-size:9pt;"><b><i><u>jrweaver@purdue.edu</u></i></b></span></font></a></div>
<div><font face="Cambria" size="2"><span
style="font-size:9pt;"><b><i>nano.purdue.edu</i></b></span></font></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
</span></font>
<br>
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