Policies

• Tools
• 3D Printer Usage Policy
• Sawstop Activation Policy
• Equipment and Property Disposal
• Classes
• Registrations and Cancellations
• Community
• Code of Conduct
• COVID-19 & Other Illness Protocols
• Noise Policy
• Enforcement
• Privacy Policy
• Non-Discrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy
• Studio and Shop
• Equipment Damage Policy
• Storage Policy
• Prohibited Projects
• Shop Closure and Emergency Response
• Spraypaint and VOC Policy

Tools

3D Printer Usage Policy

The 3D printers are available for members to use for personal or professional projects, subject to the following rules. This policy is supplemental to and does not override any part of the Protohaven General Damage Policy.

By following this policy, members can ensure a safe and productive 3D printing experience at Protohaven. Protohaven reserves the right to revoke or suspend the 3D printing privileges of any member who violates this policy or causes damage to the printers or other equipment. Protohaven also reserves the right to modify this policy at any time without prior notice. If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, please contact Protohaven staff or email hello@protohaven.org.

Sawstop Activation Policy

The following is the Protohaven procedures and policy to be followed after SawStop safety system (brake) activations. This policy is supplemental to and does not override any part of the Protohaven General Damage Policy.

Removal

A Shop Tech, Instructor, or Staff must remove the blade and activated brake from the machine and replace the brake and blade following the procedures on the page titled What to do if the SawStop Safety System Activates (page 45) in the Operating Manual or watch a video on the subject produced by SawStop. SawStop Service Tip: Recovering an Activated Brake

Separate the activated brake from the blade and retain both. The previously mentioned video shows how to separate the brake from the blade.

Replacement

The member who causes brake activation is required to reimburse Protohaven for the replacement costs of both the brake and blade. ($145.00)

Reimbursement Option

Members at their own expense can send off the brake to SawStop for analysis and attempt to get a replacement brake.

SawStop may authorize a replacement on certain firing codes. Sometimes including finger contact and electrical anomaly.

If you are able to get a replacement brake withing 2 weeks of the trigger you can exchange the new brake for the cost paid to Protohaven.

Reimbursement Process

Mail the activated brake cartridge (no blade) to SawStop for analysis and confirmation that skin contact or other qualifying trigger caused the activation. To initiate this process, call SawStop Customer Service 503-582-9934 and request an RMA (Return Material Authorization) number and follow their instructions.

Upon SawStop’s receipt of the completed form and activated brake, they will determine the cause of activation. If skin contact is confirmed, SawStop will mail a new brake cartridge free of charge.

After receiving the new brake cartridge, bring it to the woodshop within two weeks of brake activation and pay only the replacement cost of the blade ($50.00).

If skin contact is not confirmed, or if a new brake cartridge is not brought to the shop within two weeks, reimbursement of the replacement costs of both brake and blade will be required.

Equipment and Property Disposal

Surplus or obsolete equipment/property, which can no longer be utilized by operations at Protohaven or is in excess of need, should be disposed of in an accessible, equitable, and orderly fashion that maximizes remaining value for the organization and/or minimizes waste and cost to Protohaven.

Sale of surplus or obsolete equipment and property will be approved by the Board. Sales should be conducted in a manner that is fair and non-prejudicial to buyers and ensures transactions are both legal and ethical. Protohaven will avoid giving any particular buyer an exclusive opportunity to buy Protohaven equipment without giving others an equal opportunity; however, Protohaven employees and members can be given limited opportunities to buy certain items at fair market value before they are extended to the general public.

if equipment or property Protohaven is selling was donated to the organization within the past three years and is valued at more than $5,000, Protohaven must complete IRS Form 8282. Revenue from sale of surplus or obsolete equipment and property will be held in a reserve fund (savings account) for future equipment purchases or emergency maintenance.

Classes

Registrations and Cancellations

Registrations close for skills & safety classes, workshops, and intensives 24 hours before the session start time. Depending on the class, workshop, or intensive, empty seats may be made available to Shop Techs. Classes, workshops, or intensives with less than two registered participants will be automatically canceled. Exceptions may be made based on the discretion of Protohaven staff.

Individuals who register for a skills & safety class, workshop, or intensive, must cancel no less than 72 hours in order to receive a full refund or be moved to another class, workshop, or intensive with no cancellation fee.

Cancellation Policies and Fees

Single-session class or workshop

Multi-session class or workshop

Please be aware that there are NO exceptions to these cancellation policies.

Community

Code of Conduct

Accepted: 4.01.2024

These rules and policies are subject to change. Changes will become effective immediately upon successful vote of adoption by the Board of Directors.

Core Values

Protohaven supports a maker space that values:

Inclusion: We strive to create an environment where all feel welcome and are treated with dignity and respect.

Empowerment: We share our knowledge, resources, tools, and space to build the capacity of others.

Collaboration: We foster a shared learning environment that offers various levels of engagement to honor the creative aspirations of everyone.

Community Guidelines

We ask that our members:

Be Respectful: Our students, members, instructors, Shop Techs, and partners bring with them a rich variety of experiences, perspectives, and aspirations. What brings us together is a shared interest in the process of making things. To create a welcoming, supportive environment, we ask each individual to treat one another with care and openness to diversity of race, gender, orientation, age, identity, and ability.

Take Responsibility: Protohaven is built around shared resources – space, tools, knowledge, and the community itself. To preserve these communal assets, each individual is asked to take responsibility for their own actions and to be mindful of how they impact those around them. We are each accountable for ourselves, and don’t expect others to bear the costs of our actions.

Help Out: Protohaven is a public charity and is made possible only by people giving more than they take. In this spirit, we ask each individual to find opportunities to help each other, the organization, and our broader community. We also ask each individual to recognize that assistance is not always sought, to seek consent before providing aid, and to provide opportunity for others’ work and discovery.

Safety Rules

Report all injuries and incidents:

Safe conduct:

Prepare:

Use tools correctly:

Clean up:

Non-Discrimination Policy

Protohaven does not promote or discriminate against any person, population group, or organization with regard to categories protected by applicable United States law. These include, but are not limited to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, physical appearance, language, education background, national origin, age, disability, and veteran status.

Anti-Harassment Policy

Harassment is prohibited and will not be tolerated. Any person who feels they have been the victim of harassment should ask the harasser to cease the behavior if they feel safe doing so. Members or guests asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. Harassment includes the following, without limitation:

Formal Complaints

The formal complaint process exists for members to request a discussion be held by the Board of Directors regarding specific actions of another member. Members are expected to discuss their complaints in a calm and polite manner. Mediation is available to resolve issues without the need of a formal complaint.

Code of Conduct Violations

Any member or guest who violates any part of the Protohaven Code of Conduct will be asked to stop or leave. Violations will be logged in the member’s Neon profile by a Protohaven Shop Tech, Staff, or Board of Director Member. Based on the frequency or severity of the violation(s), Protohaven Board of Directors reserve the right to suspend or terminate the violator’s membership. Notice of suspension or termination will be made in writing. Unsafe use of tools or equipment may also result in removal of clearances, requiring remedial training via classes or private instruction at the violator’s expense.

Members may appeal a suspension or termination of membership in writing to the Board of Directors within 30 calendar days of receipt of notification. Membership will remain in suspension or termination until the appeal is closed.

COVID-19 & Other Illness Protocols

06/12/23 Update

Protohaven follows the health department guidelines regarding masking and does not require masks for fully vaccinated users when community levels are medium or low. You are welcome to continue to wear a mask if you choose.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

Before Coming

Before coming to Protohaven, we ask that members and visitors you:

Pass a self-screen for common symptoms of COVID and other illnesses such as the flu or common cold, including, but not limited to:

While Here

While using the shop, we ask everyone to:

If you have any questions about these protocols, please contact us at hello@protohaven.org.

After Leaving

If, after leaving the shop, a visitor develops common COVID symptoms, we ask that they get tested for Covid-19 and share the results with us. This allows us to take the appropriate cleaning, testing, and notification measures if the test comes back positive.

6/28/21 Update

Masks requirements at Protohaven significantly reduced, some still in place

Starting today, June 28, 2021, members, students, and guests of Protohaven who are fully vaccinated may choose to remove their masks in the space if they remain more than 6 feet away from anyone who is wearing a mask.

If you are vaccinated: this means you must still bring a mask to Protohaven, but may choose to remove it if you maintain social distance of six feet from anyone wearing a mask. You are also more than welcome to continue to wear a mask if you choose.

If you are not yet fully vaccinated (including children): this means you must continue to wear a mask at Protohaven until further notice.

This policy update was made in light of loosening Pennsylvania Department of Health requirements regarding mask wearing, while recognizing that some members of our community may not be able to receive a vaccine for medical reasons. Others may be fully vaccinated, but may not yet be comfortable being in public without their mask, or in close proximity to others not wearing masks.

We ask each member of our community to mindfully follow these new guidelines out of respect for each other, and in the effort to continue the path to a healthy and more equitable society.

Protohaven’s number one shop rule is Safety, and we treat the COVID-19 pandemic as a serious health concern affecting not only those who use the shop, but those they come in contact with outside of the shop.

We also recognize the important role the shop plays in the work and lives of our students, members, and partners.

In order to allow us to remain open in a limited capacity and to mitigate health risks to a reasonable level, we follow all applicable Federal, State, and Municipal health guidelines and have instituted the following visitor expectations and additional protocols.

Visitor Expectations

Before you come to the shop Before coming to Protohaven, we ask everyone to verify that they:

While at the shop

While using the shop, we ask everyone to:

After leaving the shop

If, after leaving the shop, a visitor develops common Covid symptoms, we ask that they get tested for Covid-19 and share the results with us. This allows us to take the appropriate cleaning, testing, and notification measures if the test comes back positive.

Additional Protocols

In addition to the listed visitor expectations, we have also put in place the following protocols:

In the event of a positive Covid test by a visitor to the space, the space will also temporarily close until:

If you have any questions about these protocols, please contact us at hello@protohaven.org.

Noise Policy

Playing or streaming radio/video/podcasts and the like in a manner or volume that is distracting to shop users is a safety risk to members and equipment.

Therefore, playing media in a way that can reasonably be considered distracting is prohibited, unless otherwise permitted by Protohaven.

Violation of this policy may result in a temporary suspension of membership, and repeated violation of this policy may result in permanent revocation of membership and removal from the premises.

Enforcement

Procedure for upholding policies

Board approved 01/2024

This is the procedure we follow for upholding Protohaven Policies to preserve a safe, clean, and equitable space where everyone can make things.

Remediation

When an individual is discovered to be violating a policy while they are still in the shop, one of the board or staff will notify them and offer a path to resolution, e.g:

• if working on a prohibited project, suggest changing the design or removing the project from the premises
  • if causing a noise disturbance, offer them some headphones or ask them to turn off the noise

For violations not relating to storage and equipment damage:

• If the issue is not resolved or if it recurs within 3 days, they are asked to leave for the day and the violation is recorded on their account. Penalty steps (as below) are followed as needed.

Refer to the specific sections below for violations relating to storage and equipment damage.

Penalties

In the event that remediation is not successful, penalties will be applied. The member is notified via a standardized email which includes the following:

• A copy of the relevant policy text
• A description of the violation that invoked that policy
• If applicable, a schedule of fees that will occur due to the violation
• If applicable, a duration during which their membership is suspended (see Suspension below)

If fees apply:

• Notify again when the violation is resolved, issuing an invoice and giving them a week to contact with an appeal or payment.
• At the end of the grace period, charge their card unless it's otherwise decided by the board.
• If their card is not on file, their membership is suspended until the fees are paid.

If suspension applies:

• Their membership is immediately suspended, however they are offered the ability to cancel storage subscriptions and remove any storage or materials they have left at the shop while escorted by an on-duty tech.
  • At the end of the suspension period, they are notified that the suspension period has ended and their membership can be resumed.

Suspension

• If the member's history includes 3 violations within the past 3 months, their membership is suspended for 30 days.
• Every time the member exceeds this threshold (3 violations in 6 months) the suspension period will increase by 60 days. This means 90 days for the second violation, 150 days for the third violation, etc.
• Actions resulting in sustained damage to the equipment or imminent danger to members may result in a more severe suspension or potentially permanent revocation of membership.

Appeals

• Members have 30 days to appeal decisions resulting in fees or suspension of membership. This is done by a submission in writing.
• 3 board members or staff uninvolved with the initial violation process then meet with the member to hear them out. The membership coordinator should always be in attendance.
• The committee reviews evidence and makes a decision on whether to uphold or change the outcome. They can solicit opinions from the rest of the board if desired.

Special Cases

Storage Violation

When improperly stored objects are found, a report is filed and a "paid storage required" tag posted at the location.

The report includes:

• a picture of the violation
• a description of the violation
• what the violation will be charged as

This report kicks off the following process:

• Automation posts this event to a new #storage channel to notify members.
• If a particular member is suspected, staff will attempt to reach out to the contact info they have on file to notify them of the storage issue directly.
• Daily summaries are posted to #storage of active storage violations and their accrued cost
• If the member reclaims their storage by paying the fee, the violation is closed and a record of the violation is stored in that user's Neon account.
• If nobody claims the violation after ~2 weeks, the objects are declared property of Protohaven and removed from the area.

Note that this process does not incur back fees for storage which was found to already be in violation for a period of time - the fee "timer" starts upon first report.

Equipment Damage

When equipment damage is discovered, a tool report is filed (ideally with a picture).

The report kicks off the following process:

• Automation posts this tool report to #maintenance
• Video log is reviewed if needed, and a suspect is found. Fees and/or suspension are applied to this user per the general flow above.
• A record of the violation is stored in that user's Neon account.

Privacy Policy

Our clients, members, and other parties with whom we do business entrust Protohaven with important information relating to their lives and business. It is our policy that all client and member information is considered confidential and will not be disclosed to external parties or to employees without a “need to know.” If an employee questions whether certain information is considered confidential, the employee should first check with his or her immediate supervisor.

This policy is intended to alert employees to the need for discretion at all times, and is not intended to inhibit normal business communications.

Non-Discrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy

Purpose and Scope 

Protohaven is committed to ensuring an environment that is free from all forms of harassment, discrimination, or conduct that can be considered coercive, or likely to create a hostile environment, including sexual harassment. Discrimination or harassment based on sex (gender), race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression,  physical appearance, language, education background, veteran status, or other protected categories is not allowed. Protohaven board members, staff, volunteers, members and guests must be aware that such behavior will not be tolerated.

Responsibility 

The Chair of the Board of Directors, acting in concert with the Membership & Operations Coordinator, shall have responsibility for enforcement of this Policy. Protohaven staff will ensure that this policy is presented to new volunteers and that it is reviewed with them periodically. 

Policy Statement

1. All Protohaven directors, staff, volunteers, members and guests, regardless of their position, are covered by and expected to comply with this policy. Directors, staff, and volunteers are expected to take appropriate measures to ensure that prohibited conduct does not occur, and members are expected to immediately report any such occurrences of prohibited conduct.  

2. Harassment, for purposes of this policy, includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual or physical conduct of a sexual nature. It also includes conduct in any form that is based on sex (gender), race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression,  physical appearance, language, education background, veteran status, or other protected categories that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with Protohaven activities in which an individual participates or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. The above are not meant to be all-inclusive but are provided as examples of harassment. 

3. Staff, volunteers and members who believe they are being harassed, have been harassed, or who witness or hear about harassment directed toward a staff member, volunteers or member should contact the Chair or the Membership & Operations Coordinator.

4. Protohaven takes all complaints seriously. The Chair and the Membership & Operations Coordinator will determine promptly whether to conduct an investigation and, if so, whether to conduct it themselves or to direct outside counsel to conduct an investigation. Investigations will be conducted with all deliberate speed and appropriate discretion. Where required by law, Protohaven will report the complaint to appropriate legal authorities. 

5. The findings of the investigation will be furnished to the Board of Directors for appropriate action. Appropriate action, as well as the effective date of the action, for violations of this policy will be based, in whole or in part, on the seriousness of the offense(s) and/or whether the individual(s) involved have previously violated this or other Protohaven policies. Such action may include verbal reprimand, written reprimand, suspension, separation (of employment), or permanent excusal of the member from Protohaven or of the volunteer from their volunteer position(s) with Protohaven. The member or volunteer has the right to appeal to the full Board of Directors within 30 calendar days from the date they are notified of the action. Retaliation for making a complaint about discrimination or harassment or assisting in an investigation of a discrimination or harassment complaint is prohibited. 

Approved by the Board of Directors, February 2025

Studio and Shop

Equipment Damage Policy

Overview

At Protohaven we aim to provide a safe and collaborative environment for all members to work on their projects. We encourage responsibility and accountability amongst our members, and we are committed to providing high-quality tools and equipment to help you bring your ideas to life. We trust that all members will show respect for the equipment and for the Protohaven community as a whole.

Sometimes, machines or parts of machines may stop working due to normal wear and tear. If you encounter a problem while using a machine, you are responsible for informing the shop tech on duty and filing a tool report using the QR code on the machine or going to https://protohaven.org/tools right away! This link can also be found in your NeonOne Dashboard.

However, some machines may break down due to improper use. Anyone found responsible for equipment damage will be billed for the cost of repairs. This includes any unintended accidents caused by neglect, misuse, or lack of experience.

Scope

This policy applies to all damage that may occur to the equipment or facilities at Protohaven. The staff members of Protohaven have the authority to assess the extent and cause of the damage and determine the appropriate course of action.

Reporting self-caused damage

Some machines may break down due to improper use. Anyone found responsible for equipment damage will be billed for the cost of repairs. This includes any unintended accidents caused by neglect, misuse, or lack of experience.

If a member causes damage which makes the item unusable, the member must report it immediately by informing the shop tech AND by filing a tool report using the QR code on the machine or going to https://protohaven.org/tools.

Failure to report will incur additional charges. See “How charges are calculated” below.

Restricted use, repeat violation, and policy refusal

The staff will calculate the cost of repairs based on the current market value of the equipment and the availability of parts and labor.

How charges are calculated

The repair cost is a sum of the following:

Damages caused during a course offered by Protohaven will be assessed by staff on a case by case basis.

Example

In the case of replacing a blade and cartridge on the table saw that was duly reported by the member, the charge would be calculated like so:

For a total of $175.

Commonly damaged items

Commonly damaged items include, but not limited to:

Closing

By joining Protohaven as a member and using the equipment owned by Protohaven, members acknowledge their commitment to respecting the equipment and holding themselves accountable to any damage caused.

Thank you for being a responsible member of our community!

Storage Policy

Updated 2026-05-07

Protohaven provides overnight, weekly and monthly storage options as a convenience for members.

See the Shop Tech on duty to purchase storage.

If you ever need to cancel storage, please see the Shop Tech on duty or reach out to Camden (camden@protohaven.org).

Options

Short term

Long term

If you need storage beyond these options, please reach out to membership@protohaven.org.

Rules

If you aren't sure if your storage is in compliance with these rules, ask a Shop Tech to verify.

Violations

When we discover a lapse in following any of the rules above, we will:

Violations are tracked for every member. If you violate Protohaven policy 3 or more times within 3 months, your membership will be suspended. Suspensions begin at 30 days, and increase by 60 days for each subsequent suspension.

If you use storage without paying for it, we will issue a violation fee that roughly matches the shortest-term rate for that storage type.

If you do not resolve a violation within 14 days, Protohaven staff/admin will resolve the violation for you by moving, disposing, or utilizing the violating items. If at this time resolving the violation requires paying any fees, your membership will be suspended until you have paid.

We will immediately take action if any items pose an active risk to the health and safety of Protohaven inhabitants. In extreme cases, we may also immediately revoke your membership.

If you receive a storage violation, or if your membership is suspended or revoked as a result of the violations, you may appeal the action to the board of directors. Appeals should be made in writing within 30 days of receiving notice. Appeals are to be submitted to board@protohaven.org.

Cost

AMP members receive a 20% discount on storage. This does not apply to violation fees and overnight storage.

Terms and Conditions

Members who acquire storage agree to the below terms and conditions and to adhere to all of the policies and practices outlined above.

Storage is a privilege of membership and is only available to current members in good standing. All storage subscriptions must end and stored items must be removed within 30 days of membership cancellation, unless an extension has been granted by Protohaven staff.

Protohaven reserves the right to cancel or revoke a member’s storage privileges at any time. Should a situation occur where Protohaven needs to cancel or revoke storage for any reason, the organization will attempt to contact the member to coordinate retrieval of their belongings. In the event of storage or membership cancellation or revocation, no refund will be provided for any storage fees that have been paid for that time period.

Once a member leaves the premises for the day, any items that are not properly stored will be considered abandoned and may be moved, disposed of, or utilized without notification. This includes items that are stored outside of a storage receptacle and any atypical storage that has not been previously approved by Protohaven staff.

Storage fees are non-transferable and cannot be credited, refunded, or pro-rated.

It is the responsibility of members to keep track of the duration of their storage and when payments are due. Protohaven is not responsible for contacting members to remind them that their storage is near expiration or has expired. Unpaid storage will be charged the violation fees listed above. Refusal to pay late fees will result in suspension of membership.

While Protohaven strives to maintain a safe and secure environment, it cannot guarantee the safety or security of any items stored at Protohaven by its members. Members are solely responsible for their own belongings and assume all risks of damage or loss. Protohaven is not liable for any damage or loss of items stored at Protohaven, whether due to theft, fire, vandalism, natural disaster, or any other cause. By storing items at Protohaven, members agree to release Protohaven from any and all claims arising from damage or loss of such items. Members are encouraged to speak with their insurance provider to discuss any personal policies that might cover their belongings.

Members can choose to share storage, but Protohaven is not able to split storage fees. Members are not permitted to obtain Protohaven storage and subsequently rent it to another member or non-member for a profit.

Protohaven reserves the right to grant exceptions, cancel storage, limit the amount of storage for any member, and to amend these policies at any time.

Prohibited Projects

Projects involving work on, or are derived from, or are intended to produce, any of the below are prohibited on ProtoHaven premises and at official ProtoHaven events, whether on- or off-site:

Shop Closure and Emergency Response

This policy outlines the response to bad weather or other situations which pose a hazard to staff, volunteer, and/or members traveling to and from the shop or being safe inside the shop.

Your Safety Comes First. If at any time you feel unsafe traveling to, from, or being in the shop, do what you need to stay safe.

You must immediately post your decision in the #techs Discord channel (or another highly visible team space).
Do not just tell one person.

Core Principles

• Who Decides to Close? At least one Staff or Board member must be involved for any change to shop hours.
• In an Emergency: If you can’t reach Staff/Board after trying Discord, DMs, and phone calls, use your best judgment to protect everyone’s safety.
• Communication is Critical. All decisions must be posted publicly.

When Should We Consider Closing?

Close or reduce hours if any of these hazards exist:

• Dangerous travel (ice, deep snow, poor visibility).
• Unsafe conditions at the shop (icy walkways, blocked doors/exits, parking lot hazards).
• Expected loss of power, water, or HVAC.
• A breakdown at the shop (power outage, gas leak, flood).
• Sudden lack of shop tech coverage (e.g., due to illness).
• Any other direct threat (e.g., intruder, extreme weather event).

Note: if personal injury is involved in the emergency, it's important to file an injury report when it is safe to do so.

How to Close – Step-by-Step

Delayed Opening / Early Closure (Planned)

1. Ask Staff/Board to decide on new hours (e.g., 10am-4pm for evening hazards, or 12pm-6pm for late start).
2. A Lead or Staff member must:
   1. Check the tech calendar for affected shifts.
   2. Post the decision in #techs, @-mentioning every affected tech by name
3. A Staff/Board member becomes the "Incident Commander" ("IC", see below).
   If no Staff/Board are available, a Tech Lead or Edu Lead becomes IC.
   If no leads are available, the reader of this page (that's you!) becomes IC. 

Emergency Closure – Close Immediately

1. Delegate these tasks inside the shop if it is safe to do so:
   • Person 1: Alert everyone inside to leave. If it is safe to do so:
     • Tell members in the shop to shut down and power off all running machines before leaving.
     • Give affected members an overnight storage tag so they can stop immediately and clean up later.
   • Person 2: Post signs at the front and parking lot entrances.
   • Person 3: Watch the front door to inform anyone trying to enter.
2. Notify staff and board; a Staff/Board member becomes the "Incident Commander" ("IC") to manage next steps.
   If no Staff/Board are available, a Tech Lead or Edu Lead becomes IC.
   If no leads are available, the reader of this page (that's you!) becomes IC.

The Incident Commander’s (IC) Checklist

Your job is to coordinate, not do everything. Delegate tasks to specific people.

As Soon As You Take Charge:

1. Post in #techs and #leadership: “I am acting as Incident Commander. [Link to this wiki page].”

   1. You are strongly encouraged to post an alternative channel for quickly reaching you - such as a phone number or other chat app - in case Discord has an outage while you are handling the incident.

2. Delegate someone to post in #general (@Members) with closure time, duration, and reason.
   The post should encourage members to check the #general channel for the latest news about the shop before coming in.

3. Delegate someone to post physical signs in the shop if safe to do so (indicate closure of shop or specific areas).

4. Delegate a Staff member to email all members via Neon CRM,

5. Delegate an Edu Lead, Staff, or board member to cancel reservations and classes and directly notify all affected members/students/instructors.

6. Delegate someone to ask in #instructors if any instructors have upcoming private instruction, and to cancel if needed. 
7. Delegate a Staff member to add a blackout time for reservations for the current outage period plus a day (just in case)

8. Identify and announce a backup person as IC in #techs and #leadership in case you can't be reached.

9. Notify the rest of the executive committee (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary) - make sure everyone is on the same page. Do this via the #staff discord channel, and send an email to board@protohaven.org directing board members to the discord channel.
10. Create a notes doc and share it so that anyone with the link can edit. Start taking notes on the current state and when things happen. Be thorough.

During the Incident:

• Prioritize immediate safety of staff, volunteers, and members. 

• Communicate clearly, often, and publicly - avoid direct messaging and prefer #techs and #general channels on Discord.

• Announce when you’ll be unavailable and hand off your role as needed.

• Plan ahead for when the shop can reopen, and anticipate/announce extended closures and delays.

  • If the problem doesn't seem likely to be resolved by 4pm, plan for and announce a late open for the following day. 
  • Also report the closure to the WTAE Closings System - the account ID and password are stored in Vaultwarden.

After the Incident:

• Reopen the shop - see "Reopening the Shop" section below.

• Write a brief "postmortem" report.

• Schedule a postmortem review with Leads and Staff.

Specific Weather Guidance

Snow and Ice

• <1” of snow/Light ice: Consider a delayed start to clear and salt walkways, steps, and all emergency exits.
• >1-2” of snow / “Black Ice”: High risk. Likely need delayed opening or closure. Shop Manager must notify the snowplow contractor.
• 6+” forecast: Expect multi-day disruptions and/or closure.

ALL EMERGENCY EXITS MUST REMAIN USABLE IF THE SHOP IS OPEN. The front door, the forge/parking lot door, rear maintenance corner, and rear woodshop corner all open outwards and must not be blocked by snow and/or ice. 

Heavy snowstorms - even when expected - have overwhelmed Pittsburgh snowplows and emergency responders for up to a week after the weather has ended.

High winds:

• Winds over 50MPH: anticipate prolonged partial/full power loss (e.g. 1-2 legs of our 3-phase building power can go out).
• When power flickers more than 3 times or is lost for more than 5 minutes, follow "Handling Degraded / Loss of Power" steps below.

High winds have overwhelmed Duquesne Light response times in the past. See this postmortem doc.

Hail & Ice Storms:

• Rarely requires full closure if roads are safe.
• DO warn everyone via Discord so they can protect themselves and their property (e.g., cars).

Heavy Rain & Flooding:

• Sudden burst: Usually no closure needed. Post a warning and monitor.
• Extended heavy rain / flooding forecast: Consider delayed start or early closure. >2” of standing water in the lot is hazardous to vehicles.

Flooding has occurred in our parking lot and on the street in the past (see this Discord message from July 2025). All rain on our roof drains via interior columns into the underground sewer system; when this system overflows, it comes out of the central drain gate in the parking lot and the curbside drain near the entrance to the parking lot.

Extra Actions

Sending Email

Sending email to current members is loud - it reaches over 200 people.
Triple check what you write before you send it, and avoid sending more than 1-2 emails per day.

This requires access to Neon CRM, which is limited to some board members, staff, and some volunteer leads.

Email to members is done via the "Email Campaigns" flow in Neon CRM - it's hidden under the "View More" menu:

Click the "New Email Campaign" button on the right side of the screen, then fill out the form accordingly. make sure to select "All Current Members" in the audience section.

Once you've saved all fields and clicked "next", configure the campaign to go out immediately and send it off. This will email every active member immediately.

Handling Degraded / Loss of Power

Before addressing the power problem, make sure all members are safe and no tools are in a dangerous state (potentially activating if power returns suddenly).

Protect sensitive electronics:

• Turn off & unplug the air compressor and stop member use of sensitive / gantry equipment (CNC machines, laser cutters etc.)
• Use downed lights coming back on to identify when power is stable

Prioritize our recovery:

• Immediately report the power outage to Duquesne Light so we end up in their queue, and check the outage report to ensure we're still in their system. If that site is not working, call 888-393-7000 to report the outage. 
• For every day power hasn't returned, call the business customer support line at 412-393-7300 to reiterate our power status and ask for a time to resolution. Post updates in #leadership and/or #techs channels.
• Duquesne sends text alerts to account holders - currently the person receiving texts for the building is Sam Kusic (@samk8452 on Discord).

In cases of partial power or suspiciously long outage, it may be worth attempting to reset the main breakers to the building. Only do this if you understand how the breakers are set up.

It's also important to turn off sensitive electronics and equipment before resetting the main breakers - this includes the servers in the staff room, routers/switches, and ideally all PCs in the building.

Reopening the Shop

1. Walk through the shop and revert any emergency changes made (unplugged equipment, blocked areas, posted signs etc.)
2. If power to the building was impacted:
   1. Check/reset the time on the air compressor and any other equipment with internal clocks.
   2. Verify that machines with physical power switches (including the wood lathe and Juki sewing machines) are powered off before turning on breakers.
   3. Use the buddy system when turning breakers on - one person in the affected area, one person at the panel. Call out before throwing switches and confirm everything is good before continuing.
3. Check our reservation system and remove any blackout time set that would prevent new equipment reservations

Emergency Shop Access

There is a wall-mounted key box just to the left of the forge/loading bay door. This lock has a 4-digit combination which is stored in Bitwarden and accessible to staff and board members, and contains a key to the door.

If the front door cannot be opened for any reason, tag @Staff and @Board on the #techs channel and ask for the password to the exterior key box.

The combination to the lock must be changed after it's been given out - do this as part of postmortem action items. To reset the lock, open the box, move the "reset" pin left and down, set the code, then put the reset pin back and close the lock. Make sure to update the Bitwarden password!

Spraypaint and VOC Policy

VOCs

From the US EPA website:

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors.  VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions.

Spraypaint

Spray paint is a convenient way to apply paint and other surface coatings to projects. However, spray painting exposes everyone in the area to aerosolized solvents and VOCs. These solvents are also flammable and can become a fire hazard when in an area where sparks and/or flames.

Wet paint and coatings

Spray painting is not the only source of hazardous fumes when applying finish coats to materials. Resins, brush-applied paints, eurethanes, and other coatings may all produce fumes which are hazardous to members. 

Spraypaint and VOC Policy