Table of Contents

0.0 Terms of Use

0.1 Terms and Conditions for User Access

Laboratory Policy:

The USER agrees to abide by all laboratory policies, as stated in the University of Alberta Nanofabrication & Characterization Centre (“the nanoFAB”) Terms of Use Policy Manual. Although the nanoFAB provides a general safety orientation and training on the safe use of specific equipment, the USER assumes responsibility to plan and perform work in such a way as to ensure their own personal safety as well as the safety of others in the nanoFAB community and the integrity of the nanoFAB and its equipment.

Fees:
The USER’s supervisor or representative acknowledges responsibility for purchases, materials costs and lab fees incurred by the USER in their use of the nanoFAB.

Limits on Use:
The USER acknowledges that nanoFAB is a community of professional and student researchers. As such, courteous, professional, responsible behaviour is expected at all times. Access to the nanoFAB is a privilege and may be revoked at any time.

0.2 Research and Intellectual Property Rights

The USER acknowledges that they are ultimately responsible for their own research and that the nanoFAB does not in any way warrant or assure a project success. The nanoFAB and it’s staff make no claims to inventions developed in the lab by USER’s, but also make no additional provisions outside of University of Alberta collective agreements governing staff, to protect USER’s intellectual property. The nanoFAB and it’s staff makes no guarantee for the security of USER’s intellectual property or materials while these materials and information are within the nanoFAB or handled by staff. Ownership of rights for intellectual property resulting from USER’s research shall be the responsibility of the USER. In the case of a collaborative project involving nanoFAB employees, intellectual property rights will be shared under agreements worked out specifically for this collaboration and reviewed by University of Alberta Research Service Office.

0.3 Acknowledgements Requirements

The USER acknowledges that their identity and affiliation may be made public in presentations, grants and reports and other materials describing the nanoFAB. The USER further agrees that the nanoFAB or its staff will be acknowledged in publications or presentations resulting from substantive work performed at the nanoFAB.

0.4 Insurance

The University of Alberta provides no Workers’ Compensation or other Liability coverage for the USER’s benefit. The USER is deemed to be acting as a representative and/or employee of their affiliation during work at the nanoFAB. For non University of Alberta affiliated USER’s, at their own expense and without limiting its liabilities herein, must insure their operations under a contract of General Liability Insurance, in accordance with the Insurance Act (Alberta), in an amount not less than five million ($5,000,000) Canadian Dollars, insuring against bodily injury, personal injury and property damage. It is the responsibility of the USER’s affiliation to ensure that they are adhering to all local, provincial and federal regulatory acts pertaining to employee occupational health safety and insurance requirements.

0.5 Liabilities

The USER and their affiliated organization shall indemnify and hold harmless the University of Alberta, its officers, agents and employees from any and all claims, damages, demands, actions, liabilities and costs whatsoever that may arise directly or indirectly out of any utilization or interaction with the nanoFAB and its staff. The USER understands that use of the nanoFAB may involve exposure to potentially hazardous conditions including, but not limited to, chemical, mechanical, electrical, thermal, and radiation hazards.

1.0 nanoFAB User Expectations

1.1 Users Responsibility

All users in the nanoFAB, at whatever level, are expected to identify the hazards associated with the activities for which they bear responsibility, to warn those who may be affected by them, and to take steps to ensure that health and safety of other users will not be endangered.

Every user is required to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work. As such, any health conditions that may impact their usage of nanoFAB equipment and processes are to be reported to a nanoFAB staff member. All persons have a duty to not interfere with, or misuse, anything provided or organized in the interest of health, safety, or welfare.

1.2 Responsibility for new policies

New policies are posted on the nanoFAB website as well as the notice board at the entrance to the centre.  It is each individual’s responsibility to become familiar with and follow these policies.  Ignorance of new policies that have been posted is not an excuse or a defense.

1.3 Information Transfer

The nanoFAB operates effectively when the staff is made aware of problems and issues in the centre. If there is a problem with a standard process not working, or a piece of equipment that is not working properly, nanoFAB staff must be informed. If we do not hear from the users that there is a problem, we cannot fix it. If there is an issue, let staff know by submitting a new request via the LMACS.

1.4 User & Staff Guidelines

The nanoFAB recognizes that many users are new to the areas of micro and nano- characterization and fabrication. However, the user is responsible for the success of projects undertaken within the nanoFAB. Upon training, the nanoFAB staff is available for guidance and support on how to get the best quality results from equipment and processes, including operational aspects of the equipment that may have been forgotten, support on processes within a staff members area of expertise, and general guidance.

For a user, the nanoFAB staff will:

1. Verbally correct the user if they see that they are having a straight forward issue running a tool that the user hasn’t used recently or has just been trained on.
2. Provide, to the extent of their expertise in an area, advice to new users on how best to proceed.
3. Help a user to get the best results possible with the equipment available in the nanoFAB.
4. Direct the user to the research and technical literature, so that the user may read these papers and gain greater understanding of their device fabrication or characterizaton procedures and processes.

Users are also expected to follow proper safety procedures at all times, report any unsafe situations or observed practices to staff, read relevant internal Standard Operating Procedures, properly log in and out of equipment, and never modify a piece of equipment without prior approval from staff.