Benchtop Best Practices

We provide users a clean bench with a variety of tools for assembling complex sample holders, and mounting samples thereon.

Every week, we find the bench cluttered with litter, tools not put away, loose sharp blades, and unknown samples/holders/boxes.  We really don't want to throw away your precious materials, nor do we alone want to be responsible for cleaning up every user's mess.

Furthermore, lack of labels on sample materials and other chemicals can be dangerous for others.

So we ask you, dear user, to kindly help maintain the workbench  by the following best practices:

1. Chemicals.  NO CHEMICAL WORK IS AUTHORIZED AT THE CLEAN BENCHTOP, EXCEPT FOR THE FOLLOWING:

   1. mixing small amounts of epoxies such as stycast, torr-seal, and silver epoxy.

   2. using squirt bottles of isopropanol or ethanol to clean small parts in beakers

   3. work must be done in accordance with ALS chemical safety practices, including use of protective eyewear and gloves provided nearby.

   4. DO NOT MIX EPOXIES with our reusable hardware (glass slides, etc).  Use the disposable plastic dishes provided, or else a piece of fresh aluminum foil.

2. Tools.  

   1. Do not take precision tools away from the clean bench. Put them back on the racks at the back of the clean bench.

   2. If you bring a tool from elsewhere (beamline 7 toolboxes or from other beamline), put it back where it came from when you are done.

   3. DO NOT LEAVE LOOSE RAZOR BLADES ON THE BENCH. Put them in your work tray (see below) or put ones that can be reused in the "razor blade tower".  Dispose of ones that cannot be reused in the slot on the blade tower.
      
      

3. Loose Samples, sample boxes, etc.

   1. All samples and sample boxes should be marked as to the PI group name and date, or else do not leave them unattended.  Unlabelled materials are subject to disposal.

   2. We provide some sample trays where you can collect your samples, holders, sample boxes.  It is sufficient for you to label the tray, which tells us and other users that this is where your intermediate work is stored.  You may stash the tray in its rack if you want a safe place

   3. Removable stickers and pencils are provided on the clean bench. 
      
      

4. CLEAN UP.

   1. Do not leave epoxy trays, tissues, empty boxes etc that you don't plan to use on the clean bench.  This is a shared space that requires everyone to keep clean.

   2. Nobody is perfect, everybody wil sometimes forget to put a tool away, leave a tissue behind or whatever. Don't just do your own part, help us out by tidying up where you can.