Proctor FAQ

What is expected of shop proctors?

The minimum expectations of proctors (meaning further involvement is encouraged) are:

1. Weekly shift(s):

   • At least one shift (a standard shift is 2 hours long). For more details on what is expected during these shifts, see "What is expected of a proctor on duty?" below.

2. Annual Training:

   • You will be paid for this and can expect this to take 2 hours a week for the first half of the semester, starting during the first week of classes. The machine shop manager will be hosting the training sessions.

3. Ocarina Shifts:

   • Shop proctors are responsible for introducing E4 students to the shop through the ocarina. Typically, this is accomplished by having pairs of E4 students sign up with a proctor for shifts on either the mill or lathe. Ideally, these will take place in the training slot or normal shift such that there is no additional load on proctors.

4. Meetings:

   • Semester Start Orientation/Safety Briefing: 30-60 minute meeting before classes start

   • Shop Opening Briefing: 30-60 minute meeting before the shop officially opens to review training, shop procedures, special E4/E11 sessions, etc.

   • If there are a lot of questions/something big is changing, the HSPs may hold an all-hands meeting.

What do we do when…

• starting or ending our shifts?

  • Check in with the previous/current/next proctor (if there is one) and make a round of the shops checking for cleanliness/safety/etc.

    • Rectify any issues you see, don't leave it to the previous/current/next proctor to do so.

    • Ensure you do not leave if the shop is messy.

• a student enters the shop?

  1. Confirm the student is listed as active on the Shop Roster and that their name is not listed above the card holder as owing money. If the student does not meet these requirements, they may not work in the shop.

  2. Place the student's ID in the appropriate slot.

  3. Student can now work in the shop.

• a student is ready to leave?

  1. Check that their workspace is clean and ensure that all equipment is accounted for.

     • If they are missing any tools, charge them $3 per missing tool. See below for more details.

     • It is your responsibility to make sure the shop stays clean, but that doesn't mean you have to do the cleaning yourself. Remind students that keeping the machines clean not only helps the machines last longer and look better, it decreases the chances that metal chips will get stuck between mating surfaces and mess up their part. If you are the proctor closing the shop, please let students know that they should start cleaning up before you want to leave so that they have time to do so.

  2. Return their ID.

• there are stock shortages?

  1. If the machine shop manager is around, check with him/her for more.

  2. If he or she is not around or there is none left, email shop-proctors-l@g.hmc.edu detailing what stock is missing.

• there are issues with the machines?

  1. If the machine shop manager is around, check with him/her for more.

  2. If he or she is not around or there is nothing he can do, email shop-proctors-l@g.hmc.edu detailing what is wrong with what machine and place an "Out of Order" sign (located in the proctor drawer) on the machine.

• there is an accident?

  1. Follow the accident-reporting procedure.

• any tooling breaks?

  1. Email shop-management-l@g.hmc.edu detailing what tool broke and how. Knowing what tools are breaking (and why) will help us to get more appropriate tooling for the shop and adapt training procedures as needed.

• a student asks for a tool?

  1. If we have it and

     • they are working in the shop the tool is in, give it to them. There is no need to check it out.

     • they are working in a different tool than the shop, see the question "…someone wants to use a tool in a different shop or take it out of the shops?"

  2. If we do not have it, send them to the machine shop manager.

  3. If that does not work out, have them email shop-management-l@g.hmc.edu detailing what tool they needed and what they were going to use it for so we can look into acquiring it.

• someone wants to use a tool in a different shop or take it out of the shops?

  1. If at all possible, have the user bring their work to the tool.

  2. Otherwise,

     • if they are working in another shop, move the tool to the other shop temporarily. It is your responsibility as a proctor that it gets returned.

     • if they are not working in any of the shops, send them to the stockroom - our tools may not leave the shops in any circumstance.

  3. Please email shop-management-l@g.hmc.edu detailing the tool and use case. Based on this information, we’ll work on making sure tools are in the right places and that each shop has all of the tools it needs.

• a student is unfamiliar with a piece of equipment?

  • If you have time and are capable, train the student on the equipment.

  • Otherwise, do not allow the student to continue working on that machine.

• you are not sure how to use a tool/machine?

  1. Ask another proctor or the machine shop manager, or check out the Wiki.

  2. If you cannot figure it out, email shop-management-l@g.hmc.edu so they can provide more resources.

• you are being crushed underneath hordes of E4 frosh (metaphorically)?

  1. Email shop-proctors-l@g.hmc.edu requesting backup.

  2. If you are overwhelmed, you should turn people away. Just ask them to come back later, or wait until some students leave.

• an E4 student wants to get started on a machining exercise early?

  • Direct them to the E4 Teaching Team. The E4 Teaching Team decides when projects may be worked on, and disseminates the drawings and routers. If a student has the drawings and routers with the proper semester on it (i.e., "SP 2015") then they likely have approval.

• a student is repeatedly acting in an unsafe or negligent manner/working without a current safety test/otherwise acting egregiously?

  1. Place the student on probation by sending an email to shop-proctors-l@g.hmc.edu detailing why they were put on probation.

• a student loses a tool or requires additional E4 stock?

  • We are charging $3 for every additional piece of stock or lost tool. If the student does not have the money to pay then, write their name on the sheet of paper above the card holder. Please email shop-management-l@g.hmc.edu detailing what was lost so we can adjust procedures accordingly.

• I want to help improve the shop?

  • The shop has come a long way but still has a long way to go. To that end, here are some ways you can help out:

    • Sharpen drill bits using the drill doctor

    • Organize tools and supplies

    • Clean the shop

    • Work on tasks on the Kanban board behind the proctor desk

    • Contribute to the knowledge base on the wiki (see below for how to do this)

• I want to contribute to the knowledge base on the wiki?

  • We want to have pictures (and videos, where appropriate) of every machine and tool and process. For now, the focus is on getting pictures of everything, so if you have some time and a decent camera, please take pictures of things not on the wiki and send them to shop-wiki-admin-l@g.hmc.edu. We would have you upload them directly, but we have limited storage on the wiki itself such that we need to host the files elsewhere.

  • Make (or improve!) write-ups for each picture/video on the wiki detailing how things work, what to use them for, and how to use them properly.

  • Find and link to tutorials for common shop processes/tools. If at all possible, don’t recreate a tutorial. If a good one exists, either link directly to it, or copy in the relevant information and cite it. If a tutorial exists that isn’t quite good enough, use it as a basis for a new one and cite it.

What do I get paid for?

Proctors may log hours on their timesheet for:

• on duty hours (i.e. fulfilling the requirements as set out below during the semester (summer and winter break work is volunteer-only),

• training hours, or

• working on shop-sponsored projects (e.g. machining a part for the shop).

What is expected of a proctor on duty?

1. A proctor is considered on duty if they are:

   • proctoring during an assigned shift,

   • assisting an overwhelmed proctor on duty, or

   • proctoring at least one student after-hours and have emailed shop-users-l@g.hmc.edu and shop-proctors-l@g.hmc.edu detailing how long the shop will be open.

2. While on duty, proctors are expected to work on shop-related tasks. In decreasing order of priority these are:

   • Maintain a safe working environment for all students.

   • Check all occupied shops at least every 15 minutes.

   • Instruct students on the correct use of all tools and machinery.

   • Check out tools and material.

   • Attend to shop-improvement tasks.

3. Safety comes first, so proctors are expected to shut down the shop and turn away students as necessary.

4. Proctors who are on duty are expected to wear the Apron of Dignity (yellow Shop Proctor apron) to designate yourself as the go-to resource in the shop. This is not optional.

5. While on duty, proctors should not:

   • work on homework,

   • respond to personal email,

   • sleep, or

   • work on personal projects.

Where do I put my stuff?

• If you're on duty, you may leave your bag underneath the proctor desk. Otherwise, your stuff goes in the hall like everyone else.