Empow Labs Member Policies
Updated November 5, 2019
Empow Labs strives to provide a safe, productive and fun work environment for its members. In light of this mission, we ask you to obey the following policies and procedures for working in our facility. Failure to obey these policies and procedures can make our facilities dangerous or unwelcoming to others, and such actions on your part may result in your membership being terminated without notice. Please take them seriously. We reserve the right to change these policies and procedures as needed and with sufficient notice to members.
Personal Items: Members are allowed and encouraged to bring their own devices into the space. However, Empow Labs will not be responsible for the safety and security of these devices or other personal items.
Acceptable Content: Members must use their good judgement with content that may be offensive to other members. Specific content categories that are absolutely not allowed at the Labs space are: pornography in any media format, illegal content, pirated or stolen content, hateful or racially/politically charged content, and libelous content.
Age Limitations: Empow Labs members must be at least 15 years old with no exceptions. Persons under 18 years of age must have their parent or guardian’s signature on this Agreement and on all other forms.
Equipment: Our space has small and portable equipment that can be expensive. Please respect our security measures by properly returning any equipment you borrow to a staff member. Do not leave borrowed equipment unattended. Members will be responsible for the cost of repair or replacement of equipment damaged while in their possession, whether at the Labs space or offsite.
Digital Security: When using shared equipment, please be mindful of logging into your personal accounts. Always log out at the end of your session or use a private browser window. If bringing a personal device, your device must have antivirus protection. Do not download or install anything on the shared computers without explicit approval by staff.
Individual Safety: Obey all posted signs and literature pertaining to safe use of our facilities and equipment. These include but are not limited to signs regarding protective gear, techniques for safe equipment use, and material-specific precautions for equipment. Do not use equipment you are not comfortable with or trained to use. Do not use heavy machinery without a safety spotter or staff member.
Shared Safety: In a shared and open facility like ours, it is possible for less experienced members to operate equipment dangerously without knowing it. Please stay on the lookout for unsafe behavior, and approach and offer feedback to fellow members if you believe they are working unsafely. Please notify staff immediately if you believe any piece of equipment or infrastructure to be unsafe.
Respectful Behavior: In both in-person and electronic interactions, behave respectfully, courteously, and professionally to your fellow members. No discrimination, harassment, or hate speech shall be tolerated.
Courtesy of Individual Spaces: If you are reserving space from us, please keep your individual space relatively orderly. Do not enter any individual workspaces, or handle materials, projects or equipment that are not yours without explicit permission.
Courtesy of Shared Spaces: Keep noise levels to a respectful minimum for the comfort and enjoyment of those in the immediate area. No loud music, tool use or other noise will be permitted in the open rental areas without the explicit permission of the members around you. No fumes are permitted in the space. Restore the shared spaces to be as clean as or cleaner than when you found them. Please respect and do not interrupt any official Labs activities or classes in the shared spaces.
Guests: Non-member guests (15+) are permitted to visit the Empow Labs spaces for short periods of time (longer if Empow Labs is hosting an event open to the public) so long as they do not use Empow Labs equipment or shared areas or interfere with other members. Guests and their actions are the sole responsibility of the host member.
Food & Drink: Members can bring food and non-alcoholic beverages, and store them in the shared refrigerator in the Lounge. Please be respectful with items that are excessively large, have a strong odor, or messy containers. No food or drink is allowed in the Labs space at any time.
Tolerance of Feedback: Please be open to constructive feedback from fellow members, especially as it pertains to safe use of our equipment and disrespectful communication or behavior.
Cancellations and Refunds: Memberships are on a month-to-month basis. Cancellations will become effective 30 days from the cancellation notice, and Members are responsible for pro-rated membership fees covering the 30-day period.