Unlawful use of any cleanroom equipment without being an authorized user for the equipment.
Penalty: Suspension from the cleanroom for up to three weeks. Repeat Offenders will incur more severe penalties.
Every user operating any equipment must be authorized to use that equipment. In order to obtain an authorization to use equipment, a user requires to go through cleanroom orientation, training on the equipment, and a subsequent check off. This means, following the orientation, and being included in the list of authorized cleanroom users, a user needs to attend a training session on that equipment.
Training sessions are held monthly. For more information on training, go here. If you want to use equipment, for which no formal training class is offered, contact IEN Staff, and they can direct you to an experienced user.
Once trained by an experienced user on the equipment, you should then schedule a time with your trainer to obtain a check-off. You can schedule a check-off only after a minimum of one week from the training. Doing so gives you time to get ready for check-off. Also, if you have other group members who are currently authorized to use that particular equipment, you can operate the machine under the constant supervision of the group member.
Training videos on various equipment are also available on the IEN webpage. However, watching these videos and obtaining peer-to-peer training in no way substitutes the quality of training obtained in the monthly training sessions.
When you are ready for a check-off, and the trainer is available, the trainer and trainee must meet up for a check-off session. The trainee must demonstrate his/her ability to use the equipment without any external assistance. If the trainer deems that the user is capable of using the system without causing any damage, he/she will grant access to the user, thereby making him/her an authorized user for the equipment. From this point on, the user can use the equipment without supervision. In cases in which the trainer decides against granting access to the user, the trainer-trainee needs to schedule another check-off session.