To keep people and instruments safe, all Materials Characterization Fabrication Facility (MCFF) users—students, staff, faculty, and external partners—must review and follow the policies below before working in any MCFF space or scheduling instrument time.
Quick Start
- Request training in FOM, get authorized for each instrument.
- Review Safety, Cleanliness, and SOPs.
- When in doubt, ask a facility manager.
Safety—Non‑Negotiable Basics
- Treat every chemical as hazardous. Use required PPE and safety controls for the material and task.
- Label all containers with contents; do not create waste containers yourself. Only MCFF staff are authorized to create/label chemical waste.
- Never mix nitric acid with solvents unless you have been specifically trained for that procedure.
- Do not return chemicals to reagent bottles; prevent cross‑contamination.
- Know the room and instrument hazards. Follow interlocks, radiation shielding, and posted signage at all times.
- If something goes wrong: Stop, secure the area if safe to do so, and report the issue to the facility manager immediately. There is no penalty for reporting accidental damage—we need to know to keep everyone safe and the instruments healthy.
Read the full Safety rules.
Cleanliness—Leave It Better Than You Found It
- No food or drink in microscopy and preparation labs.
- Reset the lab and instrument: return tweezers, scribers, scissors, etc. to their locations; dispose of prep waste; return microscopes to default settings for the next user.
- Handle biological/clinical waste correctly (confocal & biosafety areas): use biosafety and sharps containers; replace full liners as posted; never place sharps in regular trash.
Read the full Cleanliness rules.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Follow the posted SOP for each instrument. Access is tied to your training and authorization in FOM.
- Custom/Non‑standard procedures are rare and require approval by the MCFF Director before you begin. All safety, cleanliness, and handling requirements must be met.
- Authorization matters: Unauthorized use or failure to follow procedures may result in loss of privileges and/or repair charges billed to the responsible PI.
View SOP guidance and resources.
Who These Policies Apply To
- Campus users (students, staff, faculty): operate instruments only after training and authorization; follow all posted and linked policies for each facility and instrument.
- External clients: MCFF staff operate instruments on your behalf (no external self‑operation). Coordinate sample intake, timelines, and deliverables with facility managers.