Access Policy

The Engineering Fabrication Laboratory (EFL) consists of the Student Machine Shop area (1220 Bainer Hall) and a Student Project area (1230 Bainer Hall). The following policy provides the criteria for access to the equipment, space, and staff in the EFL facilities.

1. Access to the EFL is a privilege that can be revoked at any time by the EFL Manager. Failure to consistently follow EFL policies, violations of safety practices, endangering or causing conflict with other users, or disruption of classes taught in the EFL will result in loss of access privileges at the discretion of the EFL Manager.
2. Use of the EFL is generally restricted to students, staff, and faculty of departments within the College of Engineering. Graduate students in other Colleges who are working on College of Engineering research projects, and students using the facility for a class taught in the College of Engineering, will be considered College of Engineering student users.
3. The EFL is primarily used to support teaching and instruction. Classes and laboratories that meet in the shop areas will have the highest priority on all shop equipment, tools, and advice while the class is in session.
4. The EFL will be used for projects with an appropriate scope as determined by the EFL Manager. Project scope will be evaluated in terms of complexity, supervision time, and time to complete the project. The staff, space, and machinery resources of the EFL will be allocated on a prioritized basis among the many types of users. The prioritized list of users and activities in the EFL are as follows:
   1. Classes and laboratories that meet in the EFL
   2. Assignments for regularly scheduled classes that have been coordinated with the EFL Manager
   3. Independent study, senior design projects, or undergraduate research projects taken for credit
   4. Student club activities
   5. Undergraduates and graduate students working with a faculty member on an instructional or research project
   6. Faculty and other university employees working on a research or instructional project
5. Students, staff, and faculty working on research projects will have a lower priority for space, machine time, and staff assistance compared to projects that support instruction. Students, staff, and faculty working on research projects must provide all needed materials, cutting tools, and other consumables for their projects. Damage to machinery or tools outside of normal wear will be charged to the research account or department. Projects supporting sponsored research that are beyond the typical expertise of a student machinist or welder will be referred to the BAE Shop to be completed by professional staff on a recharge basis.
6. College of Engineering faculty, staff, and students who have completed safety and basic shop skills/shop orientation training or EME 50 will have access to the Student Machine Shop area at the discretion of the EFL Manager. Development engineers and faculty from academic departments within the College of Engineering who are qualified to use the Student Machine Shop area will be allowed reasonable use of the Student Machine Shop as space permits provided that the College of Engineering is reasonably reimbursed for costs associated with such use by their departments. Some equipment is reserved for use only by EFL staff.
7. College of Engineering faculty, staff, and students who have completed a basic safety orientation will have access to the Student Project Area at the discretion of the EFL Manager.
8. The EFL is open during established hours. The EFL facilities cannot be used outside of these established hours without the permission of the EFL Manager.
9. The EFL facilities are not available for use by friends and family of faculty, staff, and students. Volunteers who are not otherwise associated with UC Davis are not permitted to use the EFL facilities.
10. All participants in a student competition project must complete the Waiver of Liability before they are allowed to work on the project, and annually thereafter.
11. The EFL facilities and equipment are not available for commercial enterprises in accordance with UC Davis P&P Section 270-25. Violation of this specific policy will result in revoking EFL access privileges.