PERSONAL USE OF COLLEGE PROPERTY

Purpose: To state a clear policy in order to achieve consistent practices in the lending and use of College property, including tools, equipment, materials, vehicles and shops (”Property”) entrusted to the Facilities Department (”Facilities”). We are stewards of the institution’s resources. As such, we must scrupulously meet all fiduciary and ethical requirements for the lending and use of these resources. Property entrusted to Facilities may be loaned and used only in accordance with this policy.
Background: The College, at considerable institutional expense, acquires and operates certain specialized Property, including tools, equipment, materials, vehicles and shops. This Property is entrusted to Facilities for the purpose of enabling Facilities to execute its mission responsibilities. Any other use of this Property is secondary to this core purpose. Accordingly, any such secondary use of this Property can be allowed only after due consideration of the impacts and liabilities created by the practice, as well as the image created within the campus community and with the general public. Growing regulatory requirements, College liability, and increasing workplace demands make it necessary to introduce a policy that limits the use of and access to College Property for personal use. It must be understood that College Property will not be used for any business purpose.
There are two general exceptions to this policy. The first is the College’s support of town or nonprofit (”town-gown”) functions. Such support will still be reviewed on a case by case basis depending on the availability of specific items requested. As part of the Special Functions role, the Director of Facilities Services will review all such town-gown requests for the use of College Property. The second exception is that the College will lend out chairs and tables to faculty and staff, who will be responsible for picking them up and returning them to Facilities.
Policy:
1. Vehicles will no longer be lent out for personal use. This action is taken in recognition of the College’s property and personal injury liability for the vehicles, the wear and tear on borrowed vehicles, and the inability to adequately monitor who is driving the vehicle. This includes all motor driven construction equipment, such as rollers and lifts.
2. Materials and Supplies cannot be given away for personal use under any circumstances. This is a basic fiduciary and ethical issue. Whether it is office supplies or leftover plywood, this cannot be justified at any time.
3. Contractor use of College Equipment can only be justified in the most exceptional circumstance. This must be done on a case by case basis and personally approved by the Director of Facility Operations, who shall retain full discretion to deny any such request. This practice will only be considered in a given case provided: the contractor’s personnel are qualified to operate the equipment, the contractor assumes liability for its proper use, the contractor assumes responsibility for returning it in the same condition it was issued and by filling out and signing a Release, Hold Harmless, Indemnity, Covenant Not to Sue, Assumption of Risk for the Personal, Non-Commercial, Non-Work Related Use of Certain Property form (Enclosure 6).
4. Tables and Chairs may be loaned to support town-gown events and to faculty and staff who agree to pick up and return the items to Facilities. Requests for tables and chairs will be submitted to the Director of Facilities Services for approval.
5. Tools and Equipment may be loaned for personal, non-commercial, non-work related use provided the conditions indicated below are met. The use of tools and equipment is restricted to qualified employees under the following conditions:
  1. The foreman responsible for the item receives written assurance from the user that he/she is experienced in the use of the item.
  2. The item is available and not needed for pending, scheduled work.
  3. The item is not required to be available for contingency situations.
  4. The College fully reserves the right to require the immediate return of the item.
  5. The item is not sensitive or fragile or must be calibrated for proper use.
  6. Only the registered user may use the item. The registered user shall not further lend the item or allow others to use the item.
  7. All Facilities staff that desire to borrow College Property will be required to sign a Release, Hold Harmless, Indemnity, Covenant Not to Sue, Assumption of Risk for the Personal, Non-Commercial, Non-Work Related Use of Certain Property form (Enclosure 6).
6. Use of Facilities Shops: The growing state and federal regulations of the workplace raise liability concerns. These concerns and our own workplace expectations make it necessary to introduce the following policy for those requesting use of a shop:
  1. Permission must be obtained from the responsible shop foreman (prior to using the shop) by submitting a written request as described below.
  2. No employee may use the shops for personal use during normal working hours or while being used for overtime.
  3. Employees may only work on projects associated with themselves or their immediate family (husband, wife, and children).
  4. All Facilities staff that desire the use of a shop for personal use will be required to attend a short, one-time training session addressing safety, hazardous waste disposal, equipment use, and shop cleanliness.
  5. All Facilities staff that desire to use a shop for personal use will be required to sign a Release, Hold Harmless, Indemnity, Covenant Not to Sue, Assumption of Risk for the Personal, Non-Commercial, Non-Work Related Use of Certain Property form (Enclosure 6).
  6. Signed authorization form for the appropriate shop, Enclosures 2, 3, 4, and 5, and Enclosure 6, must be on file prior to approval of any shop use request. All staff must use the key system to access the shop.
  7. Once an employee has attended the required training, executed the appropriate shop authorization form, Enclosures 2 through 5, and Enclosure 6, and secured permission to use the shop, they may do so provided they follow two more required steps prior to each and every use of the shop: (i) they must sign the shop sign-in sheet; and (ii) “key” into the system, regardless of whether the shop door(s) is open.
Loan Request Procedure and Documentation:
1. Request: The requestor must make a written request (Enclosure 1) to the foreman with custody of the requested equipment. The request must include:
  1. Date of request,
  2. Description and identification number of the item(s) requested,
  3. When the equipment will be checked out and when it will be returned,
  4. The requestor’s signed request, and
  5. The requestor’s signed acknowledgement (contained in Enclosure 1) that he/she has read the “Release, Hold Harmless, Indemnity, Covenant Not to Sue, Assumption of Risk for the Personal, Non-Commercial, Non-Work Related Use of Certain Property” form (Enclosure 6).
2. Approval: Only the foreman who has custody of the equipment may provide approval of any equipment loan.
  1. The approving foreman will do so by endorsing a signed request.
  2. The approving foreman will note the condition of the equipment and the date and time the equipment is released.
3. Return of tools or equipment:
  1. Upon return of equipment, the requestor and approving foreman will inspect the equipment.
  2. The approving foreman will endorse the request and post the time and date the item is returned.
  3. The condition of the item will be recorded. The user will be responsible for any work or cost to restore the item to the condition when loaned.

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