Your Board is working to update our official COVID-19 policy to reflect the changing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the state of Texas, and other governmental organizations. Below is the proposed policy that will be voted on at our next board meeting.
We are seeking feedback from DMS members. Please review the updated policy and feel free to give feedback or ask questions.
Thanks!
Curt
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Before coming to the space
If you are feeling sick do not come to the space
Take your temperature before leaving home. If it is 99 or greater, do not come to the space
If you have had a temperature of 99 or greater in the last 48 hours do not come to the space
Pack your own PPE and disinfectant wipes/cleaning products for use while at the space. DMS will not be providing these for personal use
Facemasks
Masks, while no longer required for members, are highly recommended both inside the space and while on the grounds. This includes the front entrance patio areas and the ramps, dumpsters and bay door areas.
In addition:
Teachers may require masks to be worn by all students
Teachers and students must still follow all posted rules/signage within a given work or committee area
Social Distancing
Social Distancing, while no longer required for members, is highly recommended both inside the space and while on the grounds. This includes the front entrance patio areas and the ramps, dumpsters and bay door areas.
In addition:
Teachers may require social distancing from all students
Teachers and students must still follow all posted rules/signage within a given work or committee area
Things the Makerspace will not supply during the current COVID-19 restriction period
Personal/Project storage will remain closed until further notice
An ice machine in the galley. We do not have a way to ensure that the scoop remains sterile and the ice and drain lines free of contamination during these restrictions.
Disinfectant wipes/cleaning products
Contractors and service people
All contractors and vendors will be required to wear a mask when visiting or working at the space.
Tours
Group, individual, and open tours are now re-opened at the DMS. Tours will be held from 10am - 2pm on Saturdays. Non-members who wish to tour DMS must wear a mask.
Enforcement of rules
All members are expected to continue our ethos of “Be Excellent to Each Other”. This includes mask wearing and social distancing. Harassment of members/guests because of their masking choices is in direct violation of our Anti-harassment Policy. If anyone feels that they have been subjected to harassment, please contact a DMS Officer or a Director.
I’m not sure this needs to be said, but in the interest of covering all bases the only thing I can think to add is that members must not prevent others from Social Distancing as they prefer, including congregating in such an area as to prevent others from entering/leaving or social distancing in a safe manner.
I would hope that would fall under Be Excellent to Each Other, but having chaired a committee before I know that sometimes things like that need to be said simply so that others are thinking about it.
Seriously. The anti-maskers who shopped at Kroger while defying the business’ mask requirement had no problem getting all up near others, never bothering to consider that the person might be at-risk (as I am). They even did it during the hours “reserved” for elderly and high- risk shoppers.
The only reason I didn’t do something about it a few times is that I can’t trust an ignorant, uneducated Texas jury with a situation like that.
These proposed rules seem really reasonable but I think the concern about the ice scoop is probably unfounded, at least from what I think I heard. Not many of us breathe ice and we all know how to wash our hands before (not necessarily after) inserting booger hooks.
I support teachers having say on their individual classes. If you don’t like the policy you don’t have to take the class. Some people aren’t comfortable with having others in close contact without masks, and everyone should be able to respect that for an hour or two.
Ice machines are nasty in general. Tough to keep the ice clean when who knows where the scoop has been not to mention the lines. Family owned a smoothie store and I don’t get ice in my drinks at restaurants anymore
Ignorance is bliss for sure! You will almost certainly be fine, if they really posed a threat there would be widespread warnings about them. However I have had to clean the ice machine and see how gross the internals get too many times to ever want to use that ice again.
Overall I support this proposal. I am more on the hesitant side to jump right into “back to normal” but I feel these rules are a good compromise. It’s tough to know how much of the worry is founded but India has made me nervous in these last few weeks.
Overall I think it’s good but overly complex. The distinction between members and everyone else seems unnecessary. I think less is more in this case.
That is for tours so volunteer tour guides feel comfortable giving tours. It’s not really a member vs non-member issue, it’s more about the volunteer tour guide who may have to be close to a group of people and that group of people walking through the building. Under the proposed policy, teachers can choose whether or not to require masks and put that in a class description - that choice isn’t available with tours.
A substantial sum pushed by one of the people living at the makerspace so he’d have ice for his “house”
Ice machines get dirty enough as it is, and we don’t have reliable upkeep. We can’t even keep our filters in woodshop clean and we’re expected to do basic cleaning and maintenance on a machine meant to be food safe?
Then there’s enforcement of not only washing hands but using the damn scoop. I’ve seen people use their mugs or cups directly.
Fun fact, for commercial establishments with ice makers if someone ever stuck their glass mug in there we have to empty and scrub the entire machine.
If we could have reliable upkeep I’d be in favour of it, but it’s not gonna happen. They make self-sanitizing machines but that’s a pretty penny.
