Policies
Board-adopted policies, starting with the Policy Register.
Policy Register
This is the list of every Waukesha Makerspace policy the board has adopted, is drafting, or plans to write. Only Adopted policies have their own page in this book. A policy in draft or planned is not in force yet.
| Policy | Status |
|---|---|
| Non-Discrimination | Adopted 2026-07-21 |
| Minor Safety (Minors in Hazardous Work Areas) | Adopted 2026-07-21 (final text with the board-final-say clause still needed from the Chair) |
| Code of Conduct | Planned (no adopted version found in the wiki snapshots, repos or Drive; the orientation guide's conduct section is the starting draft) |
| Conflict of Interest | In Draft |
| Donation and Equipment (gift acceptance) | In Draft |
| Privacy | In Draft |
| Intoxicating Beverage Education | In Draft (vote deferred to 2027-01-12) |
| Enforcement, Conflict Resolution and Appeals | Planned |
| Whistleblower | Planned |
| Document Retention and Destruction | Planned |
| Expense Reimbursement and Financial Controls | Planned |
| Anti-Harassment (may be folded into the Code of Conduct) | Planned |
What the statuses mean
- Adopted: voted in by the Board of Directors and in force. Each has its own page in this book.
- In Draft: being written or reviewed; it may come to a board vote soon.
- Planned: the board intends to write it; no draft is ready yet.
How policies are made
New policies reach the board as written proposals and are adopted by a board vote at a meeting. See Submitting a Board Proposal and the Bylaws in the Organization and Board book. Rules for using the shop day to day are in the Shop Rules book.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Adopted by the Board of Directors of Waukesha Makerspace Inc on July 21, 2026 (vote 9-0). Also published at https://waukeshamakers.com/non-discrimination-policy.
Waukesha Makerspace Inc is committed to providing a welcoming, inclusive, and respectful environment for all people.
Waukesha Makerspace Inc does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all of the organization's activities, including but not limited to membership, programs, classes, events, volunteer opportunities, hiring and employment practices, selection of vendors and contractors, and the provision of services to the public. Nothing in this policy prohibits the organization from maintaining bona fide eligibility requirements adopted for safety, legal, or insurance reasons, including minimum age requirements for membership and equipment use, safety training prerequisites, and supervision requirements for minors.
Waukesha Makerspace Inc is an equal opportunity organization. All qualified individuals are welcome to participate in our programs and activities and to seek membership, volunteer roles, or employment without regard to any legally protected characteristic.
Any member, volunteer, participant, or guest who believes they have experienced or witnessed discrimination in connection with the organization's activities is encouraged to report the concern to any member of the Board of Directors or to admin@waukeshamakers.com. Reports will be reviewed promptly, and the Board will take appropriate corrective action. Retaliation against any person who reports a concern in good faith is prohibited.
The Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing compliance with this policy and will review it periodically to ensure it remains consistent with applicable law.
Related pages
- Policy Register
- Minor Safety Policy (an example of a safety-based eligibility requirement this policy allows)
- Organization Structure and Current Board (who is on the board)
Minor Safety Policy
The Minor Safety Policy (Minors in Hazardous Work Areas) was adopted by the Board of Directors on July 21, 2026 (vote 9-0), on the condition that a clause be added giving the board the final say to approve exceptions case by case. That clause has since been added. The final text is being collected and will be published on this page.
This page is being written. The final adopted text is being collected from the Chairman (chairman@waukeshamakers.com). Until it is posted, ask a board member if you have a question about minors at the makerspace.
What the policy covers
Based on the board's July 21, 2026 review, the policy:
- Defines a minor as anyone under 18, and a hazardous work area as anywhere with active machinery or power tools.
- Sets the general rule that minors are not allowed in hazardous work areas.
- Allows two exceptions: supervised educational visits for ages 14 and up (machinery powered down or locked out, except for demonstrations), and documented apprenticeship or work-based learning for ages 16 and up.
- Prohibits minors, without exception, from working alone, using equipment that requires certification, doing maintenance or cleaning, entering when multiple machines are running, overriding safety systems, and performing lockout/tagout. Minors cannot become certified on equipment.
- Requires personal protective equipment and a safety briefing.
- Sets supervision ratios of one adult for every one to three minors, depending on the risk.
- Requires documentation: parental consent, acknowledgement of the safety rules, training records and badge scan logs.
- Sets enforcement: removal, suspension and possible loss of membership.
- Requires compliance with federal, state and OSHA rules.
- Gives the board the final say on all cases the policy applies to, including case-by-case exceptions.
For what this means on a shop visit, see Minors in the Shop in the Shop Safety book.