Acceptance
All students are welcome at Yestermorrow regardless of race, sex, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin.

Insurance
Students enrolled in courses involving hands-on site or shop work must have major medical insurance coverage in effect for the duration of the course.  All students must fill out an Emergency Contact Form and Hold Harmless Agreement prior to the course start.

Age
Yestermorrow courses are designed for students age 18 and over, with the exception of courses specifically designed for youth. With prior instructor permission, students under age 18 can participate in courses when accompanied by a parent or guardian also taking the same course.  Minors (under 18) cannot stay in campus lodging unless accompanied by an adult. 

Pets
No pets are allowed on the Yestermorrow campus.  Please leave your pets at home or we can direct you to local pet boarding options in the Mad River Valley.

Smoking
No smoking is allowed inside or within 50 feet of any Yestermorrow building, vehicle or jobsite.

Drugs and Alcohol
Students are expected to respect the laws of the State of Vermont regarding the consumption of drugs and alcohol.  Under no circumstance are drugs or alcohol permitted in the workshop or where tools are in use. Students under the influence of drugs or alcohol are not permitted to use tools.

Firearms
Firearms are not permitted on campus.

Personal Property
Yestermorrow is not responsible for the security of property belonging to students and instructors.

Quiet Hours
Yestermorrow's campus observes quiet hours from 11:00pm to 7:30am.  During quiet hours the shop is closed to students, but access is open to the studio, library, dormitory and dining area.  Due to close quarters in our main building and camping areas we ask everyone to respect those who are trying to sleep.

Harassment
It is important to Yestermorrow that the School is free from all forms of harassment.  Although it is not easy to define what constitutes "harassment", it clearly includes pervasive and unwelcome slurs, threats, epithets, derogatory comments, jokes or teasing which unreasonably interfere with a student's studies or creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive environment.

Complaints of harassment will be responded to promptly and, where it is determined that such inappropriate conduct has occurred, the School will act promptly to eliminate the conduct and impose such corrective actions as are necessary.  Complaints should be directed to the Executive Director, either verbally or in writing. If the complaint is regarding the Executive Director, the complaint should go to the Executive Committee Chairperson.  Upon receipt of a complaint, Yestermorrow will promptly conduct an investigation which will be conducted in such a way as to maintain confidentiality to the extent practicable under the circumstance.  Both the person filing the complaint and the person alleged to have committed the conduct will be informed of the results of the investigation.

Dismissal
Yestermorrow reserves the right to dismiss any student, without refund, for behavior considered unacceptable, including, but not limited to, the following:

a. Possession/use of alcohol in the shop; intoxication in the shop, underage drinking or providing alcohol to anyone under age 21.
b. Use, possession, or sale of illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia.
c. Verbal abuse and/or harassment.
d. Hazing, physical abuse, physical violence or threat of physical harm.
e. Sexual assault, abuse, harassment, or indecent exposure.
f. Discriminatory conduct directed at a particular person based on race, gender, religion, sexual preference, age, national origin, or disability.
g. Possession, open or concealed, of a deadly weapon on Yestermorrow premises.
h. Disruption of the normal functioning of the Yestermorrow community, breaching the peace, disrupting the work of others, violating the rights of others.
i. Refusing to participate in class if this adversely impacts the learning experience of others.
j. Damage to, destruction, theft, or other misuse of Yestermorrow property or the property of others.
k. Unauthorized use of Yestermorrow shop, studios, housing, or other property.
l. Behavior which violates local, state, or federal laws.
m. Behavior which jeopardizes the safety of self or others.

Inherent Risks/Liability Waiver
While Yestermorrow is a safety-conscious institution and safety information is part of every class, it is impossible to eliminate the risks that accompany the use of certain tools, equipment, and materials. By participating in Yestermorrow classes and activities you assume responsibility for the inherent risks involved. It is incumbent on every student to participate in the safety training that is part of their class. It is also each individual's responsibility to make sure they understand safe practices and the risks involved before using any tool, machine, or material. Students will be asked to sign a voluntary liability waiver stating that they understand their responsibility in this regard.

Emergency Procedures
In the event of an emergency, contact the nearest available staff person-during the day, this will likely be someone in the main office. In the evening the first points of contact are interns, who live on campus. For other off-hours concerns, an emergency phone list is posted in the studios, dorm, and near public phones with a list of staff phone numbers.

Medical Emergencies
Yestermorrow does not have a first responder or an EMT on staff and has minimal first aid capabilities. It is Yestermorrow's policy to contact 911 in the event of any medical emergency. Students and instructors are asked to voluntarily provide basic emergency contact information when they register for a class. Yestermorrow does not administer any form of injectable adrenaline (epinephrine). If you have a known allergy to foods, stings, environmental items, or products we encourage you to bring a personal supply of adrenaline for self-injection. If you should have an accident that requires medical attention, call 911 and/or notify a staff member immediately. The Central Vermont Medical Center is a forty-minute drive from campus.

Student/Instructor Relations
No faculty member shall have a romantic and/or sexual relationship, consensual or otherwise, with a student who is enrolled in a course being taught by the faculty member or whose academic work is being supervised, directly or indirectly, by the faculty member.

 

SAFETY POLICIES

Yestermorrow takes safety seriously. We appreciate your compliance with the following safety rules:

An instructor must be present at all times when power tools are in use.

Students and instructors must wear safety glasses or goggles at all times when operating power tools. No exceptions! Prescription eyeglasses are acceptable though Yestermorrow encourages students to wear goggles over them.  Yestermorrow has a variety of eye protection available for sale in the office.

Students and instructors are strongly encouraged to wear hearing protection when working with or around power tools.

Safety guards must be used on table saw(s) and router tables when possible.

Safety guards must be used on all other power tools when installed by the manufacturer.

Loose clothing should not be worn around power tools.

Long hair must be tied back and preferably tucked into clothing.

Gloves must not be worn when operating power tools.

When in doubt about how to use a tool or do anything in the shop, ASK! That's what instructors and staff are here for.

All in all, the safest possible method for achieving the desired outcome must be used.

These measures are enforced to ensure that you and your fellow students have a safe environment in which to learn. Please be mindful and aware of safety on the jobsite and/or in the woodshop. Thank you.

 

SawStop Tablesaw Safety Policies

1)      EVERYONE (staff, instructors, interns, students) needs to get a safety orientation to the SawStop before using the tool for the first time.  Our Facilities Manager and Woodshop Intern are trained in the use of the saws and can provide an introduction. 

2)      Dirty, reclaimed, green, pressure treated and wet woods and metals cannot be cut on the SawStop. Yestermorrow provides contractor table saws for these cutting purposes.  This keeps the cabinet saws in top shape for fine woodworking classes. If wet or pressure treated wood or conductive materials such as aluminum are cut without using the bypass mode, the brake will trigger. 

3)      When making any cuts, the dust collection system MUST be ON.

4)      The saws are installed with a safety guard connected to the dust collector and a riving knife/splitter.  The safety guards should be used at all times unless their operation causes an unsafe condition.

5)      To use a Dado blade, you need to swap out the brake cartridge for a specific Dado brake cartridge.

6)      If the brake on the saw is triggered by contact with skin, SawStop will replace the cartridge at no charge.  We have an extra cartridge in stock in the shop at all times and it can be replaced in a matter of minutes.

7)      If the brake on the saw is triggered by improper use of the machine (for example, using wet wood) and not following posted instructions, the user will be responsible for the cost of replacement ($69 for cartridge plus cost of the replacement blade).