• No food and drinks are allowed in the facility.
• No installation of software onto the computers.
• No unauthorised entry.
• It is mandatory that all users are trained by facility staff before using the systems.
• The first person using the equipment each day turns it on, the last person shuts it down.
• Don’t try to repair any instrument and its attached boxes. Call core staff for any doubts you have on the instrument.
• If you damage a piece of equipment, you may be billed to repair or replace the item. This includes, but is not limited to: damaging any part of a microscope, flooding microscopes with live preps, spills on keyboards or computers, damage to heaters/CO2 tanks/other auxiliary equipment and/or damage resulting from leaving LED/lasers/bright field bulbs on overnight/over the weekend.
• When you finish with your work, clean the microscope, keyboard, mouse, bench with VWR lens paper and 70% ethanol.
• Clean the objectives with Whatman lens paper and 100% ethanol after you use immersion lens.
• All users must legibly enter in the name, PI name, Date, Time etc. on the user logbook.
• Portable drive is not allowed to use on any microscopy workstations. The instruction of data transfer is available on PPMS, presented every time when user books equipment.
• Technical assistance is available during office hours only.
• No equipment and accessories can be taken out of the facility without the facility staff’s knowledge.

• Only trained users are granted permission to schedule equipment via PPMS.
• Users who have failed to book online and are found using the system, will be suspended from using the system.
• Advanced reservations are available up to two weeks but limited to a maximum of eight hours per week per microscope per lab during office hours (8:30am – 6pm). Slots within 48 hours are exceptional, i.e. any user can book without limitation.
• Book system for necessary duration only. Use the equipment as per scheduled. Final bill will be the combination charge of user’s PPMS schedule time and equipment usage time.
• The equipment usage time is record by the PPMS logger on the equipment. So you must logout your PPMS account after use the equipment or the equipment needlessly being left on and you will be charged for the prolonged period.
• Check PPMS after you complete your imaging session. Turn off the laser if there is user coming after you. Shut down the whole system if your SCHEDULE is THE LAST SESSION OF THE DAY.
• You may lose the ability to reserve via PPMS if your last-minute cancellation results in equipment needlessly being left on overnight or over a weekend.
• The 24-Hour Rule — If a scheduled session is canceled within 24 hours or less of the scheduled start time, you will be charged as normal usage of the reserved time if nobody else fills them.

• It is the user’s responsibility to make a permanent copy of his or her data.
• Confocal lab will not be held responsible for any loss, corruption and modifications of any data.
• Data stored on our microscope workstation, shared workstation (Confocal, for data transfer) and CBIS Server, Kraken, is remained for two weeks. Data that are over 14 days old are deleted without notification.

• All users must have sat for the IVLE Online OSHE laser safety training.
• Never look directly into the light beam during imaging.
• Proper PPE (lab coats and cover-toe shoes) must be worn by users at all time.
• All users should compile, understand and acknowledge the risk assessment of laser imaging experiment.
• Strictly no BSL 3 biological specimen or BSL 2 animal samples in the facility.
• No eating, drinking or applying cosmetics in the microscope rooms.
• Any biological sample should be prepared in your lab, sealed with parafilm, surface decontaminated, and carried to the Microscopy Core Facility in a closed, secondary container.  
• Before leaving your lab and upon entering the Microscopy Core Facility, decontaminate the outside of your sample with 70% ethanol.
• Put on clean gloves before you touch the keyboards, computer mice, or any common equipment. This is to prevent the potential spread of COVID 19 virus in a multiple user room, such as confocal lab.
• In case of any spills, drips, splatters, or any potential contamination of the equipment, use 70% ethanol and absorbent paper to clean. Report the accident to core staff for necessary follow-up.
• When you finish with your work, wipe down the microscope, workstation (keyboard and mouse), and other work areas with 70% ethanol.
• Clean the objectives with lens paper and 100% ethanol after you use immersion lens.
• Carry all your waste back to your lab for disposal.
• The yellow biohazard bag in confocal lab is for the disposal of used gloves against the spread of COVID 19 virus only.
• All users should dispose sharps into sharps bin provided.

• Users are required to acknowledge the use of confocal facility in the publications and presentations as follows:
  
  

“The authors acknowledge the facilities, and the scientific and technical assistance of the Confocal Microscopy Laboratory at Center for Bioimaging Sciences, Department of Biological Science, National University of Singapore.”

• All users are required to update their publication via PPMS when there are any new ones.