Terms & Conditions

Archaeology, Anthropology, Geography & Forensics Equipment and Artefacts Loans, and Ad-hock Lab Bookings – Terms and Conditions

Equipment loans are operated on a system of fair play to all. This is not a commercial operation and the terms and conditions for loans are constructed accordingly. It is expected that all those using the service do so with a sense of responsibility towards others – respecting the equipment and artefacts, returning items on time and not manipulating the system for your own (or a group’s) benefit. If the Department staff detect signs that an individual or group is/are abusing the “trust and fair play” in place for this service, your rights to borrow equipment may be curtailed or removed.

SISO Booking Equipment

Equipment bookings will only be permitted if the booking is logged through SISO. Equipment bookings must be completed a minimum of 2 days (Working days) prior to the start date of your booking.
Reserved equipment must be collected on time and only by the person who has made the booking through SISO.
To collect the equipment, Students must present their ID card – without it, the equipment cannot be handed over and your booking may be cancelled.
On collection of the equipment, you become responsible for its safekeeping and return in good working order. It is strongly recommended that, on collection, you check the items immediately and report anything that does not appear to be in working order to the Technician. Whilst every effort is made by the Technician to ensure all items are functioning prior to booking, there is a small chance for something to be missed. If you report a fault straight away (within 15 minutes of collection), you will not be held liable and the Technician will try to either provide you with a replacement, suitable substitute or fix the problem.
If you book equipment and do not collect it twice in any academic year, this may result in restrictions for future bookings and a requirement to contact the Technician until such time as they determine the restriction can be lifted. Note also that any future bookings you may have in the system may be cancelled. If you no longer require a booking, just cancel it through SISO.
If you wish to extend your booking you must undertake this though SISO, at least 24 hours prior to your booking expiring. If a booking is unable to be extended it MUST be returned by the original end date.

SISO Returning Equipment

Equipment must be returned by the end of your booking period, to the Technician.
The Technician will make a short visual check of all items returned, followed by a full check within 1 working day.
If damage is discovered or parts are missing, you will be responsible for the repair or replacement of those parts and will be notified by the Technician as soon as possible following the full check. See section “Damage, loss and insurance “

Artefacts - Booking & Returns

Artefacts bookings will only be permitted if the correct booking form is completed. The booking will not be confirmed until this has been received. Booking forms must be received by the Technician a minimum of 1 week prior to the start date of your booking.
Reserved artefacts must be collected during a specified collection time stated by the Technician and only by the person who has made the booking through the Technician. Check the intranet for details.
To collect the artefacts, students must present their ID card – without it, the artefacts cannot be handed over and your booking may be cancelled.
On collection of the artefacts, you become responsible for their safekeeping and return.
If you wish to extend your booking you must complete a second copy of the booking form, and extension must be confirmed with the Technician once the form is completed. If a booking is unable to be extended it MUST be returned by the original end date.
Artefacts must be returned during a specified return time stated by the Technician.
The Technician will make a short visual check of all items returned, followed by a full check within 1 working day.
If damage is discovered or Artefacts missing, you will be held responsible and you may have your borrowing rights for Artefacts curtailed or removed.

SISO Booking Ad-Hock Lab Sessions

Ad-hock Lab Session bookings will only be permitted if the booking is logged through SISO. Bookings must be completed a minimum of 2 days (Working days) prior to the start date of your booking.
Ad-hock Lab Sessions must be collected on time and a minimum of the person who has made the booking through SISO must be in attendance (i.e. one person can book the lab for a group).
If you wish to extend your booking you must undertake this though SISO, at least 1 hour prior to your booking expiring. If a booking is unable to be extended, you MUST vacate the Lab by the original end time.
All Lab users must adhere to Lab Health and safety rules at all times during there Ad-hock session, as stated in The Lab Health and Safety Handbook

Late returns and penalties
If you return Bookings late more than two times in any academic year, you will have your borrowing rights curtailed or removed for a minimum of two weeks.
For Equipment not returned on time, a Fine of £1 per item per day will be added to your SISO Account, until the equipment is returned.

Health and safety (H&S)

Certain items of equipment or Labs may require specialist training before you are allowed to book out. Make sure that you have completed this training to avoid disappointment in having a booking rejected. Non-compliance with health and safety training or obvious misuse of equipment may result in penalties, including restrictions on booking or use of the facilities. The University takes H+S very seriously.

Equipment Booking Restrictions

Due to Health and safety and insurance reasons certain items of equipment are unable to be booked by Undergraduate Students. Of the restricted equipment stated below, appropriately trained Postgraduate Students can borrow equipment from Group 1. only and appropriately trained Staff can borrow equipment from Group 1. and Group 2. The items of equipment where these restrictions apply are as follows:

Appropriate Training Required
Group 1: Postgraduate Students/Staff only	Group 2: Staff Only
Ground Penetrating Radar	Drone
Zeno dGPS	pXRF
RTK GPS Rover and Base Station	MS60 Multistation and CS20 Field Controller
SmartNet GPS

Booking of equipment by External Groups

Requests from external groups to use surveying or geophysical equipment must be agreed in advance. These will either be on a commercial or a community outreach basis, i.e. unfunded. Such requests will be considered on their merits, with the normal maximum time for unfunded work on any given project being set at 7 days (i.e. 1 week).

Where community groups are applying for external funding for fieldwork, the University would recommend that their bid covers equipment costs, either in the form of hiring a member of the Department's technical staff or research student through the Department to operate the equipment or by hiring the equipment at a daily rate. In the latter case, the proposed operator must be approved by the Department. Such fees may be waived by the Department, in part or in full, under special circumstances. Please contact the technician for further information on costings and fees.

Equipment booked out by external groups either commercial or on community outreach basis, where a member of University of Winchester staff or research student is not present, must provide proof of insurance for the equipment, via a valid insurance certificate being emailed to the Technician, prior to the equipment being collected. The equipment will not be coved by the University insurance during this loan period, and therefore external borrowers of the equipment are liable for any equipment replacement or repair costs, due to damage to the equipment or theft during the booking period.

Damage, loss and insurance

All loan equipment used within the UK by University staff and students is insured by the University; however the borrower is financially responsible for paying all insurance excess charge(s) in the case of any loss, theft or breakages of equipment, regardless of the circumstances. Remember that the person booking the equipment is responsible for the items at all times during the booking period. The following excess charges will apply:

1. £500 for Damage, Lose or Stolen equipment. For stolen equipment on the condition that you supply a crime reference number from the police, and assuming that the police report does not find you to have been careless (if it does, the insurance policy will not pay out). If no crime reference number is obtained or if the insurance policy does not pay out due to your carelessness, you will be liable for the total cost of replacement of all items stolen.

If the repair or replacement is less than the excess above, you will be responsible for funding the repair or replacement up to this amount. In the case of stolen equipment of items less than the amount above, the same rules apply.

All loan equipment used outside the UK is NOT automatically insured by the University, including items taken abroad for work, research and study purposes. If you wish to take a Loaned item of equipment outside of the UK, please contact the technician ASAP.

All loan equipment is marked with a forensic marking solution and micro-dot product called SelectaDNA and is registered to the University of Winchester. If items are stolen these can then be easily traced back to the University (Owner) by the police, worldwide. This product is impossible to remove, damage or destroy.

Contact information

For general equipment and artefact queries, contact the Technician on either Email: David.Ashby@winchester.ac.uk ; Phone: 01962 827295

smarthub terms and conditions of use
As a user of this system registered or otherwise you agree that if for any reason you are unable to use smarthub for the intended purpose then you will contact your store via telephone, email or in person to resolve the problem. Siso Software Limited are not responsible or liable in any way for any errors, damages or any other loss caused by your usage of this system. For the avoidance of doubt this includes any loss howsoever suffered including negligence or fraud except where such negligence causes death or personal injury.