Tool inductions: making training a requirement before booking

Inductions are where safety and fairness meet. A member who hasn't been trained on the bandsaw shouldn't be able to book it, and a member who has been trained shouldn't have to ask a host to check a paper list every time.

How it works

In Tidewell, any bookable item can require one or more inductions. An induction is a short record: who ran it, when, and optionally when it expires. Until a member has a valid induction, the item shows as locked on their booking page, with a note explaining how to get trained.

• Any member with the host role can sign off an induction
• Expiry dates are optional, and useful for machines where skills fade, such as the metal lathe
• Members get a reminder a month before an induction expires

Running induction sessions

Many spaces run inductions as small events with three or four places each. When the host marks attendance at the end of the session, the induction is recorded automatically, so there's no second step to forget.

One tip from a customer in Leeds: put the induction checklist in the session description, so new members know what they'll be asked to show before they arrive.