I've seen a few interesting threads regarding the different levels of access teams have to their workshop. Some with 24/7 unsupervised access, other with very limited access.
We currently have 9-5 access five days a week and recently requested extended hours unsupervised, this included the proposal that team members be given health and safety training and our machining room be locked and powered down, so we would only be able to use small power and hand tools. We were more or less shot down and told we could have extra hours if our technician was willing to work overtime. He is but this is only really going to gain us a couple of hours per week.
I was wondering if anybody had had any success requesting unsupervised/extended access in the past where before they had none.
Also if any successful teams have extended unsupervised access and would like to write a recommendation we could present to our faculty suggesting it is a key component to completing and testing a successful car that would be very welcome.
At a push I would ask if any event judges on here want to send a letter of recommendation for this. But for obvious reasons I'm not expecting any to.
I should probably also mention that usually when we get to the 11th hour before competition and a car is still not finished that staff will often turn a blind eye and the team will work 24/7 for the last week or so. But that's all a bit late and student expulsion has been threatened by other staff members for this in the past.
This year we are further ahead with our build and hoping that limited hours will not become a major problem for us, but this has meant cutting down our design period significantly, so for future years and so we have a safety net (and can increase test time further).