Encourages collaboration and expertise can be used appropriately. Equipment that is used more will be easier to justify for repair and eventually replacement and generates income to meet running costs including technical staff. Funding applications that include equipment will be viewed more favourably if sharing is planned as part of the project and a demonstrable track record of previous sharing can be very important.
Inclusion does not mean you have to share. Planon users can indicate availability on data entry. You also remain in control of the exact times when it might be possible for an external user to visit to use the equipment. However, sharing does facilitate collaboration and hopefully avoids duplication of funding requests for specialist items within N8 and White Rose consortia.
Yes although you may wish to consider free access especially if the work could be part of a collaboration. Information on charging is available in the N8 sharing toolkit. Currently VAT has to be included unless charges are included within a specific collaborative grant application which means costs can be directly transferred between the universities involved. The VAT issue is under review within the N8 organisation.
You need to consider all Health and Safety and Ethical aspects regarding the use of your equipment, the samples that might be brought on-site and the products produced through use of the equipment. Appropriate local training will need to be provided to ensure the safety of both the staff in your lab and the visitor as well as to safeguard the equipment from accidental damage.
All universities are expected to have Employers and Public Liability insurance. This provides cover for staff injury but the level of material damage will vary as well as the excess. If the instrument breaks down during normal use, then the host is generally responsible for this cost. You could consider specific insurance through discussions with the University's Insurance Manager, Matthew Cox.
External research equipment databases
The N8 equipment database includes a sharing toolkit to assist institutions with the operational issues around equipment sharing and provides more detailed information on some of the issues described above.
An EPSRC-funded national database is hosted by the University of Southampton. The National Equipment Database now lists items from over 40 research centres and institutions.