IT-01 Acceptable Use Policy
Revision 5 · Effective 2025-11-03
1 Purpose
This policy sets the rules for using Tallgrass Precision Components computers, phones, networks, accounts and data. It protects customer technical data and supports our customer cybersecurity obligations.
2 Scope
This policy applies to every employee, temporary worker and contractor (for example, contract programmers from Plains Metrology Services) who uses a Tallgrass account, device, network or data, at either site or remotely. Contractors are held to the same rules as employees. It covers company laptops, desktops, shop-floor kiosks, machine-tool controls, company phones, and personal phones used for company email.
3 Definitions
- Company data: any information created or received for Tallgrass business, including drawings, NC programs, quality records, email and Teams messages.
- Microsoft 365: the Tallgrass tenant
tallgrasspc.onmicrosoft.com, including Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams. - App protection: Microsoft Intune policies that protect company data inside an app on a personal phone without managing the whole phone.
4 Responsibilities
- Users follow this policy and complete IT security awareness training every year.
- Managers make sure their staff and the contractors they sponsor know these rules.
- IT (Sam Kettering, IT Lead; Ava Lund, IT Technician) maintains the controls described here and answers questions at helpdesk@tallgrasspc.com or ext. 2210.
- HR handles policy violations by employees under HR-200.
5 Rules of use
5.1 Personal use
Limited personal use of company computers and internet access is allowed during breaks and before or after your shift, provided it does not interfere with work, use significant bandwidth or storage, or break any other rule in this policy. Personal files, photos and music must not be stored on company devices or in OneDrive. Streaming video and gaming on company devices are not allowed.
5.2 Where company data is stored
Company files are stored only in Microsoft 365: OneDrive for your own working files, SharePoint for controlled and shared department files, and Teams for team collaboration. Data that belongs in a business system (the ERP, the DNC server for CNC programs) stays in that system. Do not save company files on a laptop's local disk as the only copy. How data must be handled by classification level is defined in IT-05.
5.3 Personal cloud storage and personal email
Personal cloud storage (personal OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud and similar) must never be used for company data, and these services are blocked on company devices. Never forward company email or files to a personal email account. Export-controlled data has additional restrictions in EXP-01.
5.4 USB and removable storage
USB storage devices are blocked on all company computers. The only exception is an IT-issued encrypted USB drive, which is hardware-encrypted, registered to a named user, and requested on IT-F-04 with manager approval. Personal USB drives must not be connected to any company computer or machine-tool control. CNC programs are transferred to machines through the DNC system, not by USB. USB keyboards, mice and headsets are not affected by the block.
5.5 Approved AI tools
The only AI tool approved for company work is Microsoft 365 Copilot signed in with your Tallgrass account. Never paste Confidential or Restricted data (see IT-05) into any other AI tool, chatbot, translation site or browser extension. ITAR and other export-controlled data must not be entered into any AI tool, including Copilot (EXP-01).
5.6 Personal phones
Personal phones may receive company email only through the Microsoft Outlook app protected by Intune app protection. The phone's built-in mail app cannot connect to Tallgrass mailboxes. App protection requires a device PIN or biometric unlock, blocks copying company data into personal apps, and lets IT remove company data from the app (a selective wipe) without touching personal photos or apps. Microsoft Teams on a personal phone is covered by the same app protection. Personal phones and personal laptops connect only to the guest Wi-Fi network, never to the corporate network.
5.7 Accounts and software
Accounts are personal and must not be shared, except the shared shop-floor kiosk accounts described in IT-02. Passwords and MFA follow IT-02. Software is installed only by IT or through the Company Portal app; users do not have local administrator rights. Do not disable antivirus, encryption or update settings.
5.8 Prohibited activities
Users must not access or send harassing, discriminatory or sexually explicit material; bypass security controls or web filtering; run personal businesses on company systems; or connect unapproved equipment to the network.
6 Monitoring notice
Company systems, networks and accounts are company property. Tallgrass monitors and logs email, Teams, web traffic, sign-ins, file activity and device security events, and may review any data on company systems without further notice. Users should have no expectation of privacy when using company resources. Reviews of an individual's activity are authorized by the IT Lead together with the HR Manager. Monitoring of personal phones is limited to the company data inside the protected Outlook and Teams apps.
7 Violations
Violations by employees are handled under HR-200 and may lead to discipline up to termination. Contractor violations are reported to the sponsor and may lead to immediate removal of access. Suspected security incidents, including lost devices, are reported under IT-06.
8 Records
Each user acknowledges this policy when their account is created and again during annual IT security awareness training; acknowledgments are kept with training records (QP-6.2). IT keeps the register of issued encrypted USB drives.
9 Revision history
| Rev | Date | Change | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2022-04-11 | Added personal phone rules (Outlook app with Intune app protection). | Margaret Lindqvist |
| 4 | 2023-10-02 | Blocked USB storage except IT-issued encrypted drives; blocked personal cloud storage. | Margaret Lindqvist |
| 5 | 2025-11-03 | Added approved AI tools rule (Microsoft 365 Copilot only); clarified contractors are covered; aligned data storage with IT-05. | Margaret Lindqvist |