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Brookhaven National LaboratoryNational Synchrotron Light Source, User Science Division
User Administration Section  Internal Office Procedures
Subject: Providing NSLS ESH Briefing (LS-ESH-PESM) to Custodians
Document No:
Date Last Revised: November 20, 2007
Task Frequency: As needed
Task Owner: Mary Anne Corwin
Approved by: Mary Anne Corwin
 
Purpose: To outline the information provided to custodial staff in the NSLS ESH Briefing (LS-ESH-PESM).
Instructions:

Maps:

About the NSLS:

  • The NSLS is a national user facility that allows scientists to perform experiments that they cannot do at their own institutions or where the capabilities at their own institutions are limited
  • The NSLS stands for National Synchrotron Light Source
  • A synchrotron produces high intensity xray beams to produce xray light (similar to dental and bone xrays), UV light (similar to the sun), infrared light (similar to a heat lamp)
  • Some of the experiments performed here can be done at a scientist's home institution but it would take much longer to produce the same results
  • The NSLS operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year except during shutdown periods (May, and mid-November through mid-January) for maintenance
  • About 2000 users conduct roughly 1300 experiments at the NSLS each year
  • Our users come from 90 countries and 400 different institutions.

Emergencies:

  • Who To Call
    • Call x2222 or x911 from a lab phone
    • Call 344-2222 from a cell phone
    • All phones have a sticker with emergency phone numbers on them
  • Response to medical emergencies:
    • Call x2222 or x911 if someone needs an EMT or ambulance
    • Tell them
      • You have a medical emergency or you need an ambulance
      • Where you are in the building
      • What the emergency is
      • The fastest way to get into the building
        • Ambulances should be directed to enter at:
          • Main lobby
          • East roll up doors
          • West roll up doors
          • North entrance
    • Then call x2550 to let the control room
      • Control room handles all emergencies
      • They are staffed 24 hours a day
    • Give them the same information you provided when you called 2222
    • Tell them what door you told the ambulance to enter
    • Control room has walkie talkies that communicate with fire and rescue
    • The control room will coordinate the emergency and will contact the safety staff
  • Injuries and Accidents
    • Don't touch anything
    • Safety staff will need to investigate
    • Put any equipment in safe mode, if possible
  • Alarms
    • Types of alarms
      • Building alarms (continuously ringing):
        • Evacuate the building
        • Go to outdoor assembly area
        • Front of 725 (NSLS) building outside the main lobby (grassy area)
      • Site siren (steady sound):
        • Go to indoor assembly area
        • Lobby or Seminar room
      • Site siren (intermittent sound, pitch rises and falls):
        • Evacuate BNL immediately
    • If you hear site or building alarms
      • Put your work in a safe mode
      • Get out through the nearest safe exit
      • Site alarms cannot be heard on the experimental floor
      • Control room will tell you through the PA system where the emergency is
      • Go in the opposite direction of the emergency
      • Always know at least two exits (see map)
      • Look for your colleagues
      • Stay with our staff to be accounted for
        • We are not familiar with everyone in the building
        • Emergency Services staff have to verify your whereabouts
        • Don't go to another building
    • Evacuations
      • If you are told to evacuate or leave site, do that
      • If you have a child at day care, we will try to tell you when to leave as soon as possible.
  • Fire Alarms
    • If you notice fire or smoke
      • There are fire alarm pull boxes near all exits
      • If you have no time to call x2222 or x2550
        • Pull the alarm box
        • Then call x2222 and x2550 if that's possible
  • Fire Extinguishers
    • There are fire extinguishers all over the building
    • Training (web and practical) is available (except during the winter)
  • Doors
    • The NSLS Building has many fire doors
    • Do not prop open fire doors
    • Propping a door will creates chimney effect
    • Propping a door can allow smoke into stairwells
  • Eye wash shower stations
    • There are about 20 in the building
  • Electricity
    • NSLS uses about 4 megawatts of electricity
    • There is a lot of high current, especially on the experimental floor
    • If you are unsure about any electrical hazards, ask the safety staff
  • Chemicals, gases
    • There are a lot of chemicals and gases in the facility
      • Don't touch or go near them
      • If they are located near a beamline and you need to work there, ask a beamline staff member for assistance
  • Lasers
    • There are several laser areas
      • Laser operators and those who have access to Class IIIB and IV lasers must have additional training and an eye exam
      • Be aware of signs at the laser controlled areas
      • Debbie will do a walk through
  • Experimental floor Access
    • The experimental floor is a controlled area
    • Experimental floor includes both the X-Ray Ring and the UV Ring
    • General Employee Radiological Training (GERT) is required
    • Facility specific training (this training) is required
    • Training is valid for two years
    • BNL ID badge can be encoded at User Administration
    • Re-qualification for training is completed by reading and signing a form
    • TLDs (dosimeters)
      • If you regularly work on the experimental floor, a TLD is required
      • If you work only a short time (not regularly), a TLD is not required
      • NSLS issues 200 TLDs each month
      • It is very rare for anyone to register a dose at the NSLS
    • Please do not bring visitors onto the floor; talk to your supervisor first
  • UV (UltraViolet) Ring floor
    • Beam injection occurs about three times each day
      • 8 am, 12:30 pm, and 5:30 pm
      • Lasts about 6 minutes
    • If you are in the UV ring around the time of injection
      • The Control room will use the PA system to let you know the areas to move away from
        • If you are up high, move down to the floor
        • If you are near the center of the ring, move to the outer walls
        • If you are uncomfortable being in the UV ring, go to the lobby
  • Radiation Shielding
    • The NSLS has a lot of shielding, concrete, and lead
    • Shielding is located on the floor, walls, roof
    • IT is used to protect against radiation exposure
    • Don't move or climb on the shielding
  • Posted radiation areas
    • Certain areas are "posted" radiation areas
    • Don't linger in any posted radiation areas during injection, just walk through
  • Signs
    • Many types of signs
    • If one is in your way
      • Don't move it
      • Ask the safety staff for information or to move it if possible
  • Oxygen Deficiency Hazard (ODH) areas:
    • Located at
      • Legs X5A
      • West roll up doors
      • Mechanical Equipment Room (MER) A
    • Oxygen hazards due to storage of large dewars of
      • Nitrogen
      • Helium
    • Areas are posted with signs and have ODH alarms
    • If you hear an ODH alarm
      • Get out of the area immediately
      • Call the control room
      • Tell them if anyone is still in the room (if you know)
  • Unsafe Conditions
    • Report unsafe conditions to your supervisor or the ESH staff
    • You are our eyes and ears
    • You can help us to improve the way we do things