October 27, 1997 -- Some of this week's stories
'Top to bottom'
safety check completed
An intensive review of policies, procedures and practices has confirmed that safety is
largely integrated into Argonne's management of work.
The top-to-bottom review of safety management, sparked by a U.S. Department of Energy policy statement,
was completed in September. The effort was co-chaired by David Moncton, associate
laboratory director for the Advanced Photon Source,
and DOE Argonne Group Manager Tim Crawford.
According to a report summarizing the findings of the review, "basic and generally
effective processes are in place," a finding supported
by Argonne's better-than-average safety record among similar DOE facilities.
However, the report notes that "opportunities for improvement were identified in the
areas of safety stewardship, safety training,
inspections and feedback."
The DOE policy, issued late last year, stated that safety should be an integral part of all
work planning, and not a separate activity. The
DOE policy will make an "integrated safety
management" self-assessment part of the contract
requirement.
The assessment was carried out at three levels.
The first was a lab-wide check of policy and procedures and how they stacked up
against the safety management principles outlined
in the DOE policy. The review looked at the laboratory's policy, environment, safety
and health, and other manuals for both Argonne sites. Each was found to address all of
the principles espoused by the DOE policy.
The assessment's second level was a division-level review of procedures and practices,
in which division directors presented findings of their own safety self-assessments, how
division policies support safety management
principles and opportunities for improvement.
"The presentations by the division
directors were very enlightening," Crawford said.
"There was insight and learning by the
assessment team and the division directors themselves."
These presentations also revealed some
"good practices":
* A number of laboratories have a single person designated as the contact for
laboratory safety, reducing the chance for confusion
over responsibility.
* The Chemistry Division recently undertook a massive effort to dispose of unused and
unneeded chemicals -- some 1,500 of them.
* Some facilities use detailed work authorization procedures that stress safety,
ensuring that worker protection is built-in before a
project gets under way.
The third level of the assessment was a survey designed to gauge employees'
perceptions of the hazards they face, training,
protection and supervisors' involvement.
"In most cases, the results gave the lab
very high marks in terms of our safety
culture," Moncton said. For example, 96 percent of
employees surveyed feel they receive adequate safety training, versus 88 percent in
comparable R&D institutions.
"But some employees answered 'yes' when they were asked if they feel pressure to get
the job done despite safety," Moncton said.
"There will always be pressure to get work done,
but doing it safely must be the highest priority."
The report recommends that all laboratory organizations address this issue.
The survey also showed that some employees felt they didn't get enough feedback
on safety issues and concerns.
"People like to hear back on their safety suggestions, and sometimes we forget to
do that," Moncton said. The report recommends establishing a fast, concise means of
sharing safety issues, concerns and lessons
learned within the laboratory.
"Integrated Safety Management will become part of the prime contract between the
University of Chicago and DOE for Argonne's
management," Crawford said. "This
self-assessment was a good first step on the journey."
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Marion Thurnauer
elected AAAS fellow
Chemistry Division Director Marion Thurnauer has
been elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science , the largest scientific association in the world.
Fellows are recognized because their "efforts on behalf of
the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically
or socially distinguished." Thurnauer's honor comes for her work using electron
spin resonance spectroscopy to characterize electron transfer events in
photosynthetic reaction centers and other materials.
Thurnauer has written more than 80 publications, including journal articles
and book chapters, primarily on the subject of solar energy conversion in natural
and artificial photosynthesis.
Thurnauer was a key player in the development of Argonne's Return to Index
Few traffic delays at gates so far
due to new site-access policy
The new site-access policy at Argonne-East prompted a flurry of questions to the
Argonne News office and to Security employees, most
of which centered on the likelihood of long
traffic delays at North Gate.
Although serious delays hadn't materialized in the first week of the new policy,
Dave Metta (SEC) acknowledged that there probably will be some congestion at North Gate
as employees and visitors become more familiar with the procedures -- and especially
after new signs are posted at the laboratory entrances.
"There probably will be some backups as everyone works through the learning
curve," Metta said. "But eventually, North Gate
traffic should look the same as it does now, with
just occasional delays."
The new policy allows most visitors through the gates from 6:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, without prior arrangements
or processing through the Argonne Information Center (AIC) -- provided they are U.S.
citizens and can give the security officer a valid
reason for visiting the site. Previously, all visitors
were required to stop at the Visitor Reception
Center for a gate pass.
If gate delays develop, Metta suggested employees temporarily adjust by using West
Gate and East Gate to avoid the tie-ups. Most
visitors enter the site through North Gate.
The initial inconvenience will be outweighed by the benefits, he said, as Argonne's
70,000 annual visitors find it faster and easier to get
to their destinations.
Other questions posed by employees centered on what constitutes a "valid reason"
for entering the site and safety.
* Valid reasons for entering the site include family members picking up an employee
after work, Metta said. Likewise, guests of
employees should have no trouble attending an
Argonne-authorized and sponsored event like next
week's Halloween party at the Building 213
Cafeteria, or meeting an employee at the Argonne Guest House Restaurant for dinner.
* The new policy shouldn't affect employees' personal safety on site, Metta said.
Employees should always be aware of suspicious
behavior, no matter what the site-access policy, and
report it to Security or call 911. In addition,
most buildings on site have, or soon will have,
card-key entry systems to enhance after-hours security.
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Tickets on sale
for concert by N.Y. Quintet
Tickets for a concert by the New York Woodwind Quintet, performing at Argonne-East
Saturday, Nov. 1, will be sold in the Building 213 Cafeteria the week of Oct. 27. Tickets are
$18 and will be sold from noon to 1 p.m.
Remaining tickets will be sold at the Advanced Photon Source Conference Center
Auditorium Box Office, Building 401, before the concert. The concert, sponsored by Arts at Argonne, will begin at 8 p.m.
The Quintet will perform Carter's "Quintet for Woodwinds," Haas' "Quintet for
Winds," Villa-Lobos' "Quintet en Forme de Choros"
and "String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 51 No. 2"
by Brahms. The concert is open to the public. No special arrangements are needed to enter
the site to attend the concert.
A pre-concert dinner will be held at the Argonne Guest House . Cost is $19.95,
and reservations are requested; call 739-6000.
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Q & A
Editor's note: The first dozen or so responses to the call for questions
concerned the new site access policy. The
"answer" became the site-access story above.
Q. Does the lab offer the use of exercise equipment to employees? Many
of us find it difficult to exercise at a gym and it would be convenient to have such
facilities on site. -- Dan Omiecinski (OCF)
A. A well-equipped exercise room
is located behind "the gallery" on the
lower level of Building 401 at the Advanced Photon Source. The room has three
treadmills, two Nordic Track machines, a
stairstepper, an exercise bike, two rowing machines
and a universal weight machine.
Employees are welcome to use the equipment at any time, said Exercise Club
president Ed Temple (APO). However, if a meeting is in progress in the gallery,
exercisers are asked to go in through side
entrances and be "circumspect" about noise.
From 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the
club holds step aerobics classes. On Tuesdays and Thursdays at the same time,
employees can join in a "trim and tone" session.
A new after-work step aerobics class is held from 5:15 p.m to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays
and Thursdays.
Employees using the equipment must sign waiver forms and are encouraged
to join the club. Dues are $12 per year.
Q&A will attempt to answer employees' questions about the laboratory, its
policies, operations, research, history -- any
question of wide interest will be considered. Q&A won't use anonymous questions
or answers. Fax, mail or e-mail questions to Argonne
News Editor Dave Jacque, OPA-201. The fax number is ext. 2-5274; send
e-mail to info@anl.gov.
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Wellness talk will focus on family traditions
Argonne's Preventive Health and Wellness Program will sponsor a seminar titled
"Family Traditions," from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, in Argonne-East's Building 200 Auditorium.
Traditions and rituals can be celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries, or small
events like bedtime stories and "good morning"
hugs. The presentation will help participants
create, recognize and reinforce family rituals as a
way of strengthening family health.
The seminar will be presented by Cheryl Rampage, director of graduate education at
the Family Institute. Rampage coordinates a
master's degree program in family therapy offered in
collaboration with Northwestern University.
All Argonne and DOE employees and their adult family members are invited to attend.
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Argonne Club plans Wolves game trip ...
A few tickets remain for the Argonne Club's trip to a Chicago
Wolves hockey game on Friday, Nov. 21, at the Rosemont Horizon.
The game begins at 7:30 p.m. The Wolves will face off against
the Ft. Wayne Komets.
Tickets are $17 ($3 less than the box-office price) and include bus
transportation to and from the game. The bus will
leave from Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria at 5:30 p.m.
Tickets will be sold in the cafeteria lobby the week of Oct. 27 from 11:30 a.m.
to 12:30 p.m.
To reserve tickets or for more information, call Harold Gaines (CMB) at ext. 2-3163
or Dan McNamee (EMO) at ext. 2-6539.
... and seeks contacts for clubs, leagues
The Argonne Club is seeking names and contact persons for all clubs and leagues
at Argonne, in hopes of assembling a comprehensive list.
That list will be published in a future edition of
Argonne News, giving employees a chance to join clubs they might not
have known about.
Call Argonne Club president Fred Onesto at ext. 2-5260 or send interoffice mail
to APO-401. Include the club name and names and contact information for club officers.
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Retirement vendors to meet with employees
Three of Argonne's retirement vendors will have representatives on site to meet
individually with employees at Argonne-East to answer questions about the retirement plans
or retirement plan assets.
To schedule a half-hour appointment with these representatives, call the
numbers below.
| Vendor | Day | Call: |
TIAA/CREF | Thursday, Nov. 13,
Friday, Nov. 14 | (800) 842-2005
Appointment Desk |
Fidelity | Friday, Nov. 14 | (800) 642-7131
Appointment Desk |
Prudential | Thursday, Nov. 20, Friday,Nov. 21,
Wednesday, Nov. 26 | (847) 619-3519
Cheryl |
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Mail to be delivered
once per day at ANL-E
Beginning Monday, Oct. 27, on-site mail delivery at Argonne-East will be made once per day.
The type of service departments currently receive -- room-to-room delivery or mail
"drop" locations -- will not change.
Mail will be delivered in the morning to buildings 4, 5, 46, 108, 114, 129, 146, 200,
203, 207, 208, 212, 203 Library, 222, 223, 224,
306, 308, 310, 314, 316, 331A, 335, 350, 360, 411, 412, 450, 410, 460, and 574.
Mail will be delivered in the afternoon to buildings 201, 202, 205, 211, 213, 214,
221, 233, 301, 302, 330, 333, 362, 363, 368, 370, 372, 401, 600, 900, and 952.
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Lead class is added
ESH Training has added "Lead: Hazards and Controls" (ESH171), to its November schedule.
The class will be offered Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m., in
Argonne-East's Building 202, Room B169.
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Survey to gauge
interest in bike bridge
The city of Darien is developing plans for bike paths throughout the city. One of the
proposals calls for building a pathway over the
Stevenson Expressway (I-55) near Cass Avenue.
To estimate potential use of the paths, employees of Argonne, the Department of Energy and
lab contractors have been asked to fill out a
questionnaire about their biking habits.
To receive a copy, contact Halil Avci (EAD) at
2-6477 or Phil Pfeiffer (RE) at 2-4589. Questionnaires must be completed by Friday, Oct. 31.
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Pioneers' umbrellas,
vases sport deer logo
The Argonne Pioneers are selling crystal bud vases and umbrellas.
The vases and umbrellas both feature an etched white deer emblem. The umbrellas
are solid forest green with a natural blond wood handle and ferrule. A push-button opens
the umbrella to a full 43 inches. Each item costs $10.
To purchase, contact Evie Fagan at ext. 2-5578 or Bldg. 201, 2U-09.
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Fiber optics course
to be held on-site
PFS will host a course on "Introduction to Fiber Optics" on Tuesday and Wednesday
evenings at Argonne-East beginning Nov. 4 and continuing through Dec. 17.
The four-credit-hour class will be held in Building 202.
Cost is $225 plus $40 for the textbook. Prerequisites include knowledge and
course work in schematics and industrial electronics.
Participants must register by Oct. 31; call Karen Kroczek (PFS) at ext. 2-8764 for
course and registration information.
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