From the Director: Safety

by Persis Drell

I chose yesterday for the Security and Safety Briefing deliberately. Three years ago to the day we had a terrible accident at this lab. Those of you who were here at that time will not forget the accident or the months after it. I know I won't. Three years later we can ask: Is the lab safer?

The answer is certainly yes. Safety awareness is much greater and safety standards are much higher, but is the lab where it needs to be in terms of our goal to be an accident-free work environment? Definitely not.

Four weeks ago, we received a wake-up call when a PVC pipe at Sector 30 exploded. We were very, very lucky that there were no serious injuries. We cannot, must not depend on luck to avoid a devastating accident.

Over the past three weeks, I've been watching as a SLAC team analyzes what went wrong at Sector 30. They have done a superb job, helped by outside expertise. The have concluded that the explosion did not just happen because "someone screwed up." They found more than one point in the management chain when the accident could have and should have been prevented. We must understand the failures, acknowledge them and use them to help us plan to avoid such problems in the future. Read more...

McCallum-Turner Looks at SLAC's Work Planning and Control

by Ken Kingery

This article, the fifth in a series of 11, defines Work Planning and Control in hopes that it will help you share your knowledge and expertise on the subject. This is one of the 11 areas McCallum-Turner, Inc., has requested comments and suggestions for in its mission to analyze SLAC's management and operations systems.

Work Planning and Control (WPC) is a system or collection of processes used to identify, plan, evaluate, initiate, execute and closeout work activities. This focus area covers practices and procedures that help employees incorporate Integrated Safety and Environmental Management Systems (ISEMS) into their WPC processes. Everyone at SLAC, whether engaged in lower risk office type work, higher risk "hands-on" work or something in between, participates in some form of work planning and control. WPC is used for work at all levels including projects, construction, research and development, experiments, facility operations and maintenance, manufacturing and environmental restoration.

This area was targeted for improvement by last year's Office of Independent Overview (OIO). Since then, a corrective action team has been working on new plans. McCallum-Turner WPC Point of Contact Karen Fant and the corrective action team will partner with the McCallum-Turner analysis experts to create a more integrated, effective WPC system.

"We'll be looking at how work planning and control is currently done and what areas are lacking," said Fant. "It's a large area of review because it includes everyone from office workers to researchers and everything from ergonomic evaluations to radiation training."

McCallum-Turner can by contacted with any ideas, comments or suggestions on Work Planning and Control or any of the other focus areas via email at mccallum.turner@slac.stanford.edu or by phone at 926-6200.

Accelerators Triumph in
Annual Softball Game

by Heather Rock Woods

The Accelerators, from left to right, back to front: Dan Harrington, Ryan Auer, Matt Cramar, Doug McCormick, Herman Winick, Tim Winstead, Gene Anzalone, Mike Palrang, Jacob Winstead, Clayton Shum.

SLAC's Annual Softball Game was held October 6 at Stanford's Roble Field. At the last moment, the competing teams were reformulated; in the end, the Accelerators comprised players contributing to existing and future accelerators, while the Research team combined all staff and users involved in research at SLAC. The Bill Kirk Most Valuable Player Award went to Tim Winstead for the Accelerators. Winstead led a great defense with his inspired pitching and two 2-run homers.

For game highlights, visit the SLAC softball webpage.

Congratulations to all who played!

Save the Date:
SLAC Holiday Party

by Thanh Ly

Image courtesy of Diana Rogers.
(Click on image for larger version.)

It's never too early to think about the holidays! This year's annual Holiday Party will take place on Wednesday, December 19th, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. More information will be published in SLAC Today as it becomes available.

Events (see all | submit)

October 15: (4:15 p.m.) SLAC Colloquium: Dr. Fred Lo: Mega-masers, Dark Energy and the Hubble Constant
October 15: (5:30 p.m.) Stanford Lecture: Nuclear Power without Nuclear Proliferation?

Access (see all)

Announcements
(see all | submit)

Lab Announcements

Submit your stories about Pief

Community Bulletin Board

News (see all | submit)

Testing Einstein: Is Dark Energy Constant? PhysOrg.com
NIST Light Source Illuminates Fusion Power Diagnostics EurekAlert

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View online at http://today.slac.stanford.edu/.

From the Director: Safety by Persis Drell I chose yesterday for the Security and Safety Briefing deliberately. Three years ago to the day we had a terrible accident at this lab. Those of you who were here at that time will not forget the accident or the months after it. I know I won't. Three years later we can ask: Is the lab safer? The answer is certainly yes. Safety awareness is much greater and safety standards are much higher, but is the lab where it needs to be in terms of our goal to be an accident-free work environment? Definitely not. Four weeks ago, we received a wake-up call when a PVC pipe at Sector 30 exploded. We were very, very lucky that there were no serious injuries. We cannot, must not depend on luck to avoid a devastating accident. Over the past three weeks, I've been watching as a SLAC team analyzes what went wrong at Sector 30. They have done a superb job, helped by outside expertise. The have concluded that the explosion did not just happen because "someone screwed up." They found more than one point in the management chain when the accident could have and should have been prevented. We must understand the failures, acknowledge them and use them to help us plan to avoid such problems in the future. Read more...

McCallum-Turner Looks at SLAC's Work Planning and Control by Ken Kingery This article, the fifth in a series of 11, defines Work Planning and Control in hopes that it will help you share your knowledge and expertise on the subject. This is one of the 11 areas McCallum-Turner, Inc., has requested comments and suggestions for in its mission to analyze SLAC's management and operations systems. Work Planning and Control (WPC) is a system or collection of processes used to identify, plan, evaluate, initiate, execute and closeout work activities. This focus area covers practices and procedures that help employees incorporate Integrated Safety and Environmental Management Systems (ISEMS) into their WPC processes. Everyone at SLAC, whether engaged in lower risk office type work, higher risk "hands-on" work or something in between, participates in some form of work planning and control. WPC is used for work at all levels including projects, construction, research and development, experiments, facility operations and maintenance, manufacturing and environmental restoration. This area was targeted for improvement by last year's Office of Independent Overview (OIO). Since then, a corrective action team has been working on new plans. McCallum-Turner WPC Point of Contact Karen Fant and the corrective action team will partner with the McCallum-Turner analysis experts to create a more integrated, effective WPC system. "We'll be looking at how work planning and control is currently done and what areas are lacking," said Fant. "It's a large area of review because it includes everyone from office workers to researchers and everything from ergonomic evaluations to radiation training." McCallum-Turner can by contacted with any ideas, comments or suggestions on Work Planning and Control or any of the other focus areas via email at mccallum.turner@slac.stanford.edu or by phone at 926-6200.	Accelerators Triumph in Annual Softball Game by Heather Rock Woods The Accelerators, from left to right, back to front: Dan Harrington, Ryan Auer, Matt Cramar, Doug McCormick, Herman Winick, Tim Winstead, Gene Anzalone, Mike Palrang, Jacob Winstead, Clayton Shum. SLAC's Annual Softball Game was held October 6 at Stanford's Roble Field. At the last moment, the competing teams were reformulated; in the end, the Accelerators comprised players contributing to existing and future accelerators, while the Research team combined all staff and users involved in research at SLAC. The Bill Kirk Most Valuable Player Award went to Tim Winstead for the Accelerators. Winstead led a great defense with his inspired pitching and two 2-run homers. For game highlights, visit the SLAC softball webpage. Congratulations to all who played! Save the Date: SLAC Holiday Party by Thanh Ly Image courtesy of Diana Rogers. (Click on image for larger version.) It's never too early to think about the holidays! This year's annual Holiday Party will take place on Wednesday, December 19th, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. More information will be published in SLAC Today as it becomes available.	Events (see all \| submit) October 15: (4:15 p.m.) SLAC Colloquium: Dr. Fred Lo: Mega-masers, Dark Energy and the Hubble Constant October 15: (5:30 p.m.) Stanford Lecture: Nuclear Power without Nuclear Proliferation? Access (see all) Increased traffic along north linac road, Sept. 18 - mid-Dec. Periodic closure of South Klystron Gallery Road Parking lot between B120 and B140 closed Alpine Gate & PEP Ring Road closed Gates 17 & 30 open 24-7 Research Yard bisected Announcements (see all \| submit) Lab Announcements Submit your stories about Pief Community Bulletin Board Faculty Staff Help Center: October 2007 Workshops Fire prevention week 36th annual SLAC Run and Walk, noon, November 15, 2007 News (see all \| submit) Testing Einstein: Is Dark Energy Constant? PhysOrg.com NIST Light Source Illuminates Fusion Power Diagnostics EurekAlert
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