ALS BL4.0.2 and BL6.3.1 SAFETY BASICS

last updated November 5, 2009

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ALS BL4.0.2 and BL6.3.1 SAFETY BASICS

WHAT IS AN EXPERIMENTAL SAFETY SHEET?

The experimental safety sheet (ESS) is the primary safety document that authorizes user work at the ALS. It documents the samples and any additional equipment the user is bringing to the ALS. It must be signed by all the experimenters, the ALS safety coordinator, and the beamline scientist before work can begin. A completed and authorized ESS for each experiment going on at every endstation must be posted on the sector experiment board (in the hallway on the perifery of the experimental floor - see picture). Experiments found to be running without a posted ESS or experimenters working without being listed on the ESS will be halted. Data for the ESS is generally collected when the beamtime proposal is completed, but if you have changes, especially if more hazardous or new biological materials are added, please inform us as soon as possible before your scheduled beamtime. For more information and links to the on-line ESS form, see the ALS Experiment Safety Sheet description webpage (http://www.als.lbl.gov/als/quickguide/expform.html).

WHAT ARE THE HAZARDS AT THE BEAMLINE?

Cryogens
The primary hazards at the beamline are cryogens. Liquid nitrogen and helium are almost always present. When handling cryogens, you must wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE)!

General Cryogenic Guidelines
Task	Required PPE
Working with pressurized systems (i.e., opening / closing valves, manipulating connections, verifying the existence or absence of pressure in a system).	Face shield and safety glasses; gloves; long pants or apron
General use of dewars and other unpressurized systems.	Safety glasses or goggles; gloves; long pants or apron
Handling, transporting closed containers	None

ppe


Trained staff and users have to make sure that when they are working with a gas cylinder, other individuals should stay back at least 3 feet or otherwise put on the appropriate PPE. You should avoid working with cryogens above eye level whenever possible, but if not, goggles should be used instead of safety glasses. Chemical Use Areas Within the larger Experimental Hall, some smaller, limited areas exist where chemical and/or biological materials are used or stored. These areas are identified by floor mats with yellow border or striped yellow tape on the floor and the standard LBNL signage. Standard lab-wide guidance for laboratories applies. All individuals who enter these areas (i.e., step on the floor mats or cross the tape) must wear proper eye protection (typically safety glasses) in addition to the closed-toe shoes and long pants. These areas are identified by the responsible beamline scientists who provide signage and easily accessible safety glasses at each of these locations. Formal training is given to all users so they can follow strictly the PPE requirement in the area.
BL 6.3.1	BL 4.0.1
Chemicals Standard Berkeley Lab policy when working with chemicals in a lab or shop environment prescribes safety glasses, lab coat, and gloves, in addition to the standard closed-toe shoes; see the Chemical Hygiene and Safety Plan (http://www.lbl.gov/ehs/chsp/html/materials.shtml) for more information. Generally, work with chemicals on the floor involves little risk (small quantities of relatively nonhazardous chemicals), so PPE requirements may be minimal. Examples are: + Loading <1 mL volumes of relatively nonhazardous samples, which requires only gloves and glasses. + Cleaning of components with <5 mL of solvents, which requires only gloves However, some operations are done with higher quantities and/or more hazardous materials. In these cases, the work is typically done in the User Chemistry Lab, temporarily located in Building 6-2233, and PPE requirements are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Safety glasses and gloves are available at the Building 7 stockroom. Be sure to verify that you are using the appropriate gloves for the material you are working with. See Glove Guidance, and Nitrile Glove Compatibility Guide. Engineered Nanomaterials "Engineered nanomaterials" are intentionally created and have structures <100 nanometers. They do NOT include larger materials with nanoscale features (e.g., etched silicon wafers) nor biomolecules (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates). If unbound engineered nanomaterials are being investigated at the beamline, there will be a posted designated area where the work will be performed. Samples The other hazards at the beamline are what users bring with them to measure. These hazards will be listed on the ESS and the UEF, which is located on the Sector bulletin board.

WHERE CAN I EAT OR DRINK?

Food is NOT allowed on the ALS experimental floor (the red painted area). Beverages are only allowed in areas designated by ALS staff with signs that look like this:

WHAT CLOTHING SHOULD I WEAR?

There is only one general "dress code" requirement on the ALS: All staff, users, and visitors must wear closed-toe shoes on the experimental floor, accelerator area, and all peripheral lab areas. This is to provide protection from the various slip/trip, abrasion, and kicking hazards associated with the equipment on the floor.