What do a melting witch, a rapping scientist, and a bumbling chemist have in common? All were examples of Lab protocol gone abysmally wrong in the Second Annual Safety Video Contest. Winners were announced last Friday. Tevye Kuykendall of Material Sciences won the $200 first prize for Careless Carl, which chronicled the foibles of a lackadaisical lab tech fond of saying “whoopsie doodles.” The videos in this year’s contest emphasized the need for health and safety awareness. Second place went to Nick Bojda and John Romankiewicz (Ergonomics Rap With Sustainable John), and third place to Massie Ballon (Man’s Best Friend). Contest entries can be seen here.
Earlier this month, I joined many fellow employees at the Lab’s 6th Annual Emergency Preparedness Fair, where we were able to learn from representatives of 32 organizations including the Alameda County Fire Department, the UC Police Department, the American Red Cross, and our very own LBNL Security and Emergency Services team. The fair was lively and informative. We also participated in an emergency exercise earlier this week, and have made new hires to bolster our security and emergency services. Go here to learn more about these important developments and steps you can take to improve emergency preparedness at home.
Date: 12/11/11
Audience: General
This post has the "presentations" and '2011' labels
New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google.
New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google.
New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google New Employee Introduction to Google.
Cultivating and sustaining safety awareness is a job never finished, one that requires participation from every person at the Lab. All of us can learn from one another by sharing our safety achievements, best practices, and lessons learned. This redesigned website’s goal is to continue and expand the dialogue on safety, creating a forum to build upon established programs and practices by introducing, listening to, and often implementing new ideas and practices that will help the entire community reach higher levels of awareness.“We all need to look at safety as a continuous improvement process,” says Horst Simon, deputy lab director. “We’re proud of the many mature systems we have in place, but it’s imperative to build on those successes in order to develop the best-in-class safety culture.”
The enhanced website will be a resource that hosts open discussions on relevant topics, presents diverse articles on the subject, archives TABL articles related to safety, and shares knowledge from the private sector, UC-Berkeley and other DOE labs. Understanding the underlying attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and values that make up our Safety Culture contributes toward a more efficient and safe lab.
“Safety awareness has to be embedded into everything we do here,” says Simon. “Not just in labs and research stations, but in offices, warehouses, on walkways, and throughout the varied facilities that make up this site.”
Why? To keep members of the Lab community safe, to allow more time and resources for science, to become more proactive than reactive, to drive toward zero injuries, to better measure and reward proactive efforts, and to continually improve Lab safety so we can achieve the “next level” of safety performance.
After a site-wide survey two years ago, a Work Group was formed to determine how to best address key issues and developments on safety culture at the Lab. A new phrase — “Safety is Elemental” — is one of the campaigns that came from that committee, as is this updated website. But the ideas and commitment to safety culture don’t stop with the launch of this site. Regular updates and your active participation will keep the conversation on safety moving forward.
This website is just one of the many initiatives dedicated to improving safety awareness. We hope it will serve you as a destination to learn more about the latest conversations on safety at LBNL.
Just as Berkeley Lab’s science is world-leading, so is its commitment to a safe, secure workplace. Safety Culture involves every worker at the Laboratory. This newly designed Web site – with its interactivity and wealth of resources – will be a portal to learning about and sharing ideas on the many aspects of Safety Culture.
What is Safety Culture? It involves mutual trust, shared attitudes about the vital importance of safety, and belief in our institutional preventative measures.
The Safety Culture Web site is your source for ideas, support, and inspiration. Find resources and learn the Berkeley Lab processes and methodology that bolster and improve Safety Culture. Make it your own by exploring our pages and sharing your thoughts. Help support the values, beliefs, and attitudes about safety that make Berkeley Lab a top example of commitment to Safety Culture. Here are some top areas to visit at the Safety Culture Web site:
- The News Page – Stay up to date on activities here and elsewhere.
- The Safety Culture Forum – Ask questions and exchange ideas on safety culture.
- 2010 Safety Culture Survey – See what we found about Berkeley Lab safety culture.
- The Feedback Button – Tell us what’s great or what’s missing on the site.
There’s a lot to see and learn on our newly designed site. Explore! Safety is more than just a good idea – it’s a cultural hallmark prized at Berkeley Lab. Make this site your own and visit us often!
To help employees get better prepared for an emergency, be it earthquake, fire, or hazardous materials spill, the Lab’s Emergency Services Program sponsored its 6th Annual Emergency Preparedness Fair on Thursday, July 19. Activities included rescue dog demonstrations, raffle prizes, giveaways, and honoring CERT program graduates. Alameda County Fire Department, UC Police Department, American Red Cross and LBNL Emergency Services had their response and communication vehicles on display.{
Berkeley Lab is testing retractable seatbelts on one of our buses as a result of the recent survey of shuttle bus riders. Of the 168 responses to why riders don’t wear seat belts, the main reason was lack of seat-belt accessibility. If the test goes smoothly, retractable seat belts will be installed on all shuttle buses. In a video for Road Safety Day, Director Paul Alivisatos reminded riders to wear seat belts for their safety. Take the survey for a chance to win an $8 coupon at the Bay View Café. The final drawing will be in August. Go here for more on the Lab’s Road Safety program.
One of the perks of working at Berkeley Lab is the natural environment that surrounds us, but this beautiful location also puts people precariously close to the Hill’s wildlife. It is up to employees to help make sure a safe distance between humans and animals is maintained. It has come to the attention of the Environment Health and Safety Division that some staff are feeding local deer, turkeys, and feral cats. Attracting these animals — which are prey for area mountain lions — brings them closer to Lab buildings and their occupants. Employees are asked not to feed these animals and to place food waste in receptacles with secured lids. For more information, contact Brian Asuelo (x7791) or Karen Leffingwell (x6234).
The Lab’s first Road Safety Day will be Wednesday, June 27, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the Cafeteria parking lot and lawn area. The event is a fun way to learn more about traffic and pedestrian safety. Participants can learn how to load your bike on a shuttle bus, inspect your personal car before a trip, get your bike tuned up for free, and more. The East Bay Bicycle Coalition is sponsoring a bicycle-commuting workshop from 1 to 2 p.m. in Perseverance Hall. There will also be prizes, music, and a special BBQ menu. Send e-mail here to sign up. More>
A group of employees were recently given Spot Awards recognizing their efforts to improve safety at the Lab. The awards were presented by COO Jim Krupnick and Deputy Lab Director Horst Simon. So far, about 30 Safety Spot Awards have been awarded to operations and scientific staff, with the goal of 80 for the year. This most recent group includes (last row, from l-r): Weyland Wong, Jim Krupnick, Simon Morton, Seana Summers, Gary Smith, Maria Maroudas, Tony Marquez, Lorraine Dowling, Margie Wylie, Ben Ortega, Ville Anabeza, Laurel Davis, Horst Simon, Sau Pham, Larry Guo, and Joy Fleming. Go here to nominate a co-worker for a Safety Spot Award.
Employees interested in submitting an entry for the Environment Health and Safety Division’s video contest have until June 15 to complete their projects. Individuals or teams are invited to submit videos of three-minutes or less that addresses one or more safety, health, or environmental issue that is relevant to Berkeley Lab, either in the workplace or at home. The top five videos will be selected by the EH&S Communications Committee and Lab Management. The Lab community will then vote for the three winners. First place wins $200, second $75, and third $50.
The recipients of the new Director’s Awards for Exceptional Achievement have been named. Individuals and teams were recognized in the following areas: scientific, early science career, safety, service, tech transfer, operations, outreach, diversity, and societal impact. Go here for descriptions of the award categories and the winners of each category. The program also includes the Berkeley Lab Prize-Lifetime Achievement award, which will be announced later this week. Honorees will be acknowledged at a future ceremony and reception. Details will be published in Today at Berkeley Lab.
After serving for more than eight years, Weyland Wong of the Engineering Division is stepping down as chair of the Division Safety Coordinators (DSC). Wong has been an integral part of the DSC since its inception as both a member and later, its leader. Under his tenure, the safety coordinators have been important contributors to all of the major safety initiatives at Berkeley Lab, including the Integrated Safety Management system (ISM), standards-based management, the HSS audit, and most recently, the safety culture initiative. Ann Tomaselli, from IT Division, is the incoming Chair. Pictured (l-r) are DSC members Jim Floyd (ALS), Wong, Tomaselli, and Joe Dionne (EH&S).
Berkeley Lab has a winning new phrase to capture its dedication to safety: “Safety is Elemental.” This phrase — chosen by Director Paul Alivisatos and Deputy Lab Director Horst Simon (center) from among 154 entries — captures the spirit of the strong safety culture at the Laboratory. Simon sent a Level-One e-mail in February asking staff to come up with memorable phrases. Liz Moxon (left) and Lori Tamura of the Advanced Light Source put their creative heads together and came up with the winner. “We thought the word ‘elemental’ resonated with current and historic research at the Lab,” they said. “I am very pleased with Lab’s engagement as demonstrated by the large number of creative and excellent submissions,” said Simon.
Berkeley Lab’s Ergonomics Program has created a new website that provides more comprehensive information, highlights the group’s full breadth of available services and resources, and is more user-friendly. It offers ergonomic tips based on work setting, including lab, office, home, and on travel, as well as details on material handling. The website was created with input from ergo advocates, key staff in all divisions who collaborate with the Ergo Program on ergo evaluations, identifying issues and concerns, and obtaining equipment and services. The new site is intended as a one-stop shop for employees and ergo advocates. Go here to view the new website.
