FAQ: Safety & Training
Question:
I've had medical treatment with radioisotopes - does this matter for dosimetry?
Answer:
If you actually wear your dosimeter during the treatment, this does matter and the dosimeter needs to be turned in and the treatment reported (ask at the badging office for the damaged dosimeter form).
If you have had treatment and are coming to SLAC to work, please let us know if the treatment is within the past 3 days.
Most nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures are using short half-life (few hours) isotopes (eg. Tc-99m, F-18, etc..) so it is safe to wear dosimeter after 3 days (i.e. there won't be a false positive reading on your dosimeter).
During this ~3 day period in which the isotopes are decaying, we may have to ask that you do not perform any radiological work or enter RCAs because we cannot accurately monitor your occupational dose.
Question:
How much dose is seen in FACET tunnel and how can I shield equipment from the radiation?
Answer:
There were studies into the radiation dose and shielding methods in FACET in May 2012.
During FACET-II, there have been Radfets installed to measure dose. If you have an expensive item that you are concerned about, we advise using a radfet to measure the expected dose in various possible installation locations first. Then you can select the location that has the lowest dose and/or build adequate shielding. Note that doses are likely to be high during some activities such as beam tuning and plasma wakefield experiments - your equipment may need to be in the tunnel during these activities and not just when your experiment is running as our access to the tunnel is limited and taking things out and putting them in again just for a single beam shift is not possible, unfortunately.
Here is a page on our confluence site about the radiation monitoring: https://confluence.slac.stanford.edu/display/FACET/FACET+Live+Radiation+...
To set up radfets in your proposed locations, speak to Spencer Gessner.
2012 data is below. Dose readings from approximately a week of beam running show doses of between 1.7 and 3.75 kilorad depending on location on the experiment tables. This is still typical but it does vary depending on location.
Dump:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/~selina/FACET/installation/DoseMapDumpTableNanodotMay2012.pdf
IP tables:
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/~selina/FACET/installation/DoseMapNanodotMay2012MainTable.pdf
Shielding results:
1/2 inch Pb typically provides shielding factors between x 3.5 and x 7.
2" Pb, has a shielding factor between x 11 and x 57.
4" Pb shielding improves on the 2" shielding somewhere between x 4 and x 8.
6" Pb shielding essentially provides no additional benefit.
Thanks to Clive Field, Henry Tran and Santa Chatterji for the 2012 data.
Question:
I'm pregnant or am trying to become pregnant- do I have to tell anyone?
Answer:
You are not required to declare that you are pregnant but if you wish to, there is a form (see under the forms and tools section).
http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/esh/general/radiological_safety/
This is totally voluntary.
If you are pregnant, you have the option to declare your pregnancy and/or request reassignment. Workers who have declared pregnancy must meet additional dosimetry requirements.
Note:
The embryo-fetus is known to be more sensitive to radiation than adults due to the rapid division rate of
developing cells. Radiation doses can increase the chances that the child will experience slower growth or
mental development, or develop childhood cancer.
Question:
What do I do with my dosimeter when I leave?
Answer:
If you intend to come back in the same wear period (each dosimeter has the dates of its wear period printed on it), write your name on it and give it to your SLAC POC.
If you don't intend to return in the same wear period, drop the dosimter off at the badging office (in B053) before you leave.
Question:
Why does my dose report read zero when I know I got more?
Answer:
Due to issues with sensitivity and background uncertainties, any dose below 10 mrem is recorded as zero.
Question:
How does one get an online dose report? (May 7th, 2012)
Answer:
You can access to your lifetime occupational dose exposure through SLAC's Occupational Dose Tracking System (ODTS):
https://oraweb2.slac.stanford.edu/apex/epnprod/f?p=100:LOGIN:16638325140...
Log in to the system and select the "My SLAC Dose Report" tab in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Your dose report is confidential, so a valid SLAC Windows user ID and password are required to access the ODTS.
If you do not have a SLAC Windows account or you want more information, please review the Frequently Asked Questions:
https://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/esh/rp/faqs/faq_dosform.htm
Question:
Where can I find radiation survey maps?
Answer:
https://www-internal.slac.stanford.edu/esh/rp/fo_surveys.htm
Question:
Where can I find the SLAC ES&H manual?
Answer:
The SLAC ES&H manual is found here.
Question:
What is the base set of training that I have to do before being able to work on all aspects of experiment?
Answer:
The following list is the minimum set of training needed by a FACET-II user:
A. The following courses are web based and can be done BEFORE coming to SLAC (at a minimum you will need your SLAC ID#. If you have a SLAC windows account, you can use that).
Course 219 - Environmental Safety and Health Orientation
Course 115 - General Employee Radiation Training (GERT)
Course 116 - Radiological Worker I Training (RWT I) (note this is not needed for ASTA users as of 9/21/2018)
Course 120 - Work Planning and Control Overview (WPC)
Course AD112: Accelerator Control Room Orientation for non-Operators
Course CS100 - Cyber Security Basics - IF you apply for a computing account
B. The following course is a zoom class but the first time you take it, there is additionally an in-person component that will have to be done at SLAC. YOU SHOULD SCHEDULE THIS BEFORE COMING TO SLAC by emailing Carsten Hast.
Course 116PRA - Radiological Worker I Training Practical (the practical can be scheduled by users via the registration tool or you can email your assigned supervisor Carsten Hast for help doing this. If there are no suitable RWT1 practicals, Carsten can arrange a special session with the trainer for a more convenient time).
C. The following course must be in-person. This also requires tunnel access so it may not be possible to do straight away and will need to wait for a day when there is tunnel access. Arrange this by emailing Carsten Hast (who will give the training) and also Spencer Gessner (who makes the access schedule).
- Orientation of the facility in which you learn the dos and don’ts for the area. in which you will work. This is "Course AD103 - FACET Tunnel Hazards" for FACET-II Users. If you are also doing work at other locations, such as End Station B, you may be assigned additional on-site orientations, (Approximately 30 minutes duration).
* Note that the site orientation is required before you do work at the facility.
* Additional training requirements may be identified for Users who plan to perform particular types of hazardous work while they are SLAC e.g. using lasers or gas bottles.
More information on these courses can be found by clicking on the links and looking at Step 4. here.
Note that training needs to be refreshed for certain courses.
To keep your computing accounts, refresh Cyber Security Annual Refresher Course CS100 every year.
Course 219R - Environmental Safety and Health Orientation Refresher needs to be taken two years after Course 219 and every two years thereafter.
For other courses, refresher training is identical to the original training. Course 115 - General Employee Radiation Training (GERT) and Course 116 - Radiological Worker I Training (RWT I) need to be taken every two years.
Course 120 - Work Planning and Control Overview (WPC) never needs to be refreshed.
The site orientation will get refreshed approximately every year- please consult with Carsten Hast before you start work if you haven't been at the facility for a year or more.
Question:
What do I need to do to use lasers?
Answer:
If you are using class 2 or class 3R lasers then no training is required though we do ask that you are cognizent of laser safety and understand the hazards and best operating practices. Your home institution or other lab may have already trained you adequately. If not, if lasers are new to you, then we do have training here at SLAC. Check with Carsten Hast or Amy Ecclesine, our safety officer, who can assign the best course to you. Our standard (voluntary) laser safety course is [132] - Laser Safety Basics (Resource).
If you are using the Class 4 laser at FACET, then training is definitely required.
Please be certain that you will be working with the Ti:Sapph laser before embarking on this. We have a policy at FACET and at SLAC not to take laser training "just in case" as there is a huge amount of responsibility to being a QLO (qualified laser operator). Any laser incident is a big deal and can jeopardise not just the FACET program but all programs at SLAC! I want you to be fully aware that laser safety training is the most difficult of any SLAC training. However, it is of course rewarding to be able to do the laser work! The training is sometimes grueling but also informative and you can learn a lot and add to the success of FACET experiments.
The process to become a Qualified Laser Operator (QLO) is posted here: https://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/esh/eshmanual/references/laserProcedWorkerApproval.pdf
When you come to make the request, request approval for the FACET laser room. Don't request the one called FACET-II Injector lab - that is the wrong one. To request approval, follow this link:
https://www-bis2.slac.stanford.edu/LST/Default.aspx
The online course is [253] - Laser Worker Safety Training. Do this first.
Courses can be taken using the webtools here:
https://training.slac.stanford.edu/web-training.asp
There is a zoom-classroom course ([131] - Laser Accidents & Lessons Learned). Register for it using the SLAC Training System or ask Carsten to register you. Note that as it is only given once a month, it is typical that people ask for an allowance to start laser work without completing course 131 and then take course 131 at the earliest opportunity. It may be scheduled too late in the day for European users to attend easily but the trainers have been open to move the time earlier in the past so please ask Carsten to arrange earlier sessions as needed.
You will also need to do a medical exam ([253ME] - Laser Worker Baseline Medical Exam). Schedule this for when you come to SLAC by calling SLAC medical on ext. 2281 (that's 650 926 2281 if calling from off-site). The course description says that you need your home institution to do the exam but SLAC Medical are usually happy to do it for non-employees too.
There is also a practical ([253PRA] - Laser Alignment Safety Practical). It would be beneficial to do 253PRA at the same time as other colleagues. Multiple people on site are able to give this training including Brendan O'Shea boshea@slac.stanford.edu, our SLSO.
You need to have an interview with the laser safety officer (Mike Woods- mwoods@SLAC.Stanford.EDU).
After this you need to do site-specific training for FACET (email Brendan O'Shea boshea@slac.stanford.edu, our SLSO, to arrange this). Please read the SOP for FACET prior to this.
Other materials:
Area Hazard Analysis (AHA) for FACET laser room:
https://slac.sharepoint.com/sites/pub/Publications/Area%20Hazard%20Analysis%20%20Building%20002C–Sector%2020%20Laser%20Building,%20Rooms%20101,%20102.pdf
Area Hazard Analysis (AHA) for FACET tunnel:
https://slac.sharepoint.com/sites/pub/Publications/Area%20Hazard%20Analysis%20%20Building%20001-Sector%2019-20%20FACET%20Supplemental.pdf
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253ME course description:
Please contact the medical department at ext. 2281 (that is 650 926 2281 from outside of SLAC) to make an appointment to take this exam. A minimum of 1 week notification is requested for scheduling.
1. This exam is mandatory for personnel who operate Class 3B or Class 4 lasers. It is also required following any suspected laser-induced injury. A voluntary 253ME exit exam is offered to SLAC employees upon termination of employment.
2. For non-employees, SLAC requests that home institutions perform the required medical eye exam and send results to the SLAC Medical Department for review. The non-employee then needs to contact SLAC Medical to set up a short appointment for obtaining 253ME clearance.
253ME exams include: Review of ocular history
Visual acuity test
Amsler grid test
Color vision test
If the results of the above review and tests are normal, no further tests are required. If an abnormality is found, an additional funduscopic exam may be required.
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253PRA description:
Training is provided by a System Laser Safety Officer (SLSO) (for FACET-II this is Brendan O'Shea boshea@slac.stanford.edu). Please contact the SLSO for your area to arrange completion of this requirement.
The length of this course is 1 to 3 hours depending on the skill level of persons receiving the training.
People who do not work directly with laser beams or optics but do need to work within laser controlled areas are not required to take this course (examples may be people who provide specialized support for computers, rf, electronics, etc.). We call these people Laser Controlled Area workers. It is not typical that a user is a LCA worker - our users tend to be full QLOs or do not enter the area when the laser is in operation.
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Question:
Where can I find the course catalog for SLAC training classes?
Answer:
The course catalog is found here.
Question:
Where can I find the portal to the SLAC web-based training system?
Answer:
The SLAC web-based training portal is found here.
Question:
Can I transfer my radiological training from another institution?
Answer:
Radiological training may be transferred from the following other DOE facilities:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Argonne National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Fermi National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory
Idaho National Laboratory
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
A training card or a training report listing the individual’s training history is acceptable forms of documentation. The document should have the following items:
· Name of host institution
· Name of the individual
· Name of the course
· Date course was completed (or date course expires)
Examples of acceptable forms of documentation are here.
To transfer training, please send the documentation as described to the FACET User Manager who can forward them to an appropriate person in Radiation Protection to transfer the training.
Site-specific training is required as part of the training transfer. . This practical session will need to be scheduled through the FACET User Manager or other facility POC. Please indicate that your request is for site-specific training and not the regular RWT practical (course 116PRA).
Question:
How often do I need to "refresh" the training?
Answer:
Training needs to be refreshed for certain courses.
Course 219R - Environmental Safety and Health Orientation Refresher needs to be taken two years after Course 219 or Course 396 was originally taken and every two years thereafter.
For other courses, refresher training is identical to the original training. Course 115 - General Employee Radiation Training (GERT) and Course 116 - Radiological Worker I Training (RWT I) need to be taken every two years.
Course 120 - Work Planning and Control Overview (WPC) never needs to be refreshed.
The site orientation will get refreshed approximately every year- please consult with the facility point of contact before you start work if you haven't been at the facility for a year or more.
To keep your computing accounts, refresh your Cyber Security training by taking the Annual Refresher Course CS200 every year. (You only need to take this refresher if you have computing accounts).
Question:
Do I need to do all the training if I am just going to sit in an office and use a computer?
Answer:
Some people come and never set foot inside the accelerator housing but as long as they are coming onto the site, they still need some training.
If you think you are someone who doesn't actually need to work on the experiment and will just be doing office work, get in touch with Carsten Hast (hast@slac.stanford.edu).
He will review the activities you want to do and decide what level of training you require.
Question:
Can I do more training?
Answer:
If you find that you need to do something that is not permitted by your current level of training (perhaps you need laser safety training, pressure system training, gas bottle handling training, ladder training or control of hazardous energy training), talk to your supervisor or SLAC contact. Explain what you need to do and they will evaluate whether you should be authorised and trained to do it.
