Laser Safety at Jefferson Lab

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DANGER
!
Laser Safety Officer Workshop
August 3-5, 2005 LLNL National Ignition
Facility Host Ken Barat
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LLNL Laser Safety Officer Workshop

• Laser audits
• DOE laser accidents
• Implications for FEL

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Laser Audits

• LEADING INDICATOR IS
• HOUSEKEEPING

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LAB AUDITS 6 major criteria

• Work control documents in place
• Complete Hazard analysis
• Adequate Hazard controls
• Is training tailored
• Is there adequate oversightmanagement and LSO
• Medical

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Training Issues

• Universal training
• Refresher training
• Alignment training
• Student mentoring

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Medical

• Victims must be transported sitting up in order
  to minimize further injury to the eye.

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Laser Accidents

• 6 eye injuries since 2001
• Of note
• No eyewear worn during injury
• 4 of the 6 injured were STUDENTS

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Root Causes

• Inadequate Training lack of understanding of the
  hazards
• Inadequate LSO prescense inadequate authority
  and training
• Inadequate internal oversight by line management
• Failure to wear eyewear

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Los Alamos Laser Accident Scene

• 20 year old student on the job less than 2 weeks,
  No experience with lasers, not an authorized
  laser user
• PI was 5 time RD 100 award winner, mentored over
  30 students
• non-nuclear, low hazard facility
• Laser lab not inspected by LSO
• PIs at risk behavior raised by co-workers, but
  ignored

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Events leading up to incident

• Experienced laser technician normally conducted
  alignment but was not on site
• Work to be done was not covered by existing LSOP
• PI and student not wearing eyewear

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Aftermath

• Student suffered permanent loss of central vision
  in one eye
• PI instructed student to sign off on LSOP after
  the accident

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Consequences

• PI terminated
• Student has permanent vision loss
• Extended Shutdown of operations at Los Alamos
• Recognition that a formal mentorship program is
  needed

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Issues for Jlab

• Alignment training
• Formal mentorship of students
• Eye injuries victim should be transported
  sitting up to minimize further damage to the
  eye.
• Housekeeping

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FEL UV Lab
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FEL LAB 1
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Take Home Message

• A complete hazard analysis of the laser system is
  necessary
• Line management involvement and LSO oversight
  must happen and should be documented.
• Personal responsibility for working safe be
  aware of procedure details and wear eyewear.
  Report those who do not.
• Good housekeeping is a leading indicator of how
  safe your lab is perceived to be.

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Upcoming Laser Audit Goals

• Review DOE lessons learned
• Be able to prove that safe work is happening
• Know procedures
• CLEAN UP!!!!