JLab Weekly Briefs
is an ongoing publication providing information on the status of safety, accelerator operations, experiments, free-electron laser, reviews, upcoming activities and special events. Deadline for submission is every Tuesday by 10 a.m. Submit new items to: Public Affairs or contact Kandice Carter at x7263.

Jefferson Lab Weekly Briefs
July 16, 2008

12 GeV Upgrade

For the civil construction of the Hall D Complex, the Technical Evaluation Committee completed Phase I of the best value selection process – evaluation of the qualification proposals. The Offerors were notified of the results on July 11. The pre-bid conference and site visit are scheduled for July 21. Also, advance procurement plans (APPs) for the conventional facilities’ FY10 major procurements were finalized and approved on June 30.

On July 22-24, the DOE Office of Science Office of Project Assessment Independent Project Review (IPR) of the 12 GeV CEBAF Upgrade Project will take place at Jefferson Lab. The purpose of this review is to assess all aspects of the 12 GeV Project – technical, costs, schedule, management, and environment, safety, and health (ES&H), in support of attaining Critical Decision-3 (CD-3, Approve Start of Construction).

Accelerator

Several tours went through the accelerator during this period, including tours for the Teacher to Teacher Conference and the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship program students. A hurricane power failure test was conducted; the backup generator functioned and critical equipment continued operation without a hitch. Some minor equipment issues are being corrected. In the injector, a bakeout was completed on gun 2. In addition, Mott tests went well.

Free-Electron Laser (FEL)

All of the turning mirror cassettes for the new optical transport system for the IR-FEL are now ready, and the ceiling mounts were installed this week. The gun test stand (GTS) gun was restored for operation following a successful bake. The UV/amplifier line is now taking shape, as vacuum chambers installation has begun. Meanwhile, five electron beam viewers have been assembled for this line. A final highlight marks a major milestone for our users in lab 5, when the first samples were made using the new pulsed laser deposition (PLD) system, in conjunction with table-top lasers. The experiments involved laser exposures of niobium and aluminum in nitrogen to make nitrides.

Theory

This week, several Theory Center staff are organizing the XXVI International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, the largest annual conference on lattice QCD and related topics. The meeting will include updates on progress in areas such as hadron structure and spectroscopy, chiral symmetry, vacuum structure and confinement, algorithms and machines, as well as applications beyond QCD. The conference is being held at the College of William & Mary and brings together more than 300 lattice theorists from around the world.

Computing and Networking Infrastructure

Networking Changes in the VARC
On Tuesday, July 22, the network in the VARC will be changed to allow network ports to automatically recognize registered computers when they are connected. Users of unregistered computers may need to contact the HelpDesk for assistance on the day of the changeover. Individual machines may be registered at any time by visiting this webpage using a web browser on that machine. If you are unsure about your machine registration, it is OK to register again. If you have any questions about registration or experience problems with your computer, contact the HelpDesk at x7155.

JLab's Safety Numbers

275 Days since Last Recordable Accident (JLab record: 319)
620 Days since Last Lost Workday Accident (JLab record: 620)

JLab Calendar of Events

July 14-19: Lattice 2008
July 22-24: DOE Office of Science OPA Independent Project Review of the 12 GeV CEBAF Upgrade Project
July 22-25: Thin Film - Superconducting Radiofrequency Technology Workshop
July 30: American Red Cross Blood Drive
August 6: Colloquium: The Sustainable Energy Challenge
August 12-14: DOE Accelerator Safety Workshop
August 17-19: Lead Radius Experiment (PREX) Workshop
Sept. 1: Labor Day holiday: JLab closed

Environment, Safety, Health & Quality

Air quality in Hampton has reached pollution levels deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups during three days so far this year, with many more days of summer yet to come. Air quality is monitored by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The agency offers this advice for living in areas where air quality is a concern:

Be aware. Keep an eye on the pollutant levels and forecasts for your area.
When levels are high, stay inside if you can. Avoid strenuous outdoor activity.
Help keep pollutant levels low by avoiding unnecessary fuel consumption. Use carpools and fuel-efficient vehicles.
Avoid the use of any other gasoline engines, such as mowers and other lawn equipment or boat motors.
Save power by turning off lights and appliances when they are not needed.
Avoid burning yard debris or brush.

More information on air quality can be found on the Virginia DEQ website.

HEPA Vacuum Filter Lesson Learned

While performing a cleanup on a contaminated component in Hall C, a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuum cleaner was used while fitted with a standard filter instead of with the appropriate HEPA filter. The vacuum cleaner was scheduled to be certified by an outside contractor the morning of the event, but since that HEPA vacuum was in use at the time of the testing, it did not get tested until the following day. When the HEPA vacuum failed testing the next day, the improper configuration was discovered. Fortunately, the use of this HEPA vacuum cleaner for the intended task did not result in personnel exposure to radioactive material.

The Lessons Learned included the statement, "HEPA devices of unknown history or HEPA devices which are unfamiliar to users should not be used for jobs involving hazardous material contamination or radiological contamination." This statement can be broadly applied to the use of any equipment. Be sure your equipment is configured to operate as intended. Other tips to follow before you use equipment include:

Obtain training on that equipment by instruction from a subject matter expert if necessary and by reading the manufacturer's operating instructions.
Be sure that the equipment is assembled / configured according to the manufacturers instructions to accomplish the intended task.
Be sure that any required pre-use checks or certifications are completed before placing the equipment in service.
Promptly report any unusual events during equipment operation or after if there may be an unintended negative outcome from the use of the equipment.

Announcements

Have news to share?
Lab-significant events, announcements and notices can be sent to jlabinfo@jlab.org for consideration for posting in the JLab Weekly Briefs, in the OnTarget newsletter and on the Insight web portal. Additionally, if you have questions about the best method for distributing your message, or if you would like to have your message proofread before it is posted, contact Public Affairs through jlabinfo@jlab.org

Excessing Unused JLab Property Now Done Electronically
Excess all unused JLab property electronically. The electronic process generates the necessary Property Transfer record and also generates the Facilities Management work order to have the property picked up. The electronic excessing process should be used for both tagged and untagged property.

There are two links for this new service: one for excessing property specifically assigned to you and another link for excessing unassigned administrative property (e.g. not on your personal inventory list). Each property custodian's property list/validation page is available from the Property webpage or Insight. For more information, see the full announcement.

Office of Science Appoints Deputy Director for Resource Management
Jeffrey Salmon has been appointed as the Deputy Director for Resource Management within the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. The appointment is effective July 20. Dr. Salmon will be responsible for managing the following offices within the Office of Science: Program Direction and Analysis; Grants and Contracts; Budget; Business Policy and Operations; Human Capital Resources; and Science and Technical Information. Dr. Salmon joined DOE in 2001 and has served as Senior Policy Advisor and Director of Speechwriting to the Secretary, as Chief of Staff to the Director of the Office of Science and as Associate Under Secretary.

Privacy and Security Notice

Jefferson Lab Weekly Briefs July 16, 2008