The Department of Energy's Integrated Safety Management (ISM) verification review team left Jefferson Lab March 4 after presenting its results to nearly 100 Lab staff. According to Team Leader DeVaughn Nelson, Office of Science, DOE/Germantown, the team found no critical concerns and no serious weaknesses in the Lab's Integrated Safety Management program.

He said the Lab demonstrates a vigorous, integrated EH&S program and culture; and the team's final report will recommend DOE approval of the Lab's Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS) plan.

The results of the review team's four-day look at the Lab's safety program and culture was very positive and reflected both the thorough, professional work of the team as well as the firm foundation upon which the Lab's environmental, health and safety program is rooted.

During the close-out briefing, Nelson said, "The results [of the review] are no surprise. It is obvious that the Lab staff and leadership are committed to doing a job right the first time. The Lab has already achieved a level of excellence in science. It has a strong ISM program in place and a positive safety culture."

He complimented the Lab on the many strong points identified by the team, and specifically commended the Lab's safety training program, its strong commitment to safety and its integrated EH&S culture. The team called the Lab's relationship with the DOE Site Office "outstanding" and described it as a real partnership. They also commended the Site Office Operations Awareness program as being mature and providing a powerful tool for ISMS validation. In accordance with guidance from the Office of Science in DOE, the Site Office's program will be used instead of having a separate validation review as is done at labs under other DOE program offices.

To further improve and enhance Integrated Safety Management, the team suggested that Lab management walk through work areas more often; use EH&S performance metrics to improve behavior at all levels of the staff; develop a process for periodically updating the Work Smart Standards; and make the ISMS plan fully reflect the strong program they saw during their review.

The review team's mandate was to determine how well the Lab has integrated EH&S into its processes and culture. Integrated Safety Management incorporates the Lab's ability to carry out high-quality physics efficiently and effectively while maintaining a safe and responsible workplace and satisfying all legal obligations. With respect to the Lab's EH&S program, ISM means being able to recognize and anticipate hazards, identify relevant obligations, develop and implement appropriate control methods and always continue learning from our experience as we do our jobs.

The team reviewed the Lab's ISMS plan and training program; they held numerous interviews and conducted a Lab walk-through. "We watched people calmly doing their work. We saw a real, genuine commitment to safety as a priority," Nelson said. "We must always maintain that vigilance. As you know from the mishap in Hall C, continuous communication isn't easy, but it is important to maintaining safety. You have a good working program, but now you must commit to making it happen every day. None of us are immune from being careless or falling into a routine. Always take the time to look out for each other's best safety interests."

Nelson concluded the close-out briefing by thanking the Office of Technical Performance for the outstanding support it provided during the review. The team offered a special "thank you" to Administrative Assistant Julie Oyer for all the preparatory work she did for the team before their visit to the Lab, and for the administrative support she provided during the review.

"Jefferson Lab has always believed, and DOE has now mandated, that workers and line managers decide how the work they are doing can be accomplished safely," explained Ron Sundelin, Associate Director, Office of Technical Performance. "We are pleased with the team's findings and appreciate the contributions of the many staff members, users, and subcontractors who demonstrated to the team that we have an integrated and highly effective EH&S program in place. Several of the team members mentioned that they were anxious to get back to their home institutions so they could start implementing what they learned here."

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