If you regularly work on the accelerator site or even if you only go out there on occasion, be sure to have your Jefferson Lab ID badge with you when going through the accelerator gate.

Increased scrutiny of security measures at Department of Energy facilities nationwide has prompted Lab Director Hermann Grunder to increase the accountability of people accessing the accelerator site.

New security measures implemented April 24 require all Lab staff entering the site to show the security guard their JLab identification badge or their current (blue) Radiation Worker training card and a valid photo ID (driver’s license). Everyone else must be accompanied by an authorized escort, show a photo ID to the gate guard and sign in.

Anyone entering and exiting the accelerator site after normal working hours (between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. during the week, and at any time during weekends and holidays) must sign in and sign out. If you go to work at 4 or 5 p.m. and will be on the accelerator site after 7 p.m., sign in on your way to work. If you should forget, call the Guard Post at ext. 5822 as soon as you realize you forgot to sign in. Anytime you are accompanied by friends or family members you will have to stop at the guard house and sign them in. Adult visitors will need to show their photo ID to the guard.

Having a complete list of everyone on site after hours enhances security and is also vital to safety. "In case of an emergency, knowing who is on site and where they are would help us account for everyone more quickly," explained Tom Briggs, Structural Maintenance and Services section manager.

Users should check with the User Liaison Office (users@jlab.org) before arriving at the Lab, to make sure their required safety training is current. Users must be escorted unless they have up-to-date environmental, health & safety; oxygen deficiency hazard; and Radiation Worker I training. The security guard must see a photo ID and confirm your presence and current training status in the Central Information System (CIS) before granting entry to the accelerator site.

For groups of five or more on site for a day visit or a tour, call or stop by Public Affairs Manager Linda Ware’s office and pickup a group visit form. The form accomplishes the same requirement as gate sign in, but is more convenient for visitors. Have your guests fill out the form and show you their photo ID at the beginning of their visit; then have the form ready to present to the accelerator guard when entering the fenced area. "This will greatly speed up the access process for your group," Ware points out. For more information about group access, call her at ext. 7689 or e-mail ware@jlab.org.

By this fall, access to the accelerator site and several Lab buildings should become more streamlined as the Lab brings an automated building security and access system on-line. The system will initially be installed at both accelerator gates, and at the main entrances to CEBAF Center, the VARC and the ARC. Other Lab facilities will be added to the system next year. The system permits controlled access after hours and on weekends and holidays. Dave Kausch, Plant Engineering Dept., is the project engineer for the automated building security and access system and is currently in the final stages of selecting a contractor.

The system will provide the Lab with a higher level of security accountability. A person will be able to access their area with their new access badge. Each person at the Lab will be issued a new badge that includes a photo and bar code replacing the current JLab ID badge. A computer chip and wire loop embedded in the badge will allow individuals access to the areas they are authorized to enter.

"The new system will be an improvement because it will replace the cumbersome manual system we currently use to track access," Briggs said. "The new system will allow our staff and users quicker access to their work areas; they won’t get stuck at the door waiting for a security guard to let them in."

"I agree with Tom, the automated building security system will provide an upgrade in the level of security at the Laboratory as well as provide an additional safety feature for those who work after hours," says Barbara Morgan, JLab Site Office ES&H Manager and Security Officer. "This system should serve us well for the future."

The system will increase personal security by allowing the guards more time to rove sitewide and monitor parking areas and building exteriors. This system will also be connected to the Lab’s automated training system, so the guard will no longer need to check an individual’s training status when he or she enters the accelerator site.

A prototype of the Automated Building Security System has been used to control and monitor Hall C access for the last few months. "It has worked quite well," Kausch said, "and given us a lot of insight into how the finalized system will work. We have a pretty good understanding of the learning curve required for successful use of the system, and we’ve worked the kinks out of the system."

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