12 GeV Upgrade

The pre-bid conference and site visit, attended by over 35 contractor personnel, was held July 21 for the civil construction of the Hall D Complex. A second site visit was held Aug. 8 for another 10 contractor personnel. Approximately 50 proposal inquiries have been answered formally with two amendments issued. Closing date for the Phase II Technical Proposals and Offer was Aug. 19. The Technical Evaluation Committee will reconvene to evaluate the Offerors' capability prior to reviewing the price offers.

On Aug. 19, Facilities Management team members held a meeting with ESH&Q and Accelerator personnel to discuss the internal design and safety review comments of the 100 percent design documents for the Tunnel Air Conditioning project.

Accelerator

The electrical circuit supplied by Transformer LN1 was hooked up to Transformer LN2 using a large cable that was delivered after a delay. The temporary generator that had been supplying power to a few of the LN1 circuits was disconnected (LN1 is undergoing repairs).

The cryomodule at NL12 was removed for rebuilding. A C50-6 cryomodule was placed in the North Linac in the NL11 position, and the lengthy installation process has begun. Trees situated too close to the 40MVA substation were removed due to the potential hazard they represented (falling during a storm and shorting out the substation). And End Station Refrigerator maintenance was completed.

Free-Electron Laser (FEL)

The FEL gun is now under vacuum and preparing for a bake. FEL staff used the injector radiofrequency (rf) system for power testing of some rf windows – successfully transmitting 60 kW through a 1500 MHz ceramic window. Staff is now completing the checkout and commissioning of the wiggler controls. The group is down to the last four rf module calibrations and have fully checked out the ultraviolet viewer controller.

Theory Center

The proton in Quantum Chromodynamics is a complicated many-body system, whose properties exhibit quantum fluctuations caused by the random motion of the color fields inside hadrons. In deep-inelastic scattering experiments at JLab energies usually only the quantum average of the quark- and gluon densities is observable. A collaboration of theorists has now pointed out that in diffractive scattering at collider energies (HERA, future Electron Ion Collider) one can see direct evidence of the quantum fluctuations of the quark- and gluon densities and study this fundamental characteristic of the proton [arXiv:0808.0182].

Engineering

The Engineering Safety Systems Group hosted the 2008 DOE Accelerator Safety Workshop Aug. 12-14. The two-and-a-half day workshop covered accelerator safety topics, such as vacuum systems, nano-materials, radiological concerns, the Accelerator Safety Order, Office of Science safety management, and programmable safety systems. Attendees included representatives from all of the major DOE accelerator facilities and DOE field offices, as well as DOE headquarters. Feedback for the workshop has been very positive.

JLab's Safety Numbers

310 Days since Last Recordable Accident (JLab record: 319)
655 Days since Last Lost Workday Accident (JLab record: 655)

JLab Calendar of Events

Aug. 19-21: DOE Security Survey
Aug. 22: Christoph W. Leemann Retirement Reception
Aug. 22: Adopt-A-Spot litter pick up
Aug. 22: Deadline to volunteer for United Way Day of Caring
Sept. 1: Labor Day holiday; JLab closed
Sept. 5: United Way School Tools Donation Drive ends
Sept. 12: United Way Day of Caring
 

Environment, Safety, Health & Quality

In order to fully use JLab’s Automated Quality Information - Corrective Action Tracking System (AQIS/CATS - https://mis.jlab.org/ehs/), a Users' Committee was recently formed.  AQIS/CATS is one of JLab's primary improvement tools, and as such is used to identify and track high visibility issues as well as trends of all types.

The cross-functional Users' Committee has representatives from all the major AQIS/CATS users across the lab; their intent is to provide feedback for current and future operation of this improvement tool, thus making it more effective in both preventing and managing issues. Currently anyone can view items in CATS and about 90 of our colleagues (ESH&Q, Division Safety Officers, Safety Wardens and general users) can enter items into the database. Bob Doane is the AQIS/CATS administrator in the Quality Assurance/Continuous Improvement group within the ESH&Q Division. Please contact him at x6380 if you have ideas for improvement, suggestions, or questions

Computing and Networking Infrastructure (CNI)

HelpDesk Hours Are Changing
The HelpDesk will close in the afternoons starting on Monday, Aug. 25. The new HelpDesk hours will be from 8 a.m. until noon, Monday through Friday.

Announcements

TIAA-CREF Retirement Counseling Sessions
The September and October dates for individual counseling sessions are now posted. This is an opportunity to discuss the current status of your account, investment strategy and retirement goals. The dates are Friday, Sept. 12 and Friday, Oct. 10 in VARC room 42. To sign up for an appointment, click on Meetings & Counseling and follow the menu on the TIAA-CREF website.

JLab Emergency Backup Website
JLab has created a back-up website that will be used in the event that its main website (www.jlab.org) is shut down due to an emergency, such as a major hurricane or other similar type of occurrence. The back-up website is hosted off site and can be found at: status.jlab.org.
The back-up website, which is still in the development stage, will be used to post important information for users and staff. As long as JLab's main website (www.jlab.org) is functioning, short emergency announcements will continue to be posted on it in a yellow banner. Only when the main website isn't working will JLab post messages to the back-up website, status.jlab.org. Please save and remember this address.

JLab Adopt-A-Spot Event Needs Volunteers 
The 12 GeV Upgrade Project team is planning an Adopt-A-Spot litter pickup along Jefferson Avenue on Friday, Aug. 22. Participants will meet in the CEBAF Center lobby at 11:15 a.m. for a short safety briefing and then disperse to pick up litter. More information and signup can be found on the Adopt-A-Spot webpage. Volunteers are asked to sign up by close-of-business Wednesday, Aug. 20. For additional information, contact Steve Suhring, x7670.

Christoph Leemann Retirement Reception
An open house celebrating JLab Director Christoph Leemann's retirement will be held Friday, Aug. 22 from 3-4:30 p.m. in the CEBAF Center lobby. Cake and punch will be served. An electronic guestbook has been created, where staff, Users and colleagues can leave messages, special recollections and best wishes for Christoph.

United Way School Tools Drive Ends Sept. 5
The annual United Way School Tools Drive is underway. JLab participates in this community outreach program to assist disadvantaged youth in Hampton Roads public schools as they return to school. Collection boxes for donations of new school supplies have been placed in Building 85, CEBAF Center and the VARC and ARC lobbies. School supplies for students of any grade level may be placed in the boxes and will be collected until close-of-business Friday, Sept. 5. For more information, call Joshua Cameron, Human Resources, x7628, or click here for the complete announcement.

Deadline to Sign up for Day of Caring is Aug. 22

The annual United Way Day of Caring will be Friday Sept. 12. JLab needs 15 volunteers to spread mulch in existing beds around the Victory YMCA, Yorktown, and perform some minor landscaping and planting. No prior experience is required. Volunteers are asked to fill out this form and send it to Joshua Cameron, CEBAF Center room B214, MS12B, with your supervisor's approval by Friday, Aug. 22. Volunteers must have their supervisor's signature on the Volunteer Form in order to participate. Click here for the complete announcement