12 GeV Upgrade

Ninety of the expected 114 new beam transport quadrupole magnets have been delivered; all magnets that have been tested are significantly better than the specifications by a factor of four or more. Preliminary analysis of the field data for the 1st article 4-meter dipole magnet indicates that it is within specifications. Testing of the 1st article klystron has been delayed due to a vacuum leak; testing will resume in June and the vendor projects meeting the contractually scheduled delivery date. Vendor designs for the cathode power supplies and waveguide isolators passed the preliminary review by JLab. Construction of the shunts upgrades has begun. Assembly of the low-level radiofrequency system’s stepper motor controller chases has been completed. Installation of the Central Helium Liquefier subsystem hardware has begun in the CHL building addition. Deliveries of the helium circuits and cold vacuum valves for the 12 GeV cryomodules have been completed.

Accelerator

The accelerator ran with scheduled and unscheduled downtimes this week. An accelerator hurricane preparedness power test was conducted successfully on Thursday. During the test, the generator started properly; all automatic transfer switches operated properly; and the CHL did not trip. Issues with some systems were identified and will be addressed accordingly. It took more than two shifts to prepare and conduct the test and then restore beam delivery. Over the weekend, the CHL tripped twice, causing about three shifts of downtime. CHL personnel are still investigating the causes of the trips. On Sunday, the electronics package of the injector aperture No. 1 cooling water system was water damaged, which caused about three hours of downtime.

Free-Electron Laser

FEL staffers continue to make good progress on analysis of high-brightness transport in bends and have identified a possible approach to compare simulations with the experimental results on the infrared upgrade. The FEL team is also making good progress on getting systems ready for ultraviolet lasing later this summer, although there has been a delay in producing the required heater power supplies for high gradient. The team will attempt to run at 135 MeV this week.

JLab's Safety Numbers

42 Days since Last Recordable Accident (JLab record: 331)
85 Days since Last Lost Workday Accident (JLab record: 676)

JLab Calendar of Events

June 7-9: JLab Users Group Workshop and Annual Meeting
June 15: Federal Lab Consortium for Technology Transfer
June 24: Lunchtime lecture and slideshow
June 25: Adopt-A-Spot litter pickup
June 30: Safety Shoe Vendor onsite
July 5: JLab Closed: Independence Day holiday (observed)
July 19-21: JLab Science and Technology Review
July 28: American Red Cross Blood Drive
July 29: Safety Shoe Vendor onsite

Summer Education Calendar
June 1-18: HUGS 2009 - Hampton University Graduate Studies Program
May 24 - July 31: SULI - Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship
May 24 - July 31: REU - Research Experience for Undergraduates
June 21 - July 31: HSSHP - High School Summer Honors Program
July 6 - 31: DOE ACTS - Academies Creating Teacher Scientists
July 30: Summer Programs Poster Session

Environment, Safety, Health & Quality

JLab has a very good injury record, however, since October 2008, there have been a total of eight recordable injuries (requiring treatment beyond first aid). In three of them, inadequate work planning was determined as the primary cause. In another three cases, situational awareness was the cause.

Human performance studies report that, on average, people make five mistakes an hour. A job plan, attention to detail and stopping to think about the consequences of your task and those around you can help minimize the risk of making mistakes. Here are some things to keep in mind as you plan your work:

• Walk down the work site as you plan and before you start work. This will help heighten your awareness of your work environment.
• Think through your work processes and break them into components, identifying what could go wrong with each step and preparing to take appropriate precautions.
• Is there a better/safer way to perform the job? Make sure you are using the appropriate tools for a job in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and the laboratory’s safety requirements.
• Are there other concerns that can affect your ability to work safely? Advancing age, as well as pre-existing or incipient health conditions, can adversely impact your ability to work. Also be conscious of things that can affect your attentiveness level, such as illness, medications, a mental workload that is too low and boring or too high and stressful, and talk to your supervisor about planning your workload for when you can focus fully or breaking jobs into smaller segments to avoid mental or physical fatigue.
• If an injury occurs, promptly report to Occupational Medicine. Also consult with Occupational Medicine if your work causes discomfort, since a few simple adjustments to your work processes may solve the problem.

Announcements

Work Observation Program Training 
The Engineering Division will soon begin internal training on a modified version of the Dupont STOP program for work observations. This program combines the well-known Dupont STOP material with JLab-specific content to teach employees about the philosophy behind work observations, how to do the observations, how this fits into the lab's work planning processes and how the observation data is used. It is envisioned that this program will be a major part of our effort to acclimatize new employees to our safety culture as quickly as possible in anticipation of the large increase in manpower that will be needed to complete the 12 GeV project. As part of the training, class members will practice their observation skills, so staff should not be surprised if some work activities are observed multiple times. At this time, the class is limited to Engineering Division personnel, with a broader audience anticipated in the future. If you have questions about the program, contact Will Oren at x7344 or Bob May at x7632.

Summer Power Shedding Test to Be Held Thursday
This summer, the lab is again participating in an interruptible electrical load program under the state electric contract. During periods of high electric demand, JLab is to reduce its overall electric demand. This helps to ensure that periods of tight electricity supply on the grid don't turn into brown outs or power outages.

The lab will participate in a one-hour test to be held between 2-3 p.m. on Thursday. Designated lab personnel will be notified via e-mail, phone and/or pager. Upon notification, the lab will e-mail staff and users and request that unnecessary lights and electric loads be turned off. At the end of the annual test or an actual event, the lab will again e-mail staff and users. For more information, see the On Target newsletter article.

New Safety Eyewear Vendors
The lab has contracted with new vendors for safety glasses: LensCrafters, Pearle Vision and Sears Optical. These vendors offer many locations and generous hours of operation, so employees will have more flexibility in finding time to shop for glasses. Also, there should be a much quicker turnaround time after an order is placed, especially at LensCrafters, which offers same-day service in many cases. A purchase requsition is still required. Once approved, a form will be forwarded to the requestor to be taken to the store. For more information or to offer feedback once you have gotten new glasses through this program, contact Barbara Rice, x7238.

Recharge Today at the Quark Cafe!
Get a quick pick-me-up with a handmade ice cream sandwich at the Quark Cafe for just $2.49. In addition to today's featured dessert, the cafe also offers other goodies and energy boosters to help get you through the afternoon. The cafe is open today, 3-4 p.m., for its midweek recharge snack offerings.

Sign Your Kids Up for a Summer Physics Fest
This two-hour program (10-noon, CEBAF Center auditorium) includes a brief interactive summary of the science and technology at JLab, followed by Deep Freeze (cryogenics) and Hot Stuff (plasmas) presentations. Physics Fests are open to the general public. Reservations are required and kids must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Seating is still available for the June 23 and August 10 sessions. For reservations, call x7633 or e-mail David Abbott. For more information, visit the Physics Fest webpage.