Jefferson Lab Weekly Briefs April 16, 2008

Jefferson Lab Weekly Briefs

April 16, 2008

12 GeV Upgrade

The source selection plan for the Hall D Complex construction contractor was approved on April 9, 2006. The subcontract will be awarded to the offeror that represents the best value to JSA/Jefferson Lab on the basis of capability and price. The evaluation of capability will be based on several criteria, including experience with similar projects; the environmental, safety and health (ES&H) program; and past performance.

Review comments from an internal design and safety review of the 100 percent design of the North and South Access utility upgrades have been consolidated; a meeting to discuss these findings is scheduled for April 22.

 

Accelerator

This reporting period encompasses a full week of beam delivery to all three halls. The accelerator delivered a total of 294 hours of beam. Significant problems encountered and overcome were a failure of the Arc 1 box magnet supply due to water damage and subsequent corrosion of internal connections, and a split in a vacuum valve poly air line caused the vacuum valve to close. At the present high energy, the RF is being stressed to its upper limit and much effort is being expended in maintaining its operability.

 

Free-Electron Laser (FEL)

The gun test stand (GTS) achieved full-charge operation this week and is producing beam for diagnostics. The FEL injector has not been so fortunate and has experienced a ceramic leak that FEL staff members have not been able to permanently fix in situ. Given the scheduled Central Helium Liquefier shutdown in June, staffers will disassemble and fix the gun and not run the FEL until next October.

Theory Center

A collaboration between Theory Center staff and researchers from the Tokyo University of Science has for the first time developed a chiral version of the quark-meson coupling model. The new model is based on the volume coupling version of the cloudy bag model, in which the effects of the pion cloud and gluon exchange are included self-consistently, arXiv:0803.4362 [nucl-th]. The model describes symmetric nuclear matter reasonably well and predicts a decrease of the axial coupling constant with increasing nuclear baryon density. This implies that the isoscalar, central nuclear force is weakened in medium- and heavy-mass nuclei.

Announcements

TIAA-CREF Retirement Counseling
The May date for individual counseling sessions with Robert Jean is Thursday, May 8. This is an opportunity to discuss the current status of your account, investment strategy and retirement goals. To sign up for an appointment, click on Meetings & Counseling and follow the menu on the TIAA-CREF website. The sessions will be held in VARC 42.

Location Change for Ultimate Frisbee at JLab
Looking for fun, excitement and a great way to work off your stress during lunch? Come out and play Ultimate Frisbee on Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon-1 p.m. The group plays behind CEBAF Center near the volleyball court. Beginners and experienced players welcome. For more information on JLab's Ultimate Frisbee group and a map of the playing field, visit the Jefferson Activities Group webpage. For specific questions, contact Ross Bailes at jbailes@jlab.org or x7623.

JLab Adopt-A-Spot Event Needs Volunteers
The 12 GeV Upgrade Project team and ESH&Q staff are planning a joint Adopt-A-Spot/Earth Day litter pickup along Jefferson Avenue and on the JLab campus on Friday, April 18. 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 on the JLab campus. More information and signup can be found on the Adopt-A-Spot webpage. Volunteers should sign up by Wednesday, April 16. For additional information, contact Cindy Saban, x5981.

National Library Week is April 13 - 19
The 2008 theme is "Join the Circle of Knowledge@Your Library." Information Resources wishes to thank all JLab staff and users for their cooperation and support over the years. Information Resources staff takes your needs and concerns seriously and wants to provide the best resources possible. Tell us what you think: Complete the online survey.
 

 

Environment, Safety, Health & Quality

With warmer weather starting, many of us are planning home repair and maintenance activities. To prevent falls when using all types of ladders, follow these National Safety Council basic rules in placing, ascending and descending ladders:

  • Thoroughly review your planned work to determine if a ladder is an appropriate choice or some other type of elevated work platform is necessary.
  • Verify that the ladder is the proper length and type for the job. Straight and extension ladders must extend three feet above the surface to be accessed, and these types of ladders may be better suited for climbing onto elevated surfaces than stepladders. 
  • Use non-conducting ladders when performing electrical work.
  • Keep both hands free to grip the ladder and always face the ladder when climbing. Do not carry items up and down a ladder by hand, use a tool belt or raise and lower items with a hand line or other means. 
  • Wear shoes free from grease, dirt, or other material that could compromise secure contact with the ladder. Bare feet, sandals, and high heels are not acceptable for climbing ladders.
  • Place the feet of straight or extension ladders at a distance one-fourth of the ladder length away from the object against which it is leaning.
  • Never climb above the safe working height of a ladder. This is marked on the side rails.
  • Never lean to one side of a ladder. Keep your body centerline between the ladder rails.

For additional ladder or elevated work platform information, see JLab ES&H Manual Chapter 6132, Ladders and Scaffolds.

DOE Center for Electrical Safety Excellence
The Department of Energy (DOE) created the Center of Electrical Safety Excellence at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Center researches and publicizes electrical Best Practices from throughout the DOE complex and many other sources of electrical information. This information is intended to communicate initiatives that are innovative, represent actions beyond generally accepted standards or application of standards to new functional areas, or that significantly increase the efficiency or effectiveness of electrical safety operations at DOE facilities. For additional information on the DOE Center, see the website. Todd Kujawa, JLab Electrical Safety Engineer, is our representative to the DOE Center. Todd can be contacted at x7006 or kujawa@jlab.org for additional information.

Computing and Networking Infrastructure (CNI)

Attention JLab Wireless Network Users
The credentials used to create secure connections on the jlab_secure wireless network will expire on May 15. Prior to that time, all secure_wireless users will need to update their systems with new credentials files. If this update is not made, access to jlab_secure will stop working on May 15. The procedure for performing the update and more information can be found on the Computer Center website.  Note that this change does not affect the guest wireless that relies on WEP keys that are manually updated every few months.

 

JLab's Safety Numbers

210 Days since Last Recordable Accident (JLab record: 319)
529 Days since Last Lost Workday Accident (JLab record: 529)

JLab Calendar of Events

April 18: Adopt-A-Spot litter pickup
May 8-9: DOE Network Security Monitoring Technical Summit
May 14: JLab Run-A-Round
May 19-23: The 4th Electron Ion Collider Workshop
May 26: Memorial Day Holiday (JLab closed)

 

 

 

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