Safety and the Environment at Fermilab

Safety at Fermilab
There is no higher priority at Fermilab than carrying out our scientific mission safely—for employees, users, contractors and visitors on our site.

Fermilab Profiles in Safety
Fermilab employees continually work to make the lab a safer place to work.  Fermilab Profiles in Safety highlight just a few of  the employees who have contributed improvements.

Our Environment and Our Neighbors
For more than 30 years, the Department of Energy's Fermilab has earned international recognition for world-class research in high-energy physics. At the same time, Fermilab has also taken special care in the role of good steward of the land and guardian of the environment for the safety and enjoyment of our employees, visitors and the public. In a time of rapid suburban development, the 6,800 acres of land at Fermilab have become an increasingly valuable environmental community asset for environmental research, recreation and the enjoyment of nature.

Fermilab takes well-defined and systematic measures to ensure that the environment stays clean and safe. A comprehensive and continuous monitoring program confirms the safety and environmental compatibility of all activities the laboratory.

The results of these efforts verify that the Fermilab site is safe and clean. For example, the total amount of radiation one might be exposed to at Fermilab is many times less than the amount we all receive each day from cosmic rays, natural radioactivity in building materials, drinking water, and medical X-rays. No chemicals from Fermilab's operations are detectable above strict permitted limits at the site boundary. All wastes are removed from the laboratory site and disposed of properly. No wastes of any kind are disposed of on the site. There are absolutely no restrictions on any activities that Fermilab's neighbors may want to pursue, right up to the boundaries of the laboratory site.

Questions people ask about safety at Fermilab
Residents of nearby communities often have questions about just how safe Fermilab really is. This section features answers to frequently-asked questions.