Employee Responsiblities

STOP Work Authority

  • Imminent Danger conditions = Conditions and/or practices that can cause death, serious injury or environmental harm:
    • Alert the affected employee(s) and request the work to be stopped.
    • Call x6999 to report the incident. An EH&S staff member will investigate.
    • Notify the immediate supervisor, and Safety Coordinator.

Reporting Potential Hazards

  • Your Supervisor and/or Division Safety Coordinator
  • Facilities Department Work Request Center at x6274
  • EH&S Info-Link line at x5251
  • Berkeley Lab Ethics Line at (800) 999-9057
  • DOE Employee Concerns Line at (510) 637-1601

Chemical and Lab Safety

  • Work safely by observing safety standards, guidelines, and procedures, and by using good judgment based on training and expertise.
  • Report unsafe conditions or injuries to line managers immediately.
  • Stop work that may pose an imminent danger to employees.
  • Be familiar with and follow emergency procedures.
  • Complete a Job Hazards Questionnaire with supervisors and attend required training.
  • Adhere to chemical procurement policies, specifically with respect to restricted items.
  • Before relocating or vacating a lab, review the EETD Policy on Vacating Space, and the included link to the decommissioning guidelines in the Chemical Hygiene and Safety Plan.

Environmental Protection / Waste Management

  • General discharge limits into sewer system, and sources requiring permitting by regulatory agencies (i.e., operating conditions).
  • Recycle, reuse and/or exchange materials as much as possible.
  • Inspect satellite accumulation areas (SAAs) and waste accumulation areas (WAAs) per schedule.
  • Properly characterize and label waste streams for disposal (chemical, radioactive, mixed and biological).

Radiation Protection / Biosafety

  • Practice "As Low As Reasonably Achievable" (ALARA)
  • Proper authorizations in place: AHDs, RWAs, RWPs, SSAs and BioSafety Registration
  • Practice Universal Precautions

Supervisor Duties

  • Identify hazards associated with the work being performed
  • Prepare staff to do work safely by assuring:
    • Inspection of work areas for hazards; and reporting and investigating accidents/incidents in timely manner.
    • Mitigation/control of hazards (engineering and/or administrative controls).
    • Identification of required EH&S training (JHQ and OJT).
    • Providing personal protective equipment (PPE).
    • Acquiring proper authorizations to do work.
    • Current Chemical Inventory and proper labeling of all containers.
    • Maintaining documentation (JHQ, training profile, authorizations, permits, CATS, etc.).
  • Inform employee of rights and responsibilities to safe work environment, stopping work, and reporting unsafe activities.
  • Address general worker safety issues an a timely manner.
  • Refer Union-raised worker safety issues to Human Resources Employee Relations/Labor Relations Unit and EH&S Division.

Building Manager/ Building Emergency Team

  • Building management functions include the following:
    • Emergency Prepardness
    • Coordination of construction and maintenance activities
    • Serving as a point of contact for general information about the building activities and occupants

Safety Documentation

  • Authorizations/Work Planning: AHDs, RWAs, RWPs, SSAs, etc.
  • Permits: Welding/Hot Work, Confined Space Entry, Dig Permit, etc.
  • Corrective Action Tracking System (CATS)
  • Hazards, Equipment, Authorizations, and Review tracking database (HEAR)
  • Self-Assessment Report
  • Internal (Division) Documentation: Project Safety Review (PSR), Off-Site Safety Review, Specific Safety Procedure (SSP), Facility Notebook Forms (optional)

Integrated Safety Management (ISM)

  • Integrate and practice the 5 core ISM functions in every aspect of work:
    1. Define and plan the work
    2. Analyze the hazards
    3. Develop and implement hazards controls
    4. Perform work within controls
    5. Seek and provide feedback to drive improvement

EETD version, last update: 1/10/07
(Adapted from "Supervisors' Action Guide", 10/6/99, by Jeffrey Chung, EH&S Field Support Department.)