Safety Values
Safety is a core value at Berkeley Lab and the Molecular Foundry. As an on-site user, you are expected to know and follow all safety requirements and to contribute to our strong safety culture. Note that these requirements may be different from those at your home institution. In order to work on-site at the Foundry, a user must complete a number of safety training courses specific to the work they will be doing.
Safety & Instrument Training
Your Assigned Scientist and other staff contacts will inform you of all necessary safety training required for your work at the Foundry. Safety training is a combination of online courses, in-person courses, and on-the-job training by Foundry scientists and technicians. All required safety training must be completed and any controls specific to your project must be implemented before you may begin work.
In order to get an early start on your safety training requirements, it is possible to complete some of the core safety training courses online before you arrive. To view and complete the recommended core safety training courses for your project, log on to the User Portal and navigate to the section titled, “Complete online safety training.”
Users who will be onsite for five days or less and who will be working under the constant direct supervision of Foundry staff are exempt from formal safety training requirements, but must be familiar with all relevant safety requirements.
Safety training requirements can be extensive for certain types of work at the Foundry and can take a day or more to complete. Be advised that it may take 1-2 weeks to schedule training on particular instruments depending on staff availability and so it is recommended to schedule instrument training 3-4 weeks before you arrive.
Work Planning and Control
Work Planning and Control (WPC) is a web-based tool for implementing Integrated Safety Management (ISM) at Berkeley Lab. WPC is used to identify and control hazards for all work activities, and to record worker assignments and authorizations.
Any work activity you perform at the Foundry must be covered by an authorized WPC activity. Foundry staff will add you to the appropriate WPC activities at the start of your project, and may add you to additional activities if your project scope evolves.
Each WPC activity includes some required training, either online or in person, which you must complete before being authorized to do the associated work activity. You will complete online training through the Berkeley Lab Training website and sign up for in-person training courses on the Classroom Courses website.
Working with Chemicals
If your work involves the use of chemicals, you will receive specialized online and on-the-job training.
- Chemicals at the Foundry are tracked and managed in the Chemical Management System (CMS).
- All chemicals and other hazardous waste must be properly disposed of through the Hazardous Waste Requisition System.
Lab Alert
LabAlert is a communication tool that Berkeley Lab uses to provide emergency alerts to the Lab community via email, phone, and text message. Sign up for LabAlert to receive direct notifications about potential Lab closures and emergency information.
Next section: 3. Lab and Instrument Access
