Moderate|
Laboratory Director John Browne has completed a set of answers to questions submitted to future@lanl.gov (see the Director's home page under "Ask the Director"). In this latest set, the director answers questions on High Occupancy Vehicle program; holiday time off; Lab budget and fiscal management; moving/relocation policies; hazard pay; ORC scores; responsible health care; and more. The director always is open to employee questions and will answer those sent to him at future@lanl.gov. Questions sent to future@lanl.gov are received by the Ombuds Office and any information that might identify the questioner is removed before they are sent to the director. |
ISM banners promote Labwide safety
ISM verification audit begins Monday
Ed Hoth, lower right, of Utilities Infrastructure (FWO-UI),
on Wednesday fastens down one of the safety banners that can be
seen at various locations around Lab property while Leonard Lujan
and Levi Trujillo, right, above Hoth, of Johnson Controls Northern
New Mexico, secure the banner. The banners have various safety
messages and serve as a reminder to Lab workers about the importance
of safety at work. The Department of Energy's Integrated Safety
Management verification audit begins next Monday (April 16) Labwide.
Of particular importance to most Lab workers is Criteria Review
and Approach Document 3, which discusses management committment
and worker involvement in ensuring safety in the work place. More
information on CRAD 3 and the verification audit can be found
on the Integrated Safety
Management World Wide Web page. Photo by LeRoy N. Sanchez,
Public Affairs
Motorists should be alert for walkers
to Chimayo
Every year for the Good Friday holiday, thousands of people walk to Chimayo in observance of the Easter holiday. Many of them walk along heavily used roads, such as NM 502 and 503 and U.S. 84 - 285.
Captain Terry Delgado of the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said that beginning about noon today traffic patrols will be increased on U.S. 84-285 when the majority of walkers begin their journey. The increased law enforcement presence - including DWI and traffic enforcement units - will continue through Easter Sunday afternoon.
Sheriff's deputies will be assisted by State Police, Española Police Department, Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Department, and tribal officers from Tesuque, Pojoaque, Nambe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, said Delgado. In addition, personnel from volunteer fire departments in Santa Fe and Rio Arriba counties also will be assisting.
"We see an increase [in walkers] starting on Wednesday, but the majority of people begin walking on Thursday and safety becomes an issue," said Delgado.
He said sheriff's deputies will hand out 3,000 glow-in-the-dark sticks to walkers beginning today at Tano Road and U.S. 84-285; the NM 503 and U.S. 84-285 intersection; and at the NM 106 and NM 76 intersection. The glow sticks make walkers more visible to motorists during the nighttime hours, Delgado said.
He also suggested that walkers purchase reflective tape and apply it to clothing, or wear reflective safety vests over clothing. "If you have some type of safety vest or anything that is reflective or will illuminate the body, we recommend you wear that," he said.
Motorists should reduce speeds and drive as far away from the road shoulder as possible, said Delgado. "Pay attention to speed and your driving and don't drink and drive," he said, adding, "Hopefully we'll have enough of a presence out there that we won't have too many problems."
Delgado also provided these safety tips for walkers:
Delgado also said that walkers should not use the U.S. 84-285 overpass at NM 502, but rather, should use County Road 84 E to County Road 109 S and then onto NM 503.
The state Highway and Transportation Department has posted signs along U.S. 84-285 to direct walkers and to alert motorists.
"We're trying to make this as safe a pilgrimage as we can," said Delgado.
--Steve Sandoval
Fleet Management issues reminder regarding service on all "G"-plated Laboratory vehicles
Laboratory organizations that have assigned vehicles with "G" license plates should use authorized vendors in the area for general maintenance and refueling.
Since 1996, the Laboratory has had a policy to take General Services Administration vehicles to authorized vendors in the area for preventive maintenance, such as oil changes, tire repair and rotation, fueling and non-warranty repairs. There are more than 1,500 vehicles with "G" license plates in the Lab fleet, according to Patty Blount of Property Management (BUS-6) and the Lab's Fleet Management team leader.
But Fleet Management learned recently that many vehicles continue to be taken to Johnson Controls Northern New Mexico for routine preventive maintenance, fuel and repairs. This practice may be a holdover from the days when JCNNM was the exclusive provider for vehicle-related services, said Blount.
Johnson Controls Northern New Mexico still provides service for a specific range of vehicle types and applications, mainly all "E-plated" vehicles, vehicles that are restricted behind the fence for safety or security reasons, emergency response vehicles and Los Alamos Fire Department vehicles. Vehicles not in these categories must be fueled and maintained at the authorized local/regional vendors, said Blount.
Objectives of the 1996 agreement included saving the Laboratory money and providing economic development opportunities for Northern New Mexico businesses.
For additional information about the policy, call the BUS-6 Fleet Management Section at 7-8516, or write to Blount_patricia_m@lanl.gov by electronic mail.
--Steve Sandoval
'Experience Berkeley' reaches out to New Mexico students
Summer program again welcomes applicants from Native American pueblos
For the second summer in a row, the University of California invites high school students from five Pueblo Indian tribes in Northern New Mexico to participate in a program designed to familiarize them with the college-going experience and help them prepare for applying to college.
Experience Berkeley is an intensive three-day residential program at the UC, Berkeley campus. Primarily offered to students from California, the program last year was extended to include students from pueblos that have cooperative agreements or a memorandum of understanding with UC in connection with its management of the Laboratory for the National Nuclear Security Administration. For full news release, click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director answers employee
questions
Lost: a
gold down winter jacket
