Newsday writer, book author to speak at Lab Monday on global health

Laurie Garrett, a science writer for Newsday and author of two books on global health, will talk at a Director's Colloquium at 1:10 p.m. Monday (July 23) in the Administration Building Auditorium at Technical Area 3. "Global Health at a Turning Point?" will explore the decline of public health resources around the world, which coincides with a multi-billion-dollar United Nations program this year intended to battle tuberculosis, malaria and HIV in poor countries.

The talk, which is unclassified and open to the public, will be broadcast live on LABNET Channel 9.

Garrett is the only writer ever to have been awarded all three of the "Big Ps" of journalism: the Peabody, the Polk and the Pulitzer. Her Pulitzer Prize was awarded for a series of articles about the 1995 ebola outbreak in Zaire, which Garrett witnessed personally. She also received the Best Book of 2000 George C. Polk Award for "Betrayal of Trust," which warns of an impending health crisis caused by poor health care in many countries combined with increased globalization.

Garrett's analyses of public health problems are not confined to bubonic plague in India, ebola in Zaire, and the decline of public health in the former Soviet Union, however. Her experiences and research into the growing HIV epidemic and its social consequences in decaying U.S. suburbs led her to believe that this country's public health infrastructure is poorly equipped to deal with major outbreaks of contagious diseases.

More information about Garrett is available at http://www.lauriegarrett.com online.

--Chris Pearcy

Safety: Is all you can do enough?

Several years ago, "Juanita" was severely injured in a traffic accident when a bottle of sulfuric acid, stored on the seat behind her, broke open and spilled its contents over her head and shoulders.

Gary Hanson of Circle 44 Presentations in Alaska will be at the Laboratory next Monday, July 23 to relay her true story of courage, survival and determination. His talk will focus on how accidents can happen to anyone, especially when lapses in safety occur. "All you can do is all you can do," Hanson said. "But," he asks, "is all you can do enough?"

Hanson will give two presentations. The first will be from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Administration Building Auditorium at Technical Area 3. It is open to the public. The talk will be broadcast on LABNET Channel 9.

The second presentation will be from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the Technical Area 55, PF-1 Auditorium. It is open to Q-cleared, TA-55-access badgeholders only.

Both presentations are sponsored by the NMT ATOMICS Behavior Based Safety Process Steering Team of the Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division.

NMT contacted Hanson about coming to the Lab after hearing him give the keynote address at Western Regional Behavioral Based Technology meeting in Portland, Ore. in September 2000.

"Originally, 'Juanita's story' was planned for Safety Days but there was a scheduling conflict," said ATOMICS facilitator Jim Kleinsteuber of NMT-DO. "We knew that we wanted NMT workers to hear this presentation but soon realized that this was a message that we needed to share with everyone," he said. "In his talk, Hanson concentrates on specific behaviors and a final common pathway to accidents," he said.

NMT utilizes an employee-driven, behavior-based safety (BBS) process where workers are trained to observe and collect data on safe and at-risk, on-the-job behaviors. ATOMICS was formed in December of 1999 to develop and implement behavior-based safety for the division.

"This was a great institutional opportunity for NMT and ATOMICS to step forward for safety," said Kleinsteuber. "Besides," he added, "it's the right thing to do."

A Laboratory Implementation Requirement document (LIR 405-10-01.1) addresses safety requirements for packing and transportation of general commodities, hazardous materials, substances, wastes and defense program materials. The pdf file may be accessed through http://labreq.lanl.gov/hdir/labreq.html online.

-- Fran Talley

Watch out for lightning with the arrival of summer, rainy season July typically signals the beginning of New Mexico's rainy season. With the showers and thunderstorms, however, come lightning and Laboratory workers should be particularly aware of the possibility they could be struck by lightning. States along the gulf coast and the front range of the Rockies south to Northern New Mexico have the most recorded lightning activity and strike density, which is represented by the number of days of lightning and lightning strikes. Lightning depends on the vertical development of clouds. During summer months, precipitation comes primarily from clouds that have vertical development caused by convection. Conversely, during winter months, precipitation comes primarily from clouds that are "stratiform," or more horizontally formed clouds, which means lightning development is less likely to occur because there is less heating of the surface to promote convection.

Lab issues guidance on lightning safety Do you know what to do when lightning strikes? A new Laboratory Implementation Guidance (LIG 402-10-01A.0) (Adobe Acrobat Reader required) was issued recently by Air Quality (ESH-17) that may help save your life. In addition to the LIG, a lightning safety flyer developed by the ES&H Training Office (ESH-13) can be found at http://eshtraining.lanl.gov/ online.

The Laboratory has a lightning stroke counter at Technical Area 6 that responds to cloud-to-cloud or cloud-to-ground strokes within a 30-mile radius depending on atmospheric conditions. A lightning flash may contain between one and 30 strokes with an average of four strokes per flash, said George Fenton of Air Quality (ESH-17). The stroke counter measures, on average, more than 100,000 lightning strokes per year, 95 percent of which occur between June and September.

Fenton said 80 to 90 percent of summertime lightning activity occurs between noon and 9 p.m.

In June 1990, three Laboratory employees were struck by lightning after they sought shelter under trees during a heavy rainstorm. According to the National Fire Protection Association, the employees should have avoided trees because trees act as a good conductor of lightning.

When the threat of thunderstorms develop, the following precautions should be taken, according to the National Weather Service in Albuquerque:

• avoid projecting above the surrounding terrain as you would if standing in an open field or on a mountain top
• stay away from open water
• if indoors, avoid water and stay away from doors and windows. Don't use the telephone and take off headsets. If possible, turn off appliances, computers, power tools and televisions because an exterior lightning strike of electric or telephone lines can induce shocks to indoor equipment
• stay off motorcycles and bicycles, tractors and other metal farm or construction equipment
• put down golf clubs and take shelter. Metal-spiked golf shoes increase the probability of being struck
• don't stand under natural lightning rods such as tall, isolated trees
• avoid taking shelter in small structures that are isolated in an open area
• if in a forest, seek shelter in a low area under a thick growth of small trees; if in an open area, seek a low place such as a ravine or valley but stay alert for possible flash flooding
• if a person's hair stands on end, lightning may be about to strike. If no shelter is available squat down with feet together and place hands over ears to minimize hearing damage from thunder. This also reduces your chances of being struck or becoming a conductor for nearby lightning strikes
• remember the "30/30" rule. If lightning is sighted and its accompanying thunder arrives in less than 30 seconds, the lightning is within six miles and shelter should be taken.

Additionally, suspend outdoor activities for 30 minutes after the last observed lightning or thunder.

People also should consider learning how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation because people struck by lightning sometimes can be resuscitated.

"It's hard to predict where lightning is going to strike," said Phil Romero of Industrial Hygiene and Safety (ESH-5). "People shouldn't take chances; they should seek shelter until the storm passes."

Romero said employees and subcontract personnel who work outdoors should be especially alert to the possibility of being struck by lightning. Heavy equipment vehicles and cranes serve as grounding paths for lightning because of their metal construction and girth, he said.

Tall metal poles, trees and structures actually attract lightning and should be avoided. "Employees need to be aware of the fact that if they see lightning even in a remote location they should take precautions and not expose themselves unduly," said Romero.

Romero said Department of Energy regulations require that Lab buildings have lightning protection systems, which are designed to safely dissipate lightning strikes through a grounding path within the facility.

--Steve Sandoval

Diversity/EEO Conference on Aug. 15 and 16 in Albuquerque

The 16th annual Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)/Diversity Training and Awareness Seminar, sponsored by the Albuquerque/Santa Fe/Los Alamos EEO Council, is Aug. 15 and 16 at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

"Crossing the Diversity Divide Together" is the theme of this year's seminar. The 2001 seminar promises to offer "practical solutions, new ideas and a renewed appreciation of diversity to share with coworkers and others" according to the seminar brochure.

This year's seminar includes presentations by numerous speakers, including keynote speakers William C. Harvey and Art Holst, nationally renowned educator Cynthia Olson and television news investigative reporter Conroy Chino.

Additionally, attendees can take part in a variety of training and cultural workshops, including several led by Laboratory employees. Workshops include, "Do You Know It When You See It? Analyzing Sexual Harassment," led by Grace Philips and Laboratory employee Bruce Herr of Laboratory Counsel (LC-LEL); "Rewards and Recognition in the Workplace" led by Randy Wolfe of Protection Technology Los Alamos; and "Workplace Friendships" by Todd Conklin of Training and Development (HR-6).

Ping Lee of the Associate Laboratory Directorate for Nuclear Weapons (ALDNW) will present "We Served With Pride," a presentation on Chinese-American veterans of World War II. Again this year, Jim VanHecke Jr. of Compensation and Benefits (HR-1) will preside over opening ceremony activities including the Posting of the Colors by the Navajo Code Talkers, the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Herr of LC-LEL also is a panel member for "Legal Update 2001 -- Changes and Trends," which focuses on employment law.

The seminar also will feature several ongoing displays. One entitled "The Men and Women of the Cerro Grande Fire: Diversity in Action," will commemorate the efforts of the thousands of individuals who joined together to aid Los Alamos during the May 2000 fire. The display is a collaborative effort between the Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division and the State Risk Management Division.

The pre-registration fee for the 2001 Training and Awareness seminar is $110. Payments by either check or purchase order must accompany the registration form and be received no later than July 31. After July 31, only on-site registration at the door will be available for $140. Payments can be made to A/SF/LA EEO Council and mailed to P.O. Box 443, Los Alamos, N.M. 87544.

Inquiries regarding the seminar should be directed to Randy Wolfe at 5-6526 or rwolfe@lanl.gov by electronic mail, or to Vince Montoya at 846-7969, or vince.montoya@kirtland.af.mil by electronic mail.

Registration brochures have been distributed to last year's attendees, the Diversity Council, Diversity Working Groups, Laboratory management and others. Employees interested in attending who didn't receive a registration brochure can contact Pam Padilla at the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) at 7-8695, or write to ppadilla@lanl.gov by electronic mail.

--Leah C. Gardner

On today's bulletin board
Commuter's Corner | Parking areas around TA-3 | Parking shuttle routes (pdf) or jpeg
NEWReception Thursday for teen quilt and bead show at Mesa Public Library PC Users Group to sponsor sixth annual Portable Technology Showcase Route 66 update ER Public meeting on July 18 IFRAT to host open host on July 25 Two data acquisition courses are coming to Albuquerque in August Volunteer opportunities Found: blue cell phone Found: cell phone Fidelity Investments at Lab MATLAB/Simulink seminar in Los Alamos Technology Day 2001 JIT to have a new look	TIG News BUS-1 Open House 'Project Management Toolbox' scheduled Aug. 21 through 23 New vendor for computer and safety glasses Summer book discussion for kids Computer Corner news Presentation skills offered on July 25 and 26 Coro de Camara has openings for singer Northern New Mexico Citizens Advisory Board meeting on July 25 Los Alamos Sportsman Club training classes Los Alamos County holding two easement signing sessions Contract Associates fiscal year end guidelines Family Strengths Network programs Introduction to MCNP class on Aug. 14 through 17 Employees leaving Lab must attend termination presentation