ESH Policy

SLAC is committed to protecting the health, safety, and security of on-site personnel, the public, and the environment as it carries out its mission. All SLAC organizations are required to implement the Laboratory’s Environment, Safety, Health (ESH) and Security Program through line management, in accordance with applicable implementing procedures (refer to ESH Manual, Chapter 1).

Management and Supervisors at all levels shall ensure that workers understand the content and importance of this policy. In turn, employees are responsible for complying with this policy and integrating environment, safety, health, and security considerations into their work activities. Lab management shall be responsible to ensure that policies, programs and professional ESH and security staff are in place to enable implementation of these programs. 

All personnel:

• Must follow the guiding principles and core functions of the Integrated Safety and Environmental Management System (ISEMS) to conduct all work safely, effectively, and efficiently to ensure the protection of workers, the public, and the environment in achievement of the Laboratory’s mission.
• Will work to maintain a safe and healthful workplace in which hazards are identified, removed, mitigated, or controlled, best practices are used to reduce or prevent the potential for occupational injuries, illnesses, environmental impacts, or losses, and opportunities for continual improvement of the program are identified.
• Will wisely use and conserve resources and conduct all activities in a sustainable manner to prevent pollution and protect the natural environment.
• Will conduct all mission and operations work to ensure the production of radioactive materials and exposure to radiation is reduced to as low as reasonably achievable.
• Will safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information and ensure proper stewardship and control of laboratory assets by adhering to established security protocols and best practices.
• Will integrate environmental protection, safety, health, quality, and security into goal setting, project planning, design, construction, operations, maintenance, and decontamination and decommissioning of facilities.
• Will comply with requirements of the Stanford/DOE contract and applicable laws and regulations.
• Will conduct work in a structured and methodical manner to ensure that processes, procedures, and tasks are carried out efficiently, consistently, and in accordance with established standards or guidelines.
• Are empowered and have the responsibility to stop, or not perform, any activity if doing so would present an imminent danger to themselves or co-workers. In such cases, personnel must immediately notify their supervisor/manager of the "stop work."
• Who are injured or become ill as a result of a work-related activity are required to notify their supervisor immediately and to report to the SLAC Occupational Health Center.
• Are responsible for notifying their supervisor of hazardous or abnormal events and conditions and for notifying Security of any emergency situations or incidents. Line management is responsible for effectively evaluating and correcting the causes of hazardous or abnormal events or conditions.
• Will consider SLAC to be a learning organization in which we embrace reporting and benefit from effective implementation of lessons learned, in delivering impactful environment, health, and safety results to support the Laboratory’s mission.  

This policy is issued under the authority of the Laboratory Director. The authority to implement the policy has been delegated to the Laboratory’s Chief Safety Officer.

Signed 6 June 2024

SLAC Chief Safety Officer:  Ian Evans
SLAC Laboratory Director:  John L. Sarrao