Quick Start Guide
Chapter 1: General Policy and Responsibilities

Program: Berkeley Lab Health and Safety Manual
Revised 11/12
URL: http://www.lbl.gov/ehs/pub3000/CH01/CH01.html
Revision Record: http://www.lbl.gov/ehs/pub3000/Pub3000Changes.html

Who needs to know about these requirements?

The requirements of the General Policy and Responsibilities apply to:

• All Berkeley Lab employees, affiliates, contractors, and casual and participating visitors to the LBNL main site or its off-site locations.

Why?

• These standards are designed to protect people from injury and illness and to protect property and the environment from damage or loss or degradation due to accidents or other causes.

What you need to do before performing work:

Berkeley Lab has adopted the principles and functions of the Integrated Safety Management (ISM) system to assure that work is performed safely. You are expected to exercise the ISM process whenever you plan or do work. For details, see ES&H Core Policy, ISM System Overview. The core functions are:

• Define the scope of work.
• Analyze the hazards.
• Develop and implement hazard controls.
• Perform work within controls.
• Provide feedback for continuous improvement.

The guiding principles of ISM are:

• Line management responsibility for safety
• Clear roles and responsibilities
• Competence commensurate with responsibilities
• Balanced priorities
• Identification of safety standards and requirements
• Hazard and environmental controls tailored to the work being performed
• Operations are authorized
• Berkeley Lab has adopted these seven ISM guiding principles that are reflected in the detailed policies and procedures of LBNL. Principal investigators, managers, supervisors, and work leads are expected to incorporate these principles into the management of their work activities. They are also responsible for integrating ES&H into work and for ensuring active, rigorous communication up and down the management chain with the workforce.  For specific responsibilities at each level, see Section 1.4, Roles and Responsibilities.
• Every person working in an LBNL workplace must be familiar with and implement applicable Laboratory safety standards. Sponsors must ensure casual visitors have a safe work environment and that they understand the parameters of their work; casual visitors must comply with safety instructions. See Section 1.4.4, Competence Commensurate with Responsibilities.
• All Berkeley Lab employees, contractors, and affiliates have the right and responsibility to stop work activities considered to be an imminent danger. For details, see the Stop Work Policy.
• You have rights and responsibilities.
• You have the right to work in an environment free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious injury. See Workers’ ES&H Rights and Responsibilities.
• It is your responsibility to work safely and to prevent harm to other workers, the general public, and the environment. See Workers’ ES&H Rights and Responsibilities.

Where to find out more:

• LBNL Health and Safety Manual (PUB-3000), Chapter 1, General Policy and Responsibilities
  
• PUB-3140, Integrated Environment, Safety & Health Management Plan
  
• PUB-3851, Worker Safety and Health Program
  
• Seven guiding principles and five core functions of the Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS), prescribed in Department of Energy (DOE) DEAR Clause 970.5204-2
  
• LBNL Hazard Management System (HMS)
  
• PUB-3000 Chapter 4, Industrial Hygiene
  
• PUB-3000 Chapter 6, Safe Work Authorizations
  
• PUB-3000 Chapter 10, Construction Safety Manual Administrative Policies
  
• Guide for On-Site Subcontractor Safety Plans

Whom to contact for help:

• EHSS Division
  
• Emergency: Call ext. 7911 from any lab phone or 911 from any cell phone
  Nonemergency EH&S Incident Notification: ext. 6999