Cryogens
The primary hazards at the beamline are cryogens. Liquid nitrogen is almost always present because it is necessary for the microscope detectors to function. Occasionally, liquid helium is also used to either cool samples or to fill detectors for the far-infrared.
When handling cryogens, you must wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE)!
General Cryogenic Guidelines
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Task
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Required PPE
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Working with pressurized systems (i.e., opening / closing valves, manipulating connections, verifying the existence or absence of pressure in a system).
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Face shield and safety glasses;
gloves; long pants or apron
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General use of dewars and other unpressurized systems.
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Safety glasses or goggles;
gloves; long pants or apron
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Handling, transporting closed containers
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None
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You should avoid working with cryogens above eye level whenever possible, but if not, goggles should be used instead of safety glasses.
Sample Hazards
The other hazards at the beamline are what users bring with them to measure. These hazards will be listed on the ESS and the UEF, which is located on the Sector 1 bulletin board (located on the gray walkway that encircles the experimental floor, just before turning into the 1.4/12.3 area).
Chemicals
Standard Berkeley Lab policy when working with chemicals in a lab or shop environment prescribes safety glasses, lab coat, and gloves, in addition to the standard closed-toe shoes; see the Chemical Hygiene and Safety Plan for more information.
Generally, work with chemicals on the floor involves little risk (small quantities of relatively nonhazardous chemicals), so PPE requirements may be minimal. Examples are:
- Loading <1 mL volumes of relatively nonhazardous samples, which requires only gloves and glasses
- Cleaning of components with <5 mL of solvents, which requires only gloves
However, some operations are done with higher quantities and/or more hazardous materials. In these cases, the work is typically done in the User Chemistry Lab, temporarily located in Building 6-2233, and PPE requirements are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Safety glasses and gloves are available at the Building 7 stockroom. Be sure to verify that you are using the appropriate gloves for the material you are working with. See Glove Guidance, and Nitrile Glove Compatibility Guide.
Biohazards
Small amounts of biological materials (biologicals) may be used for experiments at the ALS. The use of these materials must be reviewed and approved by ALS Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) staff and by the Berkeley Lab Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) before an experiment may begin. The proper handling of biological materials, including the use of biological safety cabinets, disinfectants, personal protective equipment, and the disposal of waste products, is essential to ensure the safety of ALS personnel and visiting researchers. This advisory is intended to establish guidelines for the safe use and disposal of biological materials at the ALS.For more information, see The Use of Biological Materials at the ALS.
Engineered Nanomaterials
"Engineered nanomaterials" are intentionally created and have structures <100 nanometers. They do NOT include larger materials with nanoscale features (e.g., etched silicon wafers) nor biomolecules (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates).
If unbound engineered nanomaterials are being investigated at the beamline, there will be a posted designated area where the work will be performed.
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