Requirements: SLAC Mission and Policy

SLAC Mission

The SLAC mission is

• Photon Science Discoveries

• To make discoveries in photon science at the frontiers of the ultrasmall and ultrafast in a wide spectrum of physical and life science

• Particle and Particle Astrophysics Discoveries

• To make discoveries in particle and astroparticle physics to redefine humanity’s understanding of what the universe is made of and the forces that control it

• Operate Safely; Train the Best

• To operate a safe laboratory that employs and trains the best and brightest, helping to ensure the future economic strength and security of the nation

Respectful SLAC Workplace Policy

SLAC has adopted the following policy on maintaining a respectful workplace:

The Stanford Linear Accelerator Center is committed to providing a work environment that promotes learning, research, and productivity through working relationships based on courtesy, civility and respectful communication. This commitment calls for a workplace where the following beliefs are upheld:

• Everyone at SLAC without exception has an important contribution to make toward the overall success of the laboratory’s mission.
• This mission is best carried out in an atmosphere where all employees at all levels value each other and treat each other with respect. This is true even in situations of high pressure and urgency.
• Managers, supervisors and others in positions of authority should consider themselves as role models in the promotion of such an atmosphere, without in any way abdicating their responsibility to direct their employees to perform work effectively.
• In the same spirit, employees at all levels should be able to discuss issues of concern without fear that those discussions will result in any retaliation from somebody above or below them in the laboratory’s hierarchy.
• In response to staff input, the laboratory will make reasonable changes to improve the work environment and productivity at SLAC.

SLAC Environment, Safety, and Health Policy

SLAC complements its mission statement and respectful workplace policy with the following policy on ES&H matters:

The SLAC mission is to perform world-class research in high-energy physics, particle astrophysics, and photon science. SLAC has committed itself to achieving this mission in the context of a respectful workplace that supports the value of each individual and that persistently strives for excellence in health, safety and environmental matters.

SLAC is committed to protecting the health and safety of those working at SLAC, the public, and the environment as it carries out its scientific mission.

Through employee involvement and management commitment, SLAC will

• Seek to protect human health, prevent pollution, and strive to eliminate negative ES&H impacts associated with our facilities and activities throughout their life cycles
• Exercise vigilance to ensure compliance with all applicable, laws, regulations, and best management practices
• Seek to maintain a healthful and safe workplace, free of occupational injury and illness
• Conduct sustainable programs to minimize pollution to environmental media, to protect our material resources, cultural resources, and biota
• Conserve natural resources and minimize our environmental footprint by evaluating the impact of products, services and their providers, by reducing energy and water usage, by reusing and recycling materials, by purchasing and using recyclable materials and energy-efficient devices, and by exercising pollution prevention measures, whenever technically feasible and economically justifiable
• Conduct operations such that the production of radioactive materials and radiation is maintained as low as reasonably achievable
• Integrate ES&H into project planning, design, construction, use and closure of facilities to minimize ES&H impacts associated with the project
• Conduct our activities in a sustainable manner and will partner with those businesses that offer sustainable practices and strengthen this commitment through contract language, where practical

SLAC will develop and maintain management systems designed to ensure compliance, and which support the integration of ES&H consideration into our work. SLAC will understand the work, analyze the ES&H hazards, tailor hazard controls to the work, and ensure that authorization is complete prior to commencing the work. SLAC will solicit feedback and strive for continual improvement in our ES&H management systems and performance and will strive to achieve leadership in ES&H performance. We will establish ES&H objectives and targets, conduct regular management system and performance evaluations, and periodically report on our performance to our employees and the public.

Line management is responsible and accountable for ES&H. The laboratory director has ultimate responsibility for ES&H. The directorate has primary responsibility for implementing this policy, allocating resources, and establishing and supporting ES&H programs. Management at all levels will take actions to ensure that all employees understand the meaning and importance of the policy. All employees are responsible for integrating ES&H considerations into their work activities and confirm personal responsibility by accepting the SLAC Safety, Health and Environmental Values and Expectations