The operator in charge has
the authority and responsibility to safely and efficiently operate of the
Coupled Cyclotron Facility. Decisions of the operator prevail. Users can
request review of operator decisions through the Assistant Director for User
Relations.
1.
The name and a
photograph of the operator in charge are displayed on the data-U status
monitors. Experimenters can visit or call (x 305) the operator in the control
room or page the operator (x 143) if needed. The operator has one of two 2-way
radios with him when performing duties outside the control room (the other
radio is charging). These radios can be contacted by dialing 9-2-8090, waiting
for the tone, then dialing either 750019 or 750020.
2.
In the event of
facility equipment breakdown the operator in charge performs an initial
assessment and coordinates the response. The operator routes requests from
experimenters for after-hours laboratory resources to appropriate lab
personnel.
3.
Experimenters are not
allowed to change beam attenuator settings without approval from the operator
in charge. This approval is given to individual experimenters for the duration
of their shift. Changing to the wrong beam attenuator can cause severe damage
to the cyclotrons and to experimental equipment.
4.
The operator has the
authority to take control of the beam at any time if this is required for the
safe and efficient operation of the Coupled Cyclotron Facility.
5.
The operator in charge
needs to know the status of the beam at all times.
a.
The operator releases
beam to the experiment by stopping the beam on a beam blocker and informing the
experimenter that beam of a specified intensity is available for the experiment
on a specified beam blocker. The experimenter can then remove the beam blocker
or ask the operator to remove the beam blocker.
b.
The experimenter
relinquishes the beam by inserting the same beam blocker (or requesting the
operator to stop the beam) and informing the operator that control of the beam
has been returned to the operator.
6.
Operators change shifts
at 7 am, 3 pm, and 11 pm during the week and at 11 am and 11 pm on weekends and
holidays. During these times operators are busy with shift-change duties.
Operators will visit the experiment towards the beginning of their shift as
their duties permit.
7.
Operators need to take
control of the beam every few hours to measure and record machine parameters
and to tune up the beam. While this can often be done efficiently if
experimenters make the operator aware of any time periods where the beam is not
used for the experiment, the operator in charge must take control of the beam
and tune up whenever beam losses increase significantly.
8.
The operator in charge
keeps the experimenters aware of the cyclotron status.