How do you lift a three-ton ion source apparatus? The answer, according to Guy Pulsifer, manager of the Central Fabrication Shops of the Engineering Division, is not in the latest do-it-yourself Cranes for Dummies. “You can’t move a high-value instrument of that size without talking to a Facilities SME [subject matter expert] who specializes in rigging,” he says.
Having worked with the Lab’s rigging experts on a number of projects over the years, Pulsifer knew he should consult them in early 2008 when Shops technicians had to transport a major component of the Versatile Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source for Nuclear Science (VENUS), a large, very heavy, and very valuable superconducting magnet, from Building 88 to Building 77 for repairs and re-design. Had he not known the riggers for years, “I would’ve contacted my Division Safety Coordinator or EH&S Liaison," he says. Trained to follow the Integrated Safety Management (ISM) process, Pulsifer’s staff first discussed the VENUS job with Facilities’ rigging experts, who ran a series of calculations to ensure the instrument would be securely rigged onto the crane.
His group also made sure workers within 15 feet of the lift were wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hardhats and safety glasses. Once the riggers had successfully transported the instrument to Building 77, the Shops technicians were able to begin their work, which continues today. His secret to getting everyone on the same page? In addition to monthly safety meetings, “open, direct and continuous communication is the key,” he says. “People need to be talking to each other all the time.”
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