Keep Eyes on the Skies; Storms Present Potential Hazards to Lab

With the arrival of rain and wind from the first of three projected major storms rolling into the San Francisco Bay Area come elevated hazards for employees and visitors at Berkeley Lab. Commuters should especially be attentive to fallen trees and limbs on roadways, flooding from blocked storm drains, downed electrical power lines, and dangerous road conditions.

Members of the Lab’s Emergency Services Office recommend that people commuting to the Lab tomorrow from Contra Costa County and points east do not take the Grizzly Peak or Wildcat Canyon access roads. These thoroughfares are most likely to be impacted by debris and water flowing from hillsides and streams. Access from all other directions could be equally difficult, if the predicted storm strengths (heavy rain and wind) materialize.

As a precaution, Chief Operating Officer David McGraw has asked all division directors and department heads to assess the appropriateness of allowing members of their organizations to telecommute tomorrow. This would ensure individual safety as well as reduce the number of people on site. Decisions will be made based upon business needs. Members of the emergency operations team and critical Facilities staff should make themselves available to deal with emergencies.

A link has been added to the Berkeley Lab homepage, “Weather Updates,” to summarize the latest conditions at the Lab and elsewhere. Employees are urged to check that link during the day tomorrow. If electricity at the Lab goes off, the emergency status phone number (800-445-5830) will be activated.

Any employee or guest discovering a safety hazard due to weather damage should contact the Work Request Center at [email protected], or x6274 and report the situation. During evenings, weekends and non-work hours, call the Blackberry Gate at x6669.

Berkeley Lab employees are also encouraged to prepare themselves and their families at home. Go here to review safety information and tips gathered from the state Office of Emergency Services (OES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which outlines what to do before, during, and after the storms.