Operator Training Program atALS: Recent Improvements
Workshop on Accelerator Operations
April 14, 2010

Angelic Pearson [alpearson@lbl.gov]
Advanced Light Source (ALS)
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, USA

Overview• Berkeley Lab Advanced Light Source (ALS)• Operator Training at the ALS: Overview• Phases of Accelerator Operator Training• Recent Improvements• Training Committee Process• Improving Communication• Additional Focus

Berkeley Lab
Advanced Light Source• ALS Mission Statement:“Support users in doing outstanding science ina safe environment.”• Total ALS Staff: 185• Visiting Researchers/Users:
1900+ per year and growing• Construction Completed: March 1993
• Facility Dedicated: October 22, 1993
• ALS Website: www.als.lbl.gov

Operator Training at the ALS: Overview• Comprised of– Documented procedural training– Online and classroom training– On-the-job training• Goals for Employee– Certainty and self-confidence while performing work.
– Solid understanding of mandatory duties for workingsolo.
– Ensure personnel safety.

Operator Training at the ALS: Overview(cont’d)• Written Training procedure, including an Operations
Training Guide.
• Training mentor to guide the process.
• Key training occurs during shutdown and/or start-up
shifts (time needed to complete training dependent
on ALS operational schedule).

• Troubleshooting beam losses provide invaluable
learning opportunities for Accelerator Operators(unplanned and unpredictable).
• Feedback from trainees encouraged.

Operator Training at the ALS: Overview(cont’d)• Accelerator Operator (AO)
– Tasks and Training focused on the accelerator systems
and equipment.
– Preliminary AO training has taken from 8 to 24 months
to complete, but efforts aim to reduce the training time to6 months.
– Qualified AOs have additional training needs, and proper
experience is gained over time.

• Floor Operator (FO)– Tasks and Training focused on support and shielding control
on the experimental floor.
– FO training has taken 5 months to complete.

• Cross-training employees to be qualified AO and FO– Allows for scheduling flexibility.
– 2 employees have completed training, 1 in progress– Challenges (schedule differences, split focus, retainingknowledge).

Phases ofAccelerator Operator Training• Phase 1:– The most basic, frequent tasks– Safety training– General LBNL-required training– Some background accelerator theory• Phase 2:– More complex tasks– Subsystems of the accelerator• Phase 3:– Most comprehensive procedures– Lesser used feedback and diagnostic procedures• Phase 4 (Post-qualification):– Non-critical, infrequently used procedures– More accelerator theory (including courses via U.S. ParticleAccelerator School)– Involvement in other ALS projects such as…..

Recent Improvements• Greater attention to the training process since 2006
• Training Committee developed in 2009
– To facilitate continuous review & improvements.
– Implement & expand on ideas to improve training for theOperations Group.
for new employeesongoing re-training of current employees– Seek input from ALL employees in discussion andattention to training needs.
– Committee members: 3 operators, Operations Group
Leader, Procedures Center administrator.

Training Committee Process• Encourage all operations staff participation in efforts
to obtain the best results– attend our meetings when feasible– provide input– take on tasks for the group effort• For each meeting, we have discussed:– Operational training completion as a group– Ideas and concerns generated by the group– Tasks worked on between meetings (including input fromother operations staff).

• Main Focus: Competency and understanding ofexperienced operators forms the basis of training
new employees.

Improving Communication• Importance of improving communication– Learn from each other– Learn from events that occur during time-off– Many operators work different hours than other employees.

• Overlap of shifts allows time for verbal exchange
and review of online log• Encourage clear & complete online log entries• Developing an ALS Wiki– Resource for information not included in official procedures– Collection of Lessons Learned

Additional Focus• Review & improvements of written Operations
Training Guide, including a separate Guide
for FO training.
• Updating the Troubleshooting Guide.
• Discuss how to increase training
opportunities: simulations, use time on
physics shifts• Discuss staffing needs, AO/FO cross-training
utilization, and future plans.

Thank you!