Re: NMR room security/safety

Keith Brown (brownk@skyway.usask.ca)
Wed, 26 Nov 1997 09:14:31 -0600 (CST)

> How do you handle access to the rooms that house your magnets, particularly
> for people that need to get in to maintain the air conditioning system,
> calibrate the low oxygen sensors, etc.? Do you have any way other than the
> signs to alert emergency responders (Fire Department, plant services,
> etc.) that there is a non-obvious hazard in the room?

I have *exactly* the same problem. It seems that whenever anyone
untrained enters the lab they make a beeline straight for the magnet. It
doesn't seem to matter whether they are maintenance workers or professors.
They just ignore the warning sign on the door. Fortunately, I'm in the lab
most of the time during the day and can ward off any of the uninitiated.
In the evening there are mostly trained grad students and pdf's working on
the machine.

I have a set of lab rules drawn up, one of which states that it is
*everyone's* responsibility to ensure that untrained people stay away from
the magnet. I think this works to some degree but it requires that I trust
everyone during my absence, which is really a pretty big stretch. If
anyone has any other methods I'd like to hear about them.

Keith

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