JAC HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS

2001/07 - Remote Equipment Operation Safety Procedures (REVISED)

The following procedure is being implemented to minimize the risk of injury to staff or damage to equipment when observatory systems are remotely operated. It is applicable to the remote operation of any UKIRT or JCMT system or software which operates or has the potential to operate a mechanical system.

1. Check the daywork schedule and identify the Work Leader (WL).

2. Check email. Unscheduled daywork which occurs on weekends, holidays, or during the week under exceptional circumstances will not be listed on the daywork schedule. Such work will now be reported via email to jac_all with a title of DAYWORK NOTICE. Thus to be sure no daywork is in progress you must check both the daywork schedule AND email.

3. Contact the WL to get his/her permission to remotely operate the system. The WL may need to consult other daywork staff before granting permission. Contacting the WL may require calling the vehicle, other facilities, Hale Pohaku, or the lunch hut. If the WL cannot be contacted, the system may not be operated.

4. Upon granting permission to remotely operate a system, the WL will write a note into the daywork log and inform all other daywork staff of what is being done.

5. If no WL is identified via daywork or email you may remotely operate a system only after verifying the telescope is unmanned by calling the appropriate summit facility and receiving no answer.