Illinois Stay-At-Home Order

Per the Illinois Stay-At-Home Order, NE-CAT has only has available beamtime for COVID-19 related research.  On-site access is not available and all data collection must be conducted remotely.


TO:                All Employees

FROM:          Kimberly C. Sawyer, Deputy Laboratory Director for Operations/
                      Chief Operations Officer

SUBJECT:    Illinois Stay at Home Order

To help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and to support the stay at home executive order issued today by the Governor of Illinois, Argonne National Laboratory is moving to a minimum safe operations mode which will require almost all employees to telecommute. Under this scenario, all access to the Lab campus, other than for safety personnel, COVID-19 researchers, and a small number of other designated staff, will be closed after March 21 at 5 p.m., and remain in place until April 7 or when the state lifts its order. We all hope this resolves as quickly as possible.

We will continue mission-essential research. Here is a summary of operations that will continue on site.

Research & Development

COVID-19; Advanced Photon Source (APS) support and operations (for COVID-19 or any critical remote research); APS-U critical path work such as equipment receipt inspections; Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (only repairs and critical maintenance on site); labs and equipment: maintenance and walkthroughs, including those needed to maintain and protect the APS, Center for Nanoscale Materials and Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System; operation of SCIFs and Limited Areas on as needed basis; Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) team; Nuclear Nonproliferation Work (minimal on-site presence); Cu-67 production; Field Intelligence Element (minimal on-site to support systems or meetings). Most personnel, including necessary management oversight, will work intermittently or on emergency call in, except required minimal staffing at APS.

Operations

Infrastructure Services: Utility plants and services; steam, combined heat and power, water, wastewater, chilled water, Building 450 (APS utilities); Buildings and equipment: critical maintenance & repairs and walk throughs; Fire Department/paramedics; security force: site access, buildings and material balance area patrols, and security areas rounds; Waste Management and MC&A (minimal staff); shipping, receiving, and rigging (minimal staff); custodial (minimal staff); Nuclear Waste Management (technical safety requirements only); Construction work on a case-by-case basis as determined by IS.

Environment, Safety, Health, and Quality: Rotating safety coordinator, health physics, and industrial hygiene support; critical state or federal environmental sampling and testing; rotating medical clinic support.

Most other groups are teleworking, including Lab management, the site office, Business Information Services, Human Resources Services, Financial Management and Procurement Services, Communications & Public Affairs, and Science and Technology Partnerships and Outreach.

Only specific individuals who have been notified in writing and provided an additional badge credential will be granted entry to the Lab after March 21. Please direct any site access questions you may have to your supervisor.

Argonne has established several channels to ensure employees have accurate and timely information, and we encourage you to use these resources. We have created an online COVID-19 FAQ that is updated in real time with the latest information. We also uploaded helpful tips on effectively working from home with many different electronic devices

In addition, employees with questions can email coronavirus@anl.gov, or call the COVID-19 Question Line at 630-252-2555. If you are feeling anxious or distressed about the situation, I recommend you contact our Employee Assistance Program at 800-456-6327. 

We have made it a priority to protect the health and welfare of our employees, collaborators, students, and visitors, and our goal is to be transparent and current with news. I will keep you informed of additional information and decisions. 

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