Safety

Three main hazards occur at PHELIX:
1.    intense laser radiation (the laser bay can be seen as a walk-in laser of laser class 4),
2.    high voltage applied at the pre-amplifier, and
3.    high voltage applied at the main amplifier (the HV-room can be seen as a walk-in power supply).

Additionally the typical hazards of a laboratory have to be taken into account.

Five persons are responsible for the safety of the staff. All technical instrumentation, procedures, and measures base on the risk evaluation in which the different hazards are named and counteractions are defined. Main issue for the staff is the safety instruction each person must get before being allowed to work at PHELIX.

PILS control panel

The PHELIX interlock system (PILS) is set up to guarantee safe operation by technical equipment. Three clearances (laser, pre-amplifier, and main amplifier clearance) which require several conditions allow for operation of the related subsystems. The mode is indicated everywhere in the laser building, thus the employees can behave adequate.

 
By this GUI the operation mode and each PILS element state of PHELIX is indicated.

If required by dedicated experiments, a supervised and controlled radiation area is set up in the laser building. Additionally an employee is in charge for the safety of the in-house experimental area.

If PHELIX serves as light source for experiments outside, the responsibility for personal safety including the communication procedure with the experimental area is and clearly defined: The responsibility for the external area is assumed there. By two graduated requests (laser and shot request) which can be claimed or cancelled anytime by the experiment safe operation is guaranteed.

All these personal safety measures are in agreement or realised together with the safety department of GSI (SiSt). The safety of the machinery is guaranteed by the use of the control system (PCS).