Our Commitment to Safety

As a leading U.S. Department of Energy multi-program research laboratory, our obligation to the American people demands that we conduct our research and operations safely and responsibly. As a recognized leader in safety, we are committed to making ethical decisions that provide a safe and healthful workplace and a positive presence within the larger Chicagoland community.

Argonne’s Safety Policy

Argonne’s primary mission is to serve the United States as a science and energy laboratory. Argonne is distinguished by the breadth of its R&D capabilities in concert with diverse experimental and computational facilities. Argonne seeks scientific and engineering solutions to the country’s great challenges: sustainable energy, a healthy environment, and a secure nation. Argonne recognizes that to complete this important mission requires that every employee, subcontractor, and visitor be protected from injury and illness. The health and safety of Argonne’s workers and the protection of the public health and safety are paramount in all that Argonne does and to its success. Argonne uses the annual U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE – SC) performance evaluation and measurement plan as the means to establish Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) objectives for the year.

Argonne is committed to:

• Providing safe and healthy working conditions for the prevention of work-related injury and ill health.
• Becoming a leader in OHS performance within the DOE complex and in making safety a core value.
• Providing a positive safety culture in which every employee, subcontractor, and visitor feels free to speak up about non-conformances, undesirable or unsafe situations, or any other OHS-related issues without reprisal.
• Prioritizing and managing risk through a process that allows for the identification, evaluation, and elimination or control of hazards.
• Providing all employee, subcontractors, and visitors with the relevant information, operational controls, and effective training on OHS requirements to enable them to conduct their activities safely.
• Consulting and collaborating with employees, their representatives, and other stakeholders on OHS matters.
• Implementing a systematic approach to continuous improvements in OHS performance.
• Meeting or exceeding all applicable OHS requirements established by Argonne’s Prime Contract with DOE and any other applicable legal requirements.

All employees, as well as subcontractors and visitors, have the authority and responsibility to suspend or stop work that they believe is not safe.