Rosanne Boudreau’s job, as the safety coordinator for Berkeley Lab’s Biosciences Area at its satellite site in Emeryville, California, is to make sure all experiments and research are conducted safely. Before any experiment starts, she will look at all the possible hazards and help implement any controls that should be put into place to mitigate those hazards.
Since the coronavirus pandemic started, as scientists undertake new projects related to COVID-19, she has also worried about how to make sure they can maintain six feet of distance apart from each other while doing their work. Some measures that she has implemented for keeping researchers and staff safe in light of social distancing guidelines involve adjusting work schedules, re-arranging work benches, and hanging “knock before entering” signs. She provides support and oversight for areas such as chemical management and the appropriate handling of biological samples at the facility, which is rated biosafety level 2.
“It’s my job to worry,” she said. “But if it keeps everyone safe and working productively then I’m happy to be the office worry wart.”
Boudreau and the site operations team continue to work to address safety in light of emerging information about virus transmission.
