NIST Presents Safety Award To Two Local Residents

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has recognized two employees for superior efforts in creating and maintaining a safe working environment.

Winners of the NIST 1995 Safety Award are Charles E. Dick, GAITHERSBURG, Md., physicist, Physics Laboratory; and Richard Lohr, WALKERSVILLE, Md., lead equipment operator in the Facilities Services Division.

Dick is recognized for designing and implementing the radiation safety plan for the electron accelerator at NIST's Medical Industrial Radiation Facility. The beams from this accelerator produce very high dose rates of electrons and photons, and are capable of inducing radioactivity in accelerator parts and in irradiated samples. Dick, in collaboration with the Health Physics Group, formulated comprehensive rules along with a system of interlocks, local shielding, remote surveillance and emergency switches to ensure complete radiation safety for the many NIST collaborators and guest researchers using this facility.

Lohr is cited for outstanding leadership in safety awareness and practice in the Printing and Duplicating unit of NIST's Facilities Services Division. He plays a vital role in setting a no-nonsense tone regarding work habits, and in establishing safety awareness and attitude of his coworkers. Safety is a vital consideration in a strictly production environment of Printing and Duplicating, where careless or inappropriate behavior can result in accident, injury or death.

An agency of the Commerce Department's Technology Administration, NIST promotes economic growth by working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements and standards.