by Sue Bailey, User Services
The ALS is transitioning from the Experiment Safety Sheet (ESS) to the ALS Experiment Safety Assessment Form (ESAF). This is part of the ongoing effort to develop ALSHub, the ALS User Portal, and provide users and staff improved tools to enter, review, and authorize experiment safety. Although the ESS software will continue to be available for several months, we will encourage most users to use the ALS ESAF system. Follow instructions in your email reminder to access the appropriate system for your beamline. For beam time after April 12 (startup after two-bunch mode), most users will be expected to use the new ESAF tool.
The ALS ESAF provides a modern, easy-to-use interface to collect details of samples, equipment, and participants involved in your experiments. In addition, it has a section with questions specific to the beamline, to collect more details of the types of experiments you plan to carry out at the beamline. The beamline-specific questions are intended to promote communication with the beamline staff so that both staff and users are able to plan the experiment.
The software has been tested by users on a small number of beamlines during February and March, and we have had good feedback. I invite you to log in to ALSHub and take a look at the ESAF. I also encourage you to ask questions and provide feedback.