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Asked by markus15 to Joel, Kristian, Tim, Venus, Zachary on 8 Nov 2013.
Question: Are there any dangers in your work?
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Kristian Harder answered on 8 Nov 2013:
Yes, but nothing to worry about. We work with high voltage, with radiation, with heavy equipments and massive cranes, with hazardous gases, with extreme cold, very high power, flammable equipment. But it’s ok, when working in the accelerator tunnel, we just wear a helmet, have a breathing apparatus for gas leaks, safety shoes, gloves, radiation monitors, electrical interlocks and much more, and thus we end up with something that’s less dangerous than driving a car. It’s all a question of training, and of the right equipment!
Oh, and before I accidentally give the impression that particle physics is something very dangerous: none of the above poses any risk to the general public. For example, it is impossible to get runaway reactions such as when a nuclear reactor goes wrong. The worst thing that can happen with a particle accelerator is that it stops working. 🙂
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Venus Keus answered on 10 Nov 2013:
Not much for a theorist. You just need to remember sitting in front of your desk all day is not good for your posture and you might get sore and stiff after a while.
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Zachary Williamson answered on 10 Nov 2013:
My experiment doesn’t contain any radioactive materials so it’s a pretty safe place. Besides, I spend most of my time in an office at my university so there are no great threats I can think of.
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Joel Goldstein answered on 11 Nov 2013:
Yes, but most of these are similar to those for people in lots of other jobs – working with machinery or electricity, lifting heavy objects and so on. There are a few specialist issues to deal with as well like dealing with radiation and very cold liquids, but safety is a high priority and we are all trained to minimise any risks.
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