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Standard Operating Procedures – General JRSO Shipboard Technical Staff

September 2018
As a member of the JRSO staff you represent the organization as part of the United States science support of IODP and Texas A&M University. This SOP outlines the expectations of JRSO staff sailing on the JOIDES Resolution.
Lab Officer (LO), Assistant Lab Officer (ALO)

I. PRE EXPEDITION

• Complete mandated training for sea going staff within required period; see your supervisor for detail.
• Complete your yearly work physical examination.
• Complete the travel form for your next expedition by the posted deadline and complete the Concur request.
• Have all necessary travel documents in your possession.
• Make sure that your passport does not expire for at least 6 months after your arrival at the end of the expedition. In addition, have at least two blank Visa pages in your passport.
• Attend any pre-cruise meetings, if available. Some meetings will include a remote broadcast for out-of-town participants.
• Assist in preparing for upcoming expedition, duties as assigned by shore-based supervisor(s).
• Learn about all instruments, measurement practices, operating principals, and software applications in your work assignment(s). This may include reading manuals, contacting vendors to attend instrumentation training classes, scheduling in-house training, and other process in order to complete this goal.
• You are expected to learn, understand, and perform all the tasks outlined in the SOP of your assigned task(s).

II. PORT CALL - Start of an Expedition

• Hotel:
  • Check into the official hotel at least one night before boarding the ship.
  • Know transportation schedule to the ship and be checked out of the hotel and ready to board the bus 15 minutes prior to departure.
  • Prior to boarding the ship, get your room and task assignments from the LO.
• Move on board:
  • Have your ID on and visible.
  • Sign in at the gangway security booth.
  • Find your room and bunk assignment, drop your luggage off in your room.
• Cross-over:
  • Go to your assigned work area(s) and begin crossover with the off-going technician(s).
  • Read the technical report from the previous expedition.
  • Discuss any status and any issues with equipment, procedures, or ship's infrastructure. Be prepared to discuss these issues with you supervisor and co-workers at the daily port call meetings.
  • Identify items in the incoming shipments that were ordered for repairs.
  • Identify needed shore purchases and bring this to the LO/ALO attention as soon as possible.
• Required portcall meeting attendance:
  • Cross-over meeting with IODP supervisors and off-going crew (first day of portcall).
  • Technical meeting with the LO (daily).
  • Science introductory meeting (also known as "Howdy-Duty" meeting, to be announced).
• Safety and Life-At-Sea training: If this is your first time onboard the JOIDES Resolution or it has more than one year since you participated on an expedition, you must attend the following meetings. These meetings are conducted on the first day the science party arrives onboard. In addition, you are required to sign an attendance roster indicating that you attended and understand the information given to you.
  • Shipboard safety meeting with the ship's captain and doctor.
  • IODP's safety awareness and life-at-sea.
  • IODP's Safety Tour.
• Safety Inspections:
  • Verify that IODP provided safety equipment (eyewash stations, showers, hoods, etc.) have been tested and the inspection cards updated.
  • Ensure that your work areas' safety supplies (first aid kit, spill control, etc.) are stocked and that expiration dates are not exceeded.
  • Make sure that shipboard safety equipment (fire extinguishers, escape hoods, etc.) are in their designated locations.
• Personal Protective Equipment: Locate your PPE, inspect for defects, and replace as necessary. Do not engage in any activity until properly outfitted!
• Logistic activities:
  • Assist with loading/unloading of cores, freight, and other tasks as directed by the LO/ALO.
  • Wear the appropriate PPE for the activity you are engaged with. You must wear steel-toed shoes, hardhat, and safety glasses when working on deck.
  • Unpack all oncoming freight and distribute them accordingly. Write the Expedition number on relevant supplies and rotate stock.
  • Verify that the contents match the packing slips and return the packing slips to the ALO. Notify the ALO, if you find any damaged items or if the description or quantity on packing slips, do not match the contents.
• Inventory control: Verify physical counts on inventory items in assigned lab/area. Bring to LO/ALO's immediate attention if any item is short on quantity.
• Prior to the ship's departure:
  • Ensure instruments in your lab are functioning properly.
  • Complete all calibrations, or any other preparations that must be done while the ship is in port and stationary. See your work assignment SOPs.
  • Secure all equipment and supplies for the expected sea states. The LO will inform you of the expected sea conditions.
  • Collect and remove all trash.
• The LO will announce when you can change to your assigned shift. Keep the ALO informed on how you will make this change.

III. DURING THE EXPEDITION

• Perform shipboard duties as assigned by the LO as priority over other projects.
• Inform the LO of all special projects or work assignments from your shore-based supervisor.
• Report to work 5 minutes prior to the shift change time to crossover with the off-going staff. You should be "ready to work" when you come on shift.
• Have breakfast prior to coming on shift and have dinner (supper) after shift ends once relieved by the oncoming staff. Lunch is the only meal eaten during the shift.
• Although break time onboard is scheduled at 3am, 9am, 3pm, and 9pm, due to our responsibilities, all staff are expected to adjust their break time according to "core-on-deck" schedules. A 15 minutes break time is reasonable. Note that when core flow is high enough, breaks may need to be cut short or taken when available.
• Be available for your entire 12 hours as assigned. You must respond to a call or a page. If you will be working in an area where no speaker or phone available, it is recommended that you notify ALO or your fellow staff with your whereabouts.
• Follow safety regulations at all times, including the use of appropriate PPE, and correct any unsafe practices. All staff are also expected to observe the scientists' behavior and if they are not following safety rules, either correct it or inform the LO.
• Learn and follow the inventory physical count and check out procedures. Maintaining accurate inventory quantities is critical to our operations.
• Keep labs/work spaces clean and organized. Observing Clean Lab Practice is the key to successful scientific analysis.
• Wearing headphones with music during shift is highly discouraged due to safety reasons. Ensure that you can always hear a phone call or page.
• Clean up, put away tools, and secure the power for all equipment in the Wood Shop.
• Appearance: Be clean (shower, laundry, wash hair regularly), tidy (appropriate clothing), and odor controlled (use deodorant, no perfume/cologne/essential oil)
• Professional conduct:
  • Phone manner: answer the phone stating your location and name
  • Email manner: Know your audience and use the appropriate style and level of formality.
  • Personal manner: Be proactive in helping scientists and fellow technicians, always answer questions with affirmative reply; if you don't know say, "I don't know, but I will find out". Speak clearly and politely.
  • If you find yourself dealing with a difficult scientist or co-worker, do not escalate the situation. Just politely walk away and bring it to the LO's attention.
• Observe house rules on the ship (see the Life-at-Sea PowerPoint)
  • Be quiet in the accommodation
  • Do not go back to room during shift
  • If Mess Hall is busy, leave the Mess Hall when finished eating
  • Treat fellow workers with respect (including SIEM, SOS, Entier crews)
• Constructive criticism – Learn how to give and how to receive
• Avoid gossiping, especially in public. Avoid criticizing instrumentation, tools, and program decisions in public. Ensure you are in the right venue and with the right people and attempt to have a constructive conversation. Attempt to maintain a positive work attitude throughout the expedition

IV. END OF EXPEDITION ACTIVITIES

• Refer to your work area SOP's for specific details
• Write a Tech Report(s) for your assigned lab(s); a deadline will be posted by the Lab Officer. The report should include the following:
  • Summary section: Without going into details, provide a brief description of the activities covered by this report. This is intended as an overview for management.
  • The following section(s) contains the details of what happened during the expedition and the format is report specific. You should discuss the following:
    • Issues from the previous expedition and if they were resolved (and how).
    • New issues and their status at the end of the expedition.
    • New or changed methods or documents. Do not put manuals in the reports, but indicate where on the servers they can be found.
  • Shipments and orders: Even if discussed in the above section(s).
    • List all special items received in portcall and their final disposition
    • List all non-inventory orders you made and their intended use.
    • If you have ordered items that, you want the other-crew to hold for you (special projects) then indicate that in the lists.
    • If you received items for the other crew, indicate where you have stored them.Do we need a style guide???
• Clean your assigned lab and assigned area following the cleaning instructions of the LO.
• Remove all trash to the incinerator.
• The LO will announce when (or if) you may change your shift for arriving in port. Keep the ALO informed on how you will make this change.
• Shore-based staff send return to work dates to the LO.

V. PORT CALL – Off Going

• Wear you ID.
• Have your bags packed and personal items remaining on the ship stored in your locker.
• Be a good hand! Clean the room as much as possible. Wipe down drawers and desk. The catering staff is very busy on crew change day and can use the help.
• Be ready to meet with custom and immigration officials and have all paperwork completed as necessary.
• Be prepared to handle freight as necessary. (Depends on the ship arrival time and the portcall schedule).
• Find the oncoming Technical Staff member for your lab and perform crossover. Make a copy of your tech report available (the corrected version from the LO) for crossover.
• Inform the on-coming staff about any changes made to the lab and/or lab procedures, ensure they are updated on the status of equipment, and are aware of any port purchases that might be necessary.
• Attend the Crossover meeting.
• Before departing the ship, check with the oncoming LO that the crossover has been completed.
• When departing the ship check out with the oncoming Publication Specialist and sign off at the ship's security booth.
• Check into the hotel appointed by IODP travel as soon as possible after departing the ship and remain checked in until released from official duty, which is based on departure time for the ideal "trip". You must remain reachable that first day, if only by leaving messages with the front desk, because it may be necessary to contact you to find out some key piece of information,
• Complete travel expense account.