Standard Operating Procedure - Assistant Lab Officer (ALO)
Feb 2018
I. PORT CALL— Start of an Expedition
- Go to Lab Officer's (LO) Office and begin crossover with the off-going ALOs. Read the ALO report from the previous leg and discuss any changes in equipment status or procedures.
- Conduct a thorough walk through of the lab stack with the off going ALOs. Identify all the off-going shipments, including "cold" and "special" shipments.
- Obtain both off-going and on-coming shipping papers; familiarize yourself with the content in order to coordinate the shipment distribution accordingly. Also ensure the shipping paperwork is correct.
- Consult the logistics coordinator about shipment status.
- Conduct a brief freight handling safety orientation with new technician(s), and ensure all Marine Laboratory Specialists (MLSs) follow safety regulations (wear steel-toed shoes, hardhat, gloves, and safety glasses).
- Coordinate off-load/on-load shipment with MLSs. Assign a MLS to oversee the dockside of oncoming and off going.
- Coordinate on-coming shipment distribution. Cross-check packing lists with shipping papers to verify all supplies received. There are AMS reports designed for this purpose.
- Notify LO and Marine Logistics Coordinator (MLC) regarding any mistakes, missing freight, and/or shortage of lab supplies.
- Consult all technical staff and assist them in verifying physical counts on priority #1 inventory items in their assigned lab/area. Bring to LO and MLC's immediate attention if any item is short on quantity.
- Toward the end of portcall (during transit) once all shipments received and sent are verified, "receive" all oncoming shipment and "send" off going shipment in AMS.
- Coordinate with the Expedition Project Manager for safety tours and Life at Sea presentations.
II. SITE PREPARATION (Prior to arrival on site and core on deck)
- Conduct physical counts on critical items, Priority #1.
- Conduct Physical Counts on all bulky items like d-tubes, boxes, and curation supplies prior to any Surface Freights leaving IODP for future expeditions.
- Ensure all labs are fully prepared with supplies and working instruments for receiving cores and samples.
- Update the shipboard inventory database, including port purchases. Update all Check Out sheets onboard.
- Ensure a thorough lab safety orientation is provided for the new technician(s). Train new technicians on proper catwalk and core handling procedures.
- Find out from curator about sampling plan, especially any catwalk samples.
III. ON SITE ACTIVITIES
¿Act as corelab supervisor to direct processing of core through the corelab. Assign duties as necessary.
- Act as backup for Shipboard Curator, assuring that policy and procedures for core handling, section data entry, and sampling are followed.
¿Perform core- and sample-processing duties.
IV. DURING THE CRUISE
- Assist the LO as a safety officer.
- Assist the Science Party with sampling and data gathering as necessary. Act as a liaison between the Science Party and lab technicians if necessary.
- Assist in establishing and enforcing procedures for effective and safe operation of shipboard labs.
- Train and mentor staff.
- Maintain a log of personnel performance in the event that input is requested by the LO or shore-based supervisors.
- Maintain the shipboard inventory database "AMS"; update database (Checkout Sheet) every 7-14 days or as needed. Update Checkout Sheets about 10 days prior to when shipments leave IODP (College Station) for the ship.
- Reviewing the requirements for laboratory supplies with lab personnel for future cruises, ensuring the requisitions are produced to meet the scientific requirements.
- Notify Supervisor of Science Operations and shore-based Logistics Coordinator(s) for estimated supplies shortage.
- Access resource of the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Hard copy of MSDS is no longer maintained in shipboard files, it's available on-line.
- Assist in monitoring radioactive material including radiation badges, if require, for lab personnel.
- Assist in lab development projects and upgrading instruments. May assemble, troubleshoot, and repair instruments in shipboard labs.
- Run the IODP Ship Store (see SOP for Ship Store).
- Verify shipping addresses for scientists and technical staff. Curator can provide the list of scientists and addresses.
- Coordinate with the curator for sample shipments. Inform the Marine Logistics Coordinator of any frozen and/or refrigerated shipments.
V. END OF LEG ACTIVITIES
- Prepare accurate shipping documents for off-going freight, including cores, samples, lab supplies, gas bottles, safety gear, instruments, lab and engineering equipment, logging tools, and all others.
- Work with curator(s) on cold and other special sample shipments, and produce correct shipping documents. For World Courier shipments, produce Commercial Invoice and work with the Logistics Coordinator to insure correct information is provided.
- Responsible for properly packaging and labeling all off-going shipments.
- Properly prepare the US custom form for US personnel sending unaccompanied personal belongings. A personal box is only allowed for permanent departing staff. A personal box is no longer supported for all staff and scientists.
- Organize and clean the supply stores and perform other cleaning duties as assigned.
- The LO may ask for contributions to performance notes and/or to write performance notes for shipboard staff.
VI. PORT CALL—OFF GOING
- Produce off-going shipment paperwork for logistics coordinator when arriving at port of call. Generally, shipping papers are due to the Logistics Coordinator three days before arrival into Port.
- Produce a summarized shipment location for oncoming ALOs, including "cold" shipment.
- Find the oncoming ALO(s) and cross over. Make sure the oncoming ALO(s) are aware of any changes made to the lab, procedures, current equipment status, and if port purchases are necessary. Conduct a thorough walk through the lab stack for and shipment location.
VII. SHORE DUTIES
- Assist Supervisor of Technical Support with any projects, assignments.
- Assist the Business Coordinator with the purchase of shipboard supplies on Shopping List or Ship Requisitions.
- Specify and purchase lab equipment as necessary.
- Coordinate with EPMs on expedition preparation and purchase any special supplies. Attending EPM meetings is recommended.
- Participate in Lab Working Groups as assigned.
- Participate on project teams as assigned.
- Attend Supervisor's Meetings.
- Coordinate the shipping of IODP Ship Store items to the ship.
- Coordinate the shipping of Personal Boxes for staff to the ship including entering information into AMS including Export Control Information.
- Complete required training including Dangerous Goods Shipping training.