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Project Summary: Cryogen Safety at Berkeley Lab

Cryogenic Safety at the Lab is a scenario-based training following the CCAF (Context, Challenge, Action, Feedback) structure to teach lab scientists the hazards, controls, and best practices of working with cryogenic liquids.

Roles

  • Instructional designer
  • Videographer
  • Photographer
  • Articulate Storyline developer

Performance Gap

The existing cryogen safety course was largely informational and slide-based and did not reflect actual working conditions at the Lab and satellite institutions such as JBEI.

In addition, there have been reportable incidents at the Lab where researchers have harmed themselves when working with cryogenic liquid.

Solution

Stakeholders determined to redesign the cryogen safety course to better reflect the working conditions at the Lab. I visited cryogen fill stations and recreated real-world scenarios that reflect what researchers are likely to experience. I also employed lab managers to demonstrate safety practices which I filmed and embedded into the course.

Design Highlights

  • Employed CCAF framework of instructional design
  • Recreated real-world scenarios with which the learner can relate
  • Designed branched activities to teach hazards, controls, and best practices
  • Employed second-level questioning to encourage learners to expand on their response thereby demonstrating deeper understanding
  • Recorded lab scientists who demonstrated best practices to expand on principles learned in the course

Click through the sample images below.

Designed a real-world scenario for teaching about the hazards of working with cryogenic liquids and the controls required to safely work with them.
Designed a real-world scenario for teaching about the hazards of working with cryogenic liquids and the controls required to safely work with them.
Demonstrated specific hazards, such as oxygen displacement, by incorporating safety practices into the scenario.
Demonstrated specific hazards, such as oxygen displacement, by incorporating safety practices into the scenario.
Employed second-level questioning to encourage the learner to justify their answers based on their understanding of cryogen hazards.
Employed second-level questioning to encourage the learner to justify their answers based on their understanding of cryogen hazards.
Created a PPE activity based on a scenario that a researcher would encounter at JBEI.
Created a PPE activity based on a scenario that a researcher would encounter at JBEI.
The top-level PPE activity branches into micro-activities that explore specific PPE such as cryogenic glove inspection and donning procedures.
The top-level PPE activity branches into micro-activities that explore specific PPE such as cryogenic glove inspection and donning procedures.
At every micro-activity, the learner will make a judgement or take action.
At every micro-activity, the learner will make a judgement or take action.
Embedded video demonstrations optimally illustrate safety measures when working with cryogens, such as glove inspections.
Embedded video demonstrations optimally illustrate safety measures when working with cryogens, such as glove inspections.
Once all controls are in place and the researcher has donned the correct PPE, embedded video demonstrates the process of filling a small Dewar .
Once all controls are in place and the researcher has donned the correct PPE, embedded video demonstrates the process of filling a small Dewar .

Excerpt from Training

Click through the training excerpt for a closer view. Note that the environment reflects an actual cryogen fill station at the lab.