General Services And Safety Section (GESS)
Mission
The purpose of the General Services and Safety (GESS) Section is to support the Agency's Seibersdorf Laboratories in all technical matters related to the operation of the site as well as in the implementation of the IAEA's Programmes/Projects. Additionally, in consideration of the distance separating the Laboratories from Vienna, GESS also provides administrative, logistic and transport services.
Main tasks:
- Ensures, via its Maintenance Unit, the ongoing operation of the whole site with its 15,000 m2 buildings and technical infrastructures (laboratories, technical areas and offices) as well as their upgrade according to programmatic needs, Headquarters' recommendations and local safety regulations;
- Operates a Mechanical Workshop which designs and manufactures devices necessary for the implementation of Agency projects and actively participates in field mission on behalf of the IAEA Department of Safeguards;
- Co-ordinates, monitors and maintains records of all Radioactive, Fissile and Toxic Material as well as of Waste movements and shipments;
- Provides infrastructure and operational support in Information and Communication Technologies;
- Operates a local Library in close co-operation with the main IAEA Library;
- Monitors the implementation of the security and industrial safety measures in force t the laboratory site and updates them by periodically consulting with the relevant Austrian and Agency experts;
- Co-ordinates with the relevant Headquarters offices some general purpose local support and logistics services dealing with budget and financial matters, procurement, communication, office automation, information technology, security, medical, catering, transportation and reception.
Organizational and Operational Links:
The Head of the General Services and Safety Section reports to the Director of the Laboratories. The Section serves all technical sectors of the Laboratories while interacting with other Agency Departments/Divisions (Technical and Engineering-, Staff Administration-, Administrative Support-, Procurement Services-, Medical Service-, Budget and Control-, Computer Services- and IAEA Library) as well as with external authorities and counterparts (various Austrian ministries, experts and companies involved in construction, security and safety matters).
Staffing:
The GESS Section presently has 28 staff members distributed as follows:
Section Head: 1
Maintenance: 12 (plus 8 outsourced workers)
Mechanical Workshop: 5
Procurement and other Logistics services: 3
Information and Communication Technology services: 2
Radioactive and Toxic Material as well as Waste Management: 2
Training Support: 1
Library: 1
Reception: 1
Recently Built Facilities:
Since 1995 five new facilities (Clean Laboratory, Entomology Extension, Multi-Service Building, Second Electrical/Transformation Plant, Training Reference Centre for Food and Pesticide Control), as well as a number of smaller extensions, altogether amounting to about 3,300 m2, were constructed under GESS' co-ordination.