NASA Procedures and Guidelines
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NPR 8715.1 Eff. Date: August 09, 1999 Cancellation Date:	NASA Occupational Safety and Health Programs w/Change 3 (02/13/06)
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CHAPTER 1. General

1.1 Scope

1.1.1 The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended (the Act), 29 U.S.C. 651 et.seq., became effective April 28, 1971. The Act requires the development and enforcement of standards to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for employees in the private sector and contains provisions applying to Federal agencies and their employees. Section 19 of the Act requires Federal agencies to have a comprehensive occupational safety and health program consistent with the standards authorized by Section 6 of the Act, except where the Secretary of Labor (the Secretary) approves compliance with alternative standards. When an agency head determines it necessary to apply a different standard, that agency head shall, after consultation with appropriate occupational safety and health committees where established, notify the Secretary and provide justification that equivalent or greater protection will be assured by the alternate standard (Requirement 22081).

1.1.2 Executive Order (E.O.) 12196 was promulgated on February 26, 1980. It directs Federal agencies to implement effective occupational safety and health programs, provides for the evaluation of Federal agency programs by the Department of Labor (DOL), and provides for the transmittal of these evaluations to the President. It also authorizes DOL to issue program guidelines to assist Federal agencies in establishing and operating their programs with sufficient flexibility consistent with their respective mission, size, and organization.

1.1.3 Basic elements for Federal employee occupational safety and health programs are published in 29 CFR Part 1960. Federal agencies are required to observe these program guidelines (Requirement 22083).

1.1.4 The purpose of this NPR is to provide details necessary to implement occupational safety and health regulations found in 29 CFR Part 1960.

1.1.5 It is NASA policy to instill an awareness of the need for safety, health, and resource conservation in all NASA employees and require NASA contractors to emphasize safety, health, and resource conservation to their employees (Requirement 59670).

1.2 Definitions and Terms

The following definitions and terms apply to this document:

1.2.1 "Contracting Officer" is a person with the authority to enter into, administer, and/or terminate contracts and make related determinations and findings.

1.2.2. "The Designated Agency Safety and Health Official" (DASHO) is the individual who is responsible for the management of the safety and health program within an agency, and is so designated or appointed by the head of the agency pursuant to 29 CFR 1960.6 and the provisions of E.O. 12196. The NASA DASHO is the Chief Health and Medical Officer.

1.2.3 "Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Official" is an investigator, evaluator, or compliance officer employed by, assigned to, or under contract to OSHA.

1.2.4 "Imminent Danger" means any conduct or operations in any workplace which are such that a danger exists which would reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm immediately or before the imminence of such danger can be eliminated through normal procedures.

1.2.5 "Inspection" means a comprehensive survey of all or part of a workplace by qualified personnel in order to detect safety and/or health hazards. Inspections are normally performed during the regular work hours of the Agency, except as special circumstances may require. Inspections do not include routine workplace surveillance of occupational health conditions.

1.2.6 "NASA Employees" are Federal civil servants employed and paid by NASA, or on detail from other Federal agencies.

1.2.7 "Recordable Occupational Injuries or Illnesses," - See NPR 8621.1 for definitions and policies relating to NASA mishap and close call reporting, investigating, and recordkeeping.

1.2.8 "Safety and Health Inspector" means a safety and/or occupational health specialist or other trained person authorized to carry out inspections with the equipment and competence to recognize safety and/or health hazards in the workplace.

1.2.9 In addition to the 29 CFR 1960.2 series of qualified Safety and Health Specialists, NASA has determined that a person or persons meeting the Office of Personnel Management standards for the following occupations are also qualified health specialists:

1.2.9.1 General Health Scientist GS-601

1.2.9.2 Physician`s Assistant GS-603

1.2.9.3 Sanitarian GS-688

1.2.10 "Serious" as used in "serious hazard," "serious violation," or "serious condition" means a hazard, violation, or condition such that there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result.

1.2.11 "NASA Standards for Occupational Safety and Health" or standards adopted by NASA (in accordance with NPD 8070.6, "Technical Standards") prescribe conditions and methods necessary to provide a safe and healthful working environment. These standards are either developed internally by NASA or adopted from other sources.

1.2.12 "State OSHA Official" is an investigator or compliance officer employed by a state which has an OSHA-approved occupational safety and health plan.

1.2.13 "Supervisor in Charge of the Establishment" (workplace) as used in Chapter 4 of this NPR means the building manager, building operator, facility manager, facility operations manager facility engineering head, or other designated official who normally initiates requests for repairs or maintenance for a particular building, facility, or area within a facility.

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