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NASA
Procedural
Requirements

NPR 8715.1B
Effective Date: February 01, 2021
Expiration Date: February 01, 2026

COMPLIANCE IS MANDATORY FOR NASA EMPLOYEES

Subject: NASA Safety and Health Programs

Responsible Office: Office of Safety and Mission Assurance

Chapter 2. Roles and Responsibilities

2.1 NASA Administrator

The NASA Administrator is responsible for the implementation of an effective and comprehensive safety and health management system consistent with the standards promulgated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. § 655 and the Basic Program Elements for Federal Employee Occupational Safety and Health Programs and Related Matters, 29 CFR pt. 1960. The Administrator designated (in NPD 1000.3, The NASA Organization) the Chief Health and Medical Officer (CHMO) as the Designated Agency Safety and Health Official (DASHO) for the Agency. The DASHO in conjunction with the Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance is responsible for managing the Agency occupational safety and health management system for the Administrator.

2.2 Chief Health and Medical Officer

The Chief Health and Medical Officer, serving as the DASHO, establishes and oversees implementation of the health portion of the safety and health management policies required by 29 CFR § 1960.1. The Agency health management policy and program are defined in NPD 1800.2, NASA Occupational Health Program and NPR 1800.1, NASA Occupational Health Program Procedures.

2.3 Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance

The Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) establishes and oversees implementation of the safety portion of the safety and health management policy required by 29 CFR § 1960.1 and the safety programs and requirements delineated in this NPR. The Agency safety management policy and program are defined in NPD 8700.1, NASA Policy for Safety and Mission Success, and this NPR.

2.4 Center Directors

2.4.1 Center Directors are responsible and accountable for the safety and health aspects of all activities assigned to their Center. Institutional Safety Authority at a Center originates with the Center Director.

Note: Elements of the Center's safety and health programs may reside in different organizations and may be funded or managed either locally at the Center or centrally by the Agency. Regardless of the organizational structure, the Center Director's responsibility for the safety and health of their workforce and for the impact of hazards the Center controls remains undiminished.

2.4.2 Each Center Director is responsible for protecting the workforce and the public from hazards created or controlled by the Center regardless of location.

2.4.3 Each Center Director is responsible for the safety and health of all NASA civil service employees assigned to their Center and for protecting them from all hazards regardless of location while performing official NASA duties.

2.4.4 Each Center Director is responsible, when entering into contracts and agreements, for ensuring they maintain the ability to fulfill their responsibilities in 2.4.2 and 2.4.3.

Note: If the Center enters into an out-grant with another party, in which the other party maintains exclusive use and control over that real property, the Center is not responsible for the risks to the other party's workforce arising from hazards the other party creates or controls, unless otherwise specified in the out-grant. The Center remains responsible for protecting the NASA workforce from all hazards, including those created or controlled by the party of the out-grant, and responsible for the impact that hazards NASA creates or controls may have on the party of the out-grant.

2.4.5 Each Center Director is responsible for Center implementation of Agency institutional safety policies and statutory and regulatory requirements.

2.4.6 Each Center Director is responsible for prohibiting or stopping any activity or operation for which the Center cannot provide adequate safety or emergency response.

2.4.7 Center Directors may accept risk to the public, the workforce, or property as long as relief from Agency-level requirements is obtained in accordance with Chapter 3 of this directive.

2.4.8 Center Directors implicitly accept the risks associated with the current state of the Center, including from decisions and relief from requirements made by subordinates and by predecessors. Center Directors should thus be aware of and periodically review all past requests for relief that are still applicable.

2.4.9 Each Center Director is responsible for reporting annually on the state of the safety and health of their Center and of their safety and health programs to the Chief, SMA and the CHMO.

2.4.10 Each Center Director is responsible for designating qualified civil servants as Center Institutional Safety Discipline Leads to manage safety policies and programs in specific discipline areas and to oversee their implementation.

2.4.11 Each Center Director is responsible for designating qualified civil servants as Environmental Health Manager, Laser Safety Officer (LSO), and Radiation Safety Officer (RSO). The roles and responsibilities of the LSO and RSO are addressed in NPR 1800.1, NASA Occupational Health Program Procedures, and are overseen by the CHMO.

2.5 Center Safety and Mission Assurance Director

2.5.1 The Center SMA Director assists the Center Director in managing Center institutional safety policies and programs in compliance with Agency policy and statutory and regulatory requirements.

2.5.2 The Center SMA Director provides a clear picture of the full risk posture of the Center relative to the safety and health requirements.

2.6 Center Institutional Safety Discipline Leads

2.6.1 Center Institutional Safety Discipline Leads are inherently governmental functions and may only be performed by civil servants. They may be supported by contractors. Required Center Institutional Safety Discipline Leads are:

a. Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for Fire Protection and Life Safety,

b. Center Range Flight Safety Lead (CRFSL),

c. Explosives Safety Officer (ESO),

d. Fall Protection Program Administrator (FPPA),

e. Safety Manager,

f. Lifting Devices and Equipment Manager (LDEM), and

g. Pressure Systems Manager (PSM).

2.6.2 Center Directors may designate additional Institutional Safety Discipline Leads not defined in this document according to their needs.

2.6.3 Responsibilities of the Center Institutional Safety Discipline Leads vary depending on their discipline areas. Specific roles and responsibilities for Center Institutional Safety Discipline Leads are documented in chapters 4 through 12 and other NPRs as cited above. Responsibilities common to all discipline areas are:

a. Oversee Center activities to ensure they are safe and conform to Agency, Center, and regulatory policy and requirements; authorize equipment, materials, installations, and procedures for use; specify personnel competence and qualifications; and define additional requirements and standards necessary to maintain safety.

b. Prohibit or stop any work or activity that presents an imminent hazard to the life or limb of personnel.

c. Stop any work that requires prior approval by an Institutional Safety Discipline Lead that has not obtained that approval.

d. Collaborate with programs, projects, and procurement officials on how best to implement prescribed requirements and achieve program and project goals in accordance with all statutory and regulatory responsibilities.

e. Evaluate the technical basis of requests for relief from requirements and provide a recommendation to the approving authority.

f. Notify the Center SMA Director of any unsafe conditions, work stoppages, policy and requirements violations, and other events and conditions that may increase the risk to the public, workforce, or property.

g. Periodically inform the Center SMA Director of the state of the safety program they lead at their Center and risks to the satisfactory implementation of program requirements.

h. In coordination with the Center SMA Director, inform the Chief, SMA and CHMO of any unsafe conditions, work stoppages, policy and requirements violations, and other events and conditions that may significantly increase the risk to the health of the public and workforce.

2.6.4 Designated Center Institutional Safety Discipline Leads may only authorize activities within their discipline and domain. The Center Institutional Safety Discipline Leads cannot authorize activities that increase risk to the public, the workforce, or property beyond what is allowed by applicable standards, or beyond what has been accepted in accordance with Chapter 3.

2.7 Program and Project Personnel

2.7.1 Mission Directorate Associate Administrators are responsible for ensuring project managers work with the appropriate Center personnel to implement the requirements of this NPR.

2.7.2 Project managers are responsible for working with the appropriate Center personnel to implement the requirements of this NPR.

2.7.3 Chief Safety Officers are responsible for assisting project managers meet the requirements of this NPR. To enable this, they need to be aware of the requirements in this NPR and who to contact for assistance in meeting its requirements.

2.8 Procurement Officials

2.8.1 Associate Administrator for the Office of Procurement is responsible for ensuring Center and Agency procurement processes, including P-card and simplified acquisition processes, include the appropriate steps to enable meeting the requirements of this NPR and applicable standards incorporated by reference herein.

2.8.2 Procurement officials and P-card holders are responsible for:

a. Including in contracts, acquisitions, and P-card purchases the requirements of this NPR and applicable standards incorporated by reference herein.

b. Ensuring the appropriate Institutional Safety Discipline Leads are included in the procurement process or review of P-card purchases prior to being initiated so that they can conduct appropriate reviews and provide advice as required.