NASA Procedural Requirements

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

Subject: NASA Safety and Health Programs

Responsible Office: Office of Safety and Mission Assurance

Chapter 4. NASA's Safety and Health Management Program

This section describes the framework the Agency's Safety and Health Management Program is based on and the requirements to establish that framework. This section is organized according to the seven core safety and health management system elements described in OSHA 3885, Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs: management leadership, worker participation, hazard identification and assessment, hazard prevention and control, education and training, program evaluation and improvement, and communication and coordination on joint employer and multiemployer worksites.

Note: The scope and frequency of Agency led audits may be reduced for Centers with a recognized safety and health management program regularly evaluated by a third party such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and that report regularly to the DASHO and Chief, SMA including findings of self-audits. Once a Center is recognized for reduced agency audits, it will be documented and reviewed for continued applicability every three years.

4.1 Center Safety and Health Management Program

4.1.1 Each Center shall document and implement an effective and comprehensive safety and health management program for their Center to protect the public, workers, and property consistent with Agency safety and health management policy and requirements.

4.1.2 Each Center shall actively promote a strong safety culture. This is accomplished through actions such as reporting safety concerns and incidents, participating in safety and health awareness activities, engaging in safe behaviors, and sharing relevant lessons to improve mission success and safety. Additional information regarding NASA's Safety Culture is available in NASA-HDBK-8709.24.

4.1.3 The Center Director shall appoint in writing a Safety Manager who is the Institutional Safety Discipline Lead with the technical knowledge and experience to lead and implement the Center's safety management program.

4.1.4 The Center Director shall appoint in writing an Environmental Health Manager with the technical knowledge and experience to implement the Center's environmental health management program.

4.1.5 The Center Director shall ensure the Center's organizational structure and funding provides the Safety Manager and Environmental Health Manager sufficient authority, responsibility, and resources (e.g., safety and health staff, equipment, materials, and training) to implement an effective safety and health program.

4.2 Referenced Standards

4.2.1 The Safety Manager and Environmental Health Manager shall assist the Center Director in establishing and maintaining a safety and health management program for the Center (see 29 CFR §1960.6(b)). The following recognized safety and health program frameworks are frequently used:

a. OSHA 3885, Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs, https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/

b. CSP 03-02-003, Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP): Policies and Procedures Manual (2008),

c. 54 FR 3904-39, OSHA Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines (1989),

d. ANSI/ASSP Z10, Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems,

e. ILO-OSH 2001, Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems,

f. OHSAS 18001, Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series,

g. ISO 45001:2018, Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems -- Requirements with Guidance for Use, and

h. National Safety Council's (NSC's) Journey to Safety Excellence.

4.3 Safety and Health Management Program Elements

4.3.1 Management Leadership

4.3.1.1 Center management demonstrates a commitment to safety and health by providing the leadership, vision, and resources needed to implement an effective safety and health management program.

4.3.1.2 Center senior management shall establish safety and health goals and objectives directed toward continuous program improvement.

4.3.1.3 Managers at all levels shall take actions to create a positive safety culture, communicate to employees the importance of safety and health, encourage employee participation in the safety and health management program, and ensure employees comply with all safety and health requirements.

4.3.2 Worker Participation

4.3.2.1 Each Center shall enable workforce participation in the safety and health management program by providing them:

a. Opportunities to participate in all aspects the safety and health management program.

b. The necessary time and resources to participate in the program.

c. Access to the safety and health information needed to understand hazards and control measures in the workplace.

d. An environment that encourages employees to communicate freely and easily about safety and health issues without fear of retaliation.

e. A process to report hazards and other safety and health concerns that also provides feedback to employees who submit hazards or concerns.

Note: This includes providing workers access to the NASA Safety Reporting System (NSRS, https://sma.nasa.gov/sma-disciplines/nsrs) and awareness that any worker has the right to report a safety or health concern to OSHA)

4.3.2.2 Each Center shall acknowledge and provide positive reinforcement to those who participate in the safety and health management program and provide positive recognition for meeting or exceeding safety and health goals (e.g., reporting close calls and near misses, attending training, conducting inspections).

4.3.2.3 Each Center shall empower the workforce to initiate or request a temporary suspension or shutdown of any work activity or operation they believe to be an imminent hazard to the life or limb of personnel.

4.3.3 Hazard Identification and Assessment

4.3.3.1 Each Center shall conduct hazards analysis of new and changes to existing facilities, equipment, and operations to identify hazards.

Note: The complexity, attributes of the new item/change, and risk to personnel/equipment should be considered when determining the appropriate hazard analysis to perform.

4.3.3.2 Each Center shall conduct annual safety and health inspections to identify hazards; evaluate existing control measures; and verify that work practices, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment use policies are being followed.

4.3.3.3 Each Center shall implement a process to assess, characterize, document, and communicate identified hazards.

4.3.3.4 Each Center shall notify the supervisor in charge of the work area within 15 days of identification of any hazard and within 30 days for health violations.

4.3.4 Hazard Prevention and Control

4.3.4.1 Each Center shall prevent and control identified hazards to protect the public and workforce from injury and illness and to provide the workforce with safe and healthful working conditions. The Center should implement the most effective and feasible controls based on the hierarchy of controls (see figure 4-1).

4.3.4.2 For operations involving common industry hazards (e.g., lock-out/tag-out and working on or near exposed energized parts) with a high potential to result in loss of life, serious injury or illness to personnel, or substantial damage to systems, equipment, or facilities, each Center shall document procedures that meet the requirements of 13.8.3.

Figure 4-1. Hierarchy of Controls. Source NIOSH.

4.3.4.3 For operations and tests involving unique hazardous phenomena associated with complex NASA activities, each Center shall meet the requirements of 13.8.

4.3.4.4 Each Center shall implement a closed-loop process to ensure identified hazards are controlled to an acceptable level.

4.3.4.5 For hazards with a high potential to result in loss of life, serious injury or illness to personnel, the Center shall:

a. Immediately eliminate the hazard or use interim controls while it develops and implements longer-term solutions.

b. Develop and update a hazard control plan (e.g., NF 1584, Safety and Health Hazard Abatement Plan) describing how the selected controls will be implemented.

c. Track progress toward completing the control plan and periodically verify that interim controls remain effective.

4.3.5 Education and Training

4.3.5.1 Each Center shall establish and maintain a safety training and certification program to implement Federal regulations and NASA requirements to ensure workers are trained and medically able to safely perform their jobs and identify and control hazards associated with their tasks.

4.3.5.2 Each Center shall train all managers and supervisors on their roles and responsibilities for ensuring employee safety and health and developing a positive safety culture.

4.3.5.3 Each Center shall ensure employees are aware of the Center's safety and health management program and their roles and responsibilities for ensuring safety and health.

4.3.6 Program Evaluation and Improvement

4.3.6.1 Each Center shall verify the safety and health management program is implemented to achieve its goals through monitoring the appropriate performance measures.

4.3.6.2 Each Center shall conduct an annual assessment to identify improvements and required adjustments to ensure the effectiveness of the safety and health management program and achievement of program goals.

4.3.6.3 The Center shall provide the necessary information to support the annual OSHA report. OSMA will provide the list of the necessary information to the Centers following OSHA's request to the Agency.

4.3.7 Contractor Management

4.3.7.1 Center Directors and project managers shall ensure that NASA contracts are written to appropriately incorporate the requirements of this NPR based on the hazards associated with the work being performing.

4.3.7.2 Center Directors and project managers shall ensure that contractors are required to submit a safety and health plan that defines how the Contractor will meet the safety and health requirements of the contract.

4.3.7.2.1 Safety and health plans shall be reviewed and approved by the Center SMA organization.

4.3.7.2.2 The Center SMA organizations shall ensure the appropriate Institutional Safety Discipline Leads review the safety and health plan prior to approval.

Note: The hazardous nature and complexity of the contract work should be used to determine the involvement of the SMA organization in the review of the safety and health plan prior to contract award.

4.3.7.3 Center Directors and project managers shall hold contractors accountable for the safety of their employees, their services, their products, and for complying with NASA and Center safety requirements.

4.3.8 Multiemployer Worksites

NASA Centers and facilities are multi-employer worksites (civil servants, NASA contractors, and tenants). For this reason, communication and coordination between NASA and all on-site workers are critical for maintaining safety and health.

4.3.9 Multiemployer Worksites - NASA controlled worksites

4.3.9.1 Each Center shall make all workers on the site aware of all worksite hazards whether controlled by NASA or a tenant and the methods and procedures needed to control exposures to them.

Note: In this context, worksite hazards are those hazards with the potential of impacting the workforce not directly involved in the activity or operation. Some examples of potential workplace hazards are loading a toxic propellant on a spacecraft, leak of nitrogen gas into an occupied space, and the potential exposure to asbestos while performing maintenance/ construction.

4.3.9.2 Each Center shall coordinate and exchange information with contractors and tenants about NASA controlled hazards present in the workplace and the measures implemented to prevent or control such hazards.

4.3.9.3 Each Center shall ensure contracts and agreements include any necessary provisions to ensure hazards in a non-NASA controlled worksite that can impact NASA controlled worksites are properly identified, controlled, and communicated to the workforce.

4.3.9.4 Mishaps involving NASA personnel, property, or contracted activities shall be reported and investigated in accordance with NPR 8621.1.

Note: Mishaps involving NASA property that has been leased to a second party that does not effected NASA personnel or operations can be investigated in accordance with the lease agreement provided the agreement includes a clause that the property must be returned to its original state at the end of the lease.

4.3.10 Multiemployer Worksites - Worksites not under NASA control.

4.3.10.1 Center employees who work at non-Center workplaces are covered by their Center's safety and health management program. Even when a Center does not have the authority to require abatement of hazardous conditions in a non-Center workplace, the Center Director is and remains responsible for assuring the safe and healthful working conditions for his or her employees.

4.3.10.2 Each Center Director, to assure the safe and healthful working conditions of employees at non-Center controlled facilities, shall assess the nature and extent of hazardous activities, implement administrative controls for employees, and provide protective equipment or controls as appropriate.

4.3.10.3 In the event insufficient precautions are identified at a non-NASA worksite, strategies will be developed with the host organization to reduce the risk to the NASA personnel or they may withdraw from the non-Center controlled facility.

4.3.10.4 Each Center Director shall ensure contracts and agreements facilitate and do not constrain the Center Director's ability to fulfill their responsibility for safety and health. Contracts and agreements should include any necessary provisions to ensure conformity with NASA's mission and with protecting the workforce. Common provisions include sharing of safety and health information, safety and health plans, audits and inspections, and mishap investigations.

Note: NASA FAR Supplement, NPR 8800.15, Real Estate Management Program, NAII 1050-1, Space Act Agreements Guide, NASA Real Estate Desktop Guide, and NASA Desk Guide for Enhanced Use Leasing of Real Property provide good guidance and background for ensuring contracts and agreements facilitate and do not constrain the Center Director's ability to fulfill their responsibility for safety and health.

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