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 6. Explosive, Propellant, and Pyrotechnic Safety

6.1 Explosives, Propellants, and Pyrotechnics Safety Program

Each Center shall document and implement a Center Explosives, Propellants, and Pyrotechnics Safety Program to prevent loss of life, injury, and loss of and damage to facilities and equipment. The program ensures operations are conducted in a manner that exposes the minimum number of people to the minimum quantity of explosives for the minimum period of time.

6.2 Institutional Safety Discipline Lead Designation - Explosives Safety Officer

6.2.1 The Center Director shall appoint in writing a qualified person as the Explosives Safety Officer (ESO) who is the Institutional Safety Discipline Lead for explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics operations at their Center or Component Facility.

6.2.2 The ESO is responsible for ensuring the Center meets the requirements in this chapter in addition to the responsibilities outlined in 2.6.3.

6.3 Referenced Standards

Each Center shall provide uniform engineering and technical requirements for processes, procedures, practices, and methods for safely handling and storing explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics to protect personnel and property from the hazards of explosives and energetic materials, in accordance with NASA-STD-8719.12, Safety Standard for Explosives, Propellants, and Pyrotechnics.

6.4 Explosives, Propellants, and Pyrotechnics Unique Requirements

The ESO shall review all contracts and agreements associated with explosive, propellant, and pyrotechnic operations.

Note: If the ESO represents NASA as a tenant organization, the ESO assures compliance with the host requirements through formal negotiations and documentation of those contracts and agreements. If the ESO represents NASA as the Host, the ESO assures compliance with all appropriate elements of this NPR. In all cases, the ESO assures that contracts and agreements are formalized to maximize the health and safety of NASA employees and facilities.

6.5 Explosives Safety Officer Qualifications

6.5.1 The ESO shall have all of the following qualifications:

a. Leadership and managerial experience at a proven level commensurate with the expectations of the ESO position.

b. BS degree in engineering, science, or another technical discipline.

c. Ten or more years documented work experience, for government or industry, directly involved with explosives materials, pyrotechnics and/or energetic liquids.

6.5.2 The ESO should possess a thorough understanding of:

a. Explosives safety laws, policies, regulations, rules, procedures, and methods.

b. Explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics, and energetic materials.

c. The effects of explosives, the means of preventing or reducing explosive mishaps, and the relationship between quantity-distance siting criteria and personnel safety.

d. Explosives hazard classification, explosives storage principles, explosives handling protocols, explosives inventory and proper disposition practices.

e. Basic Electrostatic Discharge, Basic Electromagnetic Interference, Basic Industrial Hygiene, Chemistry of Explosives, Basic Pyrotechnics, and System Safety. This knowledge can be fulfilled by college or other courses taken throughout their career.

f. NFPA Codes and standards, related (OSHA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, and NASA policies, requirements, and procedures associated with explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics and energetic materials.

6.5.3 Individuals appointed as ESO at a NASA Center or Component Facility prior to the effective date of this NPR are exempt from the requirements in 6.5 for the duration of their tenure as ESO.

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