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 alternate 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.

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.

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.

Overall policy and responsibilities for safety and health within NASA are described in NPD 8710.2, "NASA Safety and Health Program Policy." The purpose of this NPG is to provide details necessary to implement occupational safety and health regulations found in 29 CFR Part 1960.

PURPOSE

This Handbook provides requirements for NASA's Federal civil service occupational safety and health programs as required by Section 19 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended (29 U.S.C 668), Executive Order 12196, and the implementing regulations found in 29 CFR Part 1960. This document is to the used in conjunction with 29 CFR Part 1960 and P.4 references below.

APPLICABILITY

This NPG is applicable to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities and international operations where NASA employees are located. The procedures and guidelines in the document apply to the following: (1) all NASA organizations, elements, entities, or individuals; (2) all NASA equipment, property, systems, and facilities; and (3) all phases of the life cycle of systems or facilities.