Department of the Interior
Departmental Manual
Effective Date: 3/12/99
Series: Safety Management
Part 485: Safety and Occupational Health Program
Chapter 2: Responsibilities
Originating Office: Office of Managing Risk and Public Safety
485 DM 2
2.1 Purpose. To identify the primary responsibilities of individuals and groups in the implementation of Departmental Safety and Occupational Health policy.
2.2 Secretary of the Interior (Secretary).
A. Provides management direction and support necessary for the Department of the Interior to effectively fulfill its policy commitments.
B. Appoints a Designated Agency Safety and Health Official with sufficient authority to effectively represent the interest and support of the Secretary in the management and administration of the Program.
C. Submits to the Secretary of Labor an annual report on the Safety and Occupational Health Program (Program) (See Chapter 3), and abstracts of investigation reports on serious accidents (See Chapter 7).
D. Provides adequate resources (staff and budget) to effectively implement and administer the Program.
E. Holds the head of each bureau accountable for effectively fulfilling Program responsibilities.
2.3 Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget.
A. Presents to the Secretary an annual report on the Program.
B. Includes safety and health as an agenda item for the Secretary's staff briefings when appropriate.
C. Carries out the functions of the Head of Bureau (See Paragraph 2.7) for the Office of the Secretary.
2.4 Departmental Designated Agency Safety and Health Official (Departmental DASHO).
A. Exercises the authority of the Secretary for the management and administration of the Program.
B. Directs Program activities through a Departmental Deputy DASHO, (Senior Occupational Safety and Health Manager, meeting OPM Standard GS-018/803/690 in the Office of Managing Risk and Public Safety) and ensures that adequate resources are provided to the Office to develop and administer the Program.
C. Advises the Secretary as to the status of the Program. Annually prepares and submits a comprehensive Safety and Occupational Health Report to the Secretary, on the status of the Program.
D. Promulgates policy, directives, and alternate or supplemental standards applicable for implementation of an effective Program.
E. Participates in DASHO Council Meetings. (See Chapter 9.)
F. Participates, upon request, in the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health.
G. Appoints Serious Accident Investigation Teams or Trained Investigators for the immediate and primary investigation of serious accidents, when deemed appropriate.
H. Encourages bureau safety and health managers to use the Department of the Interior Safety and Occupational Health Council as a forum for the exchange of Program information, as a focal point for coordinating safety and occupational health activities and as a vehicle for formulating recommendations to the DASHO Council regarding the Program.
2.5 Office of Managing Risk and Public Safety (MRPS).
A. Advises and supports the Departmental DASHO in carrying out Program responsibilities.
B. Coordinates the development of Program policies, directives, alternate or supplemental standards, and guidelines with the bureaus.
C. Exercises appropriate action on requests for variances from applicable safety and health standards.
D. Serves as the Department's principal representative to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Fire Administration and other agencies on technical matters pertaining to the Program.
E. Reviews reports of allegation-of-reprisal investigations not resolved at the bureau level and recommends resolutions to the Departmental DASHO.
F. Assists in the development of the agenda for the Department's Annual Safety and Occupational Health Seminar.
G. Develops and maintains an automated Safety Management Information System (SMIS) to support Departmental needs for collecting, assimilating, and analyzing accidents (employee, contractor or public) involving injuries, illnesses, and property damage related to the Department's operations and/or facilities.
H. Evaluates the Office of the Secretary's staff and bureaus for their managerial effort and effectiveness in establishing and implementing the Program. Provides technical assistance regarding safety and occupational health matters.
I. Provides interpretation of OSHA, adopted national consensus standards and Departmental safety and health standards not resolved at bureau level.
J. Establishes contracts as needed for areas such as industrial hygiene, safety, occupational health, information resources management and fire protection engineering staff support for use Departmentwide.
K. Provides specialized safety and health training for Departmental personnel, as needed.
L. Reviews Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) reports to insure that job-related injuries and illnesses are properly recorded in the Department's SMIS.
2.6 Office of Aircraft Services. The Office of Aircraft Services is responsible for Department-wide functions related to aircraft services and facilities. (See 112 DM 12.) The Departmental Aviation Safety Program established by the Office of Aircraft Services is described at 352 DM 1, 6, and 7.
2.7 Heads of Bureaus. [For the purposes of this document, a bureau is a major organization within the Department, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs; the Bureau of Land Management; the Bureau of Reclamation; the Minerals Management Service; the National Park Service; the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the U.S. Geological Survey; and the Office of the Secretary.] Heads of Bureaus are responsible for:
A. Requiring compliance with statutory, regulatory, and Program criteria.
B. Supplementing the Program with special initiatives, directives, standards, criteria and training to meet the unique safety and health needs of the bureaus.
C. Demonstrating personal commitment for the safety and health of employees, contractors, concessionaires, volunteers and the public.
D. Holding managers and supervisors accountable for effectively fulfilling their safety responsibilities within their Program areas.
E. Delegating authority on Safety and Occupational Health Program matters to bureau Designated Agency Safety and Health Officials.
F. Appointing safety and health professionals (meeting OPM standard GS-018/803/690) as bureau safety and health managers and providing adequate resources for the effective implementation and administration of the Program within the bureaus. (See Office of Management and Budget Circular A-11, Sections 13.2(f) and 13.5(f); and 29 CFR 1960.7.)
G. Requiring safety and health evaluations of bureaus' headquarters and each region, state, or area, at least every three years. Deficiencies noted and recommended corrective actions will be recorded in writing and tracked until resolved. (See Chapter 5.)
H. Requiring accidents to be reported and investigated. (See Chapter 7.)
I. Requiring all establishments to be formally inspected at least annually and deficiencies abated on an identified schedule. (See Chapter 6.)
J. Providing for copies of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Executive Order 12196, 29 CFR 1960, and Departmental Safety and Health Program documentation to be readily available to managers and supervisors. Managers and supervisors are to respond to requests, from employees and employee representatives, to review the documents at a time mutually convenient to the employees, employee representatives and the bureaus.
K. Providing recognition to employees for outstanding safety and health performances within the bureaus.
L. Requiring the current Departmental Safety and Health Poster to be posted in all establishments.
2.8 Bureau Designated Agency Safety and Health Official (Bureau DASHO).
A. Exercises the authority of the head of the bureau for effectively developing and managing the Program within the bureau.
B. Designates a qualified safety professional (meeting OPM qualifications for GS-018/803/690) to serve as subject matter expert to review applicants for bureau safety and health manager vacancies. The reviewer must be at an equal or higher grade level to that of the vacancy.
C. Participates in DASHO Council Meetings. (See Chapter 9.)
D. Provides pertinent information concerning the bureau's Program to the Departmental DASHO or his/her designee upon request.
E. Submits, to the Departmental DASHO, an annual safety and health action plan (Plan) and interim and annual progress reports on the bureau's implementation of its Plan. (See Chapter 3.)
F. Recommends that bureau organizations, where deemed appropriate, establish safety and health committees to provide for employee involvement and to enhance the Program. (See 29 CFR 1960 Subpart F.)
G. Appoints a Serious Accident Investigation Team or a Trained Investigator immediately after being initially informed of a serious accident. (See Chapter 7.)
2.9 Bureau Safety and Health Manager.
A. Advises and supports the bureau DASHO in carrying out Program responsibilities.
B. Participates in the Department of the Interior Safety and Occupational Health Council, Safety and Health Working Groups and, when possible, in a local Field Federal Safety and Health Council.
C. Conducts Program evaluations of bureau headquarters and each region at least every three years. Recommends appropriate actions to correct Program deficiencies and tracks them until they are resolved.
D. Submits requests for alternatives to OSHA regulations or changes to Departmental safety and health standards to MRPS for appropriate action. (See Chapter 4.)
E. Ensures that allegations of reprisal related to the Program, reports of unsafe and unhealthful conditions, and accidents/incidents are investigated. (See Chapter 8.)
F. Provides, as the bureau's technical safety and health advisor, assistance and guidance to management in carrying out activities such as:
(1) Developing policy, plans, programs, directives and rules.
(2) Identifying safety and health training requirements.
(3) Interpreting safety and health policy and procedures.
(4) Conducting surveys, inspections and staff visits.
(5) Investigating, reporting and analyzing accidents.
(6) Identifying potential corrective action(s).
(7) Providing management with information on Program effort and effectiveness.
(8) Facilitating development of job hazard analyses.
(9) Developing accident prevention plans.
(10) Developing safety and health promotion/awareness plans.
G. Hosts the Department's Annual Safety and Health Seminar periodically.
H. Serves, or designates a qualified safety and health professional (meeting the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) qualifications for GS-018/803/690) to serve, as subject matter expert for review of applicants for full-time bureau safety and health position vacancies. The reviewer must hold an equal or higher grade level to that of the vacancy.
I. Reviews accident/incident information that is recorded in SMIS to determine its accuracy and completeness. Takes appropriate action to correct deficiencies.
2.10 Line Manager/Supervisor.
A. Demonstrates personal commitment and actively participates in providing for the safety and health of employees, contractors, concessionaires, volunteers and the public (visitors).
B. Implements Program requirements within the scope of authority.
C. Provides and/or secures appropriate safety and health training for employees.
D. Monitors operations and activities and inspects work areas for hazardous acts and conditions. Abates deficiencies as soon as possible. Provides and ensures proper use of personal protective equipment necessary for prevention of injury, property damage or occupational diseases.
E. Investigates and reports job-related accidents that result in or have the potential to cause injury, illness, or property damage. Ensures that all such incidents are reported using the data entry screens provided by SMIS at the web address http://www.smis.doi.gov.
F. Holds employees accountable for their safe and healthful work performance and maintains their performance standards.
G. Provides for employee participation in the Program without employee fear of restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination or reprisal.
H. Requires safety and health to be integrated into the planning of every job through job hazard analyses. (See Chapter 14.)
I. Conducts routine inspections of facilities within his/her scope of control as directed.
2.11 Employees.
A. Comply with applicable work rules and procedures including the use of safety equipment provided by bureaus or offices.
B. Report unsafe and/or unhealthful conditions.
C. Exercise rights and responsibilities as granted by the Program without fear of restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal for reporting an unsafe or unhealthful condition, or otherwise participating in the Program.
D. Actively participate in safety and health education and training activities.
E. Report every job-related accident/incident to their supervisors that results in, or has the potential to cause injury, illness, or property damage. Also report personal conditions (physical or mental) that adversely affect their ability to perform in a safe and healthful manner on the job.
2.12 Employee Representatives. Participate in activities, such as:
A. Formal annual inspection of establishments.
B. The identification of unsafe or unhealthful conditions.
C. The review of proposed safety and health work rules and regulations.
2.13 Safety and Health Committees.
A. Review the Program and advise the head of their organizational unit of possible ways to improve the Program.
B. Provide a channel of communication between employees and management to assist management in providing a safe and healthful workplace.
C. Encourage employees to comply with pertinent safety and health requirements.
D. Encourage employees to practice safe procedures during off-duty activities.
2.14 Department of the Interior Safety and Occupational Health Council.
A. Serves as an advisory body on Program matters to the DASHO Council. (See Chapter 9.)
B. Provides a focal point for coordinating Program activities of the bureaus.
C. Provides a forum for the exchange of Program information between MRPS and bureau safety and health managers.
2.15 Safety and Health Working Groups. Assist MRPS in developing drafts of Program guidelines and other documentation for the consideration of all bureaus, and in conducting research on safety and health issues. (See Chapter 9.)
3/12/99 #3232
Replaces 6/10/91 #485A-1