North Slope of Alaska (NSA) Environmental Safety and Health (ES&H) Guidance Statement
The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility (ACRF) North Slope of Alaska (NSA) Environmental Safety and Health (ES&H) Onsite Guidance Statement describes the general safety-related requirements for all who work at, use, or visit the ACRF's NSA site. This guidance policy is based on ACRF's ES&H Guidance Policy for Operations related to Intensive Operation Periods (IOPs) at all sites. The ES&H policies and procedures are designed to ensure a safe work environment for Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) employees, SNL contractors, and visitors to the facility. There are four different groups of workers at the NSA site:
- SNL employees
- Contractors to SNL
- Technical visitors
- Escorted visitors
These four groups are discussed in further detail below.
SNL employees or contractors who perform work under SNL-directed contracts and contractor-directed contracts are subject to the rules and guidelines of the SNL ES&H manual and supplements implemented through the Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS), with requirements specified in an approved Preliminary Hazard Screening (PHS) document.
Technical visitors are neither SNL employees nor persons contracted to perform work under SNL-directed contracts. They are part of a collaborative effort and may use, set up, operate, or maintain instrumentation in areas controlled or operated by SNL. They are responsible for providing the NSA facilities with the most current copy of an approved safe operating procedure for all equipment they work on or reference to an approved safety manual. While those responsible for SNL ES&H on behalf of NSA may offer feedback or question applicability to OSHA or other standards, SNL or other NSA staff are not responsible for approving procedures, maintenance schedules, or other technical or safe work documents that belong to technical visitors.
Escorted visitors are persons who visit the NSA site who are under the direct observation/and oversight of SNL members of the workforce, who are required to follow the duties and responsibilities defined in the SNL ES&H Manual, Chapter 1, regarding visitors.
The SNL ES&H Manual is the standard for defining members of the workforce (includes contractors to SNL) rules, responsibilities, accountability, and authority at the work sites. Technical work documents generated by SNL or contractors to SNL may also specify other responsibilities, but these must be consistent with SNL's ISMS Program and SNL ES&H Manual and supplements.
Safe Work Practices
All workers and visitors to the site are required to act and work safely. SNL employees, SNL contractors, and SNL technical visitors will be required to verify that they have read site-specific ES&H documents. SNL employees, SNL contractors, and SNL technical visitors will also be given on-site safety briefings before starting work. Any worker or technical visitor at the site has the obligation to point out unsafe conditions or practices to site management. Unsafe practices will be halted immediately. NSA site management will act to protect visitors and the public from unsafe conditions. SNL employees, SNL contractors, and SNL technical visitors must comply with the site's documented safety practices. However, within the bounds of their own equipment or shelters, technical visitors must follow the safety practices of their home organization. They are responsible for ensuring their equipment or practices do not endanger the environment, the property and equipment, themselves, their teams, site operations personnel, or other visitors.
NSA ES&H Temporary IOP Guidance Statement
This NSA ES&H offsite guidance statement describes the general safety-related requirements for all activities conducted outside established ACRF site facilities. Activities that are funded by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through ACRF, must have specific ES&H requirements determined by the lead Principal Investigator (PI) working in conjunction with the respective ACRF Site Manager. Federal, state, and local codes and standards must be determined and followed. Special needs and funding requirements are to be determined and submitted to the ACRF Infrastructure Management Board (IMB) at the time of the campaign request.
There is a similar set of four different groups of visitors that may work at or visit IOP or other sites off of established ACRF facilities. These include the following:
- Employees of the PI's home institution
- Contractors to the PI's home institution
- Technical visitors, including DOE personnel or staff from DOE laboratories
- Escorted visitors
Employees of the PI's home institution or contractors to the PI's home institution are subject to the rules and guidelines of DOE and/or of their respective laboratory. Additionally, they must comply with all site specific ES&H requirements established by the site lead PI, while at the IOP or other sites off of established ACRF facilities.
Technical visitors are neither employees of the PI's home institution nor persons contracted to perform work for the PI's home institution. They are part of a collaborative effort and may use, set up, operate, or maintain instrumentation in areas controlled or operated by the lead PI. They are responsible for providing the lead PI with the most current copy of an approved safe operating procedure for all equipment on which they work or a reference to the applicable safety manual or procedures. The lead PI is not responsible for approving procedures, maintenance schedules, or to her technical or safe work documents that belong to technical visitors. Technical visitors are subject to the rules and guidelines of their respective laboratory or organization. Additionally, they must comply with all site specific ES&H requirements established by the site lead PI, while off of established ACRF facilities.
Escorted visitors are persons who visit the IOP or other sites off of established ACRF facilities who are under the direct observation and oversight of the lead PI or his or her designee. Escorted visitors are required to follow the guidelines of their respective laboratory or organization. Additionally, they must comply with all site specific ES&H requirements established by the site lead PI, while at the IOP or other sites off of established ACRF facilities.
Implementation and responsibility for ES&H at non-established ACRF sites is the responsibility of the lead PI. It is his/her responsibility to brief all participants of the site hazards and safety requirements, to maintain safe working condition, and to assure that all workers and visitors act and work in a safe manner. He/she is responsible for ensuring that equipment or practices do not endanger the environment, the property and equipment, themselves, their teams, or other visitors.
Visit the North Slope of Alaska (NSA) web page.
