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Safety Officer Responsibilities
COMMON RESPONSIBILITIES
The following responsibilities apply to all ICS personnel:
a.Receive assignment, notification, reporting location, reporting time, and travel instructions from your home agency.
b. Upon arrival at the incident, check in at designated check-in locations. Check-in locations may be found at: Incident Command Post, Base or Camps, Staging Areas, Helibases, Division Supervisors (for direct line assignments).
c.Agency representatives from assisting or cooperating agencies report to Liaison Officer at the Command Post after checking in.
d.All radio communications to Incident Communications Center will be addressed: "(Incident Name) Communications".
e.Use clear text and ICS terminology (no codes) in all radio transmissions.
f.Receive briefing from immediate supervisor.
g.Acquire work materials.
h.Organize, assign, and brief subordinates.
i. Complete forms and reports required of the assigned position and send material through supervisor to Documentation Unit.
i.Ensure continuity using in/out briefings.
j.Respond to demobilization orders.
k.Brief subordinates regarding demobilization.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
The Safety Officer is responsible for monitoring and assessing hazardous and unsafe situations and developing measures to assure personnel safety.
The Safety Officer will correct unsafe acts or conditions through the regular line of authority, although the Safety Officer may exercise emergency authority to prevent or stop unsafe acts when immediate action is required.
The Safety Officer maintains awareness of active and developing situations.
The Safety Officer ensures the Site Safety and Health Plan is prepared and implemented.
The Safety Officer ensures there are safety messages in each Incident Action Plan.
Only one Safety Officer will be assigned for each incident, including incidents operating under Unified Command and multi-jurisdiction incidents. The Safety Officer may have assistants, as necessary, and the assistants may also represent assisting agencies or jurisdictions.
a.During initial response, document the hazard analysis process, hazard identification, exposure assessment and controls.
b.Participate in planning meetings to identify any health and safety concerns inherent in the operations daily workplan.
c.Review the Incident Action Plan for safety implications.
d.Exercise emergency authority to prevent or stop unsafe acts.
e.Investigate accidents that have occurred within incident areas.
f.Ensure preparation and implementation of Site Safety and Health Plan (SSHP)
g.Assign assistants and manage the incident safety organization.
h.Review and approve the Medical Plan (ICS206).
•Maintain Unit/Activity Log (ICS214).
FUNCTIONS OF THE SAFETY STAFF
Site Safety Officer Assistant:
a.Provide assistance to the Safety Officer. Ensure all Safety functions continue when the Safety Officer is attending meetings.
Site Characterization and Monitoring:
a.Initial on scene hazard assessment of the incident.
1.Deploy on scene immediately and report back to Safety Officer
b.Conduct air monitoring and sampling of spilled oil on scene.
c.Provide continuous air monitoring if necessary.
d.Ensure workers are safely monitored by use of passive dosimeters.
e.Provide heat or cold stress monitoring, using WBGT or other measuring device.
f.Provide on scene fatigue monitoring for work-rest regimen recommendations.
Site Safety Plan
a.Draft initial emergency response site safety plan. Ensure copies get distributed as soon as possible to staging areas and field personnel.
b.Receive reports from Site Safety Enforcement Assistant and incorporate changes into the site safety plan.
c.Ensure site safety plan is completed in time to be incorporated into Incident Action Plan.
d.Provide safety messages for ICS form204, prior to the planning meeting. If site safety plan is completed, consider inserting: “All personnel shall review site safety plan prior to commencement of operations.”
e.Review Medical Plan206 and forward to the Safety Officer for signature.
f.Review Incident Action Plan. Ensure plan provisions are in compliance with29 CFR1910.120. Review HAZWOPER Compliance Checklist to ensure requirements met.
Site Safety Enforcement:
a.Enforce site safety plan on scene.
b.Use site safety enforcement log and ensure completion in time for updating new site safety plan for next operational period.
c.Terminate all imminently dangerous operations immediately. For other non-time critical safety hazards contact the Safety Officer for termination guidance.
d.Attend morning field safety briefings at Staging Areas and assembly points to ensure site safety plan was covered.
e.Keep workers, supervisors and the Safety Officer informed often.
