USAP Safety and Health

1
USAP Safety and Health
Polar Research Support Section

• Gwendolyn M. Adams
• Associate Program Manager
• for Safety and Health NSF/Office of Polar Programs

2
USAP Safety and Health

• SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
• USAP Policies
• Proposal Preparation
• Defining Support Requirements
• Deployment Process
• On-ice Activities

3
USAP Safety and Health

• POLICIES
• Travel to Antarctica is inherently risky
• USAP establishes policies to help mitigate those
  risks
• Most USAP Requirements are consistent with
  Institutional Programs
• General laboratory safety
• OSHA-type programs

4
USAP Safety and Health

• POLICIES (Contd)
• Some USAP Requirements are Unique
• mountaineering/survival skills for remote field
  parties
• underwater diving

5
USAP Safety and Health

• PROPOSAL PREPARATION
• Complete Safety and Health checklist
• Identify field requirements
• Objective is to identify Safety and Health risks
  or unusual support requirements early
• Subsequent support planning is based on responses
  to above
• Does not influence grant award decisions

6
USAP Safety and Health

• DEFINING SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS
• PROPOSAL STAGE
• Identify your needs
• Hazardous materials--waste management
• Remote field work (mountaineering skills)
• Underwater diving
• Use of explosives
• Use of radioisotopes

7
USAP Safety and Health

• DEFINING SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS
• AWARD STAGE
• USAP Support Contractor Will Appoint a
  Coordinator to Guide and Assist PI
• Based on Operational Requirements Worksheet
• Rad authorization request, if using radioisotopes
• Diving authorization request, if conducting
  underwater diving,
• Details on waste streams, if using hazardous
  materials,
• Additional specifics on remote field work

8
USAP Safety and Health

• DEPLOYMENT PROCESS
• PRE-DEPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES
• Finalize research support plan
• Medical clearance required for all personnel
  traveling to Antarctica
• NSF establishes the medical clearance criteria
• Difference between summer and winter deployment
  criteria
• RPSC applies the criteria

9
USAP Safety and Health

• DEPLOYMENT PROCESS (Contd)
• RPSC sends Deployment packet to all deploying
  personnel
• Typically sent out May prior to October
  deployment
• Packet includes medical and dental exams
• Personnel wintering over must also pass a
  psychological examination

10
USAP Safety and Health

• DEPLOYMENT PROCESS (Contd)
• Traveler completes the packet and returns to RPSC
  for medical and dental qualifications
  determination (PQ/NPQ)
• Grant pays for exams, not repairs
• Some people may not qualify, so PI needs to have
  alternates identified
• If collaborating with international scientists,
  some reciprocity between other national programs

11
USAP Safety and Health

• ON-ICE ACTIVITIES
• USAP provides all on-ice medical care
• USAP operates medical clinics at 3 stations and
  dispensaries on two Research Vessels
• Medical capabilities are limited, so Program
  needs to insure healthy population

12
USAP Safety and Health

• ON-ICE ACTIVITIES (Contd)
• Specified training requirements
• remote field work.... Snow School
• waste management
• recreational safety
• helo, aircraft safety
• Follow house rules
• Lab facilities Codes of Conduct
• Research Vessels
• Remote field work (e.g., radio checks

13
USAP Safety and Health

• BOTTOM LINE
• KEEP IN THE FRONT OF YOUR MIND, THIS CONTINENT
  IS DANGEROUS
• RISKS CAN BE MITIGATED
• YOU ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND AND YOUR WORST ENEMY
• STAY VIGILANT
• DONT BE A HERO
• READ THE MANUALS, LISTEN TO THE RECTORIC
• FOLLOW THE RULES
• COME BACK ALIVE, HEALTHY, AND IN ONE PIECE