The Departmental expectations for worker safety and health are contained in a set of rules, directives, and technical standards developed by the Office of Worker Safety and Health Policy. These policies were developed to ensure workers are adequately protected from the various radiological and non-radiological hazards associated with DOE sites and operations and reflect national worker safety and health laws, regulations, and standards where applicable.

Worker Safety & Health Policy Topical Areas

The Office of Worker Safety and Health Policy has a variety of instruments that are helpful throughout the DOE Enterprise that can assist with the overall guidance, technical advice, administration and management of Health and Safety in the Workplace. Some of these items include The Policy Clarification (PC) Portal, Worker Safety and Health WebEx Archive, and Frequently Asked Questions for 10 CFR Part 851.

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The DOE Safety and Health Program supports line management and contractors through the development and dissemination of policy, guidance, and technical expertise to assistance in implementation of the policies. These programs and resources assist in recognizing and responding to safety and health concerns, focus on value-added activities, and conserve Departmental resources.

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The DOE Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) is responsible for implementing performance standards for DOE contractor external dosimetry and radiobioassay programs through periodic performance testing and on-site program assessments. The performance testing function is carried out by the Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory, located at the Idaho National Laboratory.

The DOELAP Administrator, following consideration of the external dosimetry and radiobioassay oversight boards' recommendations that are based on their review of performance testing and program assessment results, issues accreditation certificates to those programs that successfully met the performance criteria. Accreditation must be renewed on a triennial basis.

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The Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Employee Occupational Safety and Health (FEOSH) Program web site is the connection to current safety and health news and issues: Departmental special emphasis initiatives, upcoming activities, resources, contacts, and much, much more.

Federally-mandated by 29 CFR Part 1960, Section 19 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and Executive Order 12196, the FEOSH Program serves as DOE's corporate resource working to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for Departmental employees. There are approximately 14,000 DOE Federal employees, dispersed throughout power marketing administrations, the energy technology center, Headquarters, operation and field offices.

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The Department and its contractors remain firmly committed to Integrated Safety Management (ISM) as first defined in 1996. The objective of ISM is to perform work in a safe and environmentally-sound manner. More specifically, as described in DOE P 450.4, Safety Management System Policy: "The Department and Contractors must systematically integrate safety into management and work practices at all levels so that missions are accomplished while protecting the public, the worker, and the environment. This is to be accomplished through effective integration of safety management into all facets of work planning and execution."

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