responsibilities and the naval safety program. When
you have finished these reading assignments, return
here and continue with this chapter.
OVERALL NAVY PROGRAM
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy
(Installations and Environment): The assistant
Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment)
is the designated occupational safety and health (OSH)
official for the Department of the Navy (DON) and
establishes, maintains, and updates the occupational
safety and health program that implements the
requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD) OSH
policy issuances to provide protection for both civilian
employees and the military personnel.
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO): The CNO is
responsible for implementation and management of the
NAVOSH Program and, in coordination with the
Commandant of the Marine Corps, for mutual concern:
Provides appropriate NAVOSH policy and
standards for all commanders.
Establishes appropriate planning, program-
ming, qualified staffing, and budgeting for the
NAVOSH Program.
Issues the requirements for records mainte-
nance.
Conducts research and development to preclude
occupational hazards or exposures from caus-
ing physical injury or degrading health status or
work performance.
Develops a program of periodic formal inspec-
tions of workplaces.
Provides for job-related medical support.
Develops procedures for prompt investigation
of reports of unsafe or unhealthy working con-
ditions and ensures corrective action is taken
within appropriate time periods.
Ensures personnel receive thorough and con-
tinuing training on NAVOSH matters.
Adopts, develops, and reviews proposed alter-
nate standards and promulgates NAVOSH stan-
dards.
Fleet Commanders in Chief: Because safety is an
inherent responsibility of command, all aspects of the
Navy Occupational Safety and Health Program shall be
implemented through the chain of command. Fleet
Commanders are responsible for ensuring that their
commanders, commanding officers, and officer in
charge:
Conduct and maintain an aggressive and
comprehensive NAVOSH program.
Assign safety responsibilities to qualified
personnel as a primary duty billet where
feasible, otherwise as a collateral duty billet
with appropriate training provided. Where
possible, assigned safety officers should remain
in these positions for at least 1 year.
Develop a NAVOSH management evaluation
mechanism for afloat commands that is to the
extent feasible integrated with the command
inspection program and conducted by the chain
of command.
Type Commanders: Oversight of subordinate
commands NAVOSH Programs and coordination
of matters of mutual concern are the primary
responsibilities of Type Commanders. Accordingly,
Type Commanders will:
Ensure that subordinate afloat commands im-
plement the NAVOSH Afloat Program.
Conduct periodic NAVOSH inspections
of group commands and conduct or assist
in NAVOSH inspections of squadrons
and afloat commands. Inspectors at a minimum,
should complete the Afloat Safety Officer
Course (A-4J-0020) at the Surface Warfare Of-
ficers School (SWOS) or the Submarine Safety
Officer Course (F-4J-0020), as appropriate. Ap-
propriately trained civilian safety specialists
may assist in these inspections.
Coordinate and promote those aspects of the
NAVOSH Program of mutual concern to forces
afloat.
Coordinate industrial hygiene support.
Group Commanders will:
Conduct or assist in the conduct of periodic
NAVOSH inspections of subordinate
commands. Afloat units with industrial hygiene
officers (IHOs) assigned should be inspected
by the next higher echelon command having a
professional NAVOSH representative.
Assist afloat commanders and squadrons
to ensure that afloat workplace NAVOSH
1-2