Polar Environment, Safety and Health (PESH)

Polar Safety and Occupational Health

The Polar Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) team facilitates a culture of safety and health in support of research throughout the Polar regions. The protection of life and property are fostered through a coordinated risk-based approach with all stakeholders. Industrial hygiene and safety activities include research and project safety evaluations, incident reviews and investigations, and field assessments. Oversight of the occupational health and medical system contributes to deployment public health. All these activities lead to continuous improvement initiatives.

Staff oversee the construction of the new Ross Island Earth Station (RIES) antenna at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Photo Credit: Chris Nelson, National Science Foundation

Support staff relocate scientific instruments on the Meteorological Tower at Summit Station, a research outpost on Greenland’s ice sheet that is funded by NSF in cooperation with the Government of Greenland. Photo Credit: Bevin Luna, Battelle Arctic Research Operations

Members of the Palmer Station glacier search and rescue team conduct routine training. Photo Credit: Kenneth Keenan

Key Information

• Safety and Occupational Policies
• The Arctic and USAP Polar Physical Qualification (PQ) Process
  • USAP PQ Forms

Program Areas SOH Support

• Arctic Research
• Arctic Research Operations
• Antarctic Research
• United States Antarctic Program

Resources

Useful Links

• OSHA Standards
• OSHA Training Requirements
• OSHA Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses
• Altitude in Antarctic Training

Partnerships

• US Army Corps of Engineers, Safety and Occupational Health Office
• Smithsonian Office of Safety, Health, and Environmental Management

Contact us at: opp-safety@nsf.gov

Safeguarding the Polar Environment

Protection of the environment is a high priority the National Science Foundation (NSF). To ensure continued environmental protection, NSF produces and disseminates information to educate researchers about their environmental protection responsibilities and the penalties for noncompliance.

Key Information

• U.S. Antarctic Environmental Stewardship
  • Comprehensive Environmental Evaluations (CEES)
  • U.S. Antarctic Environmental Documents List
  • Antarctic Conservation Act (ACA) — a summary
  • Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-541) as amended by Antarctic Science, Tourism, and Conservation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-227)
  • ACA application and permit form
  • U.S. Regulations Governing Antarctic Meteorites
  • Don't Pack a Pest: preventing non-native species introduction to Antarctica
• U.S. Policy on Private Expeditions to Antarctica
• Information for Participants of the U.S. Antarctic Program
  • U.S. Antarctic Program Field Manual: This manual discusses safety procedures and requirements for a variety of polar research topics.
  • U.S. Antarctic Program Participant Guide (selected chapters):
    • Conservation, Permits, and Science Cargo
    • Living and Working at U.S. Antarctic Program Facilities