TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Topics | Sections |
| OVERVIEW | 2.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? 2.2 What is the scope of this chapter? 2.3 What is the overall policy for the Collateral Duty Safety Officer (CDSO) program? 2.4 What are the authorities for this chapter? |
| RESPONSIBILITIES | 2.5 What are the primary responsibilities associated with the CDSO program? |
| REQUIREMENTS, QUALIFICATIONS, AND TRAINING | 2.6 How does an employee become appointed and certified for a CDSO position, and how long do they serve? 2.7 What are the qualifications for a CDSO? 2.8 What are the training requirements for a CDSO? |
| CDSO DUTIES | 2.9 What are the duties of the CDSO? 2.10 How much time does a CDSO have to spend on collateral safety duties? 2.11 Should CDSO duties be in Employee Performance Appraisal Plans (EPAP), position descriptions, or vacancy announcements? |
| MORE INFORMATION | 2.12 Where can CDSOs and Project Leaders find more information about the Service safety and occupational health program? |
OVERVIEW
2.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? This chapter establishes policy, procedures, and responsibilities to ensure that there is a Collateral Duty Safety Officer (CDSO) serving all U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) facilities.
2.2 What is the scope of this chapter?
A. This chapter applies to all Service facilities.
B. Project Leaders/Supervisors/Facility Managers have many responsibilities for this program. For simplicity, throughout this chapter we refer to them collectively as Project Leaders.
2.3 What is the overall policy for the CDSO program?
A. All staffed field stations, Regional offices, the Headquarters office, and remotely located offices that report directly to Headquarters (e.g., the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC), the Clark R. Bavin National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory) must have a CDSO either onsite or at another site to advise and assist Project Leaders to achieve their responsibility to implement the station’s safety and occupational health program (see Table 2-1).
Table 2-1: When Duty Stations Need a CDSO at the Facility
| If the duty station has... | Then... |
| (1) Four or more employees | It must have a CDSO whose primary duty station is the facility. A Project Leader for a large duty station may choose to have more than one CDSO if their program needs or inspection data dictate that it would be beneficial. |
| (2) Three or fewer employees | The CDSO does not have to be stationed at the facility. If the station does not have a CDSO on staff, the Project Leader must ensure that the station is adequately served by a qualified CDSO from another station. |
B. In Regional offices, Headquarters, NCTC, and at field offices with multiple programs present, a CDSO’s responsibilities may cross program divisions and represent multiple Project Leaders in the same facility. The station safety plan must describe the selection process and responsibilities of their CDSO(s). See 240 FW 1, Safety Program Management, for additional requirements and information regarding station safety plans.
C. Responsible Joint Administrative Operations (JAO) Safety Managers/Specialists consult and advise CDSOs on ways to perform their duties and accomplish program requirements (see section 2.5).
2.4 What are the authorities for this chapter?
A. Basic Program Elements for Federal Employee Occupational Safety and Health Programs and Related Matters (29 CFR 1960).
B. Department of the Interior (Department) Safety and Health Training and Position Competencies.
C. Executive Order 12196, Occupational Safety and Health Programs for Federal Employees.
D. Executive Order 12564, Drug-Free Federal Workplace.
E. Occupational Safety and Health Act, Federal Agency Safety Programs and Responsibilities (Public Law 91-596, Sec.19).
F. 485 Departmental Manual (DM) 1, Safety and Occupational Health Program: Authority, Purpose, and Policy.
G. 485 DM 11, Staffing Safety and Health Positions.
H. 485 DM 13, Safety and Health Training.
I. 485 DM 28, Collateral Duty Safety and Occupational Health Officer Program.
RESPONSIBILITIES
2.5 What are the primary responsibilities associated with the CDSO program? See Table 2-2.
Table 2-2: Responsibilities for the CDSO Program
| These employees... | Are responsible for... |
| A. The Director | Approving or declining to approve Servicewide policy. |
| B. The Assistant Director – Management and Administration | (1) Overseeing the establishment and management of overall policy and guidance for an effective CDSO program; and (2) Providing sufficient support and resources to the Chief, JAO Safety Operations, to ensure that the Chief can accomplish program goals. |
| C. Directorate members | (1) Ensuring that there are sufficient resources and support in place to implement the CDSO program within their areas of responsibility, (2) Providing resources for their safety and occupational health programs, and (3) Ensuring trained and qualified staff evaluate implementation of safety and occupational health program requirements at the duty stations for which they are responsible. |
| D. The Chief, Safety Operations (under the JAO organization) | (1) Revising and updating this chapter, as necessary; and (2) Interpreting this chapter’s requirements and resolving Servicewide issues and questions about our CDSO program. |
| E. Responsible JAO Safety Managers/Specialists | (1) Advising Project Leaders and CDSOs on implementing the CDSO program in their areas of responsibility; (2) Providing guidance and assistance to Project Leaders, when requested, to help them select CDSOs for their facilities; (3) Interpreting program requirements and resolving Regionwide issues and questions; (4) Preparing or recommending additional safety and occupational health training for CDSOs, as appropriate; and (5) Evaluating how well duty stations meet Servicewide safety and occupational health program requirements, including those for the CDSO program. |
| F. Project Leaders (collective term that refers to Project Leaders, Supervisors, and Facility Managers) | (1) Implementing an effective safety and occupational health program at their duty stations; (2) Appointing CDSOs (or for a small duty station, working with another station to appoint a CDSO) for a term of at least 2 years and certifying the appointment (see section 2.6); (3) Ensuring responsible JAO Safety Managers/Specialists are notified of nominations and appointment(s); (4) Ensuring that CDSOs receive required training within 6 months of appointment (see section 2.8); (5) Providing CDSOs a minimum of 10 percent of official duty time to work on safety and occupational health-related responsibilities. If a duty station’s safety and occupational health program requires more of the CDSO’s time to achieve compliance, the Project Leader must address the need by authorizing more duty time for safety and occupational health duties, by using contract support, or through some other method; (6) Ensuring CDSOs have adequate support, appropriate equipment, and sufficient resources to perform their assigned duties (equipment requirements and availability vary by location); (7) Addressing safety and occupational health-related issues that the CDSO does not have the authority or technical expertise to resolve; and (8) Immediately stopping activities of imminent danger to individuals (i.e., activities expected to cause death or serious physical harm). |
| G. Collateral Duty Safety Officers (CDSO) | (1) Reporting directly to their Project Leaders and assisting them in implementing the safety and occupational health program, (2) Performing required CDSO duties (see section 2.9 for more information), (3) Maintaining open communication with their responsible JAO Safety Managers/Specialists about their facilities’ safety and occupational health programs and any related issues, (4) Requesting support from the JAO Safety Operations office to address complex hazards or exposure monitoring, and (5) Immediately stopping activities of imminent danger to individuals (i.e., activities expected to cause death or serious physical harm). |
| H. Employees | (1) Immediately reporting the following to their Project Leader or their CDSO: (a) Unsafe or unhealthy working conditions (e.g., dangerous machinery, poor lighting, blocked safety exits, etc.); (b) Job-related accidents that result in, or have the potential to result in, injury/illness, property damage, or a potential tort claim; and (c) Any personal conditions that could adversely affect their ability to perform their job in a safe and healthful manner; (2) Cooperating with: (a) Their Project Leader and CDSO to help ensure a safe work environment, and (b) All involved personnel during safety and occupational health evaluations and inspections and when implementing corrective actions; and (3) Immediately stopping activities of imminent danger to individuals (i.e., activities expected to cause death or serious physical harm). |
REQUIREMENTS, QUALIFICATIONS, AND TRAINING
2.6 How does an employee become appointed and certified for a CDSO position, and how long do they serve? The Project Leader appoints an employee to serve as the CDSO for a minimum of 2 years.
A. The Project Leader must inform their responsible JAO Safety Manager/Specialist when a CDSO position is vacated or changed, and tell them who they are appointing. CDSO appointments are “interim” until training is complete. The JAO Safety Manager/Specialist fills out the top of FWS Form 3-2420, CDSO Certification Form, signs it, and sends it to the Project Leader.
B. The interim CDSO:
(1) May be employed at the facility, serve from a nearby facility, or serve from a facility at the next higher organizational level (see Table 2-1 for information about how the size of a facility dictates whether a CDSO must be stationed there or can be from elsewhere); and
(2) Must meet the qualification, training, and certification requirements of this chapter.
C. The Project Leader and the CDSO work with the JAO Safety Operations office to schedule the CDSO’s attendance in the CDSO course (i.e., FWS-SAF-CDSO). When the CDSO completes the training, the Project Leader changes the appointment to “permanent” on FWS Form 3-2420, fills out the rest of the form, and signs it. The CDSO also signs the form. The form is maintained at the facility while the current CDSO is serving and should be kept there for 5 years after the CDSO completes their time served.
2.7 What are the qualifications for a CDSO? The CDSO must meet the training requirements we describe in this chapter (see section 2.8) and have the skills, knowledge, experience, and judgment to:
A. Assist the Project Leader in managing an effective safety and occupational health program;
B. Evaluate and identify occupational health and safety hazards and recommend corrective actions; and
C. Assist employees, volunteers, and any other support staff with safety and occupational health-related information and issues.
2.8 What are the training requirements for a CDSO?
A. Within 6 months of appointment, a CDSO must take the Service’s CDSO course, FWS-SAF-CDSO.
B. The CDSO may need additional training for specialized programs such as, but not limited to:
(1) Confined spaces,
(2) Respirator use, and
(3) Excavation activities to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards.
C. Additional training can be found in:
(1) Department of the Interior (DOI) Talent;
(2) Skillsoft’s Environmental Health and Safety Library;
(3) JAO Safety Operations office training SharePoint site;
(4) Safety management courses that an accredited college, university, or Federal agency offers; and
(5) OSHA outreach courses, such as:
(a) 30-hour General Industry/29 CFR 1910,
(b) 30-hour Construction Industry/29 CFR 1926,
(c) OSHA 511 General Industry, and
(d) OSHA 510 Construction Industry.
D. Certified CDSOs must refresh their training every 3 years following their certification date. This can be accomplished by registering for the Services CDSO Refresher course, FWS-SAF-CDRF.
CDSO DUTIES
2.9 What are the duties of the CDSO? In addition to the responsibilities in section 2.5G and with input from the Project Leader, CDSO duties include, but are not limited to:
A. Providing practical advice to management for developing and implementing an effective safety and occupational health program. This includes raising safety and occupational health-related issues, problems, or potential problems to managers.
B. Recommending a safety and occupational health professional to the Project Leader when the site needs technical information and support.
C. Working with the responsible JAO Safety Manager/Specialist, as necessary, to implement the safety and occupational health program.
D. Maintaining practical understanding of OSHA, Departmental, Service, and field station safety and occupational health standards, regulations, and policies.
E. Monitoring safety and occupational health program effectiveness at their duty stations as outlined by the responsible JAO Safety Manager/Specialist and OSHA.
F. Attending safety and occupational health management and technical training to remain proficient, including completing program-specific training to meet applicable standards.
G. Recommending practical actions to correct deficiencies and abate hazards and assisting the Project Leader to track identified hazards through the abatement process based on safety and occupational health inspection findings.
H. When applicable, serving as a member and advisor to the duty station’s safety and occupational health committee. In this capacity, the CDSO:
(1) Schedules and attends committee meetings;
(2) Ensures meeting minutes are prepared, posted, and maintained on file; and
(3) Chairs the meetings when the Project Leader is unavailable or requests that the CDSO does so (see 240 FW 1).
I. Serving as a member and advisor to local safety and occupational health working groups.
J. Working with the responsible JAO Safety Manager/Specialist to use accident data to identify accident, injury, and illness trends and to propose preventive actions to the Project Leader and safety committee (including management, supervisory, and employee training).
K. Either completing Job Hazard Assessments (JHA) for hazardous tasks or ensuring other staff complete them, and ensuring the Project Leader reviews and certifies the JHAs (see 240 FW 1).
L. Conducting or coordinating safety and occupational health training for duty station employees and reviewing the station’s training records system to ensure it meets Service requirements.
M. Assisting the responsible JAO Safety Manager/Specialist during safety and occupational health inspections, evaluations, and followup reports.
N. Assisting the Project Leader to make sure all accidents are investigated, reported, and reviewed according to Service policy (see 240 FW 7, Accident Investigation and Reporting).
O. Reviewing and posting OSHA’s form 300A, Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, for the duty station from February through April each year, and maintaining those logs as required. The form may be posted on a bulletin board that all employees will see. Contact your responsible JAO Safety Manager/Specialist for assistance in generating the OSHA 300A form.
P. Reviewing the station safety plan at least annually and recommending changes as appropriate.
Q. Assisting the Project Leader to implement and maintain a local hazard communication plan to include labels on hazardous chemical containers, safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals, and training for workers.
2.10 How much time does a CDSO have to spend on collateral safety duties? CDSOs must be allowed a minimum of 10 percent of their duty time to dedicate toward safety and occupational health program responsibilities. If the duty station’s program needs require more than 10 percent of the CDSO’s time to achieve compliance, the Project Leader may address this situation by authorizing the CDSO to spend more duty time to achieve compliance, designating a second CDSO, or through any other appropriate method. To ensure that the Service meets the intent of “collateral duty,” the CDSO must not spend more than 25 percent of their duty time on collateral safety duties.
2.11 Should CDSO duties be in Employee Performance Evaluation Plans (EPAP), position descriptions, or vacancy announcements? Although we do not require that the CDSO duties be in the employee’s EPAP, position description, or vacancy announcements, we include example language in Exhibit 1 that a Project Leader may use to amend an existing position description and to add a CDSO element into an employee’s EPAP. Project Leaders should contact their servicing Human Resources Classification Specialist for guidance on amending the position description for the CDSO role, the CDSO’s EPAP, or future vacancy announcements. If the Project Leader chooses to amend the position description, it is important to note that the position amendment is specific to the employee’s role as the CDSO and not to the position. The Project Leader must notify their servicing Human Resources Classification Specialist when the employee is no longer serving as the CDSO or leaves the position so the position amendment can be removed from the position.
MORE INFORMATION
2.12 Where can CDSOs and Project Leaders find more information about the Service safety and occupational health program? You may:
A. Contact your responsible JAO Safety Manager/Specialist for more information about the Service’s safety and occupational health program.
B. Find information on the Service’s Safety Operations SharePoint site and in the Department's Safety and Health Training and Position Competencies.
C. Read the applicable safety and occupational health program chapters in Service Manual Parts 240 through 244 and Part 321 and identify and become familiar with any Regional health and safety-related policies or Regional Director’s Orders for which you are responsible.