The Safety Officer - (SO) function is to develop and recommend measures for assuring personnel safety, and to monitor and/or anticipate hazardous and unsafe situations. Only one SO will be assigned for each incident.

The Incident Safety Officer works as a support officer for the Incident Commander. The SO may have assistants, as necessary, and the assistants may also represent assisting agencies or jurisdictions. Safety assistants may have specific responsibilities, such as air operations, hazardous materials, etc. The Safety Officer may perform the following functions:

• Common Responsibilities
  
  
• Prepare a site-specific Safety and Health Plan and publish Site Safety Plan summary (ICS Form 208, 410 KB PDF^*) as required.
  
  
• Identify and cause correction of occupational safety and health hazards.
  
  
• Continuously monitor workers for exposure to safety or health hazardous conditions.
  
  
• Alter, suspend, evacuate or terminate activities that may pose immanent safety or health danger to the workers.
  
  
• Take appropriate action to mitigate or eliminate unsafe condition, operation, or hazard.
  
  
• Provide training and safety and health information.
  
  
• Perform assessment of engineering controls and PPE.
  
  
• Comply with OSHA Standards.
  
  
• Document both safe and unsafe acts, corrective actions taken on the scene , accidents or injuries, and ways to improve safety on future incidents.
  
  
• Participate in planning meetings.
  
  
• Identify hazardous situations associated with the incident.
  
  
• Review the Incident Action Plan (IAP) for safety implications.
  
  
• Exercise emergency authority to stop and prevent unsafe acts.
  
  
• Investigate accidents that have occurred within the incident area.
  
  
• Assign assistants, as needed.
  
  
• Review and approve the medical plan.
  
  
• Maintain Unit/Activity Log (ICS Form 214, 5 KB PDF^*).