Beginning with the ancient Egyptian empire, “Contractors” have been called upon to support, supply, and even fight in wars and conflicts started by others. Never has the need for contractor support of our current war efforts in Afghanistan been so great and never have the hazards and risks they face daily been so deadly. The expanding role of safety professionals now requires the identification of hazards both environmental and physical in an active war zone. This presentation will show a battle proven risk assessment process, transition process, on station safety and health program and recovery process for contractors as they return for war.

1. Session #53
Contractors In War Zones
Our Role as Safety Professionals
Presenters: Dean Carroll, MS
Bob Whitfield, CSHM
Honeywell Tech. Solutions Inc.

2. Operational Contract Support (OCS)
congress.nsc.org

3. Beginning with the ancient Egyptian
empire, “Contractors” have been called
upon to support, supply, and even fight
in wars and conflicts started by others.
congress.nsc.org

4. Current War Zone Head Count
• 44,000* U.S. Troops in Iraq
• 180,000* Contractors in Iraq
• 98,000* U.S. Troops in Afghanistan
• 108,000* Contractors in Afghanistan
$900 Billion spent or approved (11/2010)*
*Provided by the Brookings Institute 2011 www.brookings.edu
congress.nsc.org

5. Contractor vs. Warfighter Ratio
Conflict Contractor Military Ratio
Revolutionary War 2 9 1 to 6
Mexican-American War 6 33 1 to 6
Civil War 200 1,000 1 to 5
Spanish-American War n.a. 35 n.a.
World War I 85 2,000 1 to 24
World War II 734 5,400 1 to 7
Korea 156 393 1 to 2.5
Vietnam 70 359 1 to 5
Gulf War 9 500 1 to 55
Balkans 20 20 1 to 1
Iraq Theater as of Early 2008 190 200 1 to 1
congress.nsc.org

6. Current War Zone Tasking (Estimated)
Logistics 6% Misc
9%
Translators
8% Base
Support
65%
Security
12%
(Mail, Laundry,
Commissary, Dining
Facility, etc.)
congress.nsc.org

7. Your Workforce
• U.S. Citizens – A natural-born citizen of the United
States.
• Expat’s – An expatriate is a person residing in a
country and culture other than that of the person's
upbringing.
• TCN’s - A third-country national is an individual Is
neither a citizen of the United States nor of the country
to which assigned.
• LN’s – Local national. Citizen of that country
Mandated common language is English!
congress.nsc.org

8. Mandatory Theatre Requirements
• CRC – Contractor Readiness Center
– Security (background check, CAC, SPOT, etc.)
– Full physical (RX medications for 90 days)
– DNA capture (entered into DOD database)
– CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and
nuclear) training
– Anti-terrorism, Escape and evacuation training
– Body armor and M117 Mask (training/Issue)
congress.nsc.org

9. Our Role as Safety Professionals
• Protect our workers
• Ensure a safe and healthy workplace
• Ensure compliance with all regulations,
standards and directives
• Ensure workers receive appropriate training
• Ensure that appropriate protective equipment
is available and utilized
congress.nsc.org

10. War Zone – Protecting Workers
• Identify Risks
– Pre-award risk assessment
– Post-award transition/phase-in risk
assessment
– On task risk assessment and an active
Management of Change (MOC) process
– Close-out/Phase-out risk assessment
congress.nsc.org

11. War Zones Present Unique HSE Risk Environments
congress.nsc.org

12. Pre-Award Risk Assessment
• Traditional Risks
– Confined spaces, hot work, arc flash, lifting, etc.
• War Zone Specific
– Rapid Response / Irregular Warfare / Surge
– OCONUS Standards & Processes
– Militarized / Weaponized Equipment
– Housing
– Medical
– Evacuation (medical and threat related)
(U.S. ARMY Field Manual 5-19, Composite Risk Management)
congress.nsc.org

13. War Zone Specific R/A
Rapid Response / Irregular Warfare / Surge
• Typically we see something happening on the news
and within 2 weeks a request for support is issued in
response…
• Detail risk assessment for:
– PPE
– Environmental concerns
– Security
– Transportation
– Medical
– Evacuation
congress.nsc.org

14. Identifying War Zone Environmental Risk’s
• Legal documents (international
agreements, host nation laws, etc.)
• Interaction with Subject Matter Experts
(host nation authorities, civil-military
cooperation groups, etc.)
• Open source (newspapers, internet, etc.)
• Intelligence assets
congress.nsc.org

15. War Zone Specific R/A
• OCONUS Standards & Processes
– “Contractor personnel shall be responsible
for storage and disposal of hazardous
wastes and used Petroleum, Oil and
Lubricant (POL) products consistent with the
laws and regulations of the host country and
any other NATO regulations which may
apply.”
(CONUS – OSHA and EPA (40 CFR 261.4B, RCRA, etc.)
congress.nsc.org

16. War Zone Specific R/A
• In the War Zone – Very different requirements
– General Waste: STANAG 2982, EU Directive 75/442/EEC on
Waste, EU Directive 2000/76/EC on Waste Incineration
– HAZMAT: COMKAF SOP 406, EU Directive 91/689/EEC on
Hazardous waste, EU Directive 91/157/EEC on Batteries and
accumulators.
– Waste Yard Manager must be certified to the UK Waste
Management Industry Training and Advisory Board (WIMTAB)
for waste yard operations.
– HAZMAT is packed and shipped and accounted for in
accordance with International Maritime Dangerous Goods
Code (IMDG)
congress.nsc.org

17. War Zone Specific R/A
• Militarized / Weaponized Equipment
congress.nsc.org

18. War Zone Specific R/A
• Housing
• Security
congress.nsc.org

19. War Zone Specific R/A
• Medical Care & Evacuation
– Availability
– On site / Off Site
• Urgent care
– DOD provided (stabilization)
– Outside contractor
– Evacuation for extended care
• DOD provided (Nightingale flights)
• Third party provided
congress.nsc.org

20. Weapons as PPE?
• The Theater Commander may, at his discretion, issue
Government-owned weapons and ammunition for self-
defense to contractor employees.
• The contractor employee is legally liable for any use
that is not in accordance with host nation law,
international law, and the rules of engagement.
congress.nsc.org

21. Arrival in the “Zone”
congress.nsc.org

22. “Standing Up” A Contract
• Detailed timeline
– On site risk assessment
– Customer deliverables
– Accepting of Government Furnished
Equipment (GFE) and facilities
– Establish customer point-of-contacts
– Establish training (initial, reoccurring, etc.)
– Waste collection & removal process
congress.nsc.org

23. Establishing a Safety Culture
congress.nsc.org

24. Phase In Risk Assessment - Initial
• What was “written” vs. “actual”
• Site survey (IAQ, noise & vibration, poisonous
animals/plants, food, water, etc.)
• Tasking responsibilities
• Location specific safety/security/health
regulations and standards
• Availability of onsite (Base) support
• Customer required deliverables (plans,
training, Fire Warden designation, etc.)
congress.nsc.org

25. On Site Risk Assessment
• Safety and security (housing, etc.)
• Available on base HSE support
• “Clean” versus “dirty” areas (fuel storage,
hazardous waste collection points, etc.
• Noise, Vibration and irritants
• Chemical and pesticide exposure
• Weather/Climate specific concerns
– Average daily temperature is 120+ Degrees
– Daily sand storms, etc.
congress.nsc.org

26. 10:00 AM 10:10 AM
10:15 AM
congress.nsc.org

27. Safety and Security
congress.nsc.org

28. Tasking of Contractors
congress.nsc.org

29. Customer Deliverables
• Transition requirements
- Fire Protection Plan (designated wardens; evacuation
procedures and muster points; water sources)
- Safety Plan
- Radiation Program (designated RSO; mandated
shipping, receiving, storage and handling procedures;
inventory of sources)
- Emergency Notification List (customer, contract and
corp. emergency POC’s)
- Hazardous Waste/Material Control Plan
congress.nsc.org

30. GFE and Facilities
• Establish complete inventory of Government Furnished
Equipment (material handling equipment, Chemical
Defense Equipment (CDE), personal protective
equipment, etc)
• Document facility parameters (building lock control,
security, inspection scheduling)
• Compile a standard facility safety checklist (self check
to identify potential hazards, seek any failures, conform
to safety measures, prevent accidents
congress.nsc.org

31. Establish Emergency Points-of-Contact
Comprehensive and up-to-date Emergency Notification
List. Nowhere is this more important than in the war zone!
Maintain the list of Names and Contact Numbers in the
order in which notification should be made.
Be sure to pre-select the means of emergency notification
- Land line
- Cell phone (with international capability)
- Satellite phone
- E-mail
congress.nsc.org

32. Waste Collection & Removal
• Implement a hazardous waste management plan
(identify, store, treat, dispose of and recycle in an
environmentally sound manner)
• Dispose of in adherence to all host nation rules and
regulations(i.e., there may be a lack of certified
hazardous waste landfills and incinerators
• Inspect Hazardous Waste Storage Areas (HWSAs) for
malfunction, deterioration, operator errors and
discharges
• Identify waste streams and maintain a Hazardous
Waste Profile Sheet for each waste stream handled.
congress.nsc.org

33. Establish Training Program
• Develop Training Matrix
- Document annual and periodic required
training (hazard communication, hazardous
waste, fall protection)
- Compile listing of site-specific training needs
(heavy equipment operator, forklift, first aid,
CPR, ammo storage, etc.)
- Licensing, registration and certification
renewals
congress.nsc.org

34. PPE Selection - Eyewear
Armored vs. Standard
Militarized PPE - “Military Tough”
- See actual samples of militarized eye protection, work
gloves, etc.
- Military Vo ballistic testing for impact ANSI Z87+ and
CSA Z94.3 standards.
- Military Combat Eye Protection System (MCEPS)
Performance Specification (MIL-PRF-31013)
- Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL) approved
congress.nsc.org

35. The Transition Home
congress.nsc.org

36. Identify and Reduce PTSD
Contractors are deeply embedded within the military
organization working daily side by side with the war
fighter in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations.
Now employers have to brief their employees regarding:
– The potential danger
– Stress, physical hardships and field living conditions
– Specifically, employees acknowledge in writing that
they understand the danger and conditions when
they are deployed in support of military operations.
congress.nsc.org

37. PTSD
A growing body of literature has demonstrated the association of
combat support in Iraq and Afghanistan with post-deployment mental
health problems, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
and depression.
Actions employers can take to reduce claims:
– Formal debriefing and medical screening upon return
• Look for signs of depression and functional impairment
• Alcohol misuse (letter of reprimand, etc.)
• Aggression or aggressive behavior
– Offer counseling (short term) upon return
– Schedule follow-up assessment within 90 days or prior to re-
deployment
congress.nsc.org

38. Questions ?
congress.nsc.org