1. ATEC Safety Verification Process
T. R. Masino
Army Test and Evaluation Command

2. SOCOM Programs Supported By ATEC (Examples)
Body Armor R&D Testing
Next Generation Loudspeaker System
Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS)
RPG Training
Emergency Infiltration/Exfiltration System
Flyer Generation II Light Mobility Vehicle
Silent Knight Radar
Hostile Forces – Tagging, Tracking & Locating

3. Safety Verification Supporting Regulations
DoDI , OPERATION of the DEFENSE ACQUISITION SYSTEM, 08 Dec 2008.
The PM, in concert with the user and the T&E community, shall provide safety releases (to include formal Environment, Safety, and Occupational Health (ESOH) risk acceptance in accordance with Section 6 of Enclosure 12) to the developmental and operational testers prior to any test using personnel.
Section 6, Encl 12:
The PM shall integrate ESOH risk management into the overall systems engineering process for all developmental and sustaining engineering activities. As part of risk reduction, the PM shall eliminate ESOH hazards where possible, and manage ESOH risks where hazards cannot be eliminated. The PM shall use the methodology in MIL-STD-882D, …
Prior to exposing people, equipment, or the environment to known system-related ESOH hazards, the PM shall document that the associated risks have been accepted by the following acceptance authorities: the CAE for high risks, PEO-level for serious risks, and the PM for medium and low risks. The user representative shall be part of this process …
AR 70-1, Army Acquisition Policy
AR , Materiel Release, Fielding, and Transfer
AR , The Army Safety Program
DA PAM 385–16, System Safety Management Guide
AR 73-1, Test and Evaluation Policy
ATEC 385-1, ATEC Safety Regulation
DA PAM 73-1, T&E in Support of Systems Acquisition
ATEC PAM 73-1, System T&E Procedures
DTC PAM 73-1, T&E Developmental Test Guide
USSOCOM Directive 70-1, Acquisition Management
System Policy
DTC Policy Bulletin 8-10, Type of Safety Document to
be Issued in Support of USSOCOM

4. Safety Verification Process
Verify the compliance of the system with safety requirements on safety-critical hardware, software, and procedures.
Request
Information / Data
Meeting
Phone Call
Request for Test Services (RFTS)
at ATEC Decision Support System
(ADSS) Web Site:
System Description
Health Hazard Assessment (HHA)
Safety Assessment Report (SAR)
Technical/Operator’s Manuals
Previous Experience/Testing
Fuze Board
Test or Training Plan
Airworthiness Release
Test Reports
Test Centers’ Recommendations
Verification: Test and Analysis
Tests and/or analyses are conducted to verify the elimination or control of safety and health hazards.
Safety and human health tests and/or analyses are performed on critical devices or components.
Even though specific safety tests are front-loaded, most safety-related data are obtained during conduct of performance, environmental, and endurance tests.

5. Safety Verification Process
T&E IPT
AST Meeting
SSWG Meeting
Test Planning
HHA / SAR
Other Information
DTP
Test Conduct / TIR
Analysis of Findings
Test Report / Test Center Recommendations
Safety Evaluation
IPT – Integrated Product Team
AST – ATEC System Team
SSWG – System Safety Working Group
DTP – Detailed Test Plan
HHA – Health Hazard Assessment
SAR – Safety Assessment Report
TIR – Test Incident Report
Safety Documents

6. Safety Verification Process Safety Evaluation
Test Manager actions:
Conduct an engineering safety evaluation of available information from multiple sources (SAR, contractor data, Test Centers’ Reports/Recommendations, etc.).
Risk assess residual hazards IAW guidance provided in AR , AR 70-1, MIL-STD-882, and safety guidelines.
Prepare Safety Release for tests/events with Soldiers; Safety Release Recommendation for other services or SOCOM.
Prepare Safety Confirmation to support milestones, material release, fielding, and ATEC Operational Evaluation Reports (OERs); Safety Confirmation Recommendation for other services or SOCOM.
Safety Document is reviewed, coordinated, and signed within ATEC.

7. Risk Acceptance Levels MIL-STD-882D

8. Safety Release Use / Employment / Disposition
Provided to:
Program Manager, Test Centers, Organization conducting the test or event using Army Soldiers
Other Services (e.g. SOCOM, Marine Corps) as Safety Release Recommendations
Directive in nature - specific event at a specific location with specific personnel at a specific time. Identifies hazards so they can be eliminated or controlled to the lowest risk level possible.
ATEC Test Centers and OTC follow ATEC Reg when conducting risk assessment and acceptance of technical or operational limitations addressed in the SR.
Organizations outside ATEC conducting/managing tests or events are expected to implement technical and operational restrictions as directed in the SR and to conduct their own risk assessment of hazards identified in the SR.
SOCOM uses the ATEC Safety Release Recommendation to prepare its own Safety Assessment

9. Safety Confirmation Use / Employment / Disposition
Provided to:
Program Managers, AEC, AMC Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC) Safety Offices
Other Services (e.g. SOCOM, Marine Corps) as Safety Confirmation Recommendations
Army Acquisition Programs (PORs, UMRs etc ). Per Army Regulations:
Required document for Materiel Release
LCMC Safety Offices use the SC to conduct a risk assessment of identified hazards
A Safety Document is prepared by LCMC Safety Office to support TCs, MRs and UMRs
PM with LCMC Safety Office prepares System Safety Risk Assessment (SSRA) for Residual Hazards
The SSRA is used to document the acceptance of all risks exceeding the criteria for “low” risk
Rapid Fielding Initiatives (REF, JIEDDO, etc.)
Document is forwarded to the project managers for use in equipping the Soldier
Also used for in-theater assessments involving Soldiers
SOCOM uses the ATEC Safety Confirmation Recommendation to prepare its own Safety Assessment

10. What Document Will Be Provided?
Safety Releases will be issued for:
All systems that will be used in tests (also training and demonstrations) where Soldiers are participants.
An ATEC test activity (Test Center or OTC) that is conducting a test for SOCOM even when the test may involve participants other than Soldiers.
Safety Release Recommendations will be issued for:
All other SOCOM requests involving test, training and/or demonstration events.
Support of joint Service testing when a service other than Army is the lead tester.
Safety Confirmations will be issued for:
Systems that will be fielded to Soldiers.
SO-peculiar materiel being fielded to the whole Army (SC provided to Army PM).
Safety Confirmation Recommendations will be issued for:
SO-peculiar materiel that is being fielded to SOCOM in addition to the whole Army (SCR provided to SOCOM does not support Army materiel release or fielding decisions).
Support of materiel release or fielding by another Service upon request.