NASA recently published revision C of NASA-STD-8719.9, Lifting Standard. This standard establishes NASA’s mission requirements for the design, construction, testing, inspection, maintenance, operation, and personnel licensing of Lifting Devices and Equipment (LDE) to enhance safety and reliability and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. It applies to NASA-owned, rented, leased and NASA contractor-supplied LDE.

John Livacich, Safety and Occupational Health manager at Ames Research Center, recently received a “Yes, If” coin for his proactive approach to mitigating risks and ensuring safe and reliable lifting operations.

NASA personnel at Marshall Space Flight Center are preparing for a big lift in support of the Artemis Program.

In the coming months, NASA intends to use four strand jacks in unison to lower the test stand’s crosshead, which weighs 1.25 million pounds, or 625 tons, onto Test Stand 4693 with the Exploration Upper Stage test article underneath. 

NASA released NASA-STD-8719.28, Wind Tunnel Model Systems Criteria, effective Oct. 10, 2022. The new agency standard — which replaces local center standards at Ames Research Center, Glenn Research Center and Langley Research Center — ensures models can move seamlessly between the centers for testing in various wind tunnels. 

The Institutional Safety and Health Managers Council (ISHMC) brought together safety and health leaders from across the agency this April at Kennedy Space Center. The meeting marked the beginning of a new approach to safety and health management at the agency level. 

Two recent changes to NASA policy directly affect NASA’s Construction Safety community and its commercial suppliers and contractors. These changes went into effect Feb. 1, 2021. 

After each of NASA’s major mishaps — Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia — the agency investigated the mishap and applied findings to future flights. As spaceflight became safer with the implementation of the lessons learned, mishap investigations also improved from each experience. With NASA preparing to fly three new crewed space vehicles in the coming years, clear understanding of the Mishap Investigation process with regards to Human Spaceflight and the underlying authorities and legal landscape of these investigations becomes paramount. 

NASA-STD-8719.9, Lifting Standard went into effect Nov. 2, 2018. The update consisted of slight technical changes, new recommended Lifting Device Equipment Manager minimum requirements and editorial cleanup. Because this standard went through a major revision three years ago, updates to this revision were minor. 

When a mishap or close call occurs, there’s always a human component to consider. It’s not about blame, but rather understanding the circumstances around the incident and how they can be avoided in the future to prevent recurrence.

Glenn’s Facilities Division tracks risks to ensure its parent directorate — the Facilities, Test and Manufacturing Directorate — and the center are well aware of facility risks and how they may impact safety of personnel and facility assets.