Occupational Health

KSC provides a comprehensive, integrated Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health Program for NASA, approved United States Air Force (USAF) personnel, contractors, visitors and tenants at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), and Patrick Space Force Base (PSFB), Florida.

KSC is a recognized leader in worker health and safety, and our experts are available to help customers and partners achieve their goal while staying safe, healthy, and environmentally responsible. The team conducts routine evaluations of facilities and operations to assure that employees are not subject to hazards that could cause harm to their health and safety. From testing drinking water, to monitoring gyms, childcare facilities, and recreational facilities, to inspecting food concessions, the KSC team works hard to make sure the center is one of the safest places to work in the country.

The list of services provided cover environmental testing, industrial hygiene, hazardous materials waste, public health awareness and inspection, occupational health, and health education and wellness programs.

Below are further details regarding the medical and environmental services provided at KSC:

Provides the following services for all NASA, Air Force, and contractor personnel that are stationed at KSC/CCAFS:

  • Occupational Health Examinations: Most, but not all, of these examinations are regulatory driven, either by OSHA, NASA, USAF or other regulations.
  • Non-Emergency Treatments: Available at all of our clinics. The main thrust of the program is to evaluate occupational injuries and illnesses. However, identification and stabilization of potentially life threatening conditions is provided whether or not the cause is occupational or not.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Maintained in accordance with the Privacy Act System of Records. Provided to employees experiencing emotional stress, mental health disorders, family or relationship difficulties, financial and/or legal concerns, and alcohol or substance abuse problems.
  • Health Education and Wellness Program: This program is available to all KSC employees and aims to increase awareness of personal health, promote a healthful lifestyle and provide early detection of health conditions and diseases. Services include cardiovascular disease screenings, counseling, smoking cessation programs, a full service fitness center, training in First Aid, and training for the occupational health facility and fire department.
  • Health Training: KSC has health training available in many disciplines such as AHA Heartsaver AED, AHA Heartsaver First Aid, Blood borne pathogens, AHA BLS for Health Care Providers, AHA Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support. On site Health Training demonstrations are available for CPR/AED/BBP. To schedule, call 867-8229.
  • Aerospace Medicine Services: Plans and implements the Aerospace Medicine, Occupational Medicine, and the Environmental Health Programs to ensure the health and well-being of the KSC workforce, and provides launch and landing medical support to NASA’s human space flight programs.
  • Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Services: RehabWorks is a free on-site musculoskeletal rehabilitation service for employees suffering from a work, non-work, or sports-related injuries, plus care for post-surgical needs. Care is provided by Certified/Licensed Athletic Trainers (ATC/L) who can provide injury assessment and rehabilitation services in order to maximize long-term recovery and reduce lost work time.
  • Biomedical Studies Support: Biomedical engineers perform design, test, analysis, and evaluation of all forms of personal protective equipment. Personal protective equipment includes liquid air and supercritical air supplied breathing apparatus and whole body suits used for protection of workers handling toxins such as rocket propellant. Devices that protect against heat stress are also evaluated. Unique communications systems have been designed, fabricated, and deployed routinely from this lab.

Provides the following professional services to ensure the health and safety of employees:

  • Sanitation and Public Health: Provide routine monitoring and assessment of hazards and provide support to contractors in the development of policies and procedures to reduce and prevent challenges to productivity. Monitoring covers food safety inspections, food vending inspections, food recall coordination, epidemiological investigations to include animal bites, sanitary nuisance investigations, day care surveillance, bottled water testing, public facilities inspection, disease vector surveillance/mosquitoes
  • Environmental Microbiology Laboratory: Provides support to environmental health and environmental studies, facilities maintenance and spacecraft support.
  • Workers Health At A Glance: Provides NASA, AF and their Contractors with a quick method of viewing data from health hazard evaluations, including potential health hazards, hazard control methods, air monitoring results, health hazard ratings, similar exposure group profiles, and a follow-up status of required/recommended corrective actions.