US HB5188

Secretary of Defense must establish blast safety officer positions in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force by September 30, 2026

Blast safety officers will monitor and mitigate blast overpressure exposure during live-fire and explosive exercises, with authority to halt exercises if exposure exceeds safe thresholds

Officers must brief service members on health risks before exercises, oversee use of protective equipment and wearable sensors, and maintain exposure logs

Each special mission unit in the covered Armed Forces branches must be assigned a blast safety officer

Blast safety officers must receive training and maintain certification in blast safety, operating under standards from the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act