eem2am,
This configuration is safe, although no manufacturer would guarantee it, since the base-emitter current is limited to the leakage current of the diode, which would be much less than the Ibeo rating of the base-emitter junction. The actual voltage across the eb junction is indeterminate in this case.
Regards,
Kral
The max allowed voltage for the reverse-biased emitter base junction is 9V where the transistor is turned off.
You have the emitter at about +15.3V and the base at ground which is a reverse bias of 15.3V so the emitter-base diode will have avalanche breakdown and conduct a lot of current. The current slowly eats away the base-emitter junction and reduces the beta of the transistor.