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Air Mobility Command embraces culture of constant safety

  • Published
  • By Col. Lindsey Borg
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  People are the focus of Air Mobility Command's efforts to improve safety and implement the Voluntary Protection Program, or VPP, across the command.

VPP is well known in the private sector for helping employees take an active role to improve their workplace safety. VPP will shift the Air Force's approach to safety from a program view to a culture of constant safety improvement for Airmen.

"VPP is all about the Airman - military, civilian, contractor. It's about providing each person the best possible work environment. It's a concrete, dedicated commitment to the member on how important each of them are to mission accomplishment," said Col. Don Halpin, AMC director of safety.

"The Air Force 'does safety' very well," said Lt. Gen. Rusty Findley, AMC vice commander, "but VPP takes to the next level our programs like Operational Risk Management and the Wingman approach. The Airman - civilian, contractor and military - is the key ingredient to this successful culture change. VPP is about each of us taking an active role to make our work and personal lives the safest possible."

The primary goal of VPP is to raise safety and health awareness for Airmen and, in turn, lower the number of injuries and illnesses on and off the job. Civilian companies, working with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, have enjoyed dramatic improvement in their workers' health and safety through VPP.

Headquarters AMC and the 375th Airlift Wing here will begin VPP efforts later this month with various workplace assessments. The assessment process, called a Gap Analysis, will help to identify obvious areas for immediate improvement. As VPP continues, Airmen will take ownership of making their workplaces the safest they can be.

Travis AFB was AMC's first to begin VPP, taking the first steps in December 2006. The David Grant Medical Center there has seen great success as a result. The center's commander, Col. Lee Payne, said the biggest safety hazard in a hospital comes from slips, trips and falls that can result in injuries and, as a result, lost work time for employees.

The medical center uses a dual-reporting system, with phone-based and email notification systems available for employees to express concerns and ideas. The inputs are quickly considered and often implemented. For example, hospital staff members identified solutions to solve slipping risks caused by spills on the tile floors. Employee suggestions led to placement of pop-up caution cones and absorbent towels in hallways to mark and cleanup spills before the housekeeping staff arrives.

"The people in the work areas know best how to improve processes and increase safety," Col. Halpin said. "The VPP approach to a culture of safety empowers them to make things better and safer - the people benefit and are the drivers for mission success."