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Safety is a Leadership Issue

  • Published
  • By Wayne Bendall
  • HQ AMC Ground Safety
Winter 2014 --  For many of our AMC Airmen, the upcoming months bring with them both the joys of the holiday season and the dangers of dealing with wintry weather conditions. The holidays offer an opportunity to pause and reflect on past accomplishments, visit with family and friends, and set new goals for the coming year.

They also bring weather conditions hazardous to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The most common mishaps during this time of year are slips and falls due to icy conditions. The most serious involve motor vehicle operations. Common causal factors such as speeding, drinking and driving, fatigue, and distractions are compounded when we mix in winter weather.

As we begin preparations for the weather changes, it is important to remain vigilant. To help direct your mishap prevention focus, the AMC safety staff will spearhead a holiday safety initiative that will run from 20 November - 28 January. Your local safety offices will be sharing ideas on where to focus your mishap prevention efforts. Success will require face-to-face leadership and continuous engagement.

Speaking of success, there were no AMC fatalities or serious injuries during this same time period last year. Unfortunately, 8 Air Force Airmen lost their lives; 7 of those were the result of motor vehicle operations.

On-duty safety is also a paramount concern. Although slips and falls on ice are the most common mishap this time of year, accidents can happen to anyone at any time.

As noted in Gen Darren W. McDew's Safety and Health policy letter dated 27 May 2014, "Safe operations are challenged by lapses in focus, judgment, and discipline." He also stated he views it "first and foremost as a leadership issue: it demonstrates a lack of focus on RM, operations safety, training, and standards. Successful and safe operations are a by-product of a systematic process which helps us evaluate courses of action, identify risks and benefits, and ultimately arrive at informed decisions."

The theme this year is "RISK MANAGEMENT, IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR"

For ideas on where to focus your mishap prevention efforts, weekly themes are addressed on the AMC ground safety SharePoint:

Week 1 Nov. 20 Preparing for Thanksgiving
Week 2 Nov. 27 Thanksgiving is Here!
Week 3 Dec. 4 Home Again After the Holidays
Week 4 Dec. 11 Cold Weather Setting in for Most
Week 5 Dec. 18 'Twas the Week Before Christmas
Week 6 Dec. 25 Christmas and New Year Celebrations
Week 7 Jan. 1 Back to Work and Tired
Week 8 Jan. 8 More Cold Weather Ahead
Week 9 Jan. 15 Dangers of Wintry Weather 
Week 10 Jan. 22 Don't Drop Your Guard