Safety manager sets goal of zero summer mishaps

  • Published
  • By Megan Just
  • 452 AMW/PA
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  "101 Critical Days of Summer" campaign targets higher injury rates between Memorial Day and Labor Day

Last summer, there were 68 reported preventable mishaps at March Air Reserve Base. Those mishaps resulted in 14 lost-time cases and 115 lost work days. This year, during the "101 Critical Days of Summer"--a military-wide safety campaign that began May 28 and will continue through Labor Day--the 452nd Safety Office will strive for the lofty goal of zero preventable mishaps or, at a minimum, to experience fewer mishaps than in the previous year.

"The overarching umbrella for everything this wing accomplishes is safety. We risk manage every time we back out of our driveways and check the rearview mirror first. The same risk management applies to our work environment. I expect every member to consider the risks and take appropriate action to stop potential hazards," said Col. Karl McGregor, 452nd Air Mobility Wing commander. "There are many links in the chain of an accident; be the link that breaks the chain and stops the pain."

With wing accident rates this spring nearly triple the average, the challenge the safety office poses may be formidable, but, as safety professionals are fond of saying, "all accidents are preventable."

452nd Air Mobility Wing Ground Safety Manager Jim Moats says the increase in mishaps can likely be attributed to the activation of 150 reservists who are on base full time to support the Afghanistan surge, but regardless, the goal of zero mishaps remains.

"We always have more accidents and fatalities during the summer months, because people are going on trips and vacations and doing a lot of outdoor activities," Moats said.

Each year, as part of the "Critical Days of Summer" campaign, the Air Force Safety Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., distributes summer safety resources to Air Force safety offices across the country. The 452nd Safety Office customizes the information for March Air Reserve Base and distributes it to unit safety representatives who share the information with their squadrons at safety briefings, safety stand downs and commander's calls.

Moats said the "slips, trips and falls" are the predominant source of injuries Air Force wide. March Air Reserve Base is no exception, despite March's temperate climate that prevents typical winter slip hazards such as snow and ice.

The safety office keeps an injury investigation database which they use to determine trends and to complete periodic safety reports and surveys.

"We have to investigate any duty-related accident when there's lost time or medical treatment beyond first aid. We also like to investigate close calls, even if it's not reportable," Moats said. "We can use those reports to try to zero in on a particular type of accident or vocation and see if there are any commonalities we can use for accident reduction efforts."

But in the case of problematic "slips, trips and falls," the safety office hasn't been able to determine a pattern. "Each slip is different," Moats said.

The second most problematic category of mishaps is "sprains and strains" and other PT-related injuries.

"Softball season just started. We usually get at least ten injuries a year from softball and the season's longer this year. We want to be competitive, but we don't want to hurt ourselves or somebody else," Moats said.

The sports injuries reported to the safety office most commonly include rolled ankles, knee injuries, muscular skeletal injuries and arthritis.

"With the aging workforce, we see more and more of that," Moats said of arthritis.

Motorcycle riding is typically a summer-specific safety concern at most bases, but at March, Moats said many motorcyclists ride year-round. The most worrisome on-duty summer concerns for Moats include sunburn and heat exhaustion.

Whether an accident is an alcohol-related off-duty waterskiing mishap or simply tripping over a peeling linoleum tile in the office, the resulting injury can have an impact at the work place.

"You have to look at people as an important resource, just like an aircraft or a vehicle. The more days they're on quarters recovering from an accident, the more it affects our ability to do our mission," Moats said. "If we're not all healthy and here at work , eventually, it can snowball to where we can't meet our mission."

Moats also said a high rate of accidents in a work place can begin to negatively affect morale, as injured members' missed days cause an increased work load for those who remain. It is the safety office's goal to prevent these lost days and to keep March reservists and employees safe.

"Ideally, our purpose is to identify hazards and dangerous conditions to prevent accidents before they happen," Moats said. "What everybody wants is that when they leave here [March] at the end of the day, they'll be in the same condition as when they arrived. A little tired, maybe, but they'll have all their fingers and toes."

Although the safety office does its best to educate and prevent accidents, safety, in the end, is everyone's responsibility and it will be up to everyone to keep March's "Critical Days of Summer" mishap rates low.