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Combined Effort: CWSG sets lofty safety goals

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. O'Brien
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Their ultimate safety goal is no incidents, accidents or lost days.

To achieve such an unprecedented feat, the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Combined Wing Staff Group, which includes 11 home and staff offices, and the 448th Supply Chain Management Wing, has set aggressive fiscal-year goals, is changing the culture and encouraging participation in the Voluntary Protection Program.

"Safety is paramount," said Patrick Steelman, command section editor at the OC-ALC Commander's Action Group. "Getting the senior leaders and employees, in turn, to believe they can make a difference with safety is the only way we can truly improve our work environment."

Without program buy-in, officials said a change in culture is challenging. As is, personnel are most comfortable with the "this is the way it's always been done" mindset.

"Most people don't like change," Mr. Steelman said. "Taking them out of their normal routines is always going to be a challenge. So you have to overcome this natural level of resistance."

One way to do so is by tracking Total Case Incident Rates and Days Away, Restricted and Transferred rates'. Currently, the CWSG has a TCIR of .73 and DART rate of .13. The fiscal 2011 TCIR and DART goals are .5 and .12, respectively. Both figures are below the industry standard rates of 1.5 for TCIR and .5 for the DART rate.

"The ALC is improving these numbers and therefore more wisely using taxpayer resources since we are paying fewer people to recover from injuries instead of working," said Joe Carignan, action officer at the OC-ALC/CCX.

To improve the figures, CWSG personnel encourage peers to spot and report potential hazards, talk about safety with one another, read safety-related newsletters and emails and make it a conscious part of their daily lives.

"Although we are making progress we have much work to do," Robert Roche, American Federation of Government Employees Local 916 representative to the CWSG. "A successful safety and health program should not be driven solely by attempts to decrease injury rates; it must also increase the safety and health IQ of our employees. Every employee must believe safety is a value not only at work, but also outside the workplace."

James "Blake" Williamson, an OC-ALC Aerospace Sustainment Directorate management representative with VPP, said the more people understand the VPP concept, the more comfortable they will be participating in it.

"The program was set up to empower anyone to stop an unsafe act from occurring as well as increase safety awareness both at home and on the job," Mr. Williamson said.

If the CWSG can get the message of VPP and the importance of being safe across the workforce, achieving the goal of no incidents, accidents or lost days could follow. Ultimately, the ALC will only benefit, officials said.

"Our people are our most valuable assets and keeping everyone safe is integral to meeting our mission of supporting the warfighter," said Stacia Hathorn, CWSG Steering Committee volunteer.