ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. – Returning back to work after the holidays, NAS leadership wants to remind its employees the importance of safety in all that we do as we carry out the AEDC mission.
Safety Refresher sessions for all NAS employees were held base wide on Jan. 3. The items covered included being prepared and taking necessary precautions during winter weather, knowing hazards and controls and ensuring that we take into account safety before and while completing work tasks.
It was also announced that the NAS Safety Condition Campaign for 2017 has kicked off, with each month having a central safety focus, January’s being Fall Protection.
According to Dick Nugent, NAS Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE) manager, the goal of this effort is to empower and engage NAS employees in order to provide a safer workplace.
“The purpose of the Safety Condition Campaign is to methodically identify and correct conditions that present a compliance challenge with safety-related requirements,” he said.
Nugent explained that at the beginning of each month, for 12 months, SHE will provide a bulletin indicating the safety condition and the key things to look for. Each organization will form a team, or teams, within the work group to assess the safety condition in their area.
“The teams will then identify issues in their assigned work area related to the specific safety condition and report the findings to the area supervisor so that they can take the steps necessary to alleviate any issues,” he said.
NAS Deputy General Manager Doug Pearson said safety is a core value of NAS.
“Safety, in its broadest sense, is a key and fundamental part of our normal disciplined approach to problem solving and accomplishing work,” he said. “We are using the first work day of the New Year as a means of setting expectations and emphasizing the importance of integrating safety into all that we do on the job, commuting, at home and at leisure. Safety includes having the backs of our coworkers, protecting our customers test articles, and taking care of our facilities, equipment and tools.”
Pearson added that safety is a team sport and is not a one day event.
“The NAS leadership team will continue to emphasize the importance of knowing and understanding safety standards, application of established processes and continually improving our performance,” he said. “Stay tuned for more information about our monthly Safety Condition Campaign on varying important topics to keep us focused on safety. Safety is good business, produces a positive work environment, and most importantly sustains a healthy work force. Seek to learn more from one other and contribute what you know every day.”
The following are the safety topics for each month during the NAS Safety Condition Campaign for 2017:
January – Fall Protection
February – Barricades and Signs
March – Hazardous Energy Control, Lockout
April – Confined Space Entry
May – Electrical Hot Work
June – Lifting and Rigging
July – Excavation and Trenching
August – Scaffolding
September – Elevated Work Platforms
October – Hazardous Chemicals
November – Explosives Safety
December – Defeating Safety Devices