The ABC's of Safety

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing chief of Safety
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  It's been an interesting fall with Presidential elections, a very volatile economic situation and a continuous high operations tempo here. Operating in such a busy environment at both home and at work, it's very difficult to find the time to sit back and reflect on safety. 

But with Wingman Day and the holidays coming up, there might not be a better opportunity. In the safety office, we are continuously trying to determine "where the next mishap will occur," so we can fix the problem and prevent it. 

Safety and mishap prevention include much more than just following Air Force guidelines. A great deal of it is common sense, but it does require you to take the time to think about the risks involved in your actions. 

One framework for thinking about safety is to look at it as a combination of safe Attitude, Behavior and Control both on and off the job. Attitude is your frame of mind or the way you approach a given situation. Behavior is how you react or handle a given situation and control refers to actions you take to make your surroundings safe. Safe attitude, behavior and control can lead to a safer environment for you, your wingman and your family. 

To paraphrase Vince Lombardi, attitude isn't everything ... it's the only thing. As simple as it sounds, making a conscious decision to be safe and encouraging others to do the same, is half the battle. Staying alert and focused on the job at hand, taking safety rules and practices seriously and not letting emotions like anger or frustration get in the way of safe job performance will reduce risk for you and your wingmen. If you can maintain a safety attitude, you can prevent the next mishap in your workplace. 

Your behavior or how you react to a situation is another critical element of being safe. Following safety procedures, refusing to take short cuts, using personal protective equipment and asking questions when you need more information are examples of positive safety behavior. 

Other safe behaviors are not hesitating to call a "time out" when you see an unsafe act, fixing safety hazards on the spot and reporting safety hazards you are unable to fix. Safe behavior also means helping your wingman, family and friends understand the importance of safe practices at home, at work and at play. 

The final piece, control, means taking responsibility for making your worksite, home, recreational facility and the entire base a safer place to be. You can help keep your surroundings safe from potential hazards by keeping them clean and orderly. Keep machines and tools in good repair, clean up spills and debris - or report them to the appropriate person, store hazardous materials properly (at home and work) and keep walkways clear. Make sure you report faulty equipment to your supervisor. 

The Air Force has one of the best safety programs in the world, but to make it work properly each of us needs to actively participate. We need to embrace the "culture of safety" where we are all our own safety managers; watching out for ourselves, our families and our wingmen. Attitude, behavior and control are three very important, yet simple aspects of personal safety on and off the job. 

Take a few minutes to think -- are you using the ABC's of safety at work? Are you and your family using them at home? Do you use them in off-duty activities? You can protect yourself, your family, and your wingman with these simple hints. And when you are sitting back enjoying Texas' big victory over Texas A&M Thanksgiving Day, don't forget to give some thanks for avoiding the "next mishap."