Toward the goal …: reducing mishaps by 50%

Approach, Jan-Feb, 2004 by Dick Brooks

The Naval Safety Center recently hosted the preliminary meeting of the Navy and Marine Corps Safety Council. Getting the top members of our safety teams together, developing and implementing a plan of action, and making real progress toward 50 percent reduction in mishaps is the challenge before us.

Here is some feedback from our safety leadership we want to share with our readers.

"We hosted a preliminary, working-level Navy and Marine Corps Safety Council meeting aboard Naval Station Norfolk. During this meeting, USN and USMC representatives discussed our mishap-reduction plan, SECNAV's Safety Council Charter, and the Navy's strategic plan to reach the 50-percent mishap-reduction goal within two years. I emphasize the operative word for successfully meeting and exceeding our mishap-reduction goals will be " buy-in" by everyone involved. Our actions will set the tone. We can no longer operate under the guise of business-as-usual, nor can we expect to reduce mishaps through administrative steps such as redrafting instructions and regulations. Let's not re-invent the wheel, as we sometimes do. It's time to change our cultural thinking, and "think safety" before, during, and after duty hours, while on liberty and leave--in short, '24/7.' And, as we all know, operational risk management (ORM) is critical to having a safety-conscious Navy and Marine Corps team able to sustain its lethality, meet operational commitments, and always be ready to meet unexpected surge requirements, all while protecting our most valued asset, our people.

"It's up to all of us, from the CO down to the most junior supervisors, to set the example and motivate our deck-plate Sailors and field Marines to understand and accept safety as a way of life, not something temporarily thought of only while on the job. Senior leadership must engage itself and set the tone for their command. The challenge to all of us is to 'make it happen.' We need across-the-board participation at all levels to take our DoN safety program where it must go."

How are we doing?

Here's information on our safety status

Aviation (Rates = Mishaps Per 100,000 Flight Hours)

Class-A Flight Mishaps (FY04 thru 31 Dec)

Service    Total/Rate     FY03           FY04 Goal*
                          thru 31 Dec

USN:           1/0.41        5/1.87         14/1.24  **
USMC:          4/4.91        1/1.21         10/2.75 ***

           FY05 Goal *    FY01-03 Avg    Fighter/Attack     Helo
USN:
USMC:
           10/0.88 **     20.3/1.76              1/1.72    0/0.00
           7/1.94 ***     10.3/2.76              3/8.26    1/3.08

* Goals based on FY02 baseline.

** FY04/05 rate at or below goal.

*** FY04/05 rate above goal

For current information or below goal.

www.safetycenter.navy.mil/statistics/aviation/default.htm