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Air Force Ground Safety focuses on fall protection

  • Published
  • By Natalie Eslinger
  • Air Force Safety Center Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Air Force Ground Safety will sponsor Fall Protection Focus weeks May 4-15 to draw attention to fall prevention and reduce fall-related mishaps.

For the second year, fall protection focus is scheduled in partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's campaign, "National Safety Stand-Down." 

According to the safety center's mishap reporting data, falls were responsible for 7,671 ground mishaps with injuries, including three fatalities, from fiscal year 2010 to 2014, resulting in 44,000 lost work days at a cost of more than $30M. 

Maj. Gen. Kurt Neubauer, Air Force chief of safety, encourages all Airmen to take advantage of the special focus weeks to deliberately highlight fall mishap prevention. "Safety's goal is to eliminate every preventable mishap, and we can change the mishap trend of the last five years through a heightened awareness and use of available training resources," Neubauer said.

"This is as an important issue to the Air Force, as it is to me," said Bill Parsons, Air Force chief of ground safety. "Preventing fall injuries and fatalities in every workplace -- the flight line, the construction site, the office and at home -- through education and awareness keeps our Airmen mission ready."

Last year's activities included discussions and presentations, such as video messages from Dr. David Michaels, OSHA assistant secretary of labor, and Dr. Christine Branche, principal associate director of NIOSH and director of Office Construction Safety and Health. OSHA lauded the Air Force for its successful 2014 fall focus week as the largest single participant, reaching more than 650,000 active duty, civilians, Guard, Reserve and family members.

For more information, contact your installation safety office and find fall protection resources at http://www.afsec.af.mil/groundsafetydivision/fallprotection.asp