HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – The 66th Air Base Group Safety Team recently received Air Force Materiel Command level awards, including the AFMC Chief of Safety Outstanding Achievement Award and the AFMC Safety Civilian Professional of the Year Award.
The Hanscom Safety Team implemented an aggressive base-wide mishap prevention campaign which led to a reduction in Fiscal Year 2023 mishaps by 55 percent and a 75 percent reduction over 10 years for an all-time low.
The reduction of mishaps is attributed to a culmination of efforts, including senior leadership involvement, regional collaboration, safety training, member recognition, hazard abatement, and promoting the message of safety.
One way the team has been successful at reducing mishaps is involving more people.
“We’ve done a great job building working relationships with base personnel and breaking down safety barriers,” said Shaun Bassett, Hanscom AFB Occupational Safety manager and the recipient of the AFMC Safety Civilian Professional of the Year Award. “People aren’t afraid to come to or call us about a safety issue or invite us down to look at something. We will always make time to assist base personnel.”
He added, “The message is simple: if you see something unsafe, report it. Our goal is to eliminate hazards before they get to the point of causing someone an injury.”
The Hanscom AFB Safety Office has also done an outstanding job of providing and securing funds for safety training for base personnel. They partnered with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Region 1 OSHA Training Institute, and the base Education Center that resulted in 142 personnel earning 172 continuing education units and 1,720 hours of safety training through 21 safety courses, eight of which were hosted here on Hanscom AFB.
“We have really focused on training and developing our people,” said Bassett. “The better we can develop our people, the more we can assist the base.”
He also noted that safety training is available for everyone, not just for safety officials.
According to Bassett, another key to their success has been partnering with other regional safety organizations such as OSHA and the Greater Boston Field Federal Safety and Health Council. These partnerships create opportunities to provide training, share best practices, provide mentorship, and allow for networking opportunities.
More information about Hanscom AFB’s safety program be found on the CAC-enabled Hanscom Safety SharePoint site.
The Safety Office can be reached at 781-225-7233 or 66.abg.se.cmb@us.af.mil.