KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s annual Safe + Sound Week starts August 11th and runs through the 17th. The campaign emphasizes three core elements: Management and Leadership, Worker's Participation, and a systematic approach to Finding and Fixing Hazards. Each year, challenges highlight workplace safety and help organizations build and maintain effective safety and health programs. This year, the Department of the Air Force will highlight the “Hazard Huddle” and “Response-Ready” workplace challenges.
“Hazard Huddle” falls under the Management Leadership element. It recognizes that a safe workplace requires open communication about hazards. Employers are encouraged to conduct discussions with their employees to identify hazards and use job hazard analysis as part of a comprehensive risk management process. This involves identifying potential hazards, assessing the risks they pose, and implementing appropriate controls. Supervisors are encouraged to discuss potential procedural updates with employees before implementing changes, ensuring that risk management decisions are made with input from those directly affected.
“Response-Ready Workplace” emphasizes Worker Participation. It encourages employees to be familiar with emergency action plans and to actively participate in making them more effective. The challenge lists examples of emergencies to plan for, such as weather-related disasters, hurricanes, tornados, fires, chemical spills, or explosions. It also suggests holding safety meetings to go over key points of the EAP and work through different types of emergencies that might occur. The challenge also encourages EAPs to be reviewed periodically to focus on different emergencies. This aligns with the risk management principle of ensuring workers understand and are prepared for potential emergencies, thereby reducing overall risk.
Since its inception in 2017, the DAF has partnered with OSHA in the Safe + Sound Week campaign. Over the years, these challenges have helped integrate risk management practices into the daily operations of Airmen and Guardians, ensuring that risk management is not just a compliance exercise but a vital part of their culture.
Partnering with OSHA enables the DAF to continuously evaluate and improve its risk management processes, pushing updated guidance across MAJCOM/FLDCOMs. This ensures that Airmen and Guardians can perform risk assessments and make informed decisions in complex environments, ultimately reducing injuries and enhancing mission success.
As the DAF transforms how we employ combat power and integrates risk management across all training and operations, the Safe and Sound campaign is another way for Airmen and Guardians to utilize and implement risk management and assessments at every level and in every environment. Airmen and Guardians must be prepared for the evolving, complex, and dynamic environments where they must make risk-informed decisions to complete the mission safely.
In 2024, the DAF recorded a 7% reduction in on-duty injuries compared to the previous year. This success highlights how integrating hazard identification and risk management into daily operations fosters a safer, more resilient workplace.
“Partnering with OSHA in this national campaign amplifies our commitment to workplace safety across the Department of the Air Force.” said William “Bill” Walkowiak, chief of the Department of Air Force, Occupation Safety, Air Force Safety Center. “Together, we're sending a clear message: safety is key to healthy and productive lives, and we're dedicated to fostering a culture where everyone returns home safely every day.”
Visit the Air Force Safety Center website for more information on the Safe + Soung week campaign.