Story and photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Scott Wood
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) was recently recognized with the 2017 CNO Award of Achievement in Safety Ashore in the medium non-industrial category.
The CNO Shore Safety Awards Program provides recognition to commands with the best overall safety programs and recognizes outstanding contributions to operational readiness and conservation of resources through effective risk management.
“Last year we made some big strides in bringing together the different types of safety programs on this base.” Stated Stephen Cribb, the Navy Occupational Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Installation Program Director for NASWI.
The NAVOSH department is comprised of eight dedicated safety specialists who provide full time safety services to the civilian and active duty members assigned to NASWI. This responsibility, however, was only fully realized with the willingness and enthusiasm to coordinate and cooperate with the other safety counterparts on NASWI such as Aviation Safety, Industrial Health and Naval Facilities Safety.
The NAVOSH department was presented with an incredibly dynamic year for 2017 with military personnel growing nearly 12%, increasing a demand on services rendered by the safety department. Additionally, the P-3 Orion squadrons executed a homeport shift to NASWI, while also transitioning to the newly introduced P-8 Poseidon airframe. Such overall growth impacted numerous facilities across the base and standards for safety had to be fully emphasized.
Mishap reports declined 42% from 12 in 2015 to just five in 2017 with lost number of workdays being reduced 94% from 229 in 2015 to 13 in 2017. In fact, the most common injury was from improper exercise conducted in the gym, hence the newly established Federal Fire “Peer” fitness instructors.
“The mishaps from physical training related incidents went down last year, that was a big thing.” Stated Cribb.
Natural human error, however, is impossible to entirely eliminate and the recent focus on aviation mishaps is negligible when compared to the dramatic decrease since the inception of operational risk management by the Navy.
“The installation safety award recognizes our efforts at promoting a productive and safe environment on the base and is a testament to a symbiotic safety culture among all the commands that make up Team Whidbey. Strict adherence to the highest possible safety measures combined with great coordination with our tenant squadrons ensures the safest possible airfield and airspace environment around Whidbey Island.” Emphasized Capt. Geoffrey Moore, commanding officer of NASWI.
NAVOSH manages 34 different programs ranging from ergonomics, radiation safety, respiration, mishaps and the extremely structured inspection program with 400 different inspections conducted on a yearly basis.
OAK HARBOR, Wash. (May 15, 2018) Members of the Navy Occupational Safety and Health (NAVOSH) team for Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) pose for a group photo after earning the 2017 CNO Award of Achievement in Safety Ashore in the medium non-industrial category. The CNO Shore Safety Awards Program provides recognition to commands with the best overall safety programs and recognizes outstanding contributions to operational readiness and conservation of resources through effective risk management. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Scott Wood/Released)
Safety is fully ingrained within every task conducted at NASWI causing the base to meet the Naval Safety Center’s criteria for “Operationalizing Safety” by the Safety Management System and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP). NASWI is recognized as a VPP Star participant, the highest level of recognition for federal and civilian businesses.
The 2017 CNO Safety Ashore Award was certainly hard earned with the sheer volume and responsibility earned by the NAVOSH team.
“I know it affected the morale with these guys cause they got some recognition. They know they were valued, but it’s nice just to have somebody else come through and recognize them.” Confirmed Cribb. “Really, I think one of the big reasons they won it was because we have a much better working relationship with the other safety programs and I think it’s a team effort from everybody. Not only us but the entire base.”
Homeport Northwest 