SAFETY A PRIORITY

By LACW Simone Liebelt

THE Air Force has embarked on a campaign to heighten awareness about workplace safety with the introduction of RAAFSAFE, a new Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) management system.

RAAFSAFE is about promotion, prevention and education and aims to incorporate safety into all Air Force procedures and practices by bridging the gap between high-level safety policy and the personnel who use the information at “grass roots” level.

The F-111 fuel tank Deseal/Reseal inquiry in 2000 highlighted the significant implications of a breakdown in the safety system. This led Air Force to re-focus its attention on ground safety management.

CAF Air Marshal Angus Houston became the driving force behind RAAFSAFE, tasking a “Tiger Team” to develop a single, world-class safety system to meet ground and aviation safety needs and support both day-to-day and deployed operations.

A range of RAAFSAFE initiatives will be implemented over the next 12 months, starting with the launch of the RAAFSAFE Seminar by AIRMSHL Houston on March 24.

The inaugural one-day CAF Air Force safety conference will promote the RAAFSAFE system to senior management and safety advisors emphasising leadership, direction, education and training.

The annual event will include presentations by key speakers and a competency-based training component. It will give commanders the opportunity to discuss issues or concerns they have in the field directly with CAF.
Other RAAFSAFE initiatives are:

• A comprehensive RAAFSAFE education package will be introduced from April with the inclusion of OH&S training on all induction, promotion and management courses. A two-week Safety Advisors course, covering the principles of RAAFSAFE promotion, prevention and investigation, is being developed.
• A Safety Advisory Network – providing specialist guidance on occupational health, ground and aviation safety issues – will be established, along with a RAAFSAFE Board to oversee total safety performance.
• A new RAAFSAFE magazine will be produced four times a year and inserted in Air Force News to provide current news and information, and a 40-page RAAFSAFE handy reference guide will be available to all personnel.

Other OH&S initiatives include the introduction of a Defence injury prevention program and the establishment of centres of expertise in OH&S and health monitoring on bases.

AIRMSHL Houston said safety was his highest priority and he encouraged all personnel to understand their individual roles and responsibilities in the protection of our people.

“As Chief of Air Force I am committed to providing a safe working environment for all those who support the Air Force mission and strongly believe we need to protect our people as they are the mainstay of our capability,” he said.

“We have a proud reputation for the management of flying safety and are now extending this approach to the management of OH&S. The RAAFSAFE system has been designed to convert safety policy into action and enhance our mission of preparing for and conducting air operations.”

.