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    Afghan safety professionals apply new knowledge beyond work

    TAA lead trainer

    Photo By Todd Lyman | Pat Freedman, program manager, is the lead trainer for Afghan safety professionals. He...... read more read more

    KABUL—Afghan safety professionals are taking what they learn with the Corps into their homes and communities. In addition to capacity building here, USACE may also be responsible for a safety renaissance.

    The mission of the USACE Transatlantic Afghanistan District safety office is to provide policy, programs, technical services, oversight and outreach related to safety and occupational health matters in support of Corps of Engineers missions throughout Afghanistan. To ensure mission accomplishment, training is a major tool in the quest. Safety Manager Ed McNamara explained “We observed work practices that we found unacceptable. We made this training mandatory for all workers at Engineer Village; office workers, warehouse workers and janitorial workers. For example we had industrial safety classes for our warehouse workers and in the afternoon we had fire prevention safety for all.”

    One valuable TAA employee took the training to heart. Hamid, a 36-year-old housekeeping worker who spent time as a security guard with coalition forces, observed areas at his home that needed attention.

    “The electrical safety and fire extinguisher use and maintenance training was very helpful and I was able to apply it in my home. I got home after the training and checked to see if our extinguisher was accessible and in working condition. I saw immediately that our extinguisher needed serviced, and I got it fixed.
    “Next I looked at the extension cords in our house to see if they had the UL or CE labels.”

    For more than a century Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an independent, non-profit organization has tested and certified products for safety. The European Commission (CE) certifies that products have met EU health, safety and environmental requirements that ensure consumer and workplace safety.

    “I also checked to see if they were overloaded or if I had any daisy chains. When I saw the pictures in training of what happened when infractions occur and saw what we had at home, I removed the television, refrigerator and others from the same cord,” Hamid continued. “I explained to my family the dangers of putting so many items on one cord and they understood. I did not only tell my family, but my relatives, too. I explained to my brothers, sisters and told them what could happen.”

    Omid, 24 years old from Kabul, learned English through classes he took on his own and assists with administration and interpretation here. He recalls the safety training, “Actually I learned a lot. I was new at that time and felt the same way. It was good training that I could also apply outside of work.”

    The newfound safety awareness brought memories into perspective for some of TAA’s Afghan safety team leaders.
    Asif, a 26-year-old Olympic volleyball hopeful, recalled an incident from his childhood. What he learned with the Corps provided keen insight and bold confidence to speak out.

    “I had an incident where my sister was carrying a metal container of water and brushed against a receptacle with a broken cover. She was shocked and was knocked down. For five minutes she was incapacitated. I thought she was dead. It is obvious to me now that there was no grounding wire.

    “Just recently a relative of mine closed himself into a shed where the family had placed a running generator. It was raining and the family wanted to prevent the generator from being damaged. The young man passed out and died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
    “I remember seeing a frayed extension cord at home and my father wanted to repair it. I told him that for the $10 it costs to replace it to make sure it was safe, we can save a life or the cost of replacing property. When I explained it to my father he understood and agreed.

    “Our main goal is to learn. We’ve learned a lot. We hope to change ideas of the public.”

    Sami is a 33-year-old safety team leader who raises messenger pigeons. As a 9- or 10-year-old he saw his younger sister on the ground unconscious. In retrospect recalling the marks on her wrist, he deduced that she had come in contact with a frayed extension cord. “It touched her left wrist and shocked her.”

    He called for his father who revived the young girl, made sure she was breathing, and saved her life.

    Patrick Freedman is an industrial hygienist from Philadelphia District who is the program manager for the Afghan safety team. He has seen Afghanistan’s safety awareness improve from non-existent to good. Freedman’s training program has improved the abilities of Afghan team mates.

    “I am encouraged seeing trained Afghan safety personnel take action not only on building sites but also with their homes and families,” he said.

    Alim, a 28-year-old safety team leader expressed the history of safety here. “Before the U.S. came to Afghanistan, there was no safety to protect property and personnel. A friend I know was going to build a roof. He was a professional engineer. He used personal protective equipment and when he wore that, everyone teased him, calling him a municipal employee. There were no education centers or laws to enforce. To Afghans it was something new, unique to everyone.”

    Alim is committed to changing those perspectives. “We want to implement a safety culture to the nation. We’ve found many safety incidents—breaker problems, machinery accidents on bases and with our families. We are a few who have been trained. We can adopt safety measure to have a safe Afghanistan for now and for the future.”

    Zazai another safety team leader, agreed. He recalls seeing men welding in empty fuel tankers with no safety or breathing equipment.

    “Many had problems breathing on the site,” the 31-year-old professional recalled.

    Perhaps determined safety experts who got their start with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will change working conditions here.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 08.23.2013
    Date Posted: 08.24.2013 05:32
    Story ID: 112540
    Location: KABUL, AF
    Hometown: PHILADELPHIA, PA, US

    Web Views: 133
    Downloads: 0

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