16th Sustainment Brigade develops safety culture

Courtesy Photo | BAUMHOLDER, Germany – Members of the US Army Combat Readiness Center (USACRC) and U.S. Army Europe Safety Team met with 18th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion members to discuss how to improve the Drivers Training and the Army Driver and Operator Standardization programs August 9. The group discussed mitigating risks and improving safety culture for the 16th Sustainment Brigade and USAREUR area.  

BAUMHOLDER, GERMANY

08.09.2017

Courtesy Story

16th Sustainment Brigade

The 16th Sustainment Brigade Safety Manager, Phil Merchant, spoke with the brigade’s senior leaders to provide focus on safety culture, safety tools, and accident avoidance through leaders’ involvement. Merchant began the brief by highlighting the 16th Sustainment Brigade commander, Col. Michelle Donahue’s, command philosophy on safety and risk management, directing leadership to safeguard their Soldiers, civilians, and equipment.

Army safety tools such as the Drivers Training Tool Box, the Ground Risk Assessment Tool and the Soldier Leader Risk Reduction Tool are key to training Soldiers and developing an understanding of Deliberate Risk Management to reduce the risk of mishaps.

Vehicle mishaps are a constant concern for the command team. Tracking and analyzing minor mishaps can increase the commander's awareness and provide a review of risk factors and develop an understanding of holes in the unit safety program.

Merchant provided a strategy to use each incident to review and assist Donahue on developing safety programs and supervisor involvement to close the gaps.

"Commanders must ensure they’re using the Army safety tools and reviewing their safety programs regularly to improve their readiness," said Merchant. "Soldiers need support and guidance to increase their understanding of hazard identification. The Army safety program decreases loss and improves readiness."

Merchant provided Donahue with accident vignettes for the Ground Risk Assessment Tool (GRAT). The vignettes covered topics such as bridge strikes, civilian vehicle accidents and other vehicle based mishaps.
Merchants hopes the scenarios will allow command teams an opportunity to practice their actions if accidents occur while on mission and improve and develop their risk management and pre-accident planning to anticipate and prepare for mishaps. He encouraged commanders to look for and use the real life incidents in safety and convoy briefs across the formation.

• Date Taken: 08.09.2017
• Date Posted: 08.14.2017 06:10
• Story ID: 244760
• Location: BAUMHOLDER, DE