Safety or Bust: staying vigilant in the mission

Photo By Sgt. Spencer Rhodes | Master Sgt. Rachel Cabanting (Left), Safety Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge, and 1st Lt. Jamie Larson, Safety Officer in Charge, at the Orange County Convention Center Community Based Testing Site, stop by the pre-screening line and make sure soldiers at each checkpoint has what they need. (U.S. Army photo by SGT Spencer Rhodes)  

ORLANDO, FL, UNITED STATES

04.03.2020

Story by Sgt. Spencer Rhodes 

107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

ORLANDO, Florida – Any time you see an environment that involves many groups or individuals working together, there are just as many that you don't see working behind the scenes. At the Orange County Convention Center Community Based Testing Site, Master Sgt. Rachel Cabanting and 1st Lt. Jamie Larsen, are one such team.
Florida Army National Guard Master Sgt. Rachel Cabanting, who has been serving in the National Guard for 18 years, has well over a decade of experience working in health and safety. Currently, she works for Environmental Health Safety at Universal Orlando Resort as a manager of Training and Compliance. Universal has 27,000 team members. Suffice to say, between her current experience in the civilian sector and her previous experience in the military already, Cabanting transitioned to her role smoothly and efficiently.
"I'm one of the lucky few that gets to wear the safety hat both on the full time and part-time. I take and use the tools that I learn from both worlds (Civilian and military), and it helps strengthen some of my technical expertise," says Cabanting.
As for what support they provide, she and 1st Lt. Jamie Larson, the Safety Officer for the OCCC community based testing site, assist the commander in recommending changes that not only keep soldiers and operations safe but are really to ensure proper performance of each task.
"When the job is done correctly, that means safety is factored into our operations. We monitor to improve the mission, provide guidance to leaders and make recommendations for improvement," says Cabanting.
OCCC community based testing site leadership prepared for as many scenarios as possible, creating potential solutions for potential obstacles. The smaller aspects of the day-to-day, however, can provide the building blocks of far larger issues down the road when neglected. A watchful eye, for the sake of the continuing of their mission, is kept on those smaller pieces too.
"The little things make the big difference. The small stuff tells a story of the overall health of the mission and the organization. As a leader, being able to engage with others, asking questions, and getting follow up at all echelons of the organization will tell you the level of success that is now and what is to come in the near future," says Cabanting. "The minute you hear something that could be a potential issue or risk, we want to know more about it and how to mitigate. These are things that are not just done in safety, but to be a successful leader."
As Cabanting and Larson engage soldiers at each site (they visit each shift every day, to meet soldier's needs and see proper procedures are maintained), the philosophy becomes evident in their routine. A hand-washing station isn't dispensing soap, or maybe soldiers are running out of hydration packets for their water; minutia such as this, when unattended, hampers efficiency and morale.
Standard operation procedures exist for a reason, no matter how dry it may seem at the time. Working in safety for so long, Cabanting has developed the ability to see through this lens wherever she's at, with whatever she's doing; not merely for the sake of rules, but because the snowball effect of becoming lax can grow to put more than just an individual at risk. As she explains it, they're not enforcers, they're partners, and they want to understand the challenge to provide solutions.
"Sometimes, people forget to do the right thing, which could be the one safe procedure or task that is often forgotten," says Cabanting. "I like to step in, build a relationship, tell them what is important, and remind people why we are safe. It's not because OSHA says so, but at the end of the day, I want Soldiers to see their families. I want to be able to go home and see my family, without injury."

• Date Taken: 04.03.2020
• Date Posted: 04.04.2020 09:28
• Story ID: 366586
• Location: ORLANDO, FL, US