Safety Speaker Insights – Doing the Right Thing For Safety

Apollo One Memorial

As a safety speaker I have had some amazing opportunities as a result of my travels and my work. In January, 2015, I had the privilege of attending the memorial service for the Apollo One Astronauts. This ceremony is held on January 27th each year beginning at 6:00pm Eastern Time and ending at 6:30pm, which is the time the fire that took their lives started. It is one of the most moving events I have ever attended. At a dinner following the ceremony, the Grissom family said, “If your invited one year you’re invited every year.” I immediately placed January 27th on my calendar as an annual event.

Photos: Pad 34 CCAFS and Apollo One Crew – Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee

Safety Speaker Insight – Safety Implications

So what does this have to do with safety? This year, I arrived in Florida and met with my good friend, Dr. Sonny Witt, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to see how I could be of assistance during the week of the ceremony. We drove out to Pad 34, which is the launch pad where the fire occurred. Because I am a safety speaker, Sonny showed me some safety improvements, which had been made at site. He shared with me that rain was in the forecast for the day of the ceremony. Over the past 49 years, the ceremony is held rain or shine and, in fact, there have been many times the event was held in the rain. I told him my associate, Sandie and I had packed umbrellas.

If you know anything about Florida, you know it is the lightning capital of the country. When Florida warms up it generates thunderstorms and lightning. In January, it is usually cold enough thunderstorms don’t form. It just rains and rains and rains. That makes for a wet and cold evening at Pad 34 and all the attendees; however, it is safe to be outside. This year, was a little different. At 11:42am, Sonny called to let me know the forecast was for thunderstorms and lightning around the time of the memorial. Because of safety concerns, he and the leadership at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station had regarding the weather, the ceremony was being moved inside this year.

Safety Means Doing What’s Right – Not Necessarily Easy
It would have been easy to keep the location the same. It would have been keeping with the tradition of all these years; however, it would have put many people at risk. Also, it was possible the lightning wouldn’t arrive at 6pm. After all, how reliable is the weather anywhere? Sometimes, we must make safety decisions even when they aren’t convenient or easy. True caring about people puts them and their safety first.

CCAFS and Safety
On another safety note, an interesting fact about Cape Canaveral Air Force Station CCAFS and their mission. Everyone knows we launch rockets from CCAFS but not everyone knows the United States Air Force is dedicated to doing so safely. Early in the history of the cape, it was decided the Air Force would not launch rockets and their primary role would be safety. This separation of roles allows them to protect the safety of those on the site and the public off the site.

That is a valuable concept. Are your safety decisions and production decisions in the right priority? In their case, they have set up a system whereby someone would not be tempted to stretch a safety rule in order to continue with a launch.

I remember one time I was the safety speaker for a safety day at CCAFS. In the middle of the event the fire alarm went off in the hangar we were in. I was so pleased when the leadership and everyone safely exited the building even though it was not likely there was a fire. Better to exit and go back in than to be trapped by the unexpected.

Solutions For Your Safety Challenges
When you need solutions for your safety challenges, give Diane Weiss a call at 209-745-9419 and bring John to your site to discover injury-preventing solutions. You can email her at diane@drebinger.com
Until next week,
I’ll be, “Watching Out For Everyone’s Safety™”
John
© 2016 John Drebinger Presentations
Permission to use granted when credited and contact information included. www.drebinger.com +1 209.745.9419