FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Aug. 21, 2015) -- When it comes to safety, everyone is a member of the team. That's why Womack Army Medical Center invited subject matter experts from N. C. State University in Raleigh, N.C., to Fort Bragg to give a class to additional duty safety officers this month at the Bragg Training and Education Center.
The two-week class provided each attendee with an Occupational Safety and Health Administration Public Sector Safety certification and taught them how to reduce accidents, incidents and injury rates.
"The safety officers learned a lot in the class," said Joe Dooley, safety and occupational health specialist, WAMC. "It was more than just risk management; they learned how to recognize and eliminate hazards in the work area."
Col. John Melton, chief of staff, WAMC, said that safety is paramount and it's important to avoid a culture of apathy.
"We make an assumption that everything is taken care of and conducted safely because it seems like common sense," said Melton. "Just because it seems like common sense, doesn't mean that people are using common sense. Risk mitigation is important to ensure that we're safety conscious and providing safe, quality care."
In keeping with the expectations in a hospital environment, the training included segments on bloodborne pathogens, safe patient handling, accident investigation, safety and health management, as well as a warehouse safety class.
"We were able to tailor the training by selecting electives that pertained to a medical facility," said Dooley. "These specific blocks of instruction will help our safety officers better know and understand what to look for in their areas."
Melton left the newly certified safety officers with one piece of advice.
"Be brave," he said. "You know what right and wrong is. If you see something unsafe, take action on it."
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