ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD — U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Aberdeen Proving Ground’s (APG) Installation Safety Office (ISO) has been awarded the Safety Excellence Streamer in recognition of a yearlong record of accident prevention and a strengthened safety culture across the Garrison.
The streamer honors Army units that demonstrate sustained commitment to safety. To qualify, APG met strict criteria that included 12 consecutive months without an at-fault Class A or B mishap, completion of risk-management training and a favorable Army Readiness Assessment Program safety climate assessment. The award covers the period Jan. 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025.
“Earning this streamer reflects a proactive, loss-prevention culture and the dedication of our Soldiers, Army civilians and support contractors,” said the Chief of the Installation Safety Office, Robb Altenburg. “Safety is integrated into everything we do here.”
A measurable drop in accidents
During the award period, the garrison saw a 32% drop in workplace accidents, falling from 22 incidents the previous year to 15. Equally noteworthy, there were no at-fault Army Class A or B accidents during that span — a milestone Altenburg said was the product of deliberate change.
“The Installation Safety Office’s focus has always been on ensuring that safety is fully integrated into our operations and that our personnel have the resources and training they need,” Altenburg said. “Success in our program can be attributed to a ‘business partner’ approach to occupational safety over a compliance or ‘safety police’ approach.”
From safety policy to safety partner
Altenburg credited a cultural shift away from punitive enforcement toward a partnership model that encourages open communication about hazards and near misses.
“When the workforce sees the safety office as a partner interested in solutions, not placing blame, employees feel empowered to share their thoughts on occupational safety and health matters,” he said. “That return is fewer accidents.”
The Installation Safety Office (ISO) formalizes its priorities each year through a Commander’s Annual Safety Plan. The plan establishes targeted initiatives and measurable goals for the garrison’s directorates and tenant units.
A revitalized Unit Safety Officer program also played a key role. Under that initiative, directorates appoint unit safety officers who conduct surveys and hazard analyses, help build occupational safety into operations planning and advise leadership on corrective actions.
“Employee participation is exemplified through the willing participation of the garrison workforce in the Unit Safety Officer program,” Altenburg said. “That collaborative approach is essential to our success.”
Near misses inform prevention
The ISO places special emphasis on analyzing close calls and near misses as opportunities to prevent future mishaps. Each year the office reviews accidents, illnesses and near-miss reports, identifying trends that feed back into the Commander’s Annual Safety Plan.
“That’s where the business partner approach pays off,” Altenburg said. “When employees report near misses without fear of repercussion, we can develop countermeasures before a close call becomes a casualty.”
Training, inspections and the four pillars
Training and inspections remain central to the garrison’s approach. Altenburg cited the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s “four pillars of safety” — management commitment and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training — as a framework APG follows.
“We’ve broken down APG workplaces by level of risk and conduct inspections accordingly,” he said. “Training is a continuous effort and is reviewed and adapted to new hazards or changes in the workplace.”
Routine risk assessments, frequent inspections and targeted training helped the garrison identify high-risk tasks and put controls in place, from engineering fixes to administrative procedures and personal protective equipment.
Interagency and tenant coordination
“Maintaining consistent safety standards across a large, multi-tenant installation requires coordination,” Altenburg said.
He co-chairs the APG Safety Working Group with the senior commander’s safety director, a monthly forum that brings tenant safety representatives together to discuss installation wide concerns.
Coordination also occurs through specialized bodies such as the Explosives Safety Working Group, which focuses on hazards unique to ordnance and munitions operations.
“We hold regular joint meetings to strengthen these critical partnerships, which allows us to proactively address potential challenges and respond more effectively to any situation,” Altenburg said.
Challenges and overcoming them
Altenburg acknowledged that pursuing excellence is not without hurdles. He said, “Managing multiple priorities with limited resources” was chief among them, he said, but added that leadership buy-in and the business partner model helped the office meet its objectives.
“Strong leadership support enabled us to overcome these obstacles,” he said. “We’re viewed as a pathway to mission success, not a roadblock.”
Sustaining performance and advice for others
Looking ahead, the ISO is focused on sustaining the gains that earned the streamer. The office will continue to refine the Commander’s Annual Safety Plan, expand unit safety officer involvement and maintain an open line of communication with leadership and the workforce.
“We will never be satisfied with the status quo and always seek ways to improve,” Altenburg said. “That relationship with leadership, the USOs and the garrison workforce is essential in helping us learn about the hazards and conditions our workforce faces.”
Altenburg offered simple advice for other installations aiming for similar results: prioritize open communication, involve employees in safety solutions and “hire the right people.” He praised his team, saying their skill and dedication were central to APG’s success.
“I am convinced that the team I’ve assembled in the ISO are uniquely qualified for their positions,” he said. “We encourage other installations to actively foster a culture of open communication, prioritize employee involvement and view their safety office as a key partner in mission success.”
A model for the future
The Safety Excellence Streamer recognizes a sustained organizational effort, not a single initiative. For APG, the award confirms that a strategy grounded in partnership, data-driven risk management and continuous training can yield measurable reductions in workplace harm.
As installations nationwide confront evolving hazards — from complex munitions handling to pandemic-era operational shifts — APG’s approach offers a practical template: build trust, target resources where risk is highest, and treat near misses as the prevention opportunities they are.
“We achieved these results because safety is part of how we do business,” Altenburg said. “When everyone understands that safety supports the mission rather than hinders it, the whole organization benefits.”
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