Courtesy Photo | The Corps of Engineers Safety and Occupational Health Management System, which...... read more read more
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District’s core safety belief is that safety is part of our culture; it’s what we do as part of mission delivery so at the end of the day, everyone goes home safe.
The foundation of the district’s safety culture is the Corps of Engineers Safety and Occupational Health Management System (CE-SOHMS), which provides policy, programs, technical services, oversight and outreach related to safety and occupational health matters, all focused on mitigating and reducing the safety risk when delivering the mission.
CE-SOHMS utilizes leading indicators which allows our organization to develop a proactive and strategic approach to safety and occupational health.
We are creating a self-sustaining system through established and accepted processes that are infused in all aspects of what we do. The goal is to ensure risk is managed properly at the correct level resulting in reduced injuries and illnesses to our employees and contractors.
Buffalo District was one of the first Corps of Engineers districts to adopt the CE-SOHMS program, developing best practices and setting the standard for others to follow. Today, CE-SOHMS is a corps-wide program focusing on employee and contractor safety that is part of every activity, in the office and in the field.
“Our history in the Corps of Engineers goes back 90 years when the Chief of Engineers directed a safety program be implemented,” said Lt. Col. Colby Krug, Buffalo District commander. “Since then, we have taken great pride in maintaining a culture of safety throughout our workforce and the contractors we work with.”
The safety culture empowers all USACE employees to recognize and report safety hazards, as mishaps are seldom the result of a single mistake or failure. Often, mishaps are due to a series of active and latent failures which CE-SOHMS seeks to prevent.
On September 29, the Buffalo District held a safety standdown to reinforce the principals of safety due to a recent increase in fatalities. USACE mishap statistics for the month of August were presented to show the extent and severity of mishaps across the Corps monthly. LRB methodology for project and contractor oversight to prevent mishaps was discussed.
Before the Corps of Engineers had a safety program, it accounted for more than a quarter of all fatalities within the federal workforce. Today, it boasts a safety record that is below the national average.
The success of the CE-SOHMS program is down to everyone participating to follow safety procedures and best practices, report hazards and recognize peers for their safety efforts.
“Safety is a team effort,” said Krug. “Occupational Safety and Health are critical in all that we do and everyone has an obligation to enforce safety standards.”
| Date Taken: | 11.01.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.01.2023 09:22 |
| Story ID: | 456934 |
| Location: | BUFFALO, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 128 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Recognizing the Importance of Focusing on Safety, by MSgt Ryan Campbell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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