WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- When the Secretary of Defense called for a 75 percent reduction in mishaps throughout the DOD in May, two Air Force Materiel Command bases answered the call.
Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is serving as lead installation for the Department of Defense Safety and Occupational Health Council, or DSOC, Forklift Camera Program. The initiative is designed to combat a rising number of industrial accidents involving forklifts and hand-trucks.
To reverse this trend, DSOC contracted a team to install video cameras on forklifts in several DOD units. The primary unit at Tinker AFB - the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center - frequently uses forklifts in its daily role of repairing and maintaining aircraft, including bombers, refuelers and reconnaissance aircraft.
A professional safety team will install cameras on forklifts at Tinker AFB in November. Information from the cameras and downloaded data will help Air Force and DOD officials learn about human characteristics and use this information to develop preventive measures to reduce mishaps.
At Robins AFB, Ga., officials agreed to assist in developing an innovative DSOC method of delivering the health and safety message. Known as 3-D Experiential Training, the program will provide the DOD's 680,000 civilians the opportunity to see, hear and experience real-life consequences in a stereoscopic environment. Civilians will learn what injuries likely would be associated with a workplace accident without actually being injured.
A professional film crew already spent one week using Robins AFB as its backdrop for the DSOC initiative. The completed program will use 3-D stereoscopic video, 3-D binaural audio and an immersive 'View Master-like' headset to allow employees to view the experience.
Officials say the 3-D program will increase safety awareness for civilian industrial operations workers at four DOD locations: Anniston Army Depot, Ala.; Pentagon Reservation, Washington, D.C.; Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Wash.; and Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins AFB.
According to Lt Col Jeff Schwoob, WR-ALC safety office, the 3-D program's subtitle, 'A Second Chance', explains a lot about the nature of the program.
"'A Second Chance' will open the eyes, minds and hearts of anyone who experiences it," Colonel Schwoob said. "It puts into perspective how precious life is and instills the importance of every DOD member's role and responsibility in safety mishap prevention."
"A Second Chance" will be delivered on-site at each of the four DOD facilities in November. The program will be offered as a group experience for 20 employees per session and each session will last approximately 75 minutes. For reinforcement as well as to share the safety message with families, participating employees will receive a DVD containing the program.