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    When Cutting Corners Becomes the Norm 0 Workplace
    USACRC Editor

    When Cutting Corners Becomes the Norm

    The true danger of normalizing deviance lies in its subtlety. Initially, deviations might seem minor and inconsequential. Examples include skipping a procedural step due to a time crunch, deferring a minor maintenance procedure because...
    Staying in the Fight 0 Military Ops & Training
    USACRC Editor

    Staying in the Fight

    Combatives training is an important part of being a prepared Soldier. It provides the skills to help you protect yourself, as well as your battle buddies, in combat. Unfortunately, this training can sometimes take Soldiers out of the fight if...
    DITY Dumb or DITY Do? 0 Automobiles
    USACRC Editor

    DITY Dumb or DITY Do?

    Just like long checkout lines at the commissary on payday, the permanent change of station (PCS) move is a certainty for service members and their families. While many would prefer to let professionals handle the heavy lifting on Uncle...
    Light Up the Night Safely 0 Home & Family
    USACRC Editor

    Light Up the Night Safely

    Unfortunately, a lot of folks don’t take the major hazards related to fireworks seriously. Some people enjoy igniting firecrackers or cherry bombs and holding them in their hand as long as possible before throwing them — sometimes at...

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    Overriding Safety

    Overriding Safety

    STAFF SGT. JAMIE CLINTON
    40th Infantry Division
    California Army National Guard
    Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, California

    A seat belt is the most critical piece of equipment to prevent injuries or death in the event of a vehicle accident, yet it is also the most overlooked. I have worked on this installation for more than a decade and can attest to the attitude and negligence toward seat belt usage. Both green suiters and civilian staff will drive unbuckled due to “short travel time” or the claim that seat belts “get in the way” when they have to get in and out of their vehicle multiple times. This rationale is a recipe for disaster, as evidenced by the mishap below.

    I was working with the installation provost marshal office when it was brought to our attention that several non-tactical and state civil service vehicles were equipped with devices that silence a vehicle’s seat belt alarm when inserted into the buckle. With the help of the garrison commander, an email was sent to all employees to abstain from using these devices on any vehicle on the installation. The initial response was positive, and we saw the green suiters react swiftly. The civilian employees were less enthusiastic, but most complied. However, we still had a few that would insert the device when driving but remove it when they left the vehicle. This made identification challenging because nothing was left to be found when we’d conduct after-hours vehicle checks.

    Fast forward two weeks and I received a call informing me that a vehicle overturned on a gravel road in a training area west of cantonment. I arrived on the scene to find that a state worker flipped his truck on a straight road and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. As we waited for medical personnel to arrive, I spoke with the driver. Not only was he unbuckled, but he had also used the device to override the seat belt alarm. He’d been ejected during the mishap sequence and was lucky the vehicle didn’t roll on top of him.

    The cause of the crash was later determined to be distracted driving. The civilian was responding to a text, veered right and then overcorrected, causing the truck to overturn and eject him from the cab. After the crash, he tried to file a workers’ compensation claim to cover his medical bills. Upon review of statements made to military police and me at the accident scene, it was determined his story didn’t line up with what he told medical officials at the hospital or the medical staff on post.

    Following an investigation, the civilian was fired. In addition to driving while unbuckled, he attempted to lie about his use of the seat belt override device. He had received all emails regarding the commander’s warnings about the device and still chose to use it.

    While the civilian lost his job, at least he didn’t lose his life. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of on-the-job fatalities in the U.S. and using a seat belt reduces the risk of death by 60%. This incident struck a nerve with all employees on post and prompted more battle buddy checks for seat belt usage. In the end, it helped the installation become a safer place for all.

    • 30 July 2023
    • Author: USACRC Editor
    • Number of views: 503
    • Comments: 0
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