Risk Management Magazine

As we usher in the New Year, this is the perfect time to reflect on the past and plan for a safer, healthier future in our workplaces. The U.S. Army is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all its personnel, and there's no better moment than now to reinforce our safety programs and strategies.

Mundane tasks are hurting Soldiers. The Army expects us to do the same or more with less time and resources, which negatively affects unit morale, retention and even safety. Laundry lists of tasks continue to pile on and, unfortunately, leaders may forget or choose to skip important steps, such as risk management, in the planning process. This came back to bite my unit when the routine task of reorganizing a storage container turned into a partial finger amputation – a Class B mishap.

Planning for winter weather at the workplace includes more than just having a bag of rock salt on hand or hanging a poster in the employee breakroom. Looking around your facility (inside and outside) will help you identify the winter hazards you will need to mitigate.