Risk Management Magazine

It was a fairly straight-forward, routine mission. Weather for the time of flight was forecast as visual flight rules with the possibility of light snow showers en route. Everything indicated it was a good day to fly.

One beautiful January day, I decided it was time to remove the Christmas lights from my roof. I set up the ladder on my composite deck, leaning it against the roofline. I knew composite decking is very slippery and doesn’t offer a desirable surface to set a ladder, but I’m a guy that likes to get the job done, so I continued. Big mistake. 

As an officer and aviator in the U.S. Army, I — like most of you — have been exposed to a significant amount of safety training. We’ve all learned that the unseen hazard is oftentimes the most dangerous.