Risk Management Magazine

It was another wet, dreary day in southwest Oklahoma. We’d been dealing with rain for a week and the roads were flooded. Driving to work was a significant event, as vehicle accidents were occurring all over the place due to standing water.

Throughout my career as an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operator, I was fortunate to never experience a near-miss or mishap. While this may be considered one of my greatest accomplishments, I cannot take full credit. I attribute much of my success to the many lessons learned from noncommissioned officers (NCOs) at the smoke pit.

There are two sides to a safety program: administrative and fieldwork. Striking a balance between the two sides allows the safety program and the organization's safety culture to flourish. Neglecting one side or the other will cause the safety program to fail and the organization to suffer.