Commentary: Safety also means looking out for others

This commentary is based on the teachings of John Drebinger, an internationally known safety speaker who has spoken to Air Force audiences at several bases and the American Society of Safety Engineers conference in Denver, Colo.

I had the privilege of attending the American Society of Safety Engineers conference June 3-6 in Denver, Colo. Though there were many great speakers who increased my safety knowledge, one of them, John Dredinger, really hit home with me as a ground safety manager at Cannon Air Force Base.

Drebinger gave a presentation entitled "Would You Watch Out For My Safety." What he said at the beginning of his presentation really grabbed my attention. He said that one of the mistakes we make as safety professionals is that we tell people to be safe and instead of how to be safe.

One of the things I always say to people when I am walking away from them is to be safe, my wife even calls me the "Be Safe Guy." We are always telling you to be a good wingman and to look out for the safety of your friends and coworkers. Looking out for the safety of others is important for many reasons and can mean the difference between mission success and failure.

Drebinger gave us five reasons everyone should look out for each other:

1. While looking out for the safety of others, your safety awareness improves. You become safer as you continuously notice hazards.

2. People get distracted and you can improve their situational awareness by reminding them of hazards they may not see.

3. Even the safest of people have their moments of failure every once in a while and you can help get them back on track. If your brain says hurry up, then it's time to slow down.

4. You will never have to face the regret that you could have prevented a wingman from getting into an accident.

5. It is just the right thing to do!

Drebinger stated the reason most people don't get involved in other people's safety is the risk does not always result in injury; they just don't think anything will happen. He also said that people are not comfortable telling people they're doing something dangerous and so they do not know how to approach somebody doing an unsafe act.

Aimed to correct this gap in communication, Drebinger gave two tools you can use to be a great wingman. The first of these is simply asking a person, "Would you like me to watch out for your safety?"

The second is to approach the situation with a positive attitude. This technique allows you to show respect to the other person. Just walk up to them and use the phrase, "As you know." For instance you can say, "As you know, you need safety glasses for that job," or, "You know, there is a trip hazard over there."

Safety is not only about you; it is about the next person. If you respond negatively to a person who is trying to look out for your safety, they may not look out for the safety of the next person they meet.

Hopefully, these tools will help make you a safer and better wingman to your friends and coworkers.