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Show HILL TOP TIMES Page 6 August 6, 1982 Editorials Continuous exposure destroys hearing By CoL (Ret.) Robert A. Owens Safety Office All supervisors are responsible for the successful and economical completion of assigned tasks. These responsibilities can only be met in a mishap-fre- e environment. The first-lin- e supervisor is the most important link in the mishap prevention chain. At his disposal are many methods and "tools" to prevent mishaps. One .''toor' by which mishap prevention can be accomplished is thorough investigation of ."near misses." What is a "near miss"? Think of it in terms of these examples: A forklift is transporting large containers of highly flammable and toxic chemicals through an industrial area. As the operator turns a corner, two of the containers fall onto the pavement. The containers do not rupture, therefore averting serious personal injury and property damage. A sheet metal worker is grinding metal on-- bench grinder. A piece of metal flies into his face resulting in a cut, requiring a couple of stitches, just below his eye. The worker returns to work after receiving first aid treatment. . a Learn An aircraft is being readied for The supervisor decides engine run-uto make one last check. A loose bolt is discovered and removed from the intake area, thereby averting a severely damaged engine. The above are only a few of the "near misses' that occur at Hill AFB every week. - p. Supervisors, if you are having this type of occurrence within your area of ' responsibility, take heed. It should be considered a warning that some task, procedure or equipment is faulty and, if not corrected, can very easily result , 161-3- lost-tim- You must determine why you almost experienced a mishap. You could discover deficiencies in equipment, personal error, lack of training, lack of supervision or many other deficiencies. If you will take the time to identify why "near misses" occur, the result can be a mishap-fre- e environment within your organization. scored The Promotion Fitness Examination is a bit different. Everyone gets the same study manual and takes the same test. Study the manual and also keep up to date on current events; that, will help your PFE score. You can make up for a sound-absorbin- , , tedh. sergeOTft fielis how fl e tron stripes Learning your job means studying your career development course. It doesn't mean looking up the answers in the volume review exercise and transferring the answers to your answer sheet. If you study the career development course, you will see a marked improvement in your Skills Knowledge test . . posure program. These are: ix-ye- ar promoted." Later you hear the same people complain, "I just missed promotion by a few points." There are really only two things that a person needs ', to do in order to be promoted under the Weighted Airman Promotion System. One is to learn your job and the other is to do it well. 5. When engineering controls are not available to attenuate high noise levels and to protect personnel from the risks of noise exposure, all people working in a hazardous noise area must have ear plugs or ear muffs with them at all times. When these noise sources are in use, working personnel must wear their ear protection. Ear plugs and ear muffs, are considered personal protective equipment. When a noise hazard requires their use, they become a part of work performance and a condition of employment. The supervisor has specific responsibilities under the hazardous noise ex- e in a mishap or destruction of valuable government property. Every supervisor must take a close look at each "near miss" occurrence. do it well By TSgt. Ronald J. Howe I'm sure you've heard someone say,, "There's no use studying for promotion; you can't make it your first time anyway." Or "Why study? I'd have to score ' 150 points on each test to get new workers, this may be done at the time of the placement exam. 9 Ensure that ear plugs or ear muff s are worn at all times when designated high noise sources are operating. This includes tools or equipment that can produce sound levels greater than 84 decibels. Enforce the use of hearing protection when and where required. Document instances where individuals do not wear required hearing protection and take appropriate disciplinary action if necessary. Noise is a pervasive, insidious cause of hearing loss. It causes no particular pain unless it is as loud as a rifle blast; The ears have considerable comeback power from temporary brief exposure to noise and ordinarily recover overnight. However, prolonged exposure . to intense noise gradually damages the inner ear. Luckily, noise exposure can be controlled. No matter what the noise problems may be in a particular workplace, technology exists to reduce the hazard. Use quieter work processes. Alter or enclose equipment to reduce noise at the source. g Use materials to pre. vent the spread of noise by isolating the source. Use personal hearing protectors (ear . plugs or ear muffs). It is the supervisor who can assist in making significant advances in preventing hearing losses while reducing hearing loss claims at HilLAFB. Ensure all suspected high noise areas are By Lt. Col. Dean W. Quayle Safety Office The ability to hear is one of our most, precious gifts. Without it, it is very- difficult to lead a full life either on or off the job. Excessive noise can destroy the ability to hear and may also put stress on other parts of the body, including the heart. For most effects of noise, there b no cure, so the prevention of excessive noise exposure is the only way to avoid health damage. ; The Air Force is responsible for avoiding exposure of personnel to steady state or intermittent noise over specific limits established in Air Force Regulation and well on the tests. by doing The second point is to do your job well. Do more than what is required. Go that "extra mile" and your name will be the first one your supervisor thinks of when he recommends someone for Airman or NCO of the Quarter or for promotions. Going an "extra mile" includes attitude and mainhaving a can-d- o taining personal appearance standards. If your supervisor has to tell you to get a haircut or that your uniform is unserviceable, you have lost his respect. Take personal pride in the way you look, act, and work. Strive for excellence. A job worth doing is not just worth doing well, it's worth doing better. The quality of work you do is a direct reflection of your attitude. Have a can-d- o attitude in everything you do. Doing your job well will not only earn you 9s on your Airman's Performance Report, but will make you and the Air Force better. system I made Using this technical sergeant in six years. The harder you work, the better the system works for you. lack of Below-the-Zo- time-in-gra- time-in-servi- ce de . Schedule all workers who have been identified by Bioenvironmental Engineering as requiring inclusion in the Hearing Conservation Program for ear examination and fitting of ear plugs at the Occupational Medicine Services, Bldg. 173. For checked by the Bioenvironmental Engineering OfficeSBG. Post these areas, provide hearing protection, and be firm in your enforcement policies. Don't neglect an American right, privilege & ne Everything advertised in the Hill Top Times must be made available for purchase, use or race, creed, patronage without regardsextoofthe the or national purchaser, origin color, two-poi- nt o get your Ballot in the mal By the simple act of entering a booth and pushing a small lever on election day, you can decide vital issues that affect you, your family and many other U.S. citizens. The right to vote is part of our American way of life. It's one of the freedoms for which our forefathers fought so fiercely. But, records indicate that many U.S. citizens don't participate in the affairs of our government. We complain, but we neglect to vote. A report from a small town in the Midwest showed that 30 percent of their legal voters cast a vote in an important statewide election. The town newspaper compared their report to an election . user or patron. A confirmed violation or rejection of this policy of equal opportunities by an advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source. n El turnout taking place in Salvador at about the same time. "Our turnout seemed a bit low compared to their turnout," the article said. "There, war-tor- 30-perce- nt 80-perce- ' nt people were threatened, shot at, abused, jeered at and humiliated. But they went to the polls and voted. As one of the few liberties they enjoy, it was worth the fight to take part in the vital decisions for their nation even under gunfire." On election day will you care enough to get in your car, drive a few blocks to the neighborhood poll and cast your vote? Or will you be one of the many, who let the few decide? (AFNS) MorMedia Sales, 1152 West Riverdale Road, Ogden, Utah 84403. Phone Sorry, classified ads by mail only. Send $3 to Box 445, Roy, Utah 84067. : 394-965- I0. 5. |