Mandatory Monthly Safety Briefing Gets "Watered Down" By Region

[RADIOMAN015]

As for missing the monthly briefing requirement -- suspension from participation is the automatic penalty; there is no requirement to  do 'make up' briefings, which would be pure busy work...the whole idea is to keep up to date on safety, not to simply complete a quota.

Yea right, the member driving 25 miles to attend a squadron meeting to present a course to the cadets OR complete some priority project OR perform other necessary support surely is going to be turned around and not be allowed to attend the meeting I think most units are going to allow the member to do what they need to get done to help the unit.    All of this general safety briefing monthly information can easily be summarized on one sheet of paper (both sides) and posted to the unit bulletin board, and/or sent to members as an email attachment (maybe just put right in the body of the email), and/or posted to the squadron (or wing, or national) website and hot linked via an email or text message to all squadron members.  Mission accomplished --- safety information is getting out to the troops :clap: :clap:.

We need to stop wasting the memberships time on things like this.  Surely I will agree that any CAP operation does require a specific briefing/review of the potential hazards and avoidance/mitigation issues, but the rest of this program is a make work, punitive program that is questionable in effectiveness :angel:.
RM
 

[Eclipse]

Yea right, the member driving 25 miles to attend a squadron meeting to present a course to the cadets OR complete some priority project OR perform other necessary support surely is going to be turned around and not be allowed to attend the meeting

Yep, not a problem, since that member should be aware of his status or have checked before he left the house.
But if his participation is that critical, then on arrival he sits down and takes an online course for 10 minutes and moves on.

I think most units are going to allow the member to do what they need to get done to help the unit.    All of this general safety briefing monthly information can easily be summarized on one sheet of paper (both sides) and posted to the unit bulletin board, and/or sent to members as an email attachment (maybe just put right in the body of the email), and/or posted to the squadron (or wing, or national) website and hot linked via an email or text message to all squadron members. Mission accomplished --- safety information is getting out to the troops .

Those units who understand how to follow directions will not do this.  I can tell you at least in my wing we have turned people around or
warned them in advance.  This is now one of the duties of the safety officer.  It's no big deal.

Email?  Seriously?  Between members who have shut-out CAP emails because people like to "send to all" wacky notes about the president, or airplane
funnies, or the latest non-virus hoax, members who still treat email as a once-a-week activity "if they have time", and those with constant "computer problems", email is hardly the medium to be sending critical information unless you know for sure the person will read and respond.  Further, and perhaps this is part of the issue, it is exactly those who are fundamentally "disconnected" who are also generally "participation challenged".

and...

...

...it's already online, and accessible from any decent cell phone, tablet, or your local library.

[caphornbuckle]

There's a difference between Monthly Safety Education Training and a Safety Briefing.  Safety Briefings are what is done at an activity or mission.  Safety Education Training is what is done at the unit level on a monthly basis.

Safety Education Training requires interaction.  This means all parties involved in the training must participate in order to receive credit.  That is why there is a quiz at the end of each electronic safety training.  A post on a bulletin board does not qualify for the monthly requirement.  The Safety Beacon itself cannot be used as part of the Safety Education Training but articles from it can as long as everyone is participating.  These can also be made up with a phone call to the individual who misses the training.  Email and other forms of sending out information do not qualify for the training unless it has some form of interaction.

It's kind of like having a 15-minute roundtable discussion on a specific subject.  It can discuss current mishaps, Operational Risk Management, or anything else.  The commander can also approve outside safety training programs for compliance.

A Safety Briefing is a topic given specific to an activity.  Locations of fire exits and rally points, hazardous areas, weather report, etc.  Then there is the sub-briefing (ORM) for an activity within the activity (confidence course, O-Ride at encampment, etc).  This is not usually  interactive.  It's the briefer telling the audience what is going on.

[FW]

Samuel, I think that is understood however, Safety Briefings are filling the requirements for being "Safety Current".  The Briefings I've been to were interactive.  I would even venture to say that all safety briefings should be interactive.  IMHO, it would foster our safety culture.  It would also make safety an integral part of our overall training missions. And, it may make better sense for our overall safety training.

[Spaceman3750]

... decent cell phone, tablet ...

You will be happy to hear that I have verified that the strange and stupid way they have done online safety briefings does not work on my iOS devices. You and your little green robot win for now .

[davidsinn]

... decent cell phone, tablet ...

You will be happy to hear that I have verified that the strange and stupid way they have done online safety briefings does not work on my iOS devices. You and your little green robot win for now .

Well he did say decent device.

[Eclipse]

Safety Education Training requires interaction.  This means all parties involved in the training must participate in order to receive credit.  That is why there is a quiz at the end of each electronic safety training.

The quiz at the end of the online briefings is there to insure people don't just lean a stapler on the mouse button and click through it without even looking at it.

There is no requirment that "all parties involved must participate", only that the opportunity be present (i.e. "any questions?")

Commanders, of course, are always allowed to make their lives unnecessarily complicated on their own volition, but let's not read more
into the intent or purpose here, which is a regular and efficient reminder of Safety 1st 3rd.

See page 2 of 62-1:

b. Safety Education: A presentation of a topic in a training environment where there is
interaction  and/or an assessment to measure comprehension and content retention. Safety
education provides lessons and process learning to promote a strong safety awareness and habit
pattern.

c. Operational Risk Safety Briefing: A briefing that discusses the associated risks and
possible risk mitigation with a particular activity and/or sub-activity about to be engaged in and
must be conducted "in-person" with the member(s) that is/are about to engage in such activity or
sub-activity.

d. In-Person: A session where a participant can interact, ask questions, and  can
contribute with other participants, the briefer, facilitator, or instructor.  The participant does not
have to be physically at the same location, but the communications method must be interactive
between the participants and the educator/briefer.  This may be a meeting or session where
multiple participants are physically located in the same room and provided the ability to interact
in real time, ask questions and contribute to the meeting.  Participation in a meeting held using
telephonic or other technology that permits each participant to simultaneously hear and speak
with other participants also constitutes "in-person" attendance.

The requirement to allow for interaction is to avoid the scenario you indicate where someone shoots an email
or says "read the Sentinel".  I agree with that.  However there is nothing that says a unit CC could not build
a Google Form with questions about a Sentinel article, and use the correctly answered form as proof of the
Safety Education for that month. (In fact, that's a pretty good idea.)

Further, there is no requirement that everyone participate, only that they have the opportunity, which is available
in any sort of safety briefing.

[caphornbuckle]

Safety Education Training requires interaction.  This means all parties involved in the training must participate in order to receive credit.  That is why there is a quiz at the end of each electronic safety training.

See page 2 of 62-1:

b. Safety Education: A presentation of a topic in a training environment where there is
interaction  and/or an assessment to measure comprehension and content retention. Safety
education provides lessons and process learning to promote a strong safety awareness and habit
pattern.

c. Operational Risk Safety Briefing: A briefing that discusses the associated risks and
possible risk mitigation with a particular activity and/or sub-activity about to be engaged in and
must be conducted "in-person" with the member(s) that is/are about to engage in such activity or
sub-activity.

d. In-Person: A session where a participant can interact, ask questions, and  can
contribute with other participants, the briefer, facilitator, or instructor.  The participant does not
have to be physically at the same location, but the communications method must be interactive
between the participants and the educator/briefer.  This may be a meeting or session where
multiple participants are physically located in the same room and provided the ability to interact
in real time, ask questions and contribute to the meeting.  Participation in a meeting held using
telephonic or other technology that permits each participant to simultaneously hear and speak
with other participants also constitutes "in-person" attendance.

The requirement to allow for interaction is to avoid the scenario you indicate where someone shoots an email
or says "read the Sentinel".  I agree with that.  However there is nothing that says a unit CC could not build
a Google Form with questions about a Sentinel article, and use the correctly answered form as proof of the
Safety Education for that month. (In fact, that's a pretty good idea.)

Further, there is no requirement that everyone participate, only that they have the opportunity, which is available
in any sort of safety briefing.

I refer you to the November 2010 Safety Beacon in reference to the use of the safety newsletter as a briefing. http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/Beacon_11_2010_Final_Copy_34348AC853B80.pdf

Please note that there is a sentence in there that states "Your lessons should be educational and should come with questions to get feedback, and you should feel as an instructor that your members learned something from you when you are done."  Of course it says "should" but why wouldn't anyone do this anyways?  I am not reading into the regulation and yes saying MUST or REQUIRES instead of SHOULD was an error on my part.

[Eclipse]

I refer you to the November 2010 Safety Beacon in reference to the use of the safety newsletter as a briefing. http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/Beacon_11_2010_Final_Copy_34348AC853B80.pdf

Please note that there is a sentence in there that states "Your lessons should be educational and should come with questions to get feedback, and you should feel as an instructor that your members learned something from you when you are done."  Of course it says "should" but why wouldn't anyone do this anyways?  I am not reading into the regulation and yes saying MUST or REQUIRES instead of SHOULD was an error on my part.

You don't have to refer me to it, I'm the one who is using that for the references above.
Any safety briefing worth the time to present it is "educational", and of course you say "any questions"?  But again, the requirement is not
to put on a 45 minute Disney "Carousel of Safety".  We actually have things besides "discussing" to do.

Brief, train, ask for input move on.

Safety 3rd.  Mission first.  Do it right and safe because it is the right thing to do.

[caphornbuckle]

I refer you to the November 2010 Safety Beacon in reference to the use of the safety newsletter as a briefing. http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/media/cms/Beacon_11_2010_Final_Copy_34348AC853B80.pdf

Please note that there is a sentence in there that states "Your lessons should be educational and should come with questions to get feedback, and you should feel as an instructor that your members learned something from you when you are done."  Of course it says "should" but why wouldn't anyone do this anyways?  I am not reading into the regulation and yes saying MUST or REQUIRES instead of SHOULD was an error on my part.

You don't have to refer me to it, I'm the one who is using that for the references above.
Any safety briefing worth the time to present it is "educational", and of course you say "any questions"?  But again, the requirement is not
to put on a 45 minute Disney "Carousel of Safety".  We actually have things besides "discussing" to do.

Brief, train, ask for input move on.

Safety 3rd.  Mission first.  Do it right and safe because it is the right thing to do.

I'm not saying that you are wrong, Eclipse.  As a matter of fact, I agree with how you interpret the regulation entirely.  My point is that giving safety education training is meant to have some meat to it.  Not just read something, ask for questions, and assume they got the point when it's all over.  Most people will just give you a deer in the headlights look and not have a clue what you said.  Does this constitute a Safety Education Training session?  Yes.  Does it serve a purpose?  No.  It just wastes everyones time just to meet a requirement.  Interaction is the only way for everyone to understand the purpose and keep them awake. 

[Eclipse]

I'm not saying that you are wrong, Eclipse.  As a matter of fact, I agree with how you interpret the regulation entirely.  My point is that giving safety education training is meant to have some meat to it.  Not just read something, ask for questions, and assume they got the point when it's all over.  Most people will just give you a deer in the headlights look and not have a clue what you said.  Does this constitute a Safety Education Training session?  Yes.  Does it serve a purpose?  No.  It just wastes everyones time just to meet a requirement.  Interaction is the only way for everyone to understand the purpose and keep them awake.

OK, so we're actually on the same page.

The trouble is the presenter(s) and the materials, not to mention, seriously, how many times can you be told to drink water and wear sunscreen
before it becomes background noise and an impediment? 

The other risk is that the longer the presentation, the more risk of giving bad information.  I recently sat in a Safety briefing that
included several incorrect wives tales about health safety and incorrect information regarding the program itself.

The minute that happens, the whole thing goes out the window because your credibility is gone.

And yes, the slide-readers need to all be pushed into the ocean, but I don't know where you get relevant, fresh safety briefings.

In my CAP tenure I've sat in countless briefings about the proper operation of ice boots (we don't use those and I'm not a pilot),
and far too many sessions where someone is trying to make a political opinion-based statement about a behavior they don't like
vs. presenting factual information that is relevant to the audience and the activity.

[caphornbuckle]

I'm not saying that you are wrong, Eclipse.  As a matter of fact, I agree with how you interpret the regulation entirely.  My point is that giving safety education training is meant to have some meat to it.  Not just read something, ask for questions, and assume they got the point when it's all over.  Most people will just give you a deer in the headlights look and not have a clue what you said.  Does this constitute a Safety Education Training session?  Yes.  Does it serve a purpose?  No.  It just wastes everyones time just to meet a requirement.  Interaction is the only way for everyone to understand the purpose and keep them awake.

OK, so we're actually on the same page.

The trouble is the presenter(s) and the materials, not to mention, seriously, how many times can you be told to drink water and wear sunscreen
before it becomes background noise and an impediment? 

The other risk is that the longer the presentation, the more risk of giving bad information.  I recently sat in a Safety briefing that
included several incorrect wives tales about health safety and incorrect information regarding the program itself.

The minute that happens, the whole thing goes out the window because your credibility is gone.

And yes, the slide-readers need to all be pushed into the ocean, but I don't know where you get relevant, fresh safety briefings.

In my CAP tenure I've sat in countless briefings about the proper operation of ice boots (we don't use those and I'm not a pilot),
and far too many sessions where someone is trying to make a political opinion-based statement about a behavior they don't like
vs. presenting factual information that is relevant to the audience and the activity.

Amen!

My main goal with safety is to make it fun as well as educational.  If it doesn't serve a purpose, it doesn't get mentioned.  The fact is that a Safety Presentation doesn't have to be boring.  Anyone ever heard of Richard Hawk?  He has a website http://www.makesafetyfun.com.  Some of the stuff he sends in his newsletters are ideas that we can use to make our training more interactive.  Of course, most of them have to be adapted to CAP considering they are mostly used in industrial safety.  If you want his books, though, you'll have to pay for them!

[RADIOMAN015]

^ Yes. 
I've been to 3 events in the last 3 weeks.  There were formal safety briefings done at each.  A Sheet was handed out and signed so those present would be given "credit".  This is not a problem although, many more trees will be destroyed to make sign in sheets....

The object is to make complience as painless as possible.  It looks pretty easy to me.  Should it be easier?

What I see is this is a big make work project for volunteers.  We would agree that the monthly safety education briefings expire after 1 month, yet have to be placed in a National CAP data base.  This takes time.  Also from my standpoint members' time should be spent on safety issues relating to CAP's operations  -- In other words concentrate on what our accident experience shows.   I'm not aware of ANY AF requirement that general safety topics be specifically briefed to individual personnel and documented in any record -- usually the safety office just send out 1 or 2 page flyers.  Surely job specific safety information communicated is likely documented in individual records.  Why does CAP find it so necessary to add so much administrative requirements and members' time developing & presenting this information      I am definitely not against safety, BUT just feel that more simple and less time consuming methods can be utilized for the general safety material.
RM   

[Eclipse]

What I see is this is a big make work project for volunteers.  We would agree that the monthly safety education briefings expire after 1 month, yet have to be placed in a National CAP data base.  This takes time.

Yes, probably about 60 seconds to 2 minutes for a large squadron. Less time if you're using other automated tools to track attendance and
are familiar with the complex, yet highly rewarding function known as "copy & paste".

Also from my standpoint members' time should be spent on safety issues relating to CAP's operations

Yes, that is the point.

I'm not aware of ANY AF requirement that general safety topics be specifically briefed to individual personnel and documented in any record[/qoute]
Irrelevant to CAP.  We don't know what the ARC, or PETA does either.

definitely not against safety, BUT just feel that more simple and less time consuming methods can be utilized for the general safety material.

What is complicated about a 5-10 minute briefing?   Units are supposed to be tracking participation in meetings anyway for other mandates and a matter of course.  This is just re-purposing existing information for another use.

Presenting information and tracking compliance is the safety officer's job.

[RADIOMAN015]

Comments are imbedded below:

What I see is this is a big make work project for volunteers.  We would agree that the monthly safety education briefings expire after 1 month, yet have to be placed in a National CAP data base.  This takes time.

Yes, probably about 60 seconds to 2 minutes for a large squadron. Less time if you're using other automated tools to track attendance and
are familiar with the complex, yet highly rewarding function known as "copy & paste".

RM:  It's taking our Safety Officer much longer than that to post the training, I will have to ask him to show me how he does it.   The unit does not have an automated attendance system, most units don't.  On the cadet side they were inputting cadet attendance into what I thought was the wing management utility, because that has a bearing on achievements/promotions.  There's no reason to really do this for senior  members since meeting attendance is NOT really not necessary for all of them unless they have specific staff work that requires them to be there or to present a training class to the cadets or seniors. 

Also from my standpoint members' time should be spent on safety issues relating to CAP's operations

Yes, that is the point.

I'm not aware of ANY AF requirement that general safety topics be specifically briefed to individual personnel and documented in any record[/qoute]
Irrelevant to CAP.  We don't know what the ARC, or PETA does either.

RM:  Quite to the contrary we are the official Auxiliary of the United States Air Force, and really ONLY need to meet what they consider to be the minimum safety education & briefing requirements including documentation.  I'd emphasize "minimum" and volunteer unpaid labor.  If I remember correctly CAP-USAF HQ now has a civil service employee as the Safety Officer, so perhaps a review of this is in order.  Likely we are stuck with the system we now have due to the paid staff time spent developing it.

definitely not against safety, BUT just feel that more simple and less time consuming methods can be utilized for the general safety material.

What is complicated about a 5-10 minute briefing?   Units are supposed to be tracking participation in meetings anyway for other mandates and a matter of course.  This is just re-purposing existing information for another use.

RM:  No cigar for you, the minimum standard as we understand it is 15 minutes.  Our Safety officer does a great job BUT again most of this could be summarized on to one sheet of paper, likely printed on both sides.   

Presenting information and tracking compliance is the safety officer's job.
RM:  The issue as I see it is whether all this tracking really indicates an effective safety program.  I would think the safety officer needs to be moving around looking for safety issues, not stuck at a computer inputting information that expires in 1 month. 

[Spaceman3750]

There's nothing in the 62-1 to support your 15 minute minimum claim. Either you have a wing policy or someone made something up.

[RADIOMAN015]

There's nothing in the 62-1 to support your 15 minute minimum claim. Either you have a wing policy or someone made something up.

I think our safety officer mentioned that to me.  We've been running about 1/2 hour on these general safety briefings.   Probably a bit of overkill on his part/enthusiasm.  IF we can achieve this in 15 minutes, I would be very happy.  HOWEVER, again a simple one page summary on a safety issue can be read in less than 5 minutes, by most senior members.  As far as the cadet side, maybe the monthly safety briefing for them is a good idea.

RM       

[HGjunkie]

As far as the cadet side, maybe the monthly safety briefing for them is a good idea.   

Honestly, sometimes I feel that the new monthly safety thing is detracting from the rest of the CP. When it was once a quarter, there was more time to have beneficial classes and drill time, and we actually had a decent safety discussion. Now that it's once a month, we just embed it into our PT night and warn about weather conditions.

[Larry Mangum]

There's nothing in the 62-1 to support your 15 minute minimum claim. Either you have a wing policy or someone made something up.

There was in the previous release of the Regulation.

[sneakers]

There's nothing in the 62-1 to support your 15 minute minimum claim. Either you have a wing policy or someone made something up.

I think our safety officer mentioned that to me.  We've been running about 1/2 hour on these general safety briefings.   Probably a bit of overkill on his part/enthusiasm.  IF we can achieve this in 15 minutes, I would be very happy.  HOWEVER, again a simple one page summary on a safety issue can be read in less than 5 minutes, by most senior members.  As far as the cadet side, maybe the monthly safety briefing for them is a good idea.

RM     

Good grief! I'd probably fall asleep after 20 minutes.