Ignoring ground safety is ‘no deal’ Published Feb. 2, 2009 By Lt. Col. Michael Deibert 305th Services Squadron IMA McGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. -- Many of you have probably heard of or seen the popular television game show in which a contestant has a chance to win up to $1 million by taking (or not taking) a deal offered by the game show's banker. This banker makes the contestant a cash prize offer based on how many large cash amounts still remain unselected on the game board, and the odds of that contestant's briefcase still containing one of those large amounts. So it is with ground safety. At every step in our workday, we can choose "deal" or "no deal" when it comes to such things as running safety checklists, following established safety procedures, or using good common sense. If we "deal" with safety issues, we do what is necessary to avoid accident, injury, or death. Simple things -- running the checklist, driving a vehicle free of hazards, getting a spotter to park or maneuver in tight situations -- are a big deal. But why do we say "no deal" when it comes to safety? What bigger payoff are we hoping for? Perhaps we think we can save time by saying "no deal." We cut corners -- we don't run certain parts of the checklist. We're in a hurry. We've got more "important" things to do with our time. Perhaps we're a bit overconfident or complacent. We've done certain things a thousand times before, and after so many times, we can simply rely on our experience to get by. We don't even consider that we might forget an important safety step or that we might not be functioning so well that day. We think we're safer than we really are! The problem is, when we say "no deal" to safety, the end payoff is never worth the sure thing. When we say "no deal" because we're complacent, because we want to save time, or because we don't want to bother anyone else by asking for help, we put government property, ourselves and fellow Airmen at risk for damage, injury or worse. And that's a horrible deal. As we continue this busy year at the "Can Do" wing, we need to remember that safety in all we do, both on and off the job, is a big deal. Let's choose to do the right thing, the sure thing, instead of searching for that elusive payoff that, which in the long run isn't worth the risk. It's your decision -- deal or no deal?