Members of Team Fairchild attend VPP conference Published June 15, 2009 FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Thanks to the support of our leadership, fourteen members of Team Fairchild attended the 15th Annual Region X Voluntary Protection Program Conference May 19 to 21. The Conference took place in downtown Spokane at the historic Davenport Hotel and Tower and began with a keynote speech from Vince Lombardi, Jr. Courses covered a myriad of topics including the four key elements of the Voluntary Protection Program. It was an informative event for training and education in methods, strategies, and fundamentals of VPP that will help Fairchild reach its Star status. This event was a great way to pick up lessons learned and innovative ways to apply the concepts of management leadership and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training. There is a deep rooted correlation in the four key elements of VPP. Our leadership is supporting us with trust and empowerment as we adapt to this new way of safety-oriented thinking. With that support, we can get involved in our own safety. When we take the initiative, safety can be had for all. For instance, worksite analysis is something we must all engage in. Some of you already participate in your unit's Safety Committee which conducts periodic inspections around the workplace. Even if you are not yet on a Safety Committee, everyone can inspect their worksite for hazards. It's not "rocket science." There may be some specialized equipment that requires training to inspect, but for most of us, it's just opening up your eyes and using common sense. It's thinking before you act and building your situational awareness about the hazards that you work around. For those areas that do require some expertise to inspect, safety and health training gives you the tools you need to look out for yourself and your wingmen. When you find those hazards, using the right preventative measures and controls will minimize your risk of injury, illness or death. Personal Protective Equipment is a preventative measure that can be used when there is no other way to prevent the hazard. Even when there is no better way to get the job done, hearing protection, gloves, or garments can be very effective protections when properly used, properly maintained and regularly inspected. For more information, contact the VPP office at 247-4806. We have piles of resources and we are here to help you be safe.