SAFETY AWARD For outstanding contributions to the promotion of helicopter safety and safety awareness
Safety Department, US Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA
Initiatives in the safety department at Air Station Cape Cod, the US Coast Guard’s only New England–based aviation unit, have not only increased safety at the air station but have had far-reaching effects across the service branch, as well. Fostering a strong reporting culture, the air station’s safety department conducts in-depth analyses following unit
mishaps. Te department’s expertise was leveraged on at least 70 occasions during the past fiscal year alone, capturing lessons learned in the wake of mishaps and making recommendations for both unit- and fleetwide change. In the process, the safety department accounted for more than $390,000 worth of malfunctioning or damaged equipment that ultimately led to a reportable event. Historically, the department flags potentially
Safety Department, US Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod
catastrophic aircraft malfunctions. For instance, when erroneous radar altimeter readings of 70 to 100 ft. above true altitude were observed while crews were practicing instrument approaches to water at night, the safety department investigated. Upon contacting the USCG Aviation Logistics Center, the department learned that the anomaly was known and occurred around electromagnetic interference (EMI). Tough engineering solutions had been
implemented to mitigate the effects of EMI, the
experience of Cape Cod’s crew proved the hazard had not been entirely eliminated. Understanding that this remedy may have been widely overlooked, Air Station Cape Cod’s safety department led an effort to increase awareness across the entire Coast Guard rotary-wing fleet. Tis invaluable exchange of information following a near catastrophic mishap is one of many examples in which sharing lessons learned and potential equipment vulnerabilities has sparked training and safety-related discussions within Coast Guard units across the country. Te air station also strives to maintain a high state of readiness for
potential mishaps with frequent, realistic drills and a tiered approach to training that begins with traditional classroom-style presentations, progresses to a tabletop mishap exercise, and culminates in full-scale drills. Te safety department extends its work beyond air operations to
include the overall safety of all personnel. When trace amounts of hexavalent chromium were identified in rotary-wing shop spaces, for example, the air station’s safety department rapidly developed a plan to conduct both in-house and contractor-led cleanings to address the concern. Similarly, during lead-abatement efforts on the unit’s aging hangar floor, safety department personnel observed flaws in the contractor’s containment system and issued on-the-spot corrective actions for those conducting the work. Tese actions prevented lead-dust contamination, which could have posed a significant health hazard for unit personnel.
Through its tenacious drive and commitment to safe practices both on the ground and in the air, the safety department has been a model of sustained high- safety performance.
Sponsored by
38 ROTOR MARCH 2022
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