Working together for positive change Published April 4, 2011 By Faye Banks-Anderson 78th ABW/PA ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Fear is powerful. It's also something that was prevalent among many members of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center workforce last year, after OSHA cited the Center for a number of safety violations. However, instead of giving in to that, members of the 402nd Commodities Maintenance Group immediately went about conquering their fears through knowledge, training, and "buy in" from workers at all levels of the organization. The results have been dramatic. "Back in May, there was a lot of emotion about this," said Mike Arnold, CMXG deputy director. "Now, we're doing a better job of working together as a team, addressing and developing complex processes. Our employees are the number one reason we've been so successful in turning things around." These things have included developing and instituting more thorough sanding booth guidance and procedures, and communicating openly about swipe sample results, Arnold said. George Pierce agrees. "Now that we have a standard way of doing things and we're publishing the (swipe sample) results, it's become a self-fulfilling prophecy," said Pierce, 574th Composite Repair Flight director. Recently, workers in the flight also identified a trimming tool which lowers the chance for particles to be ejected from booths. The trimming tool makes a cleaner cut and is connected to a HEPA vacuum, which captures the fragments. "I'm confident our team will identify additional safety measures," Pierce said. According to Arnold, that's understandable, due to the size of the operation. A C-5 pylon, for example, might be worked on by dozens of different technicians and for more than 1,900 manhours while it's in the group's hands. "The number of places we can make a mistake is enormous," he said. "If you take all the stops and possibilities for errors into account, you begin to understand the complex problems our people are sorting out." But Arnold and Pierce say the safety and health culture in their organization continues to change for the better - at all levels. One employee recently pointed out to her supervisor when a visitor was in the restricted area with jewelry on - a definite safety infraction. Meanwhile, during a recent supervisors call, chaired by Ellen Griffith, CMXG director, one swing shift supervisor said it was the first time anyone had explained to him so clearly what is expected of him in that regard. "We're better now," said Pierce. "And communication has been key."