TSgt Dominick S. Fugazzi Recognized for Safety Achievement

One way the United States Air Force remains committed to keeping Airmen and Guardians safe in the workplace is by encouraging personnel and units to participate in events like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) weeklong national safety campaign, Safe + Sound Week, which ran from Aug. 15 to 21, 2022. The Air Force Safety Center partnered with OSHA in the campaign to recognize successes in workplace health and safety programs by providing materials and education to raise awareness for the value and importance of those programs in injury prevention.

TSgt Dominick S. Fugazzi, who participated in the safety campaign, was recognized for going the extra mile when it came to enhancing workplace safety. Fugazzi, the noncommissioned officer in charge of safety for the 733d Air Mobility Squadron based at Kadena Air Force Base in Japan, and his team were behind one of the top three submissions in an Air Force and Space Force challenge to submit before and after photos with a short description of a hazard encountered and how it was remedied. Air Force Chief of Safety Maj Gen Jeannie Leavitt praised them on the Air Force Safety Center public webpage and social media sites, thanking them for what they do to keep safety in the forefront and their efforts in keeping the Air Force and Space Force world renowned.

Fugazzi is in a one-deep position that manages the occupational, weapons, and flight safety programs for his unit’s rapid global mobility operations. “I saw this as a prime opportunity to not only participate in a nationwide event, but to also help raise awareness about workplace safety while aligning Air Force safety regulations with federal standards,” he said. “More importantly, it was an opportunity to reenergize our unit safety program by challenging our workers to proactively identify and report workplace hazards before they cause injury or illness.”

There are many inherent risks associated with an enroute mobility squadron. “It is my job to serve as a safety advisor, integrate risk management practices into our operations, activities, and planning at all levels to best protect our workers and maintain safe operations,” Fugazzi said.

Fugazzi noted that to maintain a safe and healthy work environment, safety must become everyone’s responsibility. “Working together as a team, ‘embracing the red,’ and taking immediate steps toward establishing and implementing corrective action planning is pivotal in resolving safety hazards or deficiencies,” he said. Applying a safety management system construct throughout all levels within the organization is a key element to reducing workplace hazards, according to Fugazzi. “In my opinion, one of the best strategies to help prevent injuries and hazards is by taking a proactive—versus reactive—safety approach,” he said.

Fugazzi recommends the following five-step risk management process for building a safety culture:

1. Identify hazards.
2. Assess hazards.
3. Develop controls and make decisions.
4. Implement controls.
5. Supervise and evaluate.

Fugazzi urges other Airmen to maintain a proactive safety approach and not just walk past a problem. He asked, “If we avoid correcting the little things, how can we ever fix the big things?”

Additional information on the Safe and Sound campaign can be found on the OSHA website at https://osha.gov/safeandsoundweek/.