Falling for safety: A story of partnership, protection, people

FORT HOOD, Texas - Valentine's Day is about caring for the people who matter most. At Fort Hood, that care is demonstrated every day in a far more practical way by protecting workers from fall hazards before an incident ever happens.

While "falling" may sound romantic in February, on the job it is one of the most serious risks faced by maintenance, construction and engineering professionals. Preventing falls is not about slogans or seasonal awareness; it is about deliberate planning, execution and a shared commitment to ensuring everyone goes home safely at the end of the day.

Thanks to a long-standing partnership between the Fort Hood Directorate of Public Works Safety Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District, Fort Hood has turned that risk into a model of collaboration, prevention and trust.

The DPW and USACE partnership did not happen overnight. Its roots go back more than 15 years, gaining momentum during the construction of the new Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center.

"That period was really when fall protection came to the forefront on Fort Hood," said Daniel Juracek, safety occupational health specialist, USACE Fort Worth District. "As safety professionals, we found ourselves attending the same Career Program-12 safety certification courses, and started asking each other important questions, 'What are you doing? Who are you training? Who is actually exposed to fall hazards?'"

Those early conversations revealed a significant opportunity to improve the safety of DPW personnel.

"We had maintenance personnel accessing rooftops and elevated areas with limited training and lacking a process to validate the required equipment was present," Juracek said. "Once training improved, personnel started asking, 'We're supposed to have what?' And that's when the collaboration began, 'Can you come look at this building and assist with developing a solution to this fall protection challenge?'"

From gaps to programs

This collaboration brought the expertise of DPW and USACE together to ensure DPW has a fall protection program that meets Army Regulation 385-10 and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z359 requirements.

Juracek, a recognized subject-matter expert in fall protection, serves on the USACE High Hazard Working Group and the ANSI Z359 panel over the ANSI Z359 Standard for Fall Protection.

"Fall protection is one of our top three hazards for the DPW," said TC Coffman, occupational safety and health program manager, DPW Safety Office. "One of my personal goals, for our directorate, was to develop, establish and begin implementation of a fall protection program, which hadn't previously existed in DPW. Having a peer, colleague and friend with Dan's competency was critical to the success and improvement of a fall protection program that was done right."

That partnership soon extended beyond fall protection. DPW and USACE collaborated on confined space entry programs, installation-wide roundtable discussions and training for DPW personnel. Over time, hundreds of DPW employees, including maintenance staff, supervisors and engineers - received training.

"One of the strongest aspects of a good safety program and safety culture is buy-in," Coffman said. "The more sets of eyes that you have focused on the health and safety of the team, the better the outcomes."

Beyond programs and equipment, the partnership thrives on communication.

"We talk nearly every day," Juracek said. "Any accident more serious than a smashed finger, we're calling each other. 'Hey, this failed. Are you doing the same thing?'"

Lessons learned, safety bulletins and hazard analyses are routinely shared between organizations. The collaboration also allows for resource sharing during complex operations. In one case, DPW equipment supported a USACE confined space entry operation involving a 20-foot manhole and underground drainage inspection.

"I didn't have forced air systems, rescue and evacuation equipment, guardrail system and gas monitors," Juracek said. "DPW did. We borrowed their equipment, developed the plan together and were able to safely access the manhole and run a remote-control car down the drainage culvert under Gray Army Airfield."

A model for the Army

Through Juracek and Coffman's efforts, Fort Hood has become the pilot location for developing and implementing a quality Fall Protection Program for the Army, including assessments and policy development from the ground up.

The DPW and USACE partnership has strengthened safety culture across the installation.

"We're aware of what each other does, recognize our different strengths and bring them together," Coffman said. "We've not only significantly increased the number of eyes on the work being done on installation, but also the capability to address concerns and observations more expeditiously … to get to an efficient response and get action."

This Valentine's Day, the DPW and USACE partnership serves as a reminder that safety is more than compliance. It's collaboration. It's trust. And it's making sure everyone goes home safe. That's a partnership worth falling for.