The Air Force Safety Center is a Field Operating Agency with headquarters at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
Mission
Safeguarding Airmen – Protecting Resources – Preserving Combat Capability. The Air Force Safety Center develops, implements, executes and evaluates Air Force aviation, occupational, weapons, space and system mishap prevention and nuclear surety programs and policy. The center oversees mishap investigations, evaluates corrective actions, ensures implementation and maintains the mishap database Air Force-wide. It also conducts research to promote safety awareness/mishap prevention and develops and directs safety and risk management education for all safety disciplines.
Personnel
There are approximately 155 people, not including contractor support, assigned to the Air Force Safety Center, split with approximately 50 percent civilians and 50 percent military members.
Organization
The Air Force Chief of Safety, who also holds the title of commander, Air Force Safety Center, heads the organization and is located at the Pentagon with an Air Staff liaison division. The Air Force Safety Center is composed of the Deputy Chief of Safety/Executive Director and 10 divisions at its Kirtland AFB location.
The Aviation Safety Division consists of safety-trained professionals spanning the domain of flight. The division preserves warfighting capability by establishing Air Force aviation safety policy, promoting mishap prevention programs for all aviation assets and through the establishment of proactive safety programs. It oversees the aviation mishap investigative process, the collection and accuracy of flight safety data and the disposition of risk-mitigating actions. It provides proactive and reactive engineering and operational analyses of flight safety issues. Additionally, the division directs the Aircraft Information Program, the Hazardous Air Traffic Report Program, the Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard Program and the Mishap Analysis and Animation Facility.
The Occupational Safety Division manages the Air Force occupational safety program, including operational, occupational, sports and recreation, and traffic safety. It oversees integration of Air Force safety inspections and policy in conjunction with the Air Force inspector general, as well as integration of risk management processes in on- and off-duty activities. The division manages Air Force safety standards and interprets Department of Labor and industry standards for implementation throughout the Air Force. The division conducts evaluations of service-wide occupational safety mishap investigations and provides advice to investigators in the field through their parent major commands. The division is responsible for the development and content of formal occupational safety-related training courses for supervisors and safety professionals. It develops and oversees occupational safety policy, programs and procedures to provide a safe work environment and enhance the safety of Air Force personnel while off duty to help maintain combat capability and readiness.
The Space Safety Division mission is to preserve combat space-power by anticipating, reducing, and preventing mishaps. The division develops, executes, and evaluates Air Force space mishap prevention programs and executes Interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel responsibilities on behalf of the Department of Defense. The division oversees mishap investigations, conducts evaluations, and ensures application of corrective actions and mishap inclusion to the Air Force Safety Automated System. It promotes safety awareness and mishap prevention with DoD, civil, commercial, academic, and international partners, as well as the Space Safety Council.