Duties of the safety officer
08-05-2008, 06:19 AM
#27
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Litchfield, MI
Posts: 5,130
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Duties of the safety officer
Welcome back my friend. Can't do the donuts but the bagles sound great. I am allergic to donuts (I break out in fat). Were you on vacation or working? Or was it a working vacation. Why would someone stay in a club for 15 years if they felt it was a nursery.
08-05-2008, 06:37 AM
#28
Senior Member
My Feedback: (16)
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: , NC
Posts: 442
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Duties of the safety officer
Glad our club has safety officer. He has saved me lots of money and heartache, he helps by showing myself and others the correct way and the safest way to start,fly, and maintain our planes. He isn't there to babysit/tell you what to do, he is there to help and keep us all safe so we can return to fly another day.
08-05-2008, 07:14 AM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: el centro, CA
Posts: 645
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Duties of the safety officer
well sometimes I would really like to teach certain people how to land without hurting thier feelings
I get tire of head buzz or having to play hop scotch while trying to keep one eye on my model.lol
I learned...I don't fly when their noobies standing on the flight line, just like all the old timers hung out
under the shade when I first flew, thinking I was it
What sucks is when I'm in the air already...then certain people fire up their model.
I get tire of head buzz or having to play hop scotch while trying to keep one eye on my model.lol
I learned...I don't fly when their noobies standing on the flight line, just like all the old timers hung out
under the shade when I first flew, thinking I was it
What sucks is when I'm in the air already...then certain people fire up their model.
08-05-2008, 08:14 AM
#30
RE: Duties of the safety officer
ORIGINAL: RCKen
Gene,
Ok, to start off with here is the AMA guidelines for the Safety Cooridinator position.
But each club may have more responsibilities for this position, so you would be better off talking with your club president to see what is involved.
Having just formed a new AMA Chartered Club (and getting "tagged" with being President) I have a little insight into what's involved with this position. The Safety Coordinator/Officer is responsible for safe operations at the field. This is how we have defined the position and other clubs may vary a bit. It's not his job to inspect every plane as some clubs think it is. But rather he is tasked with education the club members about safe operation of their aircraft. He is there to establish procedures for the safe operation of model aircraft at the field. He also is tasked as the go between of the AMA and your club so that the AMA can pass information regarding safety issues to the club.
For this office it takes a person with a good head on his shoulders that can interact with people in a friendly manner. He's also got to have a good eye and can look at a situation and see if there is anything with it that can cause problems. Our safety officer is one of those guys that has so much common sense that he sells the extra on Saturday mornings!!! He's also got a great way of interacting with people. He can walk up to somebody and tell them they are a complete screw up, but he's got such a friendly manner about him that they actually enjoy being told that!!!!! Yes, he's a real people person!!!!
Good Luck!!!
Ken
Gene,
Ok, to start off with here is the AMA guidelines for the Safety Cooridinator position.
Safety Coordinator
To promote increased safety awareness on the part of all members, improve the public perception of modeling as a safe and desirable sport, and provide a means by which important safety information can be shared between clubs, AMA chartered clubs will be required to establish the position of Safety Coordinator. This person will act as a communications liaison between the club and AMA Headquarters to ensure timely distribution of safety related material.
To promote increased safety awareness on the part of all members, improve the public perception of modeling as a safe and desirable sport, and provide a means by which important safety information can be shared between clubs, AMA chartered clubs will be required to establish the position of Safety Coordinator. This person will act as a communications liaison between the club and AMA Headquarters to ensure timely distribution of safety related material.
Having just formed a new AMA Chartered Club (and getting "tagged" with being President) I have a little insight into what's involved with this position. The Safety Coordinator/Officer is responsible for safe operations at the field. This is how we have defined the position and other clubs may vary a bit. It's not his job to inspect every plane as some clubs think it is. But rather he is tasked with education the club members about safe operation of their aircraft. He is there to establish procedures for the safe operation of model aircraft at the field. He also is tasked as the go between of the AMA and your club so that the AMA can pass information regarding safety issues to the club.
For this office it takes a person with a good head on his shoulders that can interact with people in a friendly manner. He's also got to have a good eye and can look at a situation and see if there is anything with it that can cause problems. Our safety officer is one of those guys that has so much common sense that he sells the extra on Saturday mornings!!! He's also got a great way of interacting with people. He can walk up to somebody and tell them they are a complete screw up, but he's got such a friendly manner about him that they actually enjoy being told that!!!!! Yes, he's a real people person!!!!
Good Luck!!!
Ken
Our club recently appointed a new person as safety officer. The quote that Ken cites above as the AMA definition of the safety coordinator/safety officer role is right on the money.
So I will give you my interpertation of the role.
1) Communications - gather info from AMA and share it with the club as appropriate. We are an AMA club, we should know what AMA expects in terms of safety and procedures. Communications
2) Learn and share best practices. This has nothing to do with rules but more with making common sense common knowledge. What is obvious to some is a mystery to others. The Safety Officer does not have to be THE authority on best practices, but he can help those who have a lot experience share that knowledge with the rest of the club.
This might involve presentaitons at club meetings or demonstrations at the field. They don't have to be done by the safety office himself. Communications
3) Make recommendations to the board on club policies that promote safety. Sometimes we do things in a way that really are not safe, but don't realize it. With just a little tweak, we can still enjoy what we do but do it more safely.
Helping set safety standards for the club, working with the board.
Each club is different and so we may have restrictions placed on us by the land owner or local government that require consideration in terms of club policies and practices. We might have sports fields near by and so certain guideliens might be appropriate. Awareness and Communication.
4) Help coordinate any communication with AMA or other authorities when injuries or safety violations require such communicaiton. All such communication should come to the club board FIRST. Nothing leaves the club unless the board knows about it and agrees to the communication.
Some clubs ask the safety officer to perform inspections of aircraft before their first flight or after a serious crash. I am not sure how this works but I have heard of this.
What I do not expect from the safety officer:
He is not the club policeman - He is not the sargent at arms who runs around giving tickets. Nore is he the pain in eveyone's butt.
The ability to gently and politely share thoughts and information is appropriate. However we all share this burden of helping each other. If we see someone doing something that is unsafe, we should all politely point this out.
However if there is a member who is clearly a safety hazard to himself or others this should be brought to the attention of the safety officer. If he can't correct the problem, let the board deal with it.
Safety officer is a communicaitons position, in my opinion. Communications to promote safe enjoyment of the hobby. Others may see it differently.
08-05-2008, 08:31 AM
#31
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Litchfield, MI
Posts: 5,130
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Duties of the safety officer
Thanks Guys
I think I am a people person and I enjoy helping people not being a Dirty Harry. We have a good club and I am in the process of helping a group of young people building their first plane and forming a club. We have had some ground school sessions that really focus on being a safe flyer. A couple have been on the buddy box, only after doing a complete check of the aircraft. This includes but is not limited to: inspect to make sure the control are doing what they are suppose to do; doing a range check; looking at the servo connections and pushrod connections; making sure there is no nicks on the prop; checking the battery with a meter; and lastly learning how to start the motor. What fun to watch these young people make sure their other members are doing it correctly. We are building the LT-40.
I think I am a people person and I enjoy helping people not being a Dirty Harry. We have a good club and I am in the process of helping a group of young people building their first plane and forming a club. We have had some ground school sessions that really focus on being a safe flyer. A couple have been on the buddy box, only after doing a complete check of the aircraft. This includes but is not limited to: inspect to make sure the control are doing what they are suppose to do; doing a range check; looking at the servo connections and pushrod connections; making sure there is no nicks on the prop; checking the battery with a meter; and lastly learning how to start the motor. What fun to watch these young people make sure their other members are doing it correctly. We are building the LT-40.
08-05-2008, 09:22 AM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Garland, TX
Posts: 6,544
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Duties of the safety officer
Our safety officer presents various info at our club meetings. Sometimes it's just simple, common sense, reminders to charge batteries and keep fingers out of props. Other times it's medical info related to heat exhaustion, stroke, etc.
We occasionally have someone fly over the pits. Usually several people shout "no flying over the pits" whether the safety officer is present or not.
The biggest issue we have is pilots who want to stand on the edge of the runway. I think our safety officer does this occasionally. We have a line low barricades several feet from the edge of the runway and everyone is supposed to stand that line. If only one plane is in the air, no one cares where the pilot stands. But, we often have to shout "please move away from the runway" before trying to take off.
We occasionally have someone fly over the pits. Usually several people shout "no flying over the pits" whether the safety officer is present or not.
The biggest issue we have is pilots who want to stand on the edge of the runway. I think our safety officer does this occasionally. We have a line low barricades several feet from the edge of the runway and everyone is supposed to stand that line. If only one plane is in the air, no one cares where the pilot stands. But, we often have to shout "please move away from the runway" before trying to take off.
08-06-2008, 06:49 AM
#34
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Litchfield, MI
Posts: 5,130
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Duties of the safety officer
Well all I can say is that I am happy to be the safety officer and I enjoy the club that I joined. I can now fly float planes that I did not do. No lake on the farm, but some of the members live on a lake. Didn't mean for this thread to get into a bashing so I will leave it where it is for me. Thanks for the good advice and comments from some members. I hope eveybody finds that they are in safe conditions when they fly, even if you don't have a safety officer.
