FEBRUARY 2004 SAFETY SUMMARY
Date Signed: 6/15/2007 | ALMARS Number: 014/04
ALMARS : 014/04
R 080808Z MAR 04
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(uc)
TO AL ALMAR(uc)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
ALMAR 014/04
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/FEBRUARY 2004 SAFETY SUMMARY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  DURING FEBRUARY, THREE MARINES DIED IN
OPERATIONAL MISHAPS, AND TWO MARINES AND ONE SAILOR DIED IN OFF-DUTY
MISHAPS.
A.  ON-DUTY.
(1)  A SGT WAS CRUSHED AND DIED WHEN THE HMMWV HE WAS A PASSENGER
IN ROLLED OVER.
(2)  AFTER WASHDOWN AND DURING TRANSIT TO SHIP ABOARD AN LCAC, AN
M1A1 TANK BROKE LOOSE AND ROLLED INTO THE OUTER HARBOR OF GUAM WITH
A CPL ABOARD.  THE CPL DROWNED.  (REPORTED AS A NAVY MISHAP)
(3)  A PFC DROWNED DURING INITIAL RECONNAISSANCE SCREENING TRAINING.
B.  OFF-DUTY.
(1)  A CPL DIED AFTER HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS MOTORCYCLE AND CRASHED.
(2)  A HMC ASSIGNED TO A MARINE UNIT DIED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE MISHAP
AFTER HE COLLIDED WITH TWO OTHER VEHICLES IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION.
(3)  A 1STLT DIED IN A PRIVATE AIRPLANE CRASH.
2.  TRENDS/OBSERVATIONS
A.   MOTOR VEHICLES ACCOUNTED FOR 13 OF THIS YEARS 21 OFF-DUTY
FATALITIES.  EXCESSIVE SPEED AND OPERATOR ERROR CAUSED A LOSS OF
CONTROL IN AT LEAST 11 OF THESE FATALITIES.  FIVE OF THE FATALITIES
WERE PASSENGERS WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE FACT THAT OPERATIONAL RISK
MANAGEMENT (ORM) APPLIES TO ALL VEHICLE OCCUPANTS; PASSENGERS ALSO
NEED TO CONDUCT ORM PRIOR TO AND WHILE RIDING IN A VEHICLE.  I
ENCOURAGE MARINES TO BUILD ON THE FOLLOWING ORM FOR PASSENGERS AND
USE IT TO INCREASE SAFETY AWARENESS AND REDUCE MISHAPS WITHIN THEIR
UNIT.  
(1)  IDENTIFY HAZARDS AS A PASSENGER.  CLOSELY EXAMINE THESE
FACTORS; YOUR DRIVER, THE VEHICLE, AND THE ROAD CONDITIONS.
IRRESPONSIBLE DRIVERS POSE THE GREATEST DANGER BY DRIVING TIRED, TOO
FAST, RECKLESSLY OR UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL.  INSPECT THE
VEHICLE FOR UNSAFE CONDITIONS CREATED BY FAULTY EQUIPMENT SUCH AS
WORN TIRES AND INOPERABLE LIGHTS OR SEATBELTS.  CONSIDER THE EFFECT
EXTERNAL FACTORS SUCH AS WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS WILL PLAY IN
SAFELY OPERATING THE VEHICLE.
(2)  ASSESS THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH RIDING IN A VEHICLE BY
EVALUATING THEIR SEVERITY AND PROBABILITY.  MAKE NO MISTAKE, IF YOU
ARE RIDING WITH AN IRRESPONSIBLE DRIVER, IN AN UNSAFE VEHICLE, OR IN
POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE LIKELIHOOD OF A MISHAP IS HIGH AND THE
CONSEQUENCES ARE DEADLY.  YOU NEED LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THESE
MONTHLY SAFETY SUMMARIES TO VERIFY THIS FACT.
(3)  MAKE DECISIONS THAT MINIMIZE YOUR RISK TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL.
IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS INCAPACITATED, UNQUALIFIED OR UNSAFE, THEN DO
NOT LET HIM DRIVE.  ELECT ANOTHER DRIVER OR PERSONALLY OFFER TO
DRIVE.  EVALUATE TRAVEL IN ANOTHER VEHICLE OR BY ALTERNATE MEANS
WHEN SAFETY CONCERNS ARE PRESENT.  WHEN SCHEDULES PERMIT, DELAY
TRAVEL UNTIL A DRIVER IS RESTED OR ROAD CONDITIONS IMPROVE.  IF
NECESSARY, ELEVATE RISK DECISIONS TO YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND.  
(4)  IMPLEMENT CONTROLS TO FURTHER ELIMINATE OR REDUCE THE DEGREE OF
RISK.  ISSUING A SIMPLE WARNING TO DRIVERS TO SLOW DOWN OR BE MORE
CAREFUL CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE RISK.  CHECK THE WEATHER PRIOR TO
DEPARTURE AND ADJUST ACCORDINGLY WHEN TRAVELING.  IN AN OPERATIONAL
ENVIRONMENT, ENSURE DRIVERS HAVE SUFFICIENT TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
BY CHECKING THEIR LICENSE; REVIEW THE VEHICLE'S PREVENTATIVE
MAINTENANCE CHECKS AND SERVICES (PMCS) TO DETERMINE THE VEHICLE'S
CONDITION; AND WEAR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SUCH AS A HELMET
AND FLAK JACKET.    
(5)  MOST IMPORTANTLY, SUPERVISE.  MONITOR YOUR DRIVER, THE VEHICLE,
AND ROAD CONDITIONS.  AS CHANGES OCCUR, REVIEW YOUR ORM AND TAKE
CORRECTIVE ACTION.  
3.  SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//