Army photograph

The Weed Army Community Hospital, Fort Irwin, Calif.

Two U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) units were recognized by the Army Safety and Health Management System (ASHMS) as Army Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Star sites.

The Weed Army Community Hospital, Fort Irwin, Calif., and the Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Clinic, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., earned the recognition as Star sites.

ASHMS recognition is given to those units who have a highly effective safety and occupational health system that is more than just a program.

In order to be recognized at this level, the units must complete three stages of progressive assessments of their system. These assessments begin with ensuring all policies, SOPs, and procedures are in written form.

The next assessment is to ensure these policies, SOPs, and procedures have been integrated within the daily activities of the units and the final assessment is to see if the workers in the organization know the policies, SOPs, and procedures and understand their role in ensuring the safe environment.

Once all stages are complete, the unit requests a final readiness audit where members of the MEDCOM Safety Office along with members of the Department of Defense Safety Management Center of Excellence validate that the safety management system is operating at a highly effective level.

This is more than just “checking the block” or achieving a minimum standard. To achieve this recognition status the unit must have everything operating at a highly effective level.

With these two units being recognized, MEDCOM has 35 Star sites with more expected in fiscal year 2017.