|
 When
the Naval Safety Center was established in 1951 at the Naval Air Station,
Norfolk, Virginia, it was called the U.S. Naval Aviation Safety
Activity. The staff collected, evaluated and published information
about aviation safety. The staff also advised the Chief of Naval
Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps on all phases of the
aviation safety effort.
The Safety Activity grew into the U.S. Naval Aviation
Safety Center; the officer-in-charge was replaced with a director.
In 1957, the director's billet was filled, for the first time, with a flag
officer. In 1958, the director's title became commander. The
command's mission was expanded into several new areas. The staff
initiated and conducted aviation mishap investigations and surveys, and
helped formulate policies aimed at maintaining higher levels of combat
readiness.
In May 1968, the Naval Aviation Safety Center and the
Submarine Safety Center, located in New London, Connecticut, merged to become
the Naval Safety Center (NSC). Programs involving surface ships and shore
activities were added to form the nucleus for all safety programs within
the Navy. In May 1989, training safety became the command's newest
program, addressing problems involving high-risk training. While Marines have always been a part of the aviation process,
in October 1993, a Marine Ground Safety detachment was assigned to the
Naval Safety Center. In 1996, a reserve unit was stood up.
The Safety Center has always been instrumental in developing hazard awareness
media such as safety posters, magazines, newsletters, and presentations. In 1999,
the Safety Center
inaugurated its web site, http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil.
The site includes checklists, presentations, resource pages, instructions,
common discrepancies found and general safety information.
Today, Commander NSC answers directly to the CNO and
the Secretary of the Navy as a
special advisor for managing the aviation, afloat and shore safety
programs for the Navy and Marine Corps. NSC, termed an echelon-two
command, oversees a network of safety training, education, and
mishap-prevention programs for the Navy and Marine Corps. It maintains a
computerized repository for reports on injuries, occupational illnesses
and property damage. It is the Navy and Marine Corps "one-stop
safety shop" that gathers information from the fleet, then analyzes
and interprets data to help military and civilians develop programs on
safety awareness and prevention.
NSCs safety-management responsibility includes
ensuring every Sailor and Marine receives training on operational risk
management. The staff conducts worldwide mishap investigations, oversight
reviews, safety surveys and seminars, and provides liaison support with
international military, governmental and industrial safety boards,
committees and councils.
Headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk, the more than
200 civilian and military staff of the Naval Safety Center provides support to more than 4,200
commands and detachments worldwide. |
