‘Knock-it-Off’ campaign implemented by safety offices Published Dec. 4, 2013 By Airman 1st Class Jason Couillard 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The Air Force is implementing a new plan to reduce instances where Airmen are put at risk. It is called the "Knock-it-Off" campaign. The slogan for the KIO campaign is "If it's dumb, dangerous or different, anyone can call knock it off. Don't risk it." "The primary goal of the KIO campaign is to prevent mishaps at the lowest level by utilizing the United States Air Force wingman concept," said Technical Sgt. Ramone Hayes, 99th Air Base Wing ground safety technician. "Safety professionals have challenged their co-workers, friends and peers to be the angel on the shoulders of every military member and their family." Being a good wingman could potentially save a person from injury, from damaging government property or even from death. "Military members are challenged with the task of completing the mission on a daily basis which sometimes leads to Airmen cutting corners and taking short-cuts," Hayes said. "These unsafe ways of completing the job can sometimes result in unfortunate situations." The 99th ABW, 57th Wing and the Nevada Test and Training Range have been encouraged to participate in the campaign. Each entity was given a set amount of KIO campaign cards from the United States Air Force Warfare Center to distribute amongst Airmen. The cards provide a reference for mishap prevention steps and a visual of the 5-step Risk Management Process that includes identifying hazards, assessing hazards, developing controls and making decisions, implementing controls and supervising and evaluating. The 99th ABW was given 3,000 cards to distribute. The safety office began to give the cards out Nov. 27 during morning seatbelt checks at the Simons, Beale and Main gates. The KIO phrase originally came from the flying community. It was first used by pilots anytime safety became an issue during flight. Although the phrase originated in aviation, other Airmen may use it when faced with dangerous or unsafe situations on the ground. "Being a prior jet engine mechanic, the term 'knock-it-off' is not foreign," said Technical Sgt. Monique Wright, 99th ABW ground safety technician. "In the maintenance world we were encouraged to use the term when a situation came up where we felt unsafe or witnessed an unsafe act such as deviating from tech data." Wright believes the KIO campaign will provide Airmen with methods to make identifying and preventing an unsafe act easier to communicate. "I believe the campaign is a way of easing the minds of Airmen who use the term [knock-it-off] during an unsafe situation," Wright said. "Airmen are often scared of retribution if they express their concerns when in fact, it is the complete opposite. The term is meant to empower them to take an active part in the mishap prevention program without the pressure of reprisal." Although Airmen may fear retaliation for using the safety campaign, it is a valuable tool that could prevent unnecessary occurrences. "Here at the safety office we have seen it all; a broken nose while playing ultimate Frisbee, an aircraft damaged by a sleepy driver and the unfortunate death of a fellow Airman operating a motorcycle at high speeds," Wright said. "Any one of the mishaps could have been prevented if someone said knock it off or raised question for concern." Although Airmen are always expected to speak up during risky situations, the Knock-it-Off campaign is a reinforcement to ensure that all Airmen are responsible for each other. For more information on the Knock-it-Off campaign, please call the 99th ABW Safety Office at 682-7602, the 57th Wing Safety Office at 682-7455 or the NTTR Safety Office at 348-4699.
