Sergeant Bell Presented With Safety Award
On Tuesday 8th September Commander British Forces (CBF), Commodore Steven Dainton presented Royal Air Force Sergeant Dan Bell with a Royal Air Force Safety Centre 'Well Done' award.
A statement from the MOD follows below:
Sgt Bell, a member of the General Engineering Section at RAF Gibraltar, received the award following an incident earlier this year. Following the morning sweep by the Airfield Ground Support Unit (AGSU), it was noticed that the sweeper rear brush from the sweeper box had become detached. The vehicle was taken to Sgt Bell for repair, where upon investigation, he discovered a bolt had come loose and was now missing. Realising the seriousness of the situation due to this potential Foreign Object Debris hazard, Sgt Bell immediately instigated a full check of the airfield and the item was subsequently found on the runway after a 20-minute search.
Commodore Dainton said 'The actions of Sgt Bell were highly commendable, given the potentially catastrophic impact that the bolt would have had if it had come into contact with an aircraft. He is full deserving of this 'Well Done' award.'
The presentation was made in a socially distanced ceremony at RAF Gibraltar, attended by Sgt Bell's family and colleagues. RAF Gibraltar's Air Safety Manager, Flight Lieutenant Martin Hughes added: “This event was a perfect example of our mission to prevent a 'walk on by’ attitude here at the airfield and the example set by Sgt Bell is one for us all to follow.’
