As one of the leaders of the Virginia-Class Submarine Program Safety Task Team, Darren Jackson (X33) knows how important safety is at Newport News Shipbuilding.

He also knows a traditional class isn’t always the best way to teach and reinforce safety. That’s why he started using games. During a recent Safety Task Team meeting, he led the members of the team through a game he created to use with his own crew.

“It’s human nature. People are very competitive, so they like to try to win something,” he said. “Playing a game gets people more engaged, and they retain the information better.”

Jackson, who served as a medical specialist in the Army, said shipbuilders may not think about the risks their jobs involve. “You might not think about it because it’s an everyday thing, but safety is important. You want to go home the same way you came in,” he said.

H.D. Trulley, VCS safety rep, said this type of engagement will influence positive change. “Task team members engaging with our workforce is instrumental with creating a safety culture of individual ownership,” he said.