Fire Safety

type and in good condition. In addition to ensuring good

proper emphasis on safety items. Often the precautions

performance and long equipment service life, careful

are located in the front of the manual before the table of

workmanship will help prevent fires. A badly made

contents, where they are easily overlooked.

connection that vibrates loose or a conductor that carries

Senior petty officers should ensure that each person

high voltages too close to another can cause an arc.

sent out on a maintenance action is instructed on the

Pulling fuses on energized circuits should be avoided

precautions to be observed. Too often high voltage

since an arc can result. When it comes to fire prevention,

sources and alternate power sources mentioned in the

the fewer sparks the better.

Safety section of the technical manual are overlooked

If a fire or overheated condition occurs in electrical

or forgotten by junior electricians until the screwdriver

equipment, the circuit should be de-energized as quickly

is in place.

as possible. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is to be used in

MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENT CARDS.--

fighting electrical fires because it is nonconductive and

Each maintenance requirement card (MRC) used in the

thereby the safest to use in terms of personnel safety, and

Navy has a section devoted to safety precautions to be

because it offers the least likelihood of doing equipment

observed by the person who performs the maintenance

damage. However, if the discharge horn is allowed to

action prescribed on the card. Sometimes, this section

touch an energized circuit, the horn may transmit a

contains only a reminder to observe standard safety

shock to the handler, due to frost on the horn.

precautions. But, whatever they are, the leading petty

officer responsible for the maintenance action should

Outside Safety

ensure that each person in his/her work group is

instructed in the safety precautions and observes them

IC Electricians perform maintenance on equipment

while performing his/her tasks.

located throughout the ship. A leading petty officer may

PERIODICALS.-- Many sources of safety infor-

have personnel working simultaneously on the bridge,

mation are distributed on a monthly or quarterly basis

in the engine room and fireroom, and in several other

by various naval activities. The Naval Safety Center

spaces. It is imperative that all of these personnel be

publishes the Ships Safety Bulletin and Fathom, a

aware of the general and specific safety precautions

quarterly surface ship and submarine safety review.

involved in their work. The person who neglects to

Fathom presents accurate and current information on

secure the power to the salinity system (circuit SB) when

the subject of nautical accident prevention. Safety

cleaning it is just as likely to be injured or killed as the

Review, published monthly by the Chief of Naval

one who doesn't properly use a safety harness when

Material (CHNAVMAT), contains information on the

aligning the anemometer (circuits HD, HE).

safe storage, handling, or other use of products and

materials. Articles dealing with safety appear often in

Live Circuits

Electronics Information Bulletin, Deckplate, and

Surface Warfare magazine.

More often than not, it is impossible to align

de-energized equipment. Gyro repeaters, engine order

telegraphs, and other synchro systems require

Fire Safety

adjustment "hot"; therefore, several precautions must be

observed whenever the work is being done on energized

The best way to control any fire is not let it happen.

electrical equipment.

When working on equipment, personnel should always

be aware that circuit protective devices, such as fuses

1. Provide ample illumination.

and circuit breakers, are frost-line insurance against

2. Do not wear a wrist watch, rings, watch chain,

overheating and must be in good condition. The filter is

metal articles, or loose clothing that might make

an important part of filtered ventilating systems. If the

accidental contact with live parts or that might

filter is clogged, the equipment will run hot and may

accidental] y catch and throw some part of the body into

bum out. If the filter is not in place or has holes in it,

contact with live parts. Clothing and shoes should be as

dust will get into the system and present a possible fire

dry as possible.

hazard. When falters are replaced, the replacement filter

3. Insulate the worker from ground by means of

must be the same type as the original. When equipment

insulating material covering any adjacent grounded

is opened, components and wiring insulation should be

metal with which he/she might come in contact. Suitable

inspected for signs of overheating. To avoid dangerous

insulating materials are rubber mats, dry canvas, dry

short circuits, electrical insulation must be of the correct

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