2017 Vol. 13|No. 1

WHERE ARE THE 

SAFETY OFFICERS?

LEARN MORE ON PAGE 2

THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AFLOAT AND SHORE SAFETY MAGAZINE
SEA & SHORE

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EDITORIAL STAFF

Multimedia Division Head Evelyn Odango

Editor Michael J. Morris

Social Media Manager Leslie Tomaino

EDITORIAL OFFICE

Commander, Naval Safety Center

Attn: Editor Sea & Shore Magazine

375 A Street

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

MULTIMEDIA DIVISION

Telephone: (757) 444-3520 (DSN 564) ext. 7870 

General email: safe-mediafdbk@navy.mil

Editor's email: michael.j.morris@navy.mil

REPORT A MISHAP

Telephone: (757) 444-2929 (DSN 564)

AFLOAT SAFETY PROGRAMS

Telephone: (757) 444-3520 (DSN 564)

Surface Division ext. 7831

Email: safe-afloat@navy.mil

Submarine Division ext. 7838

Email: safe-submarines@navy.mil 

OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT/EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE SAFETY PROGRAMS

Telephone: (757) 444-3520 (DSN 564)

Operational Risk Management ext. 7204/7271

High Risk Training ext. 7841

Diving Division ext. 7837

Email: safe-divesalvage@navy.mil

Parachute/Helicopter Rope Suspension Technique ext. 7159/7121

SHORE SAFETY PROGRAMS

Telephone: (757) 444-3520 (DSN 564)

Occupational Health and Industrial Safety ext. 7820

Training Safety ext. 7841

Traffic and Recreation Off-Duty Safety ext. 7842

ABOUT SEA & SHORE

Sea & Shore is a print and digital publication published on a quarterly basis. The editorial 

content of this magazine is edited and approved by the Naval Safety Center Public Affairs Office. 

Sea & Shore is an authorized publication for members of the military services and distributed 

to ships, submarines, diving commands, shore-based commands, and DoD agencies. 

Contents and opinions expressed are not necessarily the official views of the U.S. Government, 

the Department of Defense or the U.S. Navy and do not imply endorsement thereof. Unless 

otherwise noted, photos and artwork are for illustrative purposes only. Reference to commercial 

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Sea & Shore is published by Commander, Naval Safety Center, at 375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 

23511-4399. Periodical postage paid at Norfolk, Va. 

Commander, Naval Safety Center 

Deputy Commander 

Command Master Chief 

Director, Afloat Safety Programs

Director, Shore Safety Programs 

Join us on the web or your mobile device through these social networks:

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RDML W. Scott Dillon

CAPT John Sipes, USN

CMDCM(AW/SW/IDW) James N. Stuart II

CAPT J. Lee Bennett, USN

Jonathan Wilson

2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1

MAN OVERBOARD INDICATOR

MOBI

Malfunctions & Testing 18

VFA-213 BLACKLIONS

SAFETY ISSUES 

AND PROGRAMS 22

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

THE IMPORTANCE OF

25

6

FOOD SAFETY

AT HOME

26

SAFETY

THROUGH AND THROUGH

12

A PERS ONAL 

PERSPECTIVE

THE DANGERS OF TEXTING WHILE DRIVING:

WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY DO FOR YOU

NEAR MISS REPORTS:

20

2 WHERE ARE THE 

SAFETY OFFICERS?

NOT A GOOD YEAR FOR

MOTORCYCLE RIDERS 8

Exploring Risk Management

28
CONTRIBUTORS WANTED

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 1 

Article Formatting

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Our surveys consistently show that readers like articles written 

by their peers, and they like to read about true-life events and 

experiences. Your effort keeps others from having to learn 

the hard way. Therefore we want your letters, feedback, and 

comments.

We want honest appraisals and realistic solutions. Our 

staff is always open to new ideas, so don’t be afraid to try 

something different. Send your submissions, and comments to 

michael.j.morris@navy.mil.

We do our best to cover stories, articles and information that may be helpful or necessary to manage your safety 

program and/or promote safety awareness on and off duty. We want to hear from you; we want you to write about 

your safety programs, best practices, and your on or off-duty risk-management stories. 

I

n spring of 2017 the Naval Safety Center converted all of its publications to an online format due to budget 

constraints. Since that transition, you the reader have supported the move, but made clear of the difficulties 

associated with having an online and downloadable only series of publications. The leadership of the Naval Safety 

Center has heard those concerns and as change is the one constant that we can always count on, decided to 

revive the printing of our publications. 

Sea & Shore magazine remains a comprehensive source of information for managing risk, reducing the 

potential for error, and improving overall performance within the fleet. The magazine will not change and will still 

include articles about best practices, lessons learned, technological advances, research and development, future 

initiatives, new ideas, personal experiences, and risk-and-resource management strategies.

The magazine will be printed on a quarterly basis and all the articles will be individually 

posted to the 360° Safe blogsite for ease of reading and access online. A PDF version of 

Sea & Shore magazine will also be posted to the 360° Safe blogsite and DVIDS site for those 

who would like to read the magazine in that particular format. Distribution of our publications 

will be subscription-based and we ask that all those who would like to continue receiving a 

particular publication, complete a new subscription request and return it to our staff by mail, 

fax, or email. Thank you to all of our loyal readers, it’s good to be back in print!

Editor Sea & Shore Magazine
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WHERE ARE THE 

SAFETY OFFICERS?

By Joe Perfetto
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 3 

Mr. Perfetto works in the 

Shore Safety Programs 

Directorate at the Naval 

Safety Center, where he 

serves as a safety and 

occupational health 

specialist.

T

his question is being asked 

more often than not: Where are 

the safety officers, managers, 

specialists and collateral duty 

safety officers? As safety officers, 

managers, specialists and collateral 

duty safety officers, do you have direct 

access to the commanding officer or 

officer in charge to inform him or her 

of potential safety issues that are a 

concern to the command? 

During safety assessments conducted by Naval Safety 

Center analysts, they ask safety professionals the following 

questions: Where are you in the chain of command? Do you 

have direct access to the commanding officer or officer in 

charge? The answers vary, but the bottom line is that there 

are safety officers, managers, specialists and collateral duty 

safety officers who lack access to the commanding officer or 

officer in charge. 

According to Navy policy OPNAVINST 5100.23G: 

0302: Organization of Safety Organizations at 

Headquarters Commands

Headquarters commands shall designate a safety official 

who will have sufficient authority and responsibility 

to represent effectively and support the headquarters 

commander in the management and administration of the 

headquarters command safety program. The designated 

safety official shall report directly to the headquarters 

commander. A safety organization, staffed and organized 

commensurate with the mission and functions of the 

command, shall support and report directly to the 

designated safety official. A safety professional shall 

head the safety organization. Professional certification is 

recommended, per paragraphs 0304.c and 0606.
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0303: Organization, Functional Responsibilities, 

and Staffing Criteria for Shore Safety

a. Organization.

(1) Each shore activity not receiving base operating 

(BOS) safety services from their cognizant naval 

region shall have a safety organization, staffed and 

organized commensurate with the mission and 

functions of the command. A safety professional 

shall head the safety organization and shall have the 

authority, responsibility, and visibility to manage and 

represent effectively the activity’s safety program. 

Implementation of the safety program is considered 

a command staff level function. Accordingly, the 

head of the safety organization shall report directly 

to the commanding officer of the shore activity. 

In addition Paragraph 402 f.(1) reads:

If the region or activity safety manager attends 

routinely scheduled department head (staff) 

meetings or personally briefs the commanding 

officer/executive officer on a recurring basis, 

where safety items can be discussed in a timely 

manner, only one formal annual meeting is required. 

Otherwise, the council shall meet annually or 

more frequently as needed. The region or activity 

safety organization shall retain minutes on file for a 

minimum of three years.

If safety officers, managers, specialists and collateral duty safety officers are not reporting to the commanding officer or officer in charge, does it infer that 

safety is no longer important? If safety professionals 

are buried behind the operations officer, aviation 

safety officer or other individuals, is safety becoming 

a secondary concern? If safety professionals do not 

have access to the commanding officer or officer in 

charge, are there safety concerns that they should 

be aware of and are not? 

SCENARIO

The safety professional identifies a safety concern 

or trend that he or she feels the commanding officer 

or officer in charge should be aware of, but does 

not have direct access to the commanding officer 

or officer in charge. He or she must go through the 

chain of command to get this information to them. 

What if the message gets modified or someone in the 

chain of command does not think the information is 

important enough to bother the commanding officer 

or officer in charge? What happens if someone is 

injured or a fatality occurs that could have been 

prevented? What then? 

We understand that commanding officers and 

officers in charge are busy. Safety officers, managers, 

specialists and collateral duty safety officers should 

be trained to handle safety issues and concerns. 

They should also have the training and the authority 

to handle all safety concerns without having to inform 

the chain of command in advance. It is concerning, if 

the safety professional does not have this authority 

or must go through a number of individuals to inform 

the commanding officers and officers in charge of a 

potential safety issue. 

Safety should be part of the command culture and 

climate. The safety professional should be involved 

with every aspect of the command. Commanding 

officers or officer in charge should listen to their 

safety professionals.

In turn safety professionals, supervisors, and 

employees should have the authority to stop any 

activity that could potentially cause an injury. The 

Naval Safety Center does not receive reports of 

safety professionals that temporarily stop a process 

to ensure safety protocol is being adhered to or 

cases where safety measures are absent from the 

process and safety is incorporated on-the-spot with 

the process proceeding without incident. We know 

this happens and the question to the commanding 

officer and officer in charge is, “Do you know the 

condition of your safety program?” 
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1

5 2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1
SEA & SHORE

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HM2(SW/FMF) Bradley 

Proctor serves as a 

preventive medicine 

technician aboard the USS 

Kearsarge (LHD 3).

By HM2(SW/FMF) Bradley Proctor

E

ven though the food supply in the United States is one of the safest 

in the world, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

estimates that each year roughly one in six Americans gets sick, 

128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die of foodborne illnesses. 

While restaurants and grocery stores are heavily regulated on food 

safety, individuals are often either uneducated or apathetic toward 

preparing and storing food safely at home. The Orange County Health 

Agency in California has identified the five leading causes of foodborne 

illness: Improper hot/cold holding temperatures of potentially hazardous 

food, improper cooking temperatures of food, dirty and/or contaminated 

utensils and equipment, poor health and hygiene, and receiving food 

from unsafe sources. 

FOOD SAFETY

AT HOME
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 7 

The presence of one or more of these risk factors poses a substantial hazard to anyone, especially 

populations at increased risk such as the elderly, 

young children or the already sick. In the following 

paragraphs, I will discuss how you can prevent these 

risk factors and save yourself and yours from having 

to endure a foodborne illness.

Most people have some type of refrigerator, but not 

everyone knows how to safely store food in it. According to NAVMED p-5010-1, potentially hazardous food 

such as cooked or raw meat or cooked grains, fruits, 

or vegetables must be stored either below 41 degrees 

Fahrenheit or above 135 degrees Fahrenheit; these 

temperatures are shown to slow the growth of microorganisms that cause illness. When defrosting meats, 

move the item from the freezer to the refrigerator, allowing it to thaw without being out of the proper coldholding temperature. Hot food must be kept above 135 

degrees Fahrenheit until ready to serve.

When it comes to cooking safely, never “eyeball” 

how thoroughly something is cooked. Food must be 

cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees 

Fahrenheit for 15 seconds, which can be measured 

with a probe thermometer. The temperature must be 

taken in the thickest part of the meat, taking care to 

not penetrate all the way to the cooking surface. Cooking food to the correct temperature is the only way to 

actually destroy illness-causing bacteria. 

When utensils or equipment become dirty or contaminated, they can transfer that contamination to 

the food, which then can cause foodborne illnesses. 

Utensils can be contaminated with a buildup of food 

residue that creates a breeding ground for bacteria; 

cross contamination can also occur from coming into 

contact with either raw and ready-to-eat food, or toxic 

chemicals. Any surface that contacts food must be 

regularly cleaned as to avoid build-up of food residue. 

Anytime raw food touches the surface of a utensil or 

equipment, that surface should only to be used for 

that food until being thoroughly cleaned. Utensils and 

equipment can easily transfer bacteria from raw foods 

to ready-to-eat foods if you do not strictly adhere 

to this concept. Be sure to keep household cleaning 

products in a separate area from anything that comes 

into contact with food. If you suspect poisoning, you 

should immediately contact your local poison control 

center.

The importance of hand washing cannot be understated. Proper handwashing prevents the bacteria from 

everything you have touched around the house from 

entering your food. Regular handwashing will prevent 

cross contamination between different foods. Proper 

handwashing should consist of using warm water and 

soap for a minimum of 10 to 15 seconds to ensure 

bacteria is removed; you should also cover any cuts or 

open wounds on your hands while handling food.

Remember to always purchase food from a reputable source, where food is properly handled to avoid 

the aforementioned hazards. Look for U.S. Department 

of Agriculture (USDA) or Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stamps on food items. Raw food should be 

received below 41 degrees Fahrenheit and hot food 

above 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Adherence to food safety rules is an easy way to 

ensure the health of you and your family. Foodborne 

illnesses have a significant time and monetary impact 

on both business and the individual; in labor and medical costs. The USDA estimates that foodborne illnesses cost Americans $15.6 billion each year. Be smart, 

reduce risk, and protect those around you.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/cdc-and-food-safety.html

Orange County Health Care Agency

http://www.ocfoodinfo.com/illness/risk

ONLINE RESOURCES

Navy Medicine

www.med.navy.mil/directives/Pub/5010-1.pdf
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NOT A GOOD YEAR FOR 

MOTORCYCLE RIDERS

By Brad Loftis
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 9 2017VOLUME 13|No. 1

Brad Loftis works in the 

Shore Safety Programs 

Directorate at the Naval 

Safety Center, where he 

serves as the traffic and 

recreational off-duty safety 

division head.

Motorcycle fatalities for the Navy in fiscal year 

2017 exceeded the number of fatalities from 

both fiscal years 2015 and 2016. Even though 

fiscal years 2015 and 2016 were historically 

low years with 12 fatalities each, does not mean we should 

accept an upward trend back to the 10-year average of 

17.6 fatalities. Our goal should always be the reduction of 

the fatality rate each year. 
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NAVY PERSONAL MOTOR VEHICLE (PMV) FATALITIES FISCAL YEAR 2017

5 Year Average of Fatalities

Fatalities

Fiscal Year 2017 Fatalities

0

15

20

25

5

30

35

Auto Motorcycle Ped/Bike PMV Total

10

13 12 16.2 21 4 1 33.2 34

According to Naval Safety Center data, more personnel are lost per year in personal motor vehicle (PMV)

mishaps than in any other type of fatality. To combat 

this and help stop this negative trend, the Safety Center 

is aggressively raising awareness. Our safety promotion strategy includes yearly safety campaigns, articles 

in our safety magazines, and weekly “Rider Down” 

reports. Our subject-matter experts are more focused 

on conducting in-depth ongoing mishap analysis to 

identify trends and factors for dissemination up the 

chain and out to the Naval Enterprise. Additionally, since 

we switched from conducting safety surveys in 2015, 

we have been providing assessment teams to review 

command rider programs and pursuing a new motorcycle training program called REST (riders essential 

skills training). This new program will potentially provide 

training at more realistic speeds to simulate actual riding conditions and improve skill sets.

Leadership involvement is needed at the command 

level to ensure motorcycle riders and motorcycle 

safety representatives have the support and backing 

of the chain of command. Leaders at all levels should 

show interest and promote this vital safety program. 

Some items that can be done at the command level are 

as follows: start a mentorship program, inform new 

check-ins about the safety program, conduct group 

rides, coordinate a track day, advertise the program, 

and hold monthly meetings. Motorcycle riders need to 

ride by example, be good role models for other riders, 

wear all PPE, share experiences and encourage others 

to participate in the safety program.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

 https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/motorcycles

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

http://msf-usa.org/

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Editors Note: The fatality 

data compiled by the Naval 

Safety Center is current as 

of 25 September 2017.
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 11 
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By Michael Borkowski

A PERS ONAL 

PERSPECTIVE

THE DANGERS OF TEXTING WHILE DRIVING:

Mr. Borkowski works in the 

Shore Safety Programs 

Directorate at the Naval 

Safety Center, where he 

serves as a traffic and 

recreation off-duty safety 

specialist.
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 13 2017VOLUME 13|No. 1

Asa former police officer and mishap 

investigator, I have witnessed first-hand 

death and carnage on our highways that 

no person should. Due to my experience, 

I have major concerns with poor choices such as texting 

while driving. Let’s be honest, either you or someone 

you know has texted while driving at least once; a choice 

that has endangered you and those around.

got a verbal “really Dad?” and the look. It was at that 

time I made a standing bet with her that if she ever 

caught me using the phone while driving, I would put a 

brand new $50 bill in her hand. 

Even as vehicles have become structurally 

safer and smarter than ever before, traffic deaths have risen over the past two 

years, reversing a general decline 

going back nearly a decade. 

According to the National 

Safety Council (NSC) 

40,200 people died on the 

nation’s roads last year. 

This number is up about 

6 percent from 2015, when 

35,092 died. The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) 

shows that 3,477 of the people killed 

and 391,000 of people injured in motor 

vehicle crashes in 2015 involved distracted 

drivers.

Now, you may be one of those drivers who thinks 

you’ve got it all figured out. You’re in control; you 

Driving is a privilege — not a right — and it comes 

with personal responsibilities. Those responsibilities require undivided attention so that other drivers, 

pedestrians and cyclists who share the road with 

you are not placed in danger. One of the most 

alarming behaviors I see on a daily basis 

is the driver who cannot put their phone 

down, sending or receiving emails or 

texts. We’ve all seen them, drivers with one hand on the wheel 

the other hand clutching the 

cell phone like they have a 

winning lottery ticket. We 

should have little to no tolerance for individuals who 

text while driving and endanger 

those of us sharing the roadway 

with them.

A few years back I placed a magnetic 

message decal on the back of my truck tailgate that’s in the shape of a yellow traffic warning sign with the words “Drive Now – Text Later” 

and the international symbol for no over a cell phone. 

When my 19-year-old daughter noticed the magnet, I 
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haven’t crashed yet, right? You’ve been using your 

cell phone and texting for some time now and have it 

mastered; you call it multitasking, right again? Wrong, 

removing your eyes from the road or hands from the 

wheel is in no way safe, no matter how you look at it. 

Texting is six times more likely to cause an accident 

than driving while intoxicated. The NHTSA reported 

that sending or reading a text message can take the 

driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an 

entire football field with your eyes closed according to 

the Centers for Disease Control. Some drivers assume 

that taking your eyes off the road for close to five seconds is no big deal, but you can imagine the dangerous scenarios which could occur in that short window 

of time. The latest report issued in June 2017 by the 

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), shows 

that text messaging is currently banned for drivers in 

47 states and the District of Columbia. 

The use of cell phones while driving plays a role 

in 1.3 million crashes each year, causing 500,000 

injuries and 6,000 deaths according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Text messaging is the 

most dangerous practice, making a crash 23 times 

more likely. The NSC states that even if cell phone use 

in crashes was captured 100 percent of the time, the 

data would still be under-reported. National state and 

local organizations are taking steps to improve collection of crash data about driver cell phone use.

The Navy is also moving forward and taking steps 

to improve data collection in the Web Enabled Safety 

System (WESS) by using Human Factors Analysis and 

Classification System (HFACS). While HFACS doesn’t 

specifically call out distracted driving as a separate 

precondition or act, a recent review of PMV4 fatal 

crash data identified preconditions such as “not paying 

attention” and “awareness” which can be indicative of 

distracted driving. Deeper analysis revealed driver acts 

that showed the driver either “drifted out of lane (not 

due to falling asleep) or “didn’t keep eyes on the road” 

and “reacted too slowly;” all of these actions coincidently mirror the behavior of distracted drivers.

In a recent NSC driver safety poll, 74 percent of 

people polled rated distracted driving as a top concern, right behind drunk driving, which came in at 78 

percent. Even though 74 percent of those polled agree 

that distracted driving is a top concern, one-third of 

drivers still reported sending a text message or email 

while driving at least once in the past 30 days and 42 

percent stated that they had read a text or email. In 

the NSC driver safety poll, 53 percent of the respondents said they believed it is unsafe to text, use voice 

commands, or talk on a phone while driving.

The problem in many cases is that what people say 

and what they do is totally different. Those of you that 

have attended one of my driver improvement courses 

may recall when I mentioned that it is humanly impossible to sneeze with your eyes open. I then asked, 

“How many of you have ever sneezed while driving?” 

A lot of hands went up. Then we had a reality check, 

at 60 mph your vehicle is traveling 90 feet per second 

(fps). During that one sneeze, you lost six car lengths 

without a clue as to what happened around you. Now 

remember, as previously mentioned, the average text 

message can take your eyes off the road long enough 

to cover a football field; an eye opener.

Not only do these poor choices endanger everybody 

on the road, but there are monetary costs associated 

to those choices. Because of the irresponsible drivers who text and drive, insurance policy prices have 

risen, increasing what policy owners pay for insurance 

across the board. According to the insurance industry, 

this rise in vehicular accidents has forced a 16 percent 

increase in rates since 2011. About 13 percent of 

drivers age 18 to 20 who were involved in car wrecks 

admitted to texting or talking on their mobile devices at 

the time of the crash. 

Just as public opinion has made drunken driving 

socially unacceptable, public opinion could make 

texting and driving undesirable too. Those drivers who 

are texting while driving are easy to spot, because they 

demonstrate similar behaviors as those drivers under 

the influence of alcohol. They usually weave in their 
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 15 

Crashes known to 

involve cell phones. 

Crashes suspected to 

involve cell phones. 

Crashes where it is 

unknown if cell phone 

use was a factor. 

We do not know the exact number of crashes involve that 

drivers using cell phones, and it may not be possible to 

ascertain those statistics.

Even if 100% of known crashes were captured, data 

would still be greatly under-reported.

The three levels of knowedge about cell phone crashes:

lane from one side to the other, travel slower than the 

surrounding traffic, leave huge gaps between them and 

the vehicles in front of them, and often show a delayed 

reaction time. 

Unfortunately, with the ability to place the phone 

down or out of sight in an instant, the chances of getting caught by the authorities are slim. So most of the 

time the laws against texting and driving are almost 

impossible to enforce, unless the driver involved in 

a crash admits that they were texting or playing with 

their phone at the time of the incident. It can be challenging to verify that cell phone use was a contributing 

factor in an accident.

The truth is that almost every day there is a motor 

vehicle crash where use of the cell phone or texting 

was a contributing factor to the accident. Knowing this 

fact, I urge all drivers to put their phones down and 

drive responsibly. I hope that the distracted driving 

statistics in this article are enough to help make responsible driving your priority once you get behind the 

wheel. In this age of convenience and instant gratification it may seem that texting while driving is OK, but 
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it really isn’t. Stop to consider the consequences. Is it 

worth it? Is there anything in life that can’t wait to be 

taken care of later? Your life and the lives of others are 

certainly worth more than a scroll through Facebook, 

updating your page or a text message. Remember to 

make conscious responsible decisions once you get 

behind the wheel and don’t let a crash or a ticket be 

your wake up call to put the phone down. When you’re 

in the vehicle – put the phone down and let voice 

mail take your calls for you. You may be one of those 

people who may have to turn the phone off or place 

it out of reach. In the same way that we have made it 

a habit to buckle–up, you could try to make it a habit 

of using the center console or glove box to store your 

phone while driving. “Buckle-Up & Forget About It” 

could be your new motto.

A search of crash report news articles where cell 

phone use was captured are bulleted below: 

• In March of this year in Texas, there was a fatal 

crash in which a driver who was texting crashed 

into a church bus, killing 13 people. 

• A 19-year-old mother-to-be from Naples, Florida, 

was killed in a tragic car crash when she was hit 

by a driver using a cell phone to send text messages. 

• A 20-year-old woman from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to jail time after a crash 

in which her cell phone use caused her to collide 

with another vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle, a 16-year-old young lady, was killed in the 

crash. The driver in question was found to have 

been speeding and reaching for her cell phone at 

the time of the accident.

• An 18-year-old Minnesota resident was charged 

with gross negligence and vehicular homicide 

after a series of 15 text messages sent and received while driving resulted in the wrongful death 

of a 77-year-old woman. According to reports 

in the Fergus Falls Daily Journal, the teen hit the 

woman’s vehicle in a head-on collision, sustaining serious injuries herself. She will serve up to 10 

years in prison as a result of the crash. 

• A 70-year-old man stepped out of his car to inspect possible damage after a minor fender-bender, only to be hit and killed by a distracted driver 

who was logged-in to Facebook at the time of the 

accident. Details of the accident suggest that the 

woman in question was updating her Facebook 

page via mobile phone.

IF IT’S AN EMERGENCY OR IT CANNOT WAIT, 

PULL OVER SAFELY AND HANDLE THE SITUATION.

I know I’m not going to get everyone on board here 

and there will always be someone who argues the 

point that there are enough laws already on the books 

to stop hazardous driving. They see anti-texting laws 

as the long arm of government reaching into their personal vehicles. That argument might make more sense 

if distracted drivers didn’t also kill other innocent drivers and passengers.

The bottom-line is educating people about the 

dangers of distracted driving. We all need to be part of 

the solution, not the problem. Educate and encourage 

those in your inner circles to not use the cell phone 

while driving. The safety of everyone who uses our 

roadways depends upon safe driving practices and all 

drivers should act responsibly. Texting while driving 

is just simply not being responsible. The life we save 

may be our own or our children. The naval community 

ended the fiscal year with a total of 12 PMV4 traffic 

related deaths. 

For those of you who read this to the end and were 

still wondering, my daughter has yet to collect that bet.

ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT - DRIVE NOW, TEXT LATER
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 17 
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LT Steven Scoville serves 

as the ground safety officer 

for Strike Fighter Squadron 

(VFA) 154.

By LT Steven Scoville

T

hroughout April 2017, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 

11 was embarked on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) for 

Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) 

prior to our 2017 deployment. It was the last night 

of the exercise, so the air wing was doing a pack-out, which 

started much later than anticipated; causing everyone to 

feel rushed. Our team needed to get our entire squadron 

packed up and ready to debark from the ship in San Diego, 

California, early the next morning. 

MAN OVERBOARD INDICATOR

MOBI

Malfunctions & Testing
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 19 2017VOLUME 13|No. 1

As we proceeded with the job at hand, a Sailor had 

confused a bag full of float coats for a bag of trash. 

Unfortunately, going against better judgment the Sailor 

had decided to throw the bag overboard, which meant 

that five of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 154’s float 

coats ended up in the water that night. This of course 

resulted in the activation of Man Overboard Indicators 

(MOBI), leading to a long search for who had gone 

overboard that ended in the discovery that all Sailors 

were accounted for and that the bag of float coats 

containing the MOBIs had been thrown overboard. 

Once the float coats had been retrieved, we realized 

that only two of the five MOBIs inside the float coats 

had actually transmitted a signal; a situation that could 

be extremely dangerous in the event of an actual manoverboard.

Once we arrived back to Naval Air Station Lemoore, 

California, our safety department began an investigation into the malfunctions and inspected all the command’s MOBIs. Our safety petty officer found that we 

had two separate manuals from BriarTek©, the MOBI 

manufacturer. Both manuals described the testing 

process of the battery and transmitter of the TX-104 

model MOBI, but they each had conflicting statements 

on how to properly test the devices. The first manual 

stated that you place the tip of the antenna on the 

manual activation/deactivation recess and hold it there 

for a minimum of three seconds. This would cause the 

LED on the front of the device to illuminate with a solid 

light. The second manual stated that after doing the 

same steps, the LED would flash rapidly. We contacted 

the manufacturer for clarification on the correct way to 

test the MOBIs. During discussions with BriarTek©, we 

discovered that both manuals were actually incorrect, 

and that neither manual included the correct steps for 

testing the MOBI transmitters.

According to the manufacturer, the proper test of the 

battery is to place the tip of antenna on the manual 

activation/deactivation recess for a minimum of three 

seconds. To test transmitter activation, you must either 

connect the two screws on each side of the device 

with a metal object or submerge the device in salt 

water. We found a paperclip worked well to connect 

the two screws. Either method of testing will result in a 

rapidly flashing light. After testing the three MOBIs that 

malfunctioned in the Pacific Ocean, we determined 

that the transmitters were faulty. After a subsequent 

command wide inspection, we found 25 TX-104s and 

15 TX-103s (previous model) that did not properly 

work. The TX-103 is a completely different model that 

has a simple on/off switch to test both the battery and 

transmitter activation. The 15 malfunctioning TX-103s 

were due to bad batteries, not a faulty transmitter. 

Of the 25 TX-104 models that did not function, four 

malfunctioned due to failed batteries and 21 had faulty 

transmitters. Even though there were several that only 

failed the battery test, there is still a serious safety 

concern with these devices. Overall, our command 

had a 24 percent MOBI failure rate a total of 40 of 160 

devices.

During the investigation into our MOBI inventory, 

we found two additional key discrepancies that could 

cause the devices to not function properly. The first 

issue discovered was improper antenna routing. The 

manuals for both TX-103 and TX-104 MOBI models 

state that the transmitter must be worn so that when 

the water sensors are under water and wet, the antenna remains above the water surface. When installed 

in a float coat, the antenna should be routed up and 

over the shoulder to ensure that part of the antenna 

will be above water while the person is floating. The 

second discrepancy was slightly more difficult to 

detect. If the battery door is overtightened, the MOBI 

will not transmit. Our team discovered the battery door 

should be tightened to 45 inches per ounce of torque; 

even though the manufacturer’s recommendation is to 

simply hand tighten the door. To mitigate this potential 

malfunction after battery replacement, always test the 

transmitter for proper functionality.

To ensure the safety of personnel and promote an effective safety culture, processes should be established 

to ensure equipment is always maintained and in 

good working order. Our team recommends that every 

command equipped with MOBIs in their inventory test 

the batteries and functionality of their transmitters, 

and verify the antennas are properly routed over the 

shoulder.
SEA & SHORE

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WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY DO FOR YOU

NEAR MISS REPORTS:

By John C. Williams

T

here are three categories of mishap reports available in the 

Enterprise Safety Applications Management System: mishap 

reports, property damage reports and near-miss reports. The 

mishap and property damage reports are self-explanatory, but 

the near-miss reports category does need additional explanation. This 

category has the potential to save more lives than the first two report 

categories combined.

The National Safety Council defines a near-miss as: “An unplanned event that almost results in a fatality, 

injury or property damage event. A fortunate break in the chain of events is the only thing that prevents a 

mishap from occurring.”

Such events occur on an almost daily basis sometimes without our knowledge. We often hear people say 

that it was his or her time to go after a fatal accident claims the life of a coworker. As medical technology has 

advanced in curing the top three causes of death – heart disease, cancer, and stroke - the average lifespan for 

Americans has increased over the last half-century. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the lifespan 

of an American male born after 1949 is 82 years, so if a worker is killed in a preventable mishap, and he or 

she is younger than 82 years old, it wasn’t their time to go! 
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 21 

Most people are unaware of the hidden dangers that 

surround them on a daily basis, which is why nearmiss reports are so vital to maintaining a safe working 

environment. You can see from the mishap hierarchy 

in figure 1 that each fatality comes on the heels of 

a number of injury causing or property damaging 

mishaps; which in turn come on the heels of an even 

greater number of near-miss events. It seems strange 

how no one seems to recognize a danger or hazard 

until someone is killed. Then suddenly, everyone 

knows about the issue and when the victim’s coworkers are interviewed, they all claim they knew about the 

hazard, but failed to report it.

In fiscal year 2014, active-duty and Department 

of Defense civilian employees assigned to the Naval 

Computer Telecommunications Area Master Station, Pacific (NCTAMS PAC) submitted 23 near-miss 

reports; the following fiscal year, the command experienced a 25 percent decrease in mishaps. We are 

not making a direct correlation between the number 

of near-miss reports submitted and the number of 

reportable mishaps tallied, but one cannot completely 

dismiss the effect these near-miss reports had on 

the command safety climate. After all, not every near 

miss involves finding and deactivating a landmine. We 

are charged with calling attention to different types of 

hazards and risks that are out there, and yes some 

hazards can be likened to land mines just waiting for 

an unsuspecting victim. 

In August 2015, a Sailor assigned to the Naval Information Operations Command (NIOC) injured his foot 

while playing barefoot on the sandlot volleyball court 

in front of the bachelor enlisted quarters. The ball was 

hit over the fence; so the young man jumped over the 

fence to retrieve the ball and upon jumping back onto 

the court, he landed on the edge of a rusty metal pipe 

that was lying on the ground. Should he have been 

wearing foot protection? The answer is yes, but how 

many of us think twice about kicking off our shoes or 

sandals when playing a pick-up game of volleyball? 

This is why we solicit near-miss reports, because you 

may be the only person who recognizes the hazard. 

We are often so focused on the tasks at hand that we 

don’t recognize danger or perceive the hazards around 

us. Ten minutes spent filling out a near-miss report 

can prevent days, weeks or even months of recovering 

from a severe injury or even a death caused by a hazard that someone else recognized but failed to report.

Remember, a near-miss is an 

event that almost causes a serious injury but doesn’t. If such 

an event occurs, and you’re not 

sure if it rises to the level of a 

full-blown mishap, alert your supervisor and division or department safety representative or 

call the safety office for support. 

Safety is everyone’s responsibility and our actions could prevent 

injury or save a life.

Enterprise Safety Applications Management System

 https://esams.cnic.navy.mil/

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Mr. Williams is the NCTAMS 

PAC safety officer. He also 

serves as the command’s 

traffic safety and ORM 

instructor.

SAFETY FIRST, SAFETY ALWAYS!

Figue 1: Mishap Hierarchy

1 

Death

10

Serious Injuries

600

Near Misses

30 

Damages to Property
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By AM1(AW) Gregory J. Zybak

S

ince deploying aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) as a 

representative of the Safety Department, I have witnessed and 

noted several recurring safety issues. The two major areas of 

concern in which most injuries occur within the skin of the ship 

and the flight deck. Even with awareness of the potential hazards from 

training to mitigate dangerous situations, we have still seen numerous 

injuries during deployment.

VFA-213 BLACKLIONS

SAFETY ISSUES 

AND PROGRAMS
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 23 

Safety Issues

INSIDE THE SHIP: Within the skin of the ship, personnel will encounter both obvious and subtle risks. 

Ladder wells always present a common and unavoidable area for hazards. Sailors should remember that 

maintaining three points of contact is essential when 

climbing and descending ladders to reduce the possibility of injury. Injuries to ankles, knees, and wrists 

from falling or missing steps are a persistent trend. 

Personnel not paying attention to hand placement 

and where others are walking have been contributing 

factors to these injuries. Additionally, warmer temperatures at sea can cause condensation on passageways, 

catwalks and ladders which only exacerbates an 

existing hazard. Ensuring that all shipboard personnel 

are provided the appropriate information and training 

about how weather can affect conditions inside the 

ship will help limit these incidents. Finally, unexpected 

increases or fluctuations in air pressure throughout the 

ship can lead to doors, hatches, and scuttles to close 

without warning, posing a danger to Sailors. Personnel 

not paying attention to hand placement, accompanied 

with lack of positive control of hatches, have received 

lacerations, sprains, and in some cases loss of an appendage along these common access points.

The hangar bay is another major area of concern; 

personnel transiting the hangar bay encounter a range 

of potential hazards. These potential hazards range 

from aircraft flight control surfaces, general servicing 

equipment, tie-down chains, stored aircraft equipment, 

fuel and hydraulic fluid all of which pose a significant 

hazard to personnel. A Sailor’s eyes have to be continuously on the move, and their heads constantly on 

a swivel in the hangar bay. Personnel have hit their 

heads on flight control surfaces, tripped over tie-down 

chains, had legs pinned under stored aircraft equipment that shifted under the motion of the ship, and had 

fuel or hydraulic fluid get in their eyes. Accidents can 

happen, but maintaining situational awareness, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) 

and being in tune to you surroundings can help prevent 

these sorts of things from occurring. Moreover, experienced Sailors need to watch out for junior Sailors, 

providing them the necessary mentorship to increased 

understanding of how important safety is aboard the 

ship and in every aspect of their lives.

THE FLIGHT DECK: Working on the flight deck of an 

aircraft carrier is one of the most dangerous jobs in 

the world. Dynamic operational tempos and everchanging environmental conditions continuously shape 

and reshape the hazards presented to flight deck 

personnel.

The first line of defense while on the flight deck is 

PPE; a cranial with goggles, leather gloves, steel-toed 

boots, float coat, long sleeves, and pants are required 

to take part in flight operations. Improper wear of PPE 

or degraded PPE (worn-out Velcro straps on cranials 

and worn tips or soles of boots) is not only a common 

occurrence, but unnecessarily exposes personnel to 

hazards, including flying debris, aircraft fluids, tiedown chains, arresting cables, and steam. The appropriate condition and wear of float coats is important 

for the safety of Sailors wearing the float coat. It is 

not only the responsibility of the wearer, but also those 

around them. Some float-coat discrepancies have included missing carbon dioxide (CO2) actuating device 

securing nuts, shear wire not installed or broken on the 

CO2 device, and the improper wear of or securing of 

the side snaps on the float coat while on deck. Personnel report that comfort and temperature have been the 

causal factors behind improper wear of the float coats; 

however these factors are no excuse for sacrificing 

personal safety. 

During aircraft start up, taxi, launch and recovery, 

many events are occurring simultaneously, creating 

a number of potential hazardous situations. Common concerns include personnel in the way of taxiing 

aircraft, standing behind aircraft exhaust, standing 

too close to a jet blast deflector during aircraft runup, entering the landing area during a recovery cycle, 

or crossing the foul line while an aircraft is being 

launched off the catapult. Complacency and lack of 

training or proficiency on the flight deck have been the 
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stand-out causal factors related to these issues. Vigilance among experienced Sailors is required to ensure 

the safety of all personnel on the flight deck. 

A common environmental issue, on the flight deck is 

heat; proper hydration, specifically by having a hydration pack such as a Camelbak© while topside is essential. Ensuring those assigned to flight-deck duty are 

allowed regular breaks to get out of the heat – ideally 

into an air conditioned space – is another step toward 

preventing heat-related incidents.

Safety Programs

Flight-deck awareness training, personnel qualification 

standards, and mentorship are tools we must utilize 

in order to disseminate the necessary knowledge 

to inexperienced Sailors. It is 

every Sailor’s responsibility to 

maintain awareness of what is 

going on around them. And, it is 

everyone’s responsibility to look 

out for those around them and 

maintain the standards to ensure 

safe conduct when aboard the 

ship. All it takes is one correcting 

interaction to interrupt the chain 

of events that could lead to injuries and mishaps. Taking steps to 

mitigate these hazards should be, 

and must be, as important as the 

mission itself.

Sailors prepare an F/A-18E Super Hornet attached to the “Tomcatters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 31 to launch from the flight deck of the 

Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) to conduct flight operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve June 6, 2017. 

George H.W. Bush is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests. (U.S. Navy 

photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Gaines)

AM1(AW) Gregory J. Zybak 

is the safety petty officer 

and assistant command 

fitness leader for Strike 

Fighter Squadron (VFA) 

213 deployed aboard USS 

George H.W. Bush (CVN 

77).
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 25 2017VOLUME 13|No. 1

Working on the flight deck 

during flight operations 

is one of the most exhilarating and dangerous 

jobs someone could ever perform. 

Aircraft are rapidly launching and 

recovering while all around the 

flight deck, crews are hard at work. 

While working on the flight deck, 

safety is paramount and proper use 

of personal protective equipment 

(PPE) is essential to staying safe.

After servicing engine oil on an E-2C Hawkeye, I was 

climbing down from the flight deck onto a catwalk; I 

took my first step and my left foot slipped out from 

underneath me. The weight of the fluid servicing unit 

(FSU) and bucket I was carrying overcame my balance, sending me head first into the catwalk. On my 

way down, I hit my head on something hard before 

AN Munsill serves in the 

line division with Carrier 

Airborne Early Warning 

Squadron (VAW) 116.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT By AN Jonathan Munsill 

THE IMPORTANCE OF

coming to rest on the metal grate of the catwalk. My 

legs slammed into the stairs before they rolled onto the 

metal grate. Luckily, I walked away from the incident 

with only a bump on the head and some bruises. My 

cranial prevented my head from making direct contact 

with the deck of the catwalk, preventing serious injury. 

Had I not been wearing my cranial, I could have suffered a concussion or even lost consciousness. This 

important piece of PPE did its job and kept me safe. 

My cranial had been properly inspected and signed 

for when I got to work that morning. If I had not done 

my inspection or used my PPE 

properly, I would have been 

seriously hurt in that incident. It 

only takes a few minutes every 

day to properly inspect and 

ensure that your PPE is working properly, and it only takes a 

few seconds to put it on. Those 

few minutes were the difference 

between walking away from the 

incident and being carried away 

on a stretcher.
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By ADAN Anthony Haga

ADAN Haga serves as an 

aviation machinist’s mate 

with Carrier Airborne Early 

Warning Squadron (VAW) 

116.

SAFETY

THROUGH AND THROUGH

Editors Note: Image is of the actual injury 

sustained by the author, ADAN Anthony Haga.
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 27 2017VOLUME 13|No. 1

E

veryone has had a time when they did not get 

enough sleep. Some people deal with a lack of 

sleep better than others. One person may only feel 

slightly groggy in the morning, while another feels 

like they are the walking dead all day long. Either way, it 

is important to realize when you are not as well rested 

as usual and take the proper precautions, especially in 

the work place.

On Feb. 16, 2017, I came to work at 6 p.m. after 

having stood watch from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. the same 

day. I was tasked to work on an aircraft, safety wiring 

the beta feedback target mounting bolts on a propeller 

blade. As I was safety wiring the bolts, the wire 

snapped and penetrated my left thumb, going through 

to the other side. 

I had followed each step of the procedure correctly 

and had been wearing the appropriate personal 

protective equipment; however, the wire still snapped 

and I still ended up with a piece of metal sticking out 

of my thumb. The only outside factor I could identify 

was the fatigue from working an eight-hour duty 

shift during normal sleeping hours; which left less 

alert than I should have been on the day the incident 

occurred. 

Staying alert and practicing good operational risk 

management (ORM) by utilizing the following simple 

five-step process can help reduce the probability of a 

workplace injury. 

These five steps are:

• Identify hazards

• Assess the hazards

• Make risk decisions

• Implement controls

• Supervise and watch for change 

Sometimes you can take all the proper precautions, 

but accidents still can happen. It is important to 

recognize all the internal and external factors that are 

in place. In this case, I was fatigued and something 

may have gotten past my usual scan. I was lucky to 

have been able to walk away with such a small wound 

and only having missed a few hours of work. 

1

2

4

3

5
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By LTJG Kate Harrell

Exploring Risk Management

I

t’s always an exciting time when 

you arrive to a new ship – meeting 

new shipmates, learning about 

the ship, and exploring all the 

passageways and nooks of the place 

you will call home while underway. 

Although exploring can be fun, we 

should always remember that there 

is an inherent risk with anything that 

we do onboard a ship, and we should 

always manage the risk associated 

with those activities.

It was my third day on a ship, everything was new; 

all the passageways and hatches looked the same to 

me. I had memorized the route from my stateroom 

to the ready room. From the ready room, I knew how 

to find the galley, the hangar bay, and my work center. In the first two days of my arrival, other officers 

had taken me on tours of the ship; I’d seen the mess 

decks, the cashier’s office, medical, and the gyms. I 

knew how spaces were numbered and understood that 

I should be able to find my way back to my stateroom, 

but I had already gotten lost in the maze of the ship a 

few times. Each time I got lost, I would wander around 

hoping to come across some recognizable landmark 

from my previous tours. After losing my way several 

time, I made the decision to stick to only the routes I 

had already learned for at least for a few days. Until I got my bearings, even if this meant leaving my 

stateroom, going upstairs to the ready room, and then 

proceeding back down two ladderwells to get to the 

hangar bay. 

The next night, as I went to take the ladderwell from 

the ready room down to my stateroom, I felt a drip 

from the pipes above. Looking down I realized the 

top stairs were wet. My adherence to the plan I had 

made — I don’t know another way back to my room, 

I’ll have to take this way —made me override my good 

judgement. As I climbed the ladderwell I thought, “Oh, 

this could be dangerous ... maybe I should take another ladderwell.” No sooner had this thought entered 

my mind when I lost my footing on wet treads and 

slid down the stairs. My left pinkie got tangled in the 

crossbar of the handrail, causing my fifth metatarsal 

(my pinkie hand bone) to break. The space of time 

between when I realized the ladderwell was treacherous and when I began slipping was fast, just a second 

or two.

I remember clearly comprehending the danger and ignoring 

it; a decision that was needlessly risky. I was not in a rush, 

there were certainly plenty of 

other routes I could have used, 

and I could have asked someone for help or notified someone 

about the hazard. I put adherence to my plan over my own 

safety and spent the rest of the 

underway in a cast.

LTJG Harrell graduated from 

Navy Basic Intelligence 

Officer Course in June 2015 

and is currently serving as 

the aviation intelligence 

officer for Carrier Airborne 

Early Warning Squadron 

(VAW) 116.
2017

VOLUME 13|No. 1 29 

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