2017 Vol. 1|No. 1 

THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AFLOAT AND SHORE SAFETY MAGAZINE
360° SEA & SHORE

HTTP://WWW.PUBLIC.NAVY.MIL/NAVSAFECEN

2017

VOLUME 1|No. 1

SUBMISSIONS

Calling All Public Affairs Specialists and MCs

We welcome public affairs and mass communication 

specialists as fleet correspondents or guest editors. We 

want to hear about your safety programs, best practices 

and risk-management success stories. 

Letters to the Editor

We want to hear what you think about something we 

have published that you have read. Letters must include 

your name, email or phone number (for verification). 

Letters may be published anonymously. 

BZs and Attaboys

Nominate an individual or a group from your command/

unit for a job well done. Write a brief narrative (500 

words) including name(s) of the nominee(s) and reason 

for the nomination. Please include your name and 

contact information.

Lessons Learned and Safety Culture

Help us preserve combat readiness and save lives by 

sharing your lessons-learned story. Perhaps you’ve 

experienced a personal mishap or a near-miss at 

work. How did that shape your behavior and/or your 

command’s safety culture? Articles should be 450 

words minimum to 1,500 words maximum.

Off-Duty Stories

Do you have a story about a mishap or near-miss that 

occurred while off duty? We’ll take any topic as long it 

demonstrates risk-management and lessons learned.

Submissions

Submit your stories or news items to: michael.j.morris@

navy.mil or write to: Commander, Naval Safety Center, 

Attn: 360° Sea & Shore, 375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 

23511-4399. We reserve the right to edit all submissions 

for grammar, clarity, applicability, and length.

Contact us at safe-mediafdbk@navy.mil for more 

information

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. If you have a question or opinion about anything 

you read, send us your comments. 

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

CONNECT WITH US

EDITORIAL STAFF

Deputy Department Head, Media and Public Affairs Evelyn Odango

Editor Michael J. Morris

Art Director Allan Amen

Graphics and Design John W. Williams

Webmaster Darlene Savage

Social Media Manager Leslie Tomaino

EDITORIAL OFFICE

Commander, Naval Safety Center

Attn: 360° Sea & Shore

375 A Street

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

MEDIA DIVISION

Telephone: (757) 444-3520, ext. 7870 (DSN 564) / Fax: (757) 444-6791

General email: safe-mediafdbk@navy.mil

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

REPORT A MISHAP

(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 360° SEA & SHORE

360° Sea & Shore (ISSN 2167-244X) is a digital publication with a pdf published on a 

bi-monthly 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 products or links to non-DoD resources do not imply Department 

of the Navy endorsement. Unless otherwise stated, material in this publication may be reprinted 

without permission; please credit the magazine and author.

DISTRIBUTION

Email safe-mediafdbk@navy.mil to get on our distribution list.

360° 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 

Department Head, Media and Public Affairs

RDML Christopher J. Murray

Col Matthew Mowery, USMC

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

CDR J. Lee Bennett, USN

Jonathan Wilson

Maggie Menzies

2017

VOLUME 1|No. 1
RUNNING

INTO THE GROUND

SpringForward

withSafety

The National Safety Council (NSC) DANGER

BY DESIGN

ONE COMMAND’S 

DUI

EFFORT TO REDUCE

INCIDENTS

LOST ON THE RUNWAY

USS Shiloh Leadership Put 

Their Baks into Reducing 

Heat Related Injuries

3 6

8 9

2

page

We have moved!

Electrical Workbench 

Grounding Straps

ARTICLE CORRECTION

Safety

AWARENESS

PRACTICES

Technology Awareness: 

Digital Eye Strain and Text Neck

19 21

23 24

12 15

17 18

ANALYSIS SUMMARY

PMV4 FATAL MISHAP

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THE NAVAL SAFETY CENTER PUBLICATION FOR AFLOAT AND SHORE SAFETY 2017 Vol. 1|No. 1 

ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE 

PROTECTED WORK AREA GROUNDING ISSUES 

ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE 

PROTECTED WORK AREA GROUNDING ISSUES 
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We have moved!

We have gone digital. While this is bittersweet for those of us in the Naval 

Safety Center Media group, we plan to continue bringing you in-depth articles 

and relevant mishap-prevention information.

By now, most of you have received the final printed copies of Approach, MECH, 

Decisions, and Sea Compass. We understand the value of a printed format 

in certain aspects of your job, but we also know you understand our effort to 

reduce cost. We are increasing our presence on the web so you can still read 

your favorite stories – whenever and wherever you want. 

Our transition from print to digital is a work in progress and we appreciate 

your patience. We will leverage electronic and social media to give you quicker 

access to each current issue, printable articles and past issues. Our digital 

magazines are available on http://safety.navylive.dodlive.mil.

You can also find current and archived issues on our website: www.public.

navy.mil/NAVSAFECEN/Pages/media/mag_index.aspx.

Email us your feedback and questions to safe-mediafdbk@navy.mil.

We thank you for understanding. — The Editorial Staff
Technology Awareness: 

Digital Eye Strain and Text Neck By Cindy Whitehead

L

iving in the modern digital age 

certainly has its benefits. How 

did we ever live without the 

endless amounts of information, 

instant results and ability to 

interact and communicate, all at 

our fingertips? We all enjoy the 

conveniences electronic technology 

offers, especially our mobile 

handheld devices. However, with 

all the advantages we gain from 

mobile technology comes the risk 

of serious and permanent health 

problems. According to the Pew 

Research Center, 68 percent of 

U.S. adults owned a smartphone in 

2015. That’s almost double mid2011 numbers! With new products 

hitting shelves every day, the 

market for digital devices continues 

to grow. This means more time 

spent looking at electronic screens 

and digital content. 

The intention of spending five 

minutes checking your email can 

easily turn into an hour browsing 

the web on your smartphone. Your 

eyes become dry and irritated, 

your vision blurred. Your thumb, 

wrist, and neck have been held 

in the same unnatural position 

the entire time. Before long, your 

thumbs have been typing in an 

 An average person checks the phone every 6.5 minutes in a 16-hour waking cycle (Nokia, 2012) awkward position and they start 

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hurting. Your wrists have been 

bent over and tendinitis can set 

in. Your neck aches from looking 

down at your phone for a long time. 

Many Americans average six to 

nine hours a day in front of digital 

devices; 76 percent of us are still 

looking at our devices the hour 

before we sleep!

Since it’s unlikely that we’ll 

unplug any time soon, awareness is 

one way to fight the onset of lasting 

eye strains and muscle sprains.

Digital Eye Strain

Digital eye strain is now a 

common repetitive strain injury 

among workers, surpassing 

rates for carpal tunnel syndrome 

and tendinitis. Eye redness or 

irritation from staring at the bright 

backlight of screens for long 

periods, dry eyes due to reduced 

blinking, blurred vision and general 

fatigue from staring at screens 

and straining to see small fonts 

and images are all symptoms of 

digital eye strain. The percentage 

of people experiencing digital eye 

strain increases with the number 

of devices used simultaneously. 

Headaches may occur from 

repeated eye strain.

While irritation and discomfort 

can be temporary, there is potential 

for long-term effects such as agerelated macular degeneration or 

cataracts. Studies show that longterm due to overexposure to blue 

light, or high-energy visible (HEV) 

light could damage the retina, the 

part of the eye that brings objects 

into focus.

Strain is often caused by the 

distance between the eyes and 

a digital screen. Our eyes are 

designed for near vision and far 

vision rather than the mid-range 

viewing distance needed to focus 

on words and images on laptops 

and desktop screens. As many 

as 90 percent of patients don’t 

discuss their digital viewing habits 

with their eye doctors. Computer 

eyewear is designed for the midrange viewing distance of reading a 

computer screen. Lens technology 

can cut glare, block HEV, and 

decrease brightness with or without 

a prescription. Talk to your eye care 

provider about your digital viewing 

habits to determine what options 

are best for you.

Only 7 percent of U.S. adults have 

tried computer glasses to reduce 

digital eye strain.

Strain can also occur when 

overhead and surrounding light 

compete with your device’s screen, 

flooding your eyes with blue light. 

Viewing in total darkness is just as 

Only 7 percent of U.S. adults have tried computer glasses to reduce digital eye strain.

bad, forcing your eyes to constantly 

adjust to lighting levels. Balance the 

light in the room with your primary 

viewing device for best results. 

Adjust the brightness of your 

device, or the size of the text, as 

necessary.

Give your eyes a break. Follow 

the 20-20-20 rule to avoid dry, tired 

eyes. Every 20 minutes, take a 20 

second break and view something 

20 feet away in the distance. Blink 

more often to rehydrate your eyes. 

Keep your screen clean to make 

text and images clearer and easier 

to read.

Text Neck

We are exposed to devices that 

cause “text neck” the majority of 

the day, almost every day!

People of all ages spend 

countless hours daily hunched 

over numerous types of handheld 

devices with their heads flexed 

forward. They are all in constant 

danger and at risk of developing 

“text neck.” For every inch of 

forward head posture, the weight 

of the head increases force on the 

spine by an additional 10 pounds. 

Among the chief complaints 

associated with text neck are neck, 

shoulder, back, arm, finger, hand, 

wrist and elbow pain, as well as 

headaches and numbness and 

tingling of the upper extremities. A 

Mayo Clinic study found that long 

term forward neck posture leads 

to “long term muscle strain, disc 

herniation and pinched nerves.” 

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Leaning over any object, not just 

smartphones and tablets, for an 

extended period of time (a sink full 

of dishes or caring for a newborn 

baby, for instance) can strain joints, 

muscles, and soft tissues causing 

pain. Is your home television 

mounted high above the fireplace 

or have you read your phone while 

lying on a couch or bed? Have you 

checked text messages under a 

table at a meeting or read a tablet in 

an economy airplane seat? This is 

not how we would set up our desk 

space at work, yet we may spend 

another few hours on our devices 

when we leave the office. 

Try the same principles as if you 

were in an office:

• Sit in a neutral position. Try 

resting your arms on your desk as 

you work. 

• Hold your smartphone a little 

higher to decrease the amount of 

stress on the neck (so you don’t 

have to look down as much).

• Give your neck a rest by looking 

up and bending sideways. Stretch 

every five to ten minutes. 

• Switch to a telephone call or your 

laptop if the texting (or web surfing) 

session starts getting too long.

If adults are suffering from neck 

problems after only a few years of 

texting and cell phoning, imagine 

what’s in store for our kids, who 

may start having physical problems 

much younger than we are. Do your 

kids slump at the computer, hang 

their necks as they look down on 

their cellphones and tilt their heads 

to the side as they hold the phone 

between their neck and their ear 

as they type? You can tell them to 

sit up straight, use a headset or 

speakerphone, and they’ll roll their 

eyes like when your parents told 

you to stop slouching. 

Most of us see our personal 

electronic devices as electronic 

security blankets, keeping us 

safe and ever-connected. But 

there is such a thing as being too 

connected — especially when a 

little bundle of glass, electronic 

circuitry, and plastic has the power 

to cause undue pain.

Cindy Whitehead is a human systems 

engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare 

Center in Dahlgren, Virginia focusing 

on human-centered design of the 

operation and maintenance of systems 

in Defense acquisition lifecycle and 

is the Program Manager for the Navy 

Ergonomics Program.

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S

afety awareness and 

practices follow us 

everywhere. All personnel 

should be in tune with their work 

environment and be cognizant of 

safety at all times. Just as fleet 

Sailors must be aware of the flight 

deck, underway replenishment or 

engine room hazards, all personnel 

working ashore must be aware of 

office safety issues. 

Working in an administrative 

command’s safety office has 

shown me not only the hazards 

that exist, but also the false sense 

of security displayed by staff 

members. Personnel tend to get 

complacent ashore and forget what 

they’ve learned in the fleet with 

regards to safety. Consider the 

basics of an office. Desk chairs 

tend to have wheels and can lean 

back. Standing on a chair with 

wheels to reach an object, leaning 

far back in a desk chair, and using 

the chair to haul boxes are a few 

potential injury-causing actions. 

I’m still amazed when personnel 

stand on rolling chairs to reach 

something right in front of the 

safety staff. Popular today, although 

not supported by the Department 

of Defense, is the use of stability 

balls as chairs. Originally designed 

to prevent musculoskeletal injuries, 

research has shown that they may 

actually cause injury when used for 

long periods. 

By Jane Bush

The importance of breaks for 

office workers can never be overstressed. Breaks enable your 

body to rest and help prevent 

musculoskeletal injuries, to say 

nothing of your need to periodically 

rest your brain. File cabinet drawers 

left open present hazards for 

personnel walking into them or 

tripping over them. Opening several 

cabinet drawers at once can lead 

to cabinet tip-over. Worn carpets 

with holes and water on tiled floors 

are potential trip and slip hazards. 

Power cords crossing aisles can 

also be a trip hazard. Office clutter 

limiting exit aisle width could 

become a hazard in case of an 

emergency. Good housekeeping 

means a safer environment. 

Important at Sea, in the Air or Ashore in the Office

Safety

AWARENESS

PRACTICES

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THE NAVAL SAFETY CENTER PUBLICATION FOR AFLOAT AND SHORE SAFETY 2017 Vol. 1|No. 1 Electrical safety should always 

be a priority. Many office spaces 

do not have sufficient power outlets 

to supply all the power gadgets 

used today, resulting in personnel 

using several power cords plugged 

together. “Daisy chaining” of 

extension cords is a frequent 

safety issue, especially during the 

holidays. Combining appliances 

such as coffee pots, microwaves 

and refrigerators on one circuit can 

easily overload 

the circuit. 

Overloading 

circuits greatly 

increases the 

likelihood of 

fires as the 

increased power 

consumption 

translates 

into heat in the wiring, the circuit 

breakers and the connected 

devices. Securing power on an 

overloaded circuit may suffice 

to remove the electric shock 

hazard, but it does not put out the 

fire caused by melting wires or 

sparking breakers!

Mold is a hazard that brings fear 

to many individuals and the truth 

is mold exists everywhere. There 

are numerous kinds of mold with 

varying degrees of toxicity. Certain 

molds can be dangerous and that is 

why every effort should be made to 

prevent mold growth and decrease 

mold exposure. Additionally, 

individuals have varying sensitivity 

levels or conditions that make them 

more susceptible to mold. There 

are plenty of damp spaces in an 

office building where mold can 

grow, especially older buildings that 

suffer from leaks, particularly in 

inaccessible or confined spaces.

Safety training should not be 

overlooked. The assumption of 

“I know how to be safe,” is often 

proven otherwise just by looking 

at the mishap list. Safety training 

should be on-going, but should 

also be appropriate to the worker’s 

surroundings. Senior leadership 

support is essential in reinforcing 

the importance of safety training, 

practices and the safety of the 

organization. 

Working in an administrative 

environment ashore may be a 

relaxing break from a shipboard/

overseas tour, but it 

is not an opportunity 

to disregard potential 

safety hazards or to 

defer safety training. 

The mission and 

the tools may be 

different, but the 

wisdom of vigilance 

still prevails. The 

office environment 

can harbor many hazards that 

personnel should be aware of. 

Safety first is always a good rule, 

no matter where you are. 

Ms. Bush is a safety & occupational 

health specialist for the Office Safety 

Ashore, PERS-53Z.

Senior leadership support 

is essential in reinforcing 

the importance of safety 

training, practices and the 

safety of the organization. 

Office Environment

 https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/officeenvironment/

default.html

Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders

 https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ergonomics/default.html

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/

index.html

ONLINE RESOURCES

Indoor Environmental Quality

 https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/indoorenv/

The National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health (NIOSH) 

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/index.htm

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Electrical Workbench Grounding Straps

How many times have you been 

in an electrical/electronic shop 

and noticed that there were 

single, green wires with something 

attached (that looked like an alligator 

clip) coming from the work bench?

It isn’t just an ordinary wire. It 

is a lifesaving device known as a 

“grounding strap,” and it connects 

that piece of equipment to the hull. 

Electric current likes to flow in the 

path of least resistance. When there’s 

a problem, the current will flow to 

ship’s hull instead of shocking (or 

killing) the worker. 

Grounding straps are covered by 

PMS MIP series 6652/006(or L06) 

A-1+ and NSTM 300. You must have 

one grounding strap for every four 

feet of work bench. Grounding leads 

and grounding straps must have 

green insulation or be marked with 

green-colored tape or green-colored 

adhesive labels. Grounding straps 

must be at least 40 inches long and 

able to reach every part of the work 

bench.

A 50-amp, blunt-nose, batterytype clip and insulating sleeve must 

be installed at the free end. The 

Servit post must be sealed with two 

coats of varnish (A-A-1800) or other 

suitable preservation to protect from 

moisture or corrosion. The ground 

stud should be welded to the hull (if 

feasible) or to a main member on the 

bulk head. The grounding stud should 

be connected to ground using three 

nuts or a collar stud with two hex 

nuts.

A ground bus serving a row of 

workbenches must be continuous 

(unsliced) cable no longer than 50 

inches.

Resistance from the ground (battery 

type) clip to a point beside the deck 

grounding stud must be less than 

or equal to 0.1 ohm. If greater than 

0.1 ohms resistance, tag out the 

disconnect switch and test panel, 

notify work center supervisor, repair 

or replace as necessary, remove 

safety tags and return equipment to 

readiness condition.

NSTM 300, Electric Plant-General, 

states ships shall have a minimum of 

one electrical workbench maintained 

all times.

More information on standardizing 

electrical workbenches/requirements 

can be found in: 

• Sea Compass, fall-winter 2013 (http://

www.public.navy.mil/comnavsafecen/

documents/media/magazines/seacompass/fall-winter2013.pdf)

• Naval Ship’s Technical Manual (NSTM 

300 Appendix H)

• PMS MIP 6652/006(or L06) A-1+

EMC(SW) Lavergne is a fleet electrical 

analyst in the Afloat Safety Programs 

Directorate.

By EMC(SW) Michael Lavergne

Source: NSTM 300, Page 300-H-1

This article was originally printed 

in Sea Compass Vol. 5, No. 1 

with a content error. We would 

like to apologize to our readers 

for the inaccuracy and have 

reprinted this article with the 

corrected information.

ARTICLE CORRECTION

2017

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ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE 

PROTECTED WORK AREA PROTECTED WORK AREA

T

he implementation of a common electrostatic 

discharge (ESD) program should not be 

rocket science. Air systems electromagnetic 

interference corrective action program (ASEMICAP) 

agrees with that assessment, but like most things, we 

believe the devil is in the details. In this article we will 

explore one of the more perplexing details of the ESD 

protected work area (PWA). 

Having public works install a certified hard ground 

for your ESD PWA is great, but can be costly, 

especially when in most cases, you have good 

equipment grounds throughout your spaces that if 

By Robert Dale Tate

properly verified, will serve this purpose. Also, the 

certified hard ground that public works set up requires 

24-month verification in accordance with MIL-HDBK274A. So what is an EMI/ESD program manager 

supposed to do about grounding?

Grounding should be basic to an ESD program. 

The Commander Naval Air Forces (CNAF) 4790.2B, 

Section 10.21.4 lists procedures for the conduct of 

an ESD program. This naval aviation maintenance 

program standard operating procedure (NAMPSOP) 

needs improved, and before we make that happen we 

decided to first introduce some physical changes (ESD 

GROUNDING ISSUES GROUNDING ISSUES
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Figure 1: Common ESD/ordnance grounding point

finger cot and ESD PWA earth ground checker) that 

we believed were needed. 

The CNAF 4790.2B Section 10.21.4.2 states “to 

handle unprotected ESDS items only at ESD PWA 

that comply with requirements in MIL-HDBK-263B, 

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) 01-1A-23, 

and NAVAIR 17-600-193-6-2.” The MIL-HDBK-263 

although still accurate has become is a bit antiquated. 

The NAVAIR 17-600-193-6-2 will be deleted with the 

next naval aviation maintenance program (NAMP) 

change. That leaves the NAVAIR 17-600-193ESD-6-

1 the ESD PWA (pre-operational checklist card) and 

it points to the NAVAIR 01-1A-23 for configuration 

guidance. The NAVAIR-01-1A-23, work package 004 

00, Section 4-4.9 presents grounding in a clean and 

concise manner. Reading the NAVAIR 01-1A-23, 

Section 4-4.9, it uses terms such as ESD common 

point ground (Figure 1), common point ground 

barrier strip, and others all of which are connected to 

equipment ground. 

Main(s) service equipment single phase. (04-23)

Typical ground connection and main(s) service equipment.(04-24)

That is a key factor because that point is electrically 

equivalent to ground in your AC outlets. Below are 

figures 04-23 and 04-24 from the NA 01-1A-23 

that point is clearly illustrated. The bottom line is 

equipment ground is already present throughout all 

work centers and it is the ground wire of the AC outlet.

 The third wire green ground of a common AC outlet 

in your circuit is equipment ground. I should point 

out here that I spent four years in the Naval Safety 

Center and understand that we must be very careful 

with electrical safety. I am also a trained aircraft 

electrician and have been in this field for over thirty 

years. The concern with the third wire green ground 

is only to prevent personnel from connecting the wrist 

straps directly to an unverified circuit and I agree that 

connecting directly to any unverified circuit cannot 

happen! 
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Figure 2: The Static Solutions SP-101 plugged-in and indicating 

“CORRECT” configuration.

However, I am convinced that we can provide the 

user a device that will allow for the ESD PWA ground 

in an AC outlet to work safely and doing this will 

achieve an equipment ground as identified in the NA 

01-1A-23 easily. The device I am speaking of is the 

ESD earth ground checker (Figure 2). 

This tester, sold by Static Solutions (P/N SP-101), 

when connected to an AC outlet will check the outlet 

for failures and determine if the ground is safe for 

use (two yellow lights). All that is left to do then is 

to configure the ESD PWA with a banana plug and 

connect it to the earth ground checker. No more 

mystery about ground find an AC outlet use the earth 

ground checker, plug the ESD PWA into it, and perform 

a pre-operational check. 

Air Systems Electromagnetic Interference 

Corrective Action Program

 https://asemicap.navair.navy.mil

Naval Safety Center

 http://www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/Pages/media/

asemicap.aspx

ONLINE RESOURCES

Last year ASEMICAP verified this device in many 

locations. The results were overwhelming favorable 

that our activities are configured to meet National 

Electrical Code (NEC). Once briefed by ASEMICAP, 

CNAF aviation maintenance management team 

(AMMT) members agreed that this would be the best 

way forward. This device is designed to be plugged 

into the AC outlet so it does not constitute plugging 

directly into ground and if used correctly verifies your 

ground as functional. If equipment ground is essential 

to the proper application of the ESD control program 

then that is exactly what this action will complete.

ASEMICAP recently released a naval message 

authorizing the use of these devices which was 

subsequently endorsed by CNAF avionics (160014Z 

MAY 16). This message is available on our website 

(https://asemicap.navair.navy.mil). 

In the very near future, ASEMICAP will submit a 

change to the CNAF 4790.2B EMI/ESD NAMPSOP 

via the AMMT. Once this change is submitted, we will 

monitor the CH 10.21 for a change that will close this 

action.

ASEMICAP would like to invite you to visit our 

ASEMICAP website. It is a 24/7/365 one-stop shop for 

electromagnetic environmental effects (E3) issues and 

information.

Mr. Tate is the Air Systems Electromagnetic Interference 

Corrective Action Program (ASEMICAP) program manager 

for Naval Air Systems Command, Electromagnetic 

Environmental Effects (E3) Division.
T

he National Safety Council (NSC) identified 2016 as 

the most deadly year on the roadways since 2007. 

This is not news to anyone who received the Naval 

Safety Center’s quarterly report in December as our analysts 

have already identified and reported the Navy spike in the 

document. 

The council has released preliminary data showing that as 

many as 40,000 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes 

in 2016. The figure is 6 percent higher than the number of 

fatalities in 2015 and marks a 14 percent increase from 

2014 – the largest two-year spike since 1964. Last month, 

the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 

reported that traffic deaths surged about 8 percent in the first 

nine months of 2016. 

By Brad Loftis

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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

 https://www.nhtsa.gov/

National Safety Council

 http://www.nsc.org/pages/home.aspx

Naval Safety Center, Traffic Safety

http://www.public.navy.mil/NAVSAFECEN/Pages/shore/motor_vehicle/motorvehicle.aspx

Reporting Tools

 http://www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/wess/wess.aspx

ONLINE RESOURCES

How does all of this compare 

to the Navy? The Navy saw a 78 

percent increase from FY 2015 

to FY 2016. This percentage may 

seem high, but when looking only 

at the numbers of fatalities, nine 

Sailors in FY 2015 and 16 Sailors 

in FY 2016. We see that the Navy’s 

fatality rate has been consistently 

and considerably lower than that of 

the national average – almost 50 

percent over the last 

five years.

What is driving 

these numbers? An 

improving economy 

and low gas prices, 

which increase driving 

(e.g., going out on the 

weekends or taking 

long trips on unfamiliar 

roads) are all contributors. 

Additionally, “teens [with their high 

fatal crash rates] are also back on 

the road after the recession when 

many of them could not afford to 

drive as much,” said Adrian Lund, 

president of the Insurance Institute 

for Highway Safety.

Several other factors have been 

noted by Safety Center analysts and 

NSC reports, which were summed 

up by the executive director of 

the Governors Highway Safety 

Association, Jonathan Adkins, who 

stated “belts, booze and speed” 

are contributing to these deaths. 

However, his statement does not 

cover the newest element that has 

begun to plague our nation’s roads 

... distracted driving. 

Distracted driving is not easily 

captured in mishap data, especially 

with fatalities due to the lack of 

firsthand accounts of events. 

Due to this issue and the fact that 

the Web-Enabled Safety System 

(WESS) does not specifically 

capture distracted driving, the 

Safety Center analysts had to infer 

this through other items listed in 

the human factors (HFACS) portion 

of WESS (e.g., attention failures, 

timing errors, etc.). 

Digging deeper into the HFACS 

levels provided more granularity 

into these distractions by listing 

specific driver actions (e.g., drifted 

out of lane [not due to falling 

asleep], did not keep eyes on the 

road, reacted too slowly, etc.). 

Each of these actions could have 

attributed to the operator 

being distracted. More indepth data would need to be 

collected in WESS or NSC 

data files to include possible 

use of a cell phone or texting 

as an unsafe act before a 

true determination of the 

extent of distracted driving 

on our roads could be made.

The bottom line is electronic 

devices are increasingly playing a 

role in motor vehicle fatalities and 

their mitigation must be addressed 

in a more robust way.

Mr. Loftis is the Shore Safety Program 

Directorate, Traffic and Recreation, Off 

Duty Safety Division Head for the Naval 

Safety Center. 

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The good news is the Navy’s 

fatality rate is consistently 

and considerably lower than 

that of the national average 

by almost 50 percent over the 

last five years.
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http://www.nsc.org
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ANALYSIS SUMMARY By Michael Borkowski

T

he Naval Safety Center conducted an analysis 

into Navy private motor vehicles with four wheels 

(PMV4) fatal mishaps during the FY 2012 to 

2016 timeframe to identify FY associated factors. The 

analysis also focused on the dramatic increase in fatal 

mishaps from FY 2012 to 2016.

Between FY 2012 to 2015 the Navy experienced a 

steady decrease in service member deaths due to fatal 

PMV4 mishaps. However, from FY 2015 to 2016 the 

Navy saw a single FY increase of 78 percent.

This analysis 

identifies alcohol, 

lost control 

and speeding 

violations as top 

contributors to 

fatal crashes. 

Based on these, 

as well as time 

of day, type of 

crash and day of 

the week, there 

are two items 

that this subject 

matter expert with over 20 years of crash investigator 

experience identified as requiring focus – fatigue and 

distracted driving:

• Fatigue: This can be captured as either an 

adverse mental state, or adverse physiological 

state (mental or physical). Fatigue was noted at 

least 57 percent of the time due to an adverse 

mental state, and 43 percent of the time due to 

an adverse physiological state. The data identified 

lost control, specifically roll overs, drifting out 

of a lane, and not keeping eyes on the road as 

causes to these fatal mishaps. These crashes are 

occurring at night, involve a single vehicle, and 

some type of fatigue. It also appears that fatigue 

is being underreported as a personnel factor in the 

mishap data, which could be due to the difficulty 

in identifying fatigue/drowsiness as a factor after 

a fatal mishap. Fatigue may also play a role 

in crashes attributed to other causes such as 

alcohol. 

• Distracted Driving: While Human Factors 

Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) data 

does not specifically identify distracted driving as 

a separate precondition or act, one can infer this 

through the items that are listed in level I (e.g., 

attention failures, timing errors, etc.). Level II 

provides more granularity into these distractions 

by listing driver actions (e.g., drifted out of lane 

[not due to falling asleep], did not keep eyes on 

the road, reacted too slowly, etc.). Each of these 

actions could be attributed to the operator being 

distracted. Because HFACS data fields currently 

do not capture distracted driving as an unsafe act 

or a precondition that information would need to 

be articulated in the narrative. More in-depth data 

would need to be collected to include possible use 

of a cell phone or texting as an unsafe act. 

Fatal

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

20

15

10

5

PMV INJURY BY FY

PRIVATE MOTOR VEHICLES FATAL MISHAP

NAVSAFECEN data as of 03/16/2017.
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FY 2015 to 2016 Comparison

When looking at the last two FYs for what led to the 

sharp increase in PMV4 fatal crashes from nine in FY 

2015 to 16 in FY 2016, there was over a 100 percent 

increase in the number of fatal crashes occurring at 

night. DUI crashes took a dramatic trend upward along 

with fatigue, lost control and speed as crash factors.

Outside Data

After reviewing similar data from the National 

Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality 

Analysis Reporting System regarding traffic crashes 

in calendar year 2015, it should be noted that human 

factors continue to contribute to the majority of 

crashes. Some key findings that closely parallel Navy 

trends are noted below:

• The number of civilians killed in traffic crashes 

ended a five year trend of declining fatalities, 

specifically a 7.2 percent increase over the 

previous year.

NAVY PMV4 FATALS FISCAL YEAR 2015 - 2016 COMPARISON

0

3

4

5

1

6

DUI Fatigue Seat Belts Loss Control Speeding

2

Fiscal Year

2015

Fiscal Year

2016

• Almost half of all passenger vehicle occupants 

killed were not wearing seat belts.

• One in three fatalities involved drunk drivers, 

with the 21 to 24-year-old age group in the highest 

percentage.

• One in 10 fatalities involved some type of 

distraction.

Recommendations

Based on both Navy and national data in this report, 

there is an alarming upward trend in fatalities. We 

must reiterate to our personnel that people can die 

when they drive under the influence, speed, do not 

wear seat belts, drive fatigued or are distracted while 

driving. There have been several vehicle improvements 

(e.g., side air bags, electronic stability control, lane 

departure warning systems, etc.) over this reporting 

period that have no doubt reduced traffic deaths. 

However, even with these improvements in place there 

continues to be a negative trend in fatalities.

We recommend top down involvement and intrusive 

leadership to promote targeted training and focus 

on areas where increased awareness can make a 

difference.

• Zero tolerance for noncompliance with both 

DoD & OPNAV policy regarding seat belt use and 

driving under the influence.

• Use of Travel Risk Planning System (TRiPS) 

with a plan to reduce fatigue behind the wheel.

• Adherence to current laws and use of a 

common sense approach to not texting or using a 

cell phone while driving.

Learn from the mistakes of others. 

Be smart and drive safe.

Mr. Borkowski is a traffic and recreation off-duty safety 

specialist for the Naval Safety Center.

NAVSAFECEN data as of 03/16/2017.

NAVSAFECEN data as of 03/16/2017.
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SpringForward

with

Safety

The National Safety Council (NSC)

Daylight Saving Time begins every year on 

the second Sunday in March. Clocks are set 

forward one hour, except in Hawaii and most of 

Arizona. Now that we have sprung forward, be sure to 

check the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon 

monoxide detectors. Batteries in smoke detectors 

should be replaced yearly. It’s also a good time to 

review your family emergency plan, take unwanted 

or expired medicines to a prescription drop box and 

update your first aid kit.

 Getting the Urge to Clean?

With the warm weather comes a desire to shine and 

polish your home. But did you know that 90 percent 

of poisonings occur in the home? When warning 

labels are ignored or chemicals fall into the wrong 

hands, disaster can occur. Learn what you can do to 

keep your family safe while utilizing poisons in the 

home by visiting the National Safety Council website 

at http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/

Poisonous-Household-Products.aspx.

Window Safety

 With warmer temperatures arriving, it’s important 

to practice window safety - especially in homes with 

young children. Learn about window safety and other 

safety materials presented during Window Safety 

Week, which is the second full week in April, at http://

www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/aboutnational-window-safety-week.aspx.

Like to Play Outside? 

There is so much to do and enjoy when the weather 

gets warm, and outdoor activities are a great way 

to be active and stay in shape. Make sure you don’t 

put an end to the fun because of an injury. The 

National Safety Council website contains a number 

of resources/tips for staying safe outdoors at http://

www.nsc.org/learn/pages/be-safe-when-being-activeoutdoors.aspx :

• Water safety

• Canoeing safety

• Bicycle safety

• Skateboarding safety

• Surviving the heat

• Fireworks safety

• Pedestrian safety

• Playground safety
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By Stu Hutchinson

Mr. Hutchinson is the Business 

Operations Lead for Naval Surface 

Warfare Center, Occupational 

Safety & Health Division.

So if you must drink, or do 

high-risk activities, please 

do so responsibly. 

DANGER

BY DESIGN

With the coming of warmer weather, many of us will be seeking high adventure in the great outdoors. For 

us thrill seekers, the picture below may look like great fun. It may also look too risky, and personally it 

looks a little Photoshopped to me. 

The point here is that the use of alcohol may (and by “may” I mean “will”) 

cause you to underestimate the risks and potential consequences of many 

activities. This is why all the really stupendous stories of injury and death 

often start with “Hey, hold my beer and watch this.” 

Of course with alcohol, there is a catch-22. Since it impairs your judgment, 

it’s almost impossible to exercise good judgment once you’ve started 

drinking. But there’s an easy way around this problem. All you have to do is 

exercise good judgment beforehand. 

For you unpracticed drinkers, you may be wondering how to put this into 

action. Well, all you have to do is separate your drinking activities from your 

outdoor adventure activities. I know that may sound foreign to some, but 

it’s really not as hard as it sounds. Plan your zip lining, cliff-diving, ropeswinging into the lake, ATV steep hill climbing adventures as alcohol-free 

events, and save your beer drinking for later around the camp fire. 

After all, beer really does taste better when someone else doesn’t have to hold it for you because you have two 

broken arms! Not to mention the continuing consequences of needing help with eating and other less glamorous 

life functions. 

ALCOHOL: UNDERESTIMATING RISKS AND POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES
E

veryone has been lost at 

least once in their lives. For 

many of us, being lost usually 

happens while we’re driving. This 

typically only means that we’re 

getting to our destination a little 

later or perhaps having to stop and 

fire up our GPS to get turn-by-turn 

directions. For me, it meant finding 

myself on a runway at the same 

time that an airplane was touching 

down. 

On Sept. 28, 2016, I was working 

in the VAW-116 line shack when 

a Seaman from a visiting E-2 

squadron came over and asked 

to borrow the MSU-200 Air Start 

Unit (ASU). The visiting squadron 

was on detachment to Point Mugu, 

California from Norfolk, Virginia, 

and needed to borrow equipment 

from time to time. I checked the 

equipment out to the Seaman and 

began driving to the transient line 

area. Since they were visiting, I was 

unfamiliar with the location of the 

transient line area, and the Seaman 

had low situational awareness 

because he was unfamiliar with 

the airfield. This would have been 

a good time to double-check and 

ask questions about where to go, 

but everyone involved assumed that 

the other person knew where to go. 

And you know what happens when 

you assume.

Without clarifying the best route 

to get there, we began driving and 

navigating to the transient ramp. 

While driving on what I thought 

was a taxiway, the hair on the back 

of my neck began to stand up 

and I looked around and saw the 

markings for a runway. The next 

thing I saw was a Hawkeye do a 

touch-and-go on the same piece 

of concrete I was on. Afraid for 

the lives of everyone on that piece 

of concrete, I put the pedal down 

and continued across the runway 

until we got to the transient ramp. 

We dropped off the equipment 

and I returned to the VAW-116 

line shack, this time taking the 

appropriate route. 

When I returned to the line shack, 

my leading petty officer (LPO) 

pulled me aside and informed me 

that I had, in fact, driven across 

an active runway. The tower had 

contacted VAW-116’s maintenance 

control desk and told them of the 

incident. For the second time that 

day my heart started racing; this 

time for fear of losing my job. I 

eventually sat down with my master 

chief and discussed how the 

event unfolded and what learning 

points we could pull from it. Some 

immediate actions involved me 

taking a flight line driver’s course 

as well as debriefing each shop 

about the incident. 

Driving across an active runway 

has the potential to have fatal 

consequences; we were lucky that 

no one was hurt or any equipment 

damaged. The visiting squadron’s 

Seaman and I should have both 

taken time to acquaint ourselves 

with our surroundings and verified 

the appropriate route to take. 

Utilizing deliberate operational 

risk management (ORM) or 

simply asking ourselves “What 

is different?” would have greatly 

reduced the likelihood of this 

happening. We all receive yearly 

ORM training and sometimes it’s 

easy to gloss over the steps, but 

it’s times like these that highlight 

how important and relevant the 

process truly is to a safe evolution.

SN Mateo Diaz is assigned to VAW-116 

Sun Kings located in Point Mugu.

LOST ON THE RUNWAYBy SN Mateo Diaz

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USS Shiloh 

Leadership Put Their 

Baks into Reducing 

Heat Related Injuries

By ENS Jennifer Pendleton

A

s the cherry blossoms fade 

and Golden Week in Japan 

approaches, temperatures 

soar on Naval Base Yokosuka 

and USS Shiloh (CG 67) prepares 

for its summer patrol. Statically, 

most safety-related work injuries 

occur in the summer months, the 

majority of which are heat stress 

and dehydration. Knowing this and 

anticipating the intense heat of the 

South China Sea and port visits in 

Southeast Asia, Shiloh leadership 

sought to mitigate the risk of heatrelated injuries. They wanted to 

ensure every Sailor was equipped 

with the tools and resources they 

needed to stay hydrated throughout 

the summer months. The solution: 

Camelbaks®.

Small and lightweight, a 

Camelbak® is essentially a water 

bladder in a backpack. Each 

Cambelbak® is equipped with an 

easy to access fill port, a flexible 

drinking tube, and an insulated 

bag to keep water cool for hours. 

Additionally, the internal water bag 

is removable for easy cleaning and 

replacement. 

At first, Shiloh ordered enough 

Camelbaks® to outfit members 

of the crew who worked in the 

hottest spaces due to the nature 

of their job, such as the Engineers 

in the main spaces, Boatswain 

Mates working topside, and Food 

Service Attendants in the scullery. 

Shiloh leadership received positive 

feedback from Sailors outfitted with 

Camelbaks®, and soon Bridge 

watchstanders, flight deck crew 

members, and eventually the whole 

crew were issued their personal 

hydration pack.

These 2 liter bags hold enough 

water to keep a Sailor in a hot 

environment hydrated for several 

hours. “Having the Camelbak® 

is useful because it means less 

trips back and forth to get a drink,” 

states BMSN Blake Pierce from 

Round Rock, Texas. “It is definitely 

nice to have during work.” 

Designed to be used completely 

hands free, the Camelbaks® 

eliminate the hassle of carrying a 

cumbersome water bottle around 

the ship. The 2 liter water bladder 

in a backpack design can also 

hold more water than the typical 

water bottle with weight evenly 

distributed on the shoulders of the 

wearer. Worn like a backpack, it 

is easier than ever to get a quick 

drink of water during work. “And we 

can always remove the pack if we 

feel it is unsafe [while performing 

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maintenance in the main spaces],” 

added EM2 Kevin Parker from 

Colona, Illinois.

While using their newly issued 

hydration packs has certainly been 

a necessity to 

the engineers 

and topside 

Sailors, the 

readily accessible 

Camelbaks® 

have also proved 

unexpectedly 

useful to personnel 

during special evolutions. GMC 

(SW) Russellette Lambert from 

Marion, South Carolina, comments 

on the impact of her Camelbak®: 

“I hydrate more topside, especially 

during gun shoots. It helps out a 

lot.” Valley Center, Kansas, native 

GM2 (SW) Sidney Lang also noted 

its usefulness while manning SCAT 

for hours at a time during sea and 

anchor evolutions.

Overall, the addition of the 

Camelbak® to the working uniform 

has been a positive change on 

USS Shiloh. At the conclusion 

of the ship’s summer patrol and 

port visits to tropical locations, 

Sailors are staying better hydrated 

and are more attentive to their 

fluid intakes than ever. The use of 

the Camelbak® hydration pack 

has resulted in an increase in the 

warfighter’s health and ability to 

stay focused on the 

task at hand, directly 

improving Shiloh’s 

combat readiness.

USS Shiloh is 

forward deployed to 

Yokosuka, Japan, in 

support of security 

and stability in the Indo-AsiaPacific region.

ENS Jennifer Pendleton is a safety 

management assistant on USS Shiloh 

(CG 67). 

The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Shiloh (CG 67) and USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) sit pier-side at Fleet Activities (FLEACT) 

Yokosuka. FLEACT Yokosuka provides, maintains, and operates base facilities and services in support of 7th Fleet's forward-deployed naval 

forces, 83 tenant commands, and 24,000 military and civilian personnel. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter 

Burghar)

Shiloh leadership received 

positive feedback...eventually 

the whole crew were issued 

their personal hydration pack.

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ONE COMMAND’S 

DUI

EFFORT TO REDUCE

INCIDENTS

By ENS Rachel Blankenship

B

esides the danger of Sailors causing harm 

to themselves and others, there are the legal 

consequences associated with DUI/DWI infractions. 

In Japan, a Sailor may be under the U.S. BAC limit; but in 

violation of Japan’s limit of 0.03 percent. 

On USS Shiloh (CG 67), leadership sought to 

alleviate the risk of Sailors getting behind the wheel 

after consuming alcohol, even if it is the morning after. 

Long after drinking, the effects of alcohol can still be in 

one’s system. To raise awareness, Shiloh requisitioned 

and issued single-use, self-breathalyzer tests to each 

crewmember. The breathalyzer can help a Sailor determine 

if they should get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol; 

whether used upon leaving a bar or before getting in the 

car to drive to the ship the morning following a night of 

drinking. More importantly, if a Sailor thinks they should 

try the breathalyzer, it is probably time to make a better 

decision and call the command. 

To encourage Sailors to make the call, USS Shiloh 

leadership instituted a policy that Sailors who believed 

they are too drunk to drive could call the quarterdeck and 

inform the command duty officer that they were unable 

to safely commute to the ship. The Sailor could be late 

without consequences, rather than attempting to drive 

and risk getting pulled over or into an accident. The policy 

is reinforced during all-hands calls and plan of the day 

notes to call the command when they could not make it to 

muster in time. 

This program has already been used by a few members 

of the crew with great success. Additional breathalyzers 

are available to replenish the ones used by crewmembers. 

Since instituting the breathalyzers and call in policy there 

have not been any DUI/DWI incidents for USS Shiloh 

Sailors. 

Shiloh is forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, in 

support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific 

region.

ENS Rachel Blankenship is the Public Affairs Officer for USS 

Shiloh (CG 67). 

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I

run every morning before work. 

I love to. It helps me wake up 

plus I get my workout done early 

so I have the rest of the day after 

work to myself. On July 30, 2016, 

I woke up to run as usual, but this 

time I was running behind. I run the 

same path every morning because 

it’s generally clear of traffic. 

About two miles into the run, I 

came to an intersection with rattle 

grates on either side of the road. 

As I approached the intersection, I 

noticed two vehicles driving toward 

me with their lights on. The lights 

temporarily blinded me as I ran 

over the grates, and I tripped and 

fell on my knee. 

 At first I didn’t feel any pain, 

so I stood back up to make sure 

I was okay, dust myself off, and 

keep going. I was more worried 

about the embarrassment of falling 

in front of two groups of people. 

When I looked at my knee, it was 

a different story. I moved the palm 

of my hand when I saw the blood 

running down my leg into my shoe 

and saw the bottom of my knee 

cap and the tendon attached to it. 

It looked like a large chunk of my 

knee just fell on the ground. Both of 

the vehicles just sat there with their 

lights shining on me and I realized 

no one saw how bad it was. I used 

my phone’s flashlight to signal to 

someone that I needed help. 

Someone immediately drove 

toward me and got out to help once 

they saw what my knee looked like. 

The other car drove by once I was 

in the first vehicle and left. They 

took me to the Air Force security 

building and called an ambulance, 

my husband, and my squadron. 

At the ER, I got a tetanus shot, 

antibiotics, and pain medication. 

The doctor checked to make sure 

I could still move my knee and 

that I didn’t damage the tendon. 

In the end, I received 36 stitches 

and couldn’t bend my knee for four 

weeks, but thankfully avoided any 

major injury. 

What was supposed to be a 

routine morning run, turned out to 

be a painful trip to the emergency 

room. It was unfortunate that the 

drivers blinded me at the exact 

moment I ran over the grates, but 

also lucky that they were there 

to give me a ride to the medical 

facility. In hindsight, I wish I had 

either slowed down or stopped 

running until the vehicles passed 

and I had a clear field of view 

of the obstacles. When routine 

tasks become atypical, it’s never 

a bad idea to slow down and 

take the conservative approach. I 

learned this lesson while off-duty, 

but we can all apply this to our 

professional environments as well.

PO3 Jordan Osmera is an aviation 

electronics technician with VAW-116 

Sun Kings located in Point Mugu.

RUNNING

INTO THE GROUND

By PO3 Jordan Osmera

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