SEA COMPASS mission statement

Our goal is to provide information and resource to help our Sailors, Marines and civilians 

focus their efforts on the mission. We will provide relevant data and analysis to help you 

manage risk, on or off duty. Sea Compass will do its part to keep you informed and be 

combat ready.

SEA COMPASS is published quarterly and distributed to ships, submarines, diving 

commands, shore-based commands, and DoD agencies. Sea Compass (ISSN 1550-1434) 

is published by Commander, Naval Safety Center, at 375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 23511-4399. 

Periodical postage paid at Norfolk, Va. Postmaster: Send address changes to Naval Safety 

Center, ATTN: Sea Compass, 375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 23511-4399.

EDITORIAL STAFF

Editor-in-Chief/Media Division Head: Derek Nelson

Editor: Evelyn Odango

Art Director: Allan Amen

Graphics: John W. Williams

CONTACT INFORMATION

Telephone: 757-444-3520 ext. 7220 (DSN 564-3520); Fax: 757-444-6791

General Email: safe-seacompass@navy.mil

Editor's Email: evelyn.odango@navy.mil

Address: Commander, Naval Safety Center, Attn: Sea Compass, 375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 

23511-4399

afloat safety programs advisory board

Surface Ship Division Head: LCDR Timothy Debelak

Diving and Salvage Division Head: CWO4 Robert Cassels

Submarine Division Head: LT Richard Ray

Afloat Safety Analyst/Publications Review: Steve Scudder

afloat safety programs directorate

Commander, Naval Safety Center, Code 30

375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

Afloat Mishap Line: DSN 564-1562; Fax: 757-444-6044

Afloat Safety Email: safe-afloat@navy.mil

SUBMISSIONS

Submit your story ideas and manuscript to safe-seacompass@navy.mil. Send letters 

to the editor to evelyn.odango@navy.mil or write directly to The Editor, Sea Compass, 

375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 23511-4399. Please refer to our “Writer Guidelines and Photo 

Requirements” available at www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/documents/media/magazines/

writer-photo_guidelines.pdf.

NOTICE TO READERS

Contents are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Navy, the 

Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. Photos and artwork are for illustrative 

purposes only, unless otherwise noted. Reference to commercial products or links to nonDoD 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. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for clarity and applicability.

subscriber customer service

MARINE CORPS: To subscribe, change address, or check on your subscription status, have 

your unit publications clerk access MCPDS. Sea Compass’s PCN is 74000001900.

COAST GUARD: Send address changes or changes to subscription to Commandant, 

USCG, CG-113, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 2nd St., S.W., Washington, DC 

20593.

Statement of ownership, management and circulation

Publisher and Owner: United States Navy 

Editor: Evelyn Odango 

Publication Office: Commander, Naval Safety Center, 375 A Street, Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

Date of Publication: 1 October 2011 

Title of Publication: Sea Compass

ISSN: Publication No. 1550-1434

Frequency: Quarterly

Issue Date: Fall 2011

No. of Copies Printed: 11,371

No. of Copies Distributed: 11,105

No. of Copies Not Distributed: 266

Total Copies Distributed/Not Distributed: 11,371

Fall 2011 / Vol. 1, No. 1

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/

COMMANDER, NAVAL SAFETY CENTER RADM Brian C. Prindle

DEPUTY COMMANDER COL Mark W. Erb, USMC

director, afloat safety programs CAPT Doug Holderman, USN

DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING John Mahoney

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/seacompass.aspx 

browse sea compass

on the web

ISSUE EXTRAS

Can You Hear Me Now?

By YN2 (SCW) Kevin Capelety, Surface Warfare

Magazine, Spring 2011

Could your hearing be in danger? If you work around 

loud equipment or in confined spaces, learn how to 

protect yourself from noise hazards.

Safety First on the Waterfront

By CAPT Mark Whitney, Commander, PSNS & IMF, 

Salute newsletter, July 21, 2011

Ship maintenance and repairs are no simple tasks. But 

with focus on safety first, workers at the Puget Sound 

Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility 

complete their job with no mishaps. 

Don’t Tamper with the Evidence

By Evelyn Odango, Naval Safety Center

Collection of undisturbed mishap evidence helps 

safety investigators reconstruct and analyze. 

more sea stories 

Thanks for the Hard Hat

By CDR Jason Garrett, COMPACFLT Hawaii 

A change of command ceremony is the last place you 

would see a flashlight moving at the speed of light. 

AFLOATSAFETY AWARDS

Afloat-Related Safety Awards

Like to write? Don’t pass up the chance to be 

recognized for outstanding contributions to afloat 

safety awareness. You and your command have the 

opportunity to participate in these two media-based 

awards:

• The VADM Bulkeley Award for Afloat Safety Culture 

(Command Award)

• The RADM Buie Award for Afloat Safety Culture 

(Individual Award)

Submission deadline for the calendar year 2011 (Jan. 

1-Dec. 31) is Dec. 31, 2011. Award recipients will be 

notified in Spring 2012. Guidelines are outlined in the 

Chief of Naval Operations Afloat-Related Safety Awards 

(OPNAVINST 3590.24E).

SEA COMPASS
COVER PHOTO: USS Russell (DDG 59) plows 

its way through the South Pacific while on a surge 

deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by CMC (SW/NAC) 

Spike Call)

THIS PHOTO: U.S. Navy Sailors stand watch on 

the forecastle of the Ticonderoga Class Guided 

Missile Cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56) while in 

Naples, Italy, for a port visit. (U.S. Navy photo by 

MC3 Patrick Gearhiser)

CONTENTS

departments

CHARTING THE WAY AHEAD

inaugural issue

fall 2011

5	 Editor’s Letter

6	 Spotlight on Excellence

USS San Jacinto (CG 56) Crew Making a Difference

By Evelyn Odango

12	 Best Practice: Pre-Survey Checklist

How We Got an A+ By LTJG Alexa Gibbs

13	 Best Practice: Communication in the Galley

Steamed About Electric Steam Kettle

By CWO4 Danny L. Royse

14	 Introducing B2BPMS

(Tell Me Again) How’d You Lose Your Life Raft?

By LT Edward Alexander 

The Cake No One Wants to Eat By April Phillips

No Room for Shortcuts By MMC (SW/AW) Esters Wright

Special Order: No Grease Fire with My Deep Fat Fryer, Please

By LT Christine Davy

Room With a View By GSCS (SW) Esworth Carty

18	 ORM Playbook: Manage Risk. Ensure Success. Complete

the Mission.

Same Ol’ ORM Brief May Be Missing the Point

By LT Jennifer Knott

20	 Case Study: Fractured Leadership

This Deck Operation Made the Hair on the Back of My Neck

Stand By ETC (SW) Jason Mobbs

22	 Sea Story: If Only...

Taken-for-Granted Hazard Strikes Back By AM2 Justin Asprer

23	 Off Duty: Fitness and Running

Listening to My Body Saved My Injured Knee

By LT Michelle A. Simmons

Off Duty: Seatbelts and Short Trips

The Short Ride that Cancelled My Holiday By Evelyn Odango

2	 Leadership Focus

VADM Rick Hunt, Commander, Naval Surface Forces

RADM Ted Branch, Commander, Naval Air Force, Atlantic

3	 Admiral’s Perspective

RADM Brian C. Prindle, Commander, Naval Safety Center

Flip the magazine to explore 

the underwater world of

Submarine and Diving.

Let us know what you think of 

this inaugural issue by emailing 

your feedback to

safe-seacompass@navy.mil.

Special Format

8 Protection, Safety of Fleet

Electricians Reach New

Heights

By EMCM (SW/AW) Jim Burke

10 Can You Escape After the

LIghts Go Out?

By DCC (SW/AW) John Ralston

► features

FALL 2011
Sea Compass magazine encourages each Sailor to 

take ownership of his or her safety and the safety of all 

of our shipmates. Someone once said, “Tell me and I’ll 

forget, show me and I’ll remember, involve me and I’ll 

understand.” That is precisely what Sea Compass is 

asking for – your involvement. Get involved with safety 

by sharing your experiences with the rest of us. How 

many sea stories go untold (or passed to just one or two 

shipmates or friends) that could benefit all of us and even 

our families?

This is your opportunity to help keep your shipmates, 

their families, and our ships safe. To make this magazine 

as meaningful and useful as possible, we need (and 

I ask your support) maximum participation from the 

fleet. Safety knows no rank or rate. We’ve all heard the 

standard phrase over the 1MC: “Anyone observing an 

unsafe condition will call a safety timeout.” This is your 

opportunity to call a safety timeout and bring attention 

to those issues afloat and ashore that require focus to 

correct. 

Deckplate leadership doesn’t begin and end with the 

chief or leading petty officer. We are all leaders as well 

as followers, and we can all learn from each other; that 

is, as long as we take the time to share our experiences 

and lessons learned. I’m looking forward to hearing what 

you have to say, and I’ll bet your shipmates are, too. So, 

let’s have it. What happened to you today? And, more 

important, did you learn anything? Sail Safe.

VADM Rick Hunt

I am excited to introduce you to a new magazine oriented 

toward our young Sailors. Sea Compass is about you 

and your stories at the deck-plate level. I hope you will 

find stories that are entertaining and instructive lessons 

to learn from, and apply to your daily routines.

It is easy when we are young to think “That won’t 

happen to me.” But it can happen to you; and there’s 

nothing amusing about an accident – people get hurt 

and equipment gets damaged. If you have already been 

involved in a mishap — whether as a victim, a survivor, a 

friend, or a shipmate — you understand this and I hope 

you have learned something from the experience. Today, 

you can make a difference. You can write about your 

experience and share it so others may learn. 

Your task is two-fold. First, share the stories. Second, 

apply the lessons so you can avoid making the same 

mistakes. All the safety programs in the world will not 

make you any safer if you don’t take some action. A 

magazine with all the best lessons will not improve safety 

unless together, as professional naval personnel, we 

apply the lessons.

Your shipmates will relate stories of life’s hard lessons 

so that you can learn the easy way; however, each of 

us must apply the lessons, common sense, ORM, and 

other safety resources. It will be incumbent on each of 

us to ensure that “safety” is an action word — a verb — 

something you apply time and energy toward. It will be 

incumbent on each of us to apply these lessons so that 

as a Navy we can make safety happen. Think safety – do 

safety – live safely!

RADM Ted Branch

leadership focus

Commander, Naval surface forces Commander, Naval air force, atlantic

charting the way ahead

2 SEA COMPASS
I

n partnership with the surface, submarine and dive communities, the Naval 

Safety Center is proud to launch the inaugural issue of Sea Compass

magazine, dedicated to afloat, undersea and dive safety. This publication is 

about you and your stories. My team of safety experts and I welcome your energy 

and enthusiasm in building a culture that embraces risk management as an 

essential component in making solid progress toward zero preventable mishaps 

in our Navy and Marine Corps.

While this sounds like an extremely optimistic goal, it is important to understand 

that a “preventable mishap” is one where the risks were known ahead of time, 

yet we failed to effectively manage those risks. Our Navy does a very good 

job teaching us about the risks we will encounter on and off the job. Just as 

important, we are taught the process for how to manage these risks. Part of 

this is time-critical risk management, or TCRM, for those times when a risk 

is presented to us with limited time to react in an appropriate way. Each and 

everyone of us has to take the initiative to control risks that threaten our mission, our shipmates or families.

If we don’t remain alert to hazards, implement controls and follow rules, we jeopardize ourselves and our future. 

Because hazards can present themselves with no warning on duty or off, being alert and ready to use risk 

management is a great way to successfully deal with any challenge we encounter.

It would be simplistic to say that we use our “safety compass” only as a guide for preventing mishaps. Moving in the 

right direction when it comes to safety is also about creating an environment where everyone embraces safety as an 

instinctive practice. One key to our success is recognizing the rapidly changing environments we live and work in, and 

constantly adapting to change. Changes in electrical safety requirements will keep us up-to-date with new equipment 

and protect our fleet electricians. Rededicating ourselves to sharing important, perhaps life-saving lessons learned, 

in the form of hazard reports, Class C and D mishap reports, and injury reports will reverse a current trend of underreporting. This is critical to ensure we provide ourselves the information necessary to allow other similar commands 

to fully understand their environment, helping them manage risk instead of suffering the same mishap. Although no 

one likes to admit they made a mistake, a far worse feeling is knowing that failure to share the lesson learned was 

responsible for a mishap occurring with significant injuries or loss of life.

Our job is to build a culture that involves all hands in every command to be on the alert and proactive in identifying 

and anticipating what could become contributing causes of a preventable mishap. I know that there is a very large and 

eager audience that looks forward to reading your personal stories, lessons learned, and secrets to success in future 

issues of Sea Compass that will help us build this dynamic safety culture. 

It is up to each and every one of 

us to take the initiative to control 

risks that threaten our mission, 

our shipmates, or our families.

admiral’s perspective

RADM Brian “BC” Prindle

Commander, NavalSafetyCenter 

FALL 2011 3
naval safety center technical advisors

Advisory Board

LCDR Timothy Debelak

Surface Ship Division Head

timothy.j.debelak@navy.mil

CWO4 Robert Cassels

Diving and Salvage Division Head

robert.m.cassels@navy.mil

LT Richard Ray

Submarine Division Head

richard.d.ray1@navy.mil

Steve Scudder

Afloat Safety Analyst/Publications Review

steve.scudder1@navy.mil

Surface

LT Edward Alexander

Deck Analyst

edward.alexander1@navy.mil

EMCM (SW/AW) Jim Burke

Electrical Analyst

jim.burke@navy.mil

GSCS (SW) Esworth Carty

Main Propulsion/Gas Turbine Analyst

esworth.carty@navy.mil

LT Christine Davy

Damage Control Lead/Mishap Investigator

christine.davy@navy.mil

LT Jennifer Knott

Surface Engineering Assistant

safe-afloat@navy.mil

ETC (SW) Jason Mobbs

Fleet Combat Systems Analyst

jason.mobbs1@navy.mil

DCC (SW/AW) John Ralston

Damage Control Analyst

john.t.ralston@navy.mil

CWO4 Danny L. Royse

Main Propulsion/Diesel Lead

danny.royse@navy.mil

GMC (SW) Ramiro Salas

Weapons Analyst

ramiro.salas@navy.mil

Afloat Safety Programs Directorate

Capture images that show how you chart the course to a mishap-free 

Navy, on the job or off duty. We will feature your entry in Sea Compass

and on our web site. For the Spring 2012 issue, we will feature a 

photo essay on job protection or off-duty safety. The theme will center around 

personal protective equipment (PPE).

Photo Essay Requirements:

•	 Submit three to five photos depicting the subject PPE (include photo credit 

and date photo was taken).

•	 Write extended captions (one paragraph, six lines) that describe each peice 

of equipment, its purpose, any training required, and why it’s important to 

use it.

•	 Write a short essay (one page, double-spaced) about a worst-case-scenario 

if PPE does not work properly or not worn when required.

•	 If PPE prevented a mishap, write a short essay about your experience and 

the positive results.

For more information on writer and photographer guidelines, visit www.

public.navy.mil/navsafecen/documents/media/magazines/writer-photo_

guidelines.pdf.

U.S. Navy photo by Scott A. Thornbloom

Submarine and Diving

FTC (SS) William Cahill

Submarine Deck Supervisor

william.j.cahill@navy.mil

ETC (SS) Kevin Dawson

Submarine Electrical and Mechanical Analyst

kevin.d.dawson@navy.mil

HMC (SS) Christopher Harris

Submarine Medical Analyst

christopher.l.harris@navy.mil

MMC (SS) Isaac Ingram

Weapons Analyst

isaac.ingram@navy.mil

NDC (DSW/EXW) Rebecca Jones

Diving Analyst

arthur.sisk@navy.mil

MMCS (SS) Arthur Sisk

Submarine Damage Control Analyst

william.j.cahill@navy.mil

EMCM (SW/AW) Frank Valdepeña

Submarine Analyst/Mishap Investigation Advisor

frank.valdepena@navy.mil

4 SEA COMPASS
editor’s letter

Evelyn Odango

evelyn.odango@navy.mil

757-444-3520 ext. 7220

(DSN 564-3520)

Now that we have a brand-new magazine solely 

dedicated to our seagoing men and women, 

I want to help you navigate these pages. But 

first, let me tell you a short story. In June, the task came 

down the wire: to produce the magazine from scratch. 

With only seven weeks to work with and no articles in 

the production bin, I had my job cut out for me. So the 

subject-matter experts in our Afloat Safety Programs 

Directorate dusted off their pens and began writing 

articles for this inaugural issue. From PMS to PPE; 

from risk management to sleep management — we’ve 

covered a lot. My sincere thanks to our contributing 

writers and technical advisors who laid the foundation for 

this incredible production.

While we’ve collected many good articles and feature 

stories for you to enjoy, the real challenge will begin after 

this first issue. That’s where you — yes, you over there 

who just helped avoid a major mishap — come in. What 

matters most to me is that when you read your story in 

this magazine, you will feel pride in your own command 

culture that enables you to make a difference. It’s just 

as important that you choose Sea Compass to tell your 

story about how you could have done better. If you 

have a picture to include, it will make your story more 

compelling. There’s always something to be learned from 

someone else’s unfavorable experience. 

Between now and the next issue (Spring 2012), there’s 

plenty of time to write your story. But you don’t have to 

wait until then. Send us your inputs and photos for offduty and holiday safety articles for the online version of 

Sea Compass, which comes out this winter.

It’s been an eventful year for the Naval Safety 

Center Media Division, to say the least. Last fall, 

the final issue of Sea&Shore made its way to ships, 

submarines, diving, and shore commands serving 

the afloat and shore communities. The decision to 

split the publication into two separate magazines 

became a reality this year. And this summer, 

production of Sea Compass kicked into high gear as I 

took my new post.

In the meantime, as you read the articles in the front 

section, you will almost certainly identify with some of 

the lessons learned. The “If only I’d...” statement by AM2 

Justin Asprer in his Sea Story is something we all have 

muttered at some point. In the ORM Playbook section, LT 

Jennifer Knott explains why it’s vital to keep your ORM 

brief current with data and interactive discussions during 

an evolution. A Case Study written by ETC (SW) Jason 

Mobbs gives us a bird’s eye view of an operation that will 

make the hair on the back of your neck stand. 

Flip the magazine and you will explore what goes 

on down below. Our safety investigators share their 

observations during assist visits, as Chief Navy Diver 

Rebecca Jones does in her submarine diving article. 

Entertaining yet not to be taken lightly, ETC (SS) Kevin 

Dawson’s electricity story hits the mark on safety 

measures. Do you know what goes on around you during 

a drill? MMC (SS) Arthur Sisk tells us what happens 

when your situational awareness is down. 

I am certain the stories and information shared in this 

issue will influence your sense of responsibility for 

yourself and others. As we move forward and explore 

many possible topics, don’t forget to check out our 

website (www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/) for ideas. 

Browsing the content tabs may inspire or remind you 

of something worth writing about. Ready to write? Sea 

Compass on the web (www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/

pages/media/seacompass.aspx) offers writing tips and 

guides. So have at it and rediscover the joy of writing.

What a Production

FALL 2011 5
spotlighton excellence

uss sAN jACINTO 

by evelyn odango

photo by john w. williams

has ownership. It takes high regard for operations. It 

permeates and prevails throughout the ship.” 

This achievement was made possible by teamwork 

between San Jacinto’s leadership and crewmembers.

Their proactive efforts begin with their vibrant safety 

program that involves quarterly commandwide safety 

stand downs, quarterly safety council meetings, and 

monthly safety committee meetings (the requirement 

is quarterly). To ensure strict compliance and proper 

oversight, San Jacinto’s CO reviews one safety-related 

program each week as part of their Program in the 

Spotlight. Topics include weapons turnover, hazmat 

control, small-boat operations, tag out, electrical 

safety, respiratory protection, DUI prevention, and 

motorcycle safety program. Subsequent reviews allow for 

assessment and feedback.

Recognizing the hazards of electrocution, the crew also 

identified a need for clarification in the Naval Ships’ 

Technical Manual (NSTM Chapter 300), which does 

Aproud moment for the crew of USS San Jacinto 

(CG 56) was felt through the crowd that gathered 

on Aug. 19, this summer, as they received 

the 2011 Secretary of the Navy Safety Excellence 

Award. Rear Admiral Brian Prindle, Commander, Naval 

Safety Center, and Rear Admiral Herman Shelanski, 

Commander, Carrier Strike Group 10, thanked the men 

and women for their achievement in safety and risk 

management.

Among the notable efforts of this crew are occupational 

safety and health innovations, fatigue management, and 

DUI prevention. Commanding Officer CAPT Douglas 

Nashold applauded his crew’s attention to detail and 

always keeping an eye for what could go wrong, in port 

or at sea. 

Addressing the crew, RADM Shelanski noted their 

successful teamwork. “It takes a ship and a crew that’s 

really on top of things. It takes a wardroom of officers 

who have real concerns. It takes focus of a crew who 

6 SEA COMPASS
 crew making a difference

not require PPE while conducting visual inspections of 

energized equipment. Inadvertent touching of equipment 

or dropping of an object into the equipment being 

inspected could pose electrical hazards. To negate this 

possible threat, the crew submitted a Technical Manual 

Deficiency/Evaluation Report that requires a CO’s 

approval and PPE when inspecting energized equipment. 

(See related article on electrical PPE by EMCM (SW/AW) 

Jim Burke on page 8.)

One of the most valuable types of training on the ship is 

their fatigue management program. To help Sailors who 

are just coming aboard — and lack underway experience 

— a three-on, nine-off underway watchbill helps them get 

into a routine, especially during six-month deployments.

This four-section rotation benefits watchstanders by 

allowing them to get seven hours of uninterrupted sleep, 

providing a short watchbill so they can remain alert, and 

creating shorter stay times in heat-stress environments. 

SWOS is now introducing this rotation to students in 

This award is about 

you setting standards, 

embracing a mindset 

to be safe on and off 

duty, and knowing 

the risk you’re about 

to encounter.

the DH, PXO, and PCO courses as a method to reduce 

fatigue for bridge and engineering watchstanders.

In addition to their shipboard-operations success, 

San Jacinto’s chapter of Coalition of Sailors Against 

Destructive Decisions (CSADD) implemented a day-long 

training event called “The Lost.” Conceived by CSADD 

advocates Operations Specialist Second Class Rod 

Thompson and Fire Controlman Second Class David 

Vendetti, the goal is to bring the statistics to life. During 

this event, 10 percent of the crew would don white 

t-shirts over their uniforms to display their tombstone and 

accompanying epitaph. On the back of each shirt was a 

description of each person’s tragic end. A similar event 

focusing on suicide prevention takes place in December.

The ship’s command culture, and its robust occupational 

safety and health program, has enabled the crew to 

effectively prepare for and complete the mission at home 

and at sea. The ship has earned the privilege to fly the 

SECNAV Safety Flag for the year 2011.

– RADM Brian Prindle, 

Commander, Naval Safety Center

“

”

FALL 2011 7
I

magine a sweat-soaked Sailor operating 

in an enclosed, all-metal structure with an 

ungrounded electrical system, surrounded 

by seawater and working with voltages upward 

of 4,160 volts. It doesn’t get much more 

dangerous than that. Fleet electricians have 

always worked in dangerous environments and, 

with two electrocutions of shipboard Sailors in 

2009 and 2010, leaders are focused on fleet 

electrical safety.

As our technology advances, scenes like this will become 

a common sight not only on nuclear carriers, but also on 

conventional ships as they move to much higher voltage 

platforms. This means the risk of electrocution increases 

as well. Add that to the following factors: shrinking 

budgets, compressed training, minimal manning, higher 

op tempo and the simultaneous introduction of higher 

voltage platforms, and you can understand why the 

rules governing Navy electricians are in the process of 

changing.

The Future ofShip Voltage

Nuclear-powered carriers have had 4,160-volt systems 

for years, while all conventional ships operated with 450-

volt systems. Why the drive to higher-voltage platforms? 

The higher the voltage, the lower the current; the lower 

the current, the smaller the size of the cabling (a key 

reason why our largest platforms, CVNs, converted to 

4,160-volt-systems years ago). Technically, introducing 

higher voltages will open the door for electric drive 

propulsion, which makes the ship stealthier while 

increasing payload, survivability, and power for use in 

non-propulsion activities. In the long run it will save huge 

sums of money when compared to fuel consumption of 

steam boilers or gas turbines. 

Arc flash personal protective equipment (PPE) is tested during arc flash of 

5,000-volt circuit. Photo courtesy of ArcFlashPPE.com.

Protection, Safety of 

Fleet Electricians Reach 

New Heights

USS Makin Island (LHD 8), homeported in San Diego, is already in service 

with a gas turbine plant and a 4,160-volt distribution system. Other platforms 

are on the horizon: DDG 1000 will feature a 1,000-volt system and LHA 6 

class will feature a 4,160-volt system. In the very near future, we’ll see 6,600-

volt and 13,300-volt platforms powered by electric drive systems, as well as 

carriers with electro-magnetic catapult systems (replacing steam). 

Photo rendering by John W. Williams

by emcm (sw/aw) jim burke

8 SEA COMPASS
The Good andThe Bad

But with every “good” in the electrical world (in this case, 

lower current), always comes a “bad.” A by-product of 

high voltage is “arc flash.” This phenomenon is not a 

shock, but a burn. When a high-voltage magnetic field 

is interrupted, the result may be a fire ball upwards 

of 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit with a force equal to 

the speed of sound. Unprotected electricians can get 

electrical burns from intense heat. 

For many years now, the civilian industry has been 

protecting electrical workers from arc flash hazards by 

mandating boundary distances, PPE, and distinct rules 

and regulations when working with high voltage. The 

governing document for these rules is the National Fire 

Protection Association’s Standard for Electrical Safety in 

the Workplace (NFPA 70E).

Safer Gear

The largest change for fleet Sailors will be the 

introduction of new PPE to include coveralls and a new 

face-shield, both rated at 12 cal/cm2 (the units of incident 

energy that the PPE can withstand) for use with voltages 

between 300 - 1,000 volts. For those already working 

with voltages above 1,000 volts, that PPE is already in 

use and includes a high-voltage suit, arc-flash-rated hood 

and high-voltage probes for metering, all rated at 40cal/

cm2. All arc-flash PPE will be used for initial voltage 

verification and working with energized gear.

The best advice if you’re reading this and you aren’t in an 

electrical or electronic rating is to steer clear of electrical 

equipment until verified de-energized by a qualified 

technician. The hazards are real and failure to recognize 

those hazards can kill. This is a key reason why annual 

training in electrical safety for all hands is mandatory 

aboard ship per Navy Safety and Occupational Health 

Manual for Forces Afloat (OPNAVINST 5100.19E). 

New, high-voltage PPE and faceshield (left) and full arc flash suit, including 

a high-voltage metering probe, for use with 4,160-volt system. Photos 

courtesy of the author.

The NavyElectrician’s Bible

Since the science behind arc flash dangers has already been made 

clear in the civilian community, the Navy is revising its “electrical 

bible” for forces afloat, the Naval Ships’ Technical Manual

(NSTM Chapter 300). For the last 24 months, a team of safety 

experts has been working to completely revise NSTM Chapter 

300 line-by-line, including updating stock numbers, introducing 

PPE, specifying boundary distances, updating shock statistics, 

and setting rules for high-voltage safety and when working with 

energized gear. The driving force behind this revision is to align 

NSTM Chapter 300 as closely as possible with NFPA 70E. NSTM 

Chapter 300, Revision 8 is expected in October.

To ensure requirements are met, training will include:

•	A shipboard, electrical, advanced maintenance “C” school 

catering to E-5 and above.

•	Baseline introduction to high-voltage safety in “A” school 

curriculum, and as an immediate interim solution.

•	A separate, civilian-based, high-voltage safety curriculum for 

those serving on higher voltage platforms.

Revision Panel Members

Naval Safety Center

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA 05Z–Electrical Technical 

Warrant Holder)

Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division 

NAVSEA 08 (Naval Reactors)

Naval Surface Force Pacific

Naval Surface Force Atlantic 

Submarine Forces

Naval Type Commands

Program Executive Office Ships

Various Shipyards

Fleet Sailors

RelatedEvents

Electrical Safety Summit, San Diego, July 2011: West Coast 

fleet electrical leaders and deck plate Sailors got their initial 

introduction to the anticipated changes at this three-day event. 

Naval Safety Center experts briefed attendees on fleet trends and 

statistics. NAVSEA 05 representatives discussed current training 

initiatives and specific changes in NSTM Chapter 300, Revision 

8. Commander Naval Air Forces and the Naval Safety Center 

addressed fatalities, near-mishaps, and lessons learned. Other 

electrical safety experts demonstrated use of PPE gear. 

Future Summit Locations: Mayport, Norfolk, Groton, Bremerton, 

Japan, and Hawaii. Also, NAVSEA will produce videos featuring 

these changes for distribution to the fleet. 

EMCM Burke is the leading chief petty officer for the Naval 

Safety Center Survey Team.

new high-voltage ppe

FALL 2011 9
Firefighters are trained to find their way in the dark. 

So are Navy SEALs who wear those night-vision 

goggles. Suppose there’s an emergency on your 

ship and the lights go out. Can you find your way?

Vessels can lose electrical power for many reasons. If 

you haven’t updated the marking system on your ship, 

you may be in big trouble, unless you own a pair of nightvision goggles. Here are some tips for ensuring you and 

your shipmates can escape after the lights go out. 

The Marking System

Section 21.7, Practical Damage Control, of the Navy 

Ship’s Technical Manual (NSTM 079, Vol. 2, Damage 

Control) says that the primary purpose of the damagecontrol marking system is to provide rapid emergencyegress information and to identify the locations of important systems and equipment. The marking system 

involved photo-luminescent and retro-reflective signs. 

Self-adhesive signs, labels, letters and tape are authorized applications to replace painted marking that are 

no longer serviceable or effective. The highest priorities: 

egress markings, fixed DC systems, fire stations, and 

portable damage control equipment. 

How It Works

Photo-luminescent signs absorb energy from any nearby 

ambient light source, such as fluorescent or incandescent 

lights. When the light source is removed, the material 

immediately emits a light of its own. Maximum brightness 

lasts up to one hour, but the signs stay visible for up to 

eight hours if your eyes are adapted to the dark. Photoluminescent material can be reactivated an unlimited 

number of times if properly applied.

Retro-reflective materials (paint, tape or adhesive labels) 

stand out when exposed to a shining light. Damage control markings may be retro-reflective, photo-luminescent 

or a combination of both, depending on the purpose. Do 

not be caught in your space in the dark without the aids 

to help you escape during an emergency.

By DCC(SW/AW) John Ralston

U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Nathaniel Miller

Can You 

Escape 

After the 

Lights Go 

Out?

10 SEA COMPASS
ExposedAreas

Do not apply in areas exposed or open to weather decks, 

such as the pilot house, gear lockers and light traps. 

Only NAVSEA-approved photo-luminescent and retroreflective materials are authorized for shipboard use.

Inclined Ladders 

Apply photo-luminescent strips on the inner frame, 

alternating sides with each step. The handrails are 

marked with six bands wrapped on each side. 

● Folding-Leaf Ladder Chutes: Apply alternating strips 

to the chute when in the stowed position. 

● Ladders Leading to Hatches that Open to Weather

Conditions: Apply photo-luminescent material half the 

distance from the bottom of the ladder only (to avoid 

being exposed when the hatch is open).

Vertical Ladders 

Apply photo-luminescent strips to both rails along the 

entire vertical length, alternating sides with each rung.

● Ladders Leading to Scuttles that Open to Weather

Conditions: Mark only to midpoint of the ladders’ 

vertical length from the bottom of the ladder. Mark 

scuttles with photo-luminescent strips.

● Escape Trunk Ladders: Mark wrap-around escape 

trunk ladders with a band of material wrapped around 

the ends of alternating rungs.

Do’s and Don’ts:

DCC Ralston is the chief damage control analyst at the Naval 

Safety Center.

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Dylan McCord

U.S. Navy photo by MC Alex R. Foster

Hatches

Mark the side of a hatch coaming, where the ladder 

attaches, with a photo-luminescent strip to indicate the 

location of the coamings. 

Kick-Out Panels

Place the word “Exit” in the center of the panel. Mark 

around the entire perimeter borders with a six-inch photoluminescent strip on each side.

Test Brightness

While these photo-luminescent markings might not 

appear to be of any importance during a ship’s daily 

routine, they could save you in an emergency. When you 

pass through, or by, these escape routes and the lights 

are on, it is hard to tell if the routes are marked correctly. 

Nonetheless, you should take the time to turn off all 

lighting and see if current markings are bright enough to 

be effective in an emergency.

FALL 2011 11
bestpractice

I

have loved being the electrical 

officer aboard Lake Champlain

for the past year and a half. I am 

fortunate to work with a great division 

and an outstanding chief. Since 

coming aboard, I have learned so 

much more than just doing the job. 

I’ve had the opportunity to become 

a better leader by using the right 

resources and tools to reduce the 

potential for error. 

When I first took over the job in 

January 2009, I was excited but also 

a little intimidated. I was a political 

science major in college and was by 

no means well-versed in the world 

of electrical engineering. Not letting 

any of that stand in my way, I asked 

questions galore. I went around with 

my electrician’s mates and watched 

them do countless hours of PMS 

on power panels, fuse panels and 

controllers. To further my electricalengineering know-how, I even got 

to watch as they traced and isolated 

various grounds. 

I thought I was doing well, until my 

commanding officer informed all 21 

of us ensigns that we had a safety 

survey in nine months and we 

needed to start going through our 

respective checklists and make a 

binder that would cover every item 

on that list. My checklist was nine 

pages long, and I felt overwhelmed. 

the ‘Aha!’ Moment

However, when I started reading 

through my checklist, I noticed that 

most of the items listed involved 

By LTJGAlexa Gibbs

pre-Survey Checklist

walking around the ship and 

inspecting every power panel, fuse 

panel, switchboard, motor controller, 

light fixture, and so on. I had an 

“Aha!” moment: this was something I 

had already been doing!

Most ships have a program called 

Division in the Spotlight (DITS). 

Every week, the CO or XO inspects 

a different division, looking at 

their spaces and administrative 

programs in detail. As the electrical 

officer, I’d started three months 

prior, going around to the current 

week’s DITS spaces and inspecting 

them thoroughly for any electrical 

safety discrepancies. I’d have 

them corrected immediately, or I’d 

formulate a plan to correct them. So 

I was actually ahead of the game; by 

doing these walkthrough inspections, 

I was also going through my safety 

survey checklist. 

As time went on, I found myself 

digging into reference materials 

such as the Naval Ships’ Technical 

Manual (NSTM Chapter 300), the 

General Specifications for Overhaul 

of Surface Ships, various OPNAV 

instructions, and of course the Navy 

Safety and Occupational Health 

Program Manual for Forces Afloat 

(OPNAVINST 5100.19E). I pored 

over these publications, and the 

more I read, the more questions I 

had about what I already knew and 

what I needed to learn.

This intrusive questioning is what 

I needed to do well on the safety 

survey and to become a better 

The Naval Safety Center survey team rates USS Lake Champlain’s (CG 57) overall survey 

results as outstanding. Surveyors commended the ship’s electrical officer, LTJG Alexa 

Gibbs, and the division officers for using checklists to catch errors and reduce risk.

division officer. I was constantly 

taking items that I had read in the 

NSTM Chapter 300 and asking my 

chief to go into more detail explaining 

it to me — it’s amazing he never 

got tired of my questions. I also 

contacted the Naval Safety Center 

and asked even more questions. 

Master Chief Electrician’s Mate (SW/

AW) Jim Burke, an analyst in the 

afloat safety programs directorate, 

provided timely answers that helped 

me do by job seamlessly.

PREPAREDNESS ISBEST WAY TOAWARENESS

It took nine months of solid 

preparation to thoroughly get my 

team ready for the safety survey. 

When my CO reviewed my binder 

One of the routine walk-through inspections. 

Photo courtesy of the author.

12 SEA COMPASS
WE WANT YOUR STORY ABOUT A 

BEST PRACTICE: To submit a story 

about how you keep your shipmates 

safe and your daily shipboard 

operation mishap-free, contact safeseacompass@navy.mil.

before the safety survey, I impressed 

him with the amount of knowledge 

of each line-item on the checklist. 

I know he appreciated the fact that 

I had literally walked and put my 

hands on every power panel, fuse 

panel, motor controller and light 

fixture in every space on the ship. 

It took a lot of time and effort, but in 

the end I learned so much more than 

I could have ever asked for. When 

the safety surveyors walked aboard 

our ship, I was excited to show them 

how well-prepared we were. 

When I asked EMCM Burke 

for feedback, he said, “Lake 

Champlain’s safety survey 

discrepancies were well below the 

fleet average for CG hulls.” He and 

the Naval Safety Center analysts 

agree that these results were directly 

ONLINE RESOURCES

Communication in the galley ByCWo4 Danny L. Royse

See “ROYSE, STEAMED” on page 14.

ACS2 aboard ship was preparing the noon meal when he noticed one of the electric 

steam kettles was broken ... again. 

He’s in a hurry to fix a meal for a big 

group, so situations like this get him 

steamed. Muttering under his breath, 

he calls the technicians who “fixed” it 

the last time.

THE PROBLEM 

When the auxiliaries technicians 

(members of what we will call the 

A-gang) evaluate the “broken” kettle, 

they discover the same old problem: 

no water inside the kettle and the 

pressure gauge reads zero (which 

is difficult to determine with a missing gauge face and a bent needle). 

The finger-pointing game begins. 

The cooks blame A-gang and A-gang 

blames the cooks. This scenario 

plays out daily aboard ships.

Survey Says 

I have conducted many shipboard 

safety surveys and when I get to the 

galley, electrical steam kettles always take a beating. In most cases, 

these discrepancies were identifiable 

in less than two minutes, during a 

visual inspection. 

•	 Safety relief valves not tested or 

labeled. 

•	 Levers and safety chains used 

to operate the relief valves not 

installed or cannot be operated. 

•	 Kettles not hydrostatically tested 

and tagged. 

•	 Pressure gauges damaged or not 

calibrated. 

•	 The discharge pipe on the kettle 

relief valve missing or not extended inside the trough. 

The Naval Safety Center website 

provides checklists to help you 

prepare for a survey or perform 

daily tasks. To download the 

following checklists, go to www.

public.navy.mil/navsafecen/

pages/afloat.aspx.

• Electrical

• Weapons

• Combat Systems

• Damage Control

• Deck

• Safety Administration

• NAVOSH

• Auxiliary

• General Engineering

• Main Propulsion - Mechanical

• Main Propulsion - Steam

• Main Propulsion - Gas Turbine

• PC/Minesweeper Engineering

attributed to the diligent preparation 

of the ship’s crew. 

Each division officer presented a 

binder listing specific checklist items, 

attached to their corresponding 

reference list. EMCM Burke and 

the safety surveyors said they 

appreciated this kind of proactive 

effort, which made the crew more 

knowledgeable and much safer.

I agreed with him that while time 

consuming, this method was 

invaluable as a teaching tool for 

junior officers.

Unattended or broken steam kettles 

mean no food service for you and your 

shipmates. To paraphrase my hero “Man 

vs. Food” star Adam Richman, there 

is no letter “I” in “team,” but you can 

use those letters to spell meat and eat. 

Without good communication in the 

food service world, we may not get to 

enjoy either.

FALL 2011 13
How’d You Lose Your Life Raft?

(Tell Me Again)

bylt edward alexander

Agreat Navy day at sea starts out badly if you are called to the 

bridge because your ship just lost a life raft. If you’re the one 

responsible for maintaining these lifesavers, be prepared to 

answer some hard questions from your chain of command: 

•	“How did you lose the raft?”

•	“Could it have been prevented?”

•	“Was it secured?”

•	“What are you going to do to keep this from happening again?”

There may be many reasons why it happened, but the most common, 

based on our safety surveys, points to improperly completed or neglected 

PMS. The maintenance requirement card (MRC) provides step-by-step 

procedures on how to secure a life raft in its cradle. Losing a life raft is 

just one of the discrepancies our safety surveys have revealed. A good 

number of ships we visited had life raft PMS that have not been completed 

correctly:

►	 Sea painters were not terminated to the ship’s structure.

►	 Rafts were not stowed in racks properly. The seam of the upper and lower 

halves should be positioned approximately parallel to the base line of the ship. 

In this wrong position, the drain holes will not be at the lowest point of the 

container, and water will not drain from the container.

►	 Hydrostatic-release devices were installed backward or upside down.

►	 Securing harnesses had cracked rubber coatings, and CRES material was not 

used to secure the harnesses. 

►	 Incorrect type of lashing was used between hydrostatic-release devices and 

securing harnesses.

►	 Lashing on release devices was not properly terminated.

You are responsible for making sure that your life raft is cared for so it can 

do its job as a lifesaver. Deck division officers, LCPOs and the work center 

supervisors must know what requirements are contained in the MRC, and 

get out and inspect the ship’s life-saving gear.

B2BPMS is your basic guide on how to not fall a victim of 

complacency. It is a common-sense approach to keeping your 

ship on the right course. Have you ever taken a short-cut to save 

time, but instead, cost you and your ship time, resources or 

people? Share your short story with our readers ... they will learn 

something from your experience. Submit your article to safeseacompass@navy.mil. For now, Naval Safety Center surveyors 

share their “discoveries” during ship visits. 

ROYSE, STEAMED

Continued from page 13

THE FIX 

So who wins the blame game? Without communication and training, both 

sides are at fault. The cooks operate 

the kettles and A-gang provides the 

repairs and planned maintenance. 

It’s just a kettle, you say. But if these 

two teams can’t work together, you 

can’t expect your meal served on 

time.

Ideally, auxiliaries technicians would 

hold training with culinary specialists 

and point out items they must inspect 

daily. They would emphasize the 

negative effects of allowing damaged 

or inoperable equipment to be operated in degraded status. In turn, duty 

culinary specialists would immediately report discrepancies to A-division. 

Doing this would allow both teams to 

identify problems and perform corrective actions before inspections.

THE BLAME GAME

IN THE GALLEY

The cooks blame

A-gang and A-gang

blames the cooks. 

introducing

CWO4 Royse is the main propulsion/diesel 

lead at the Naval Safety Center. LT Alexander is a deck analyst at the Naval Safety Center. Read his article on head protection in the January-March 2011 Ships’ Safety Bulletin.

14 SEA COMPASS
by april phillips

what’s wrong

with this picture?

Email your response to safe-seacompass@navy.mil

March 2003. The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 

75) strike group was living on adrenaline and 

black coffee. Operation Iraqi Freedom was just 

underway and we were battle ready. In less than one 

month, our air wing flew more than 1,300 combat sorties 

and dropped more than 700 tons of ordnance. Anyone 

not directly involved in the primary mission was doing 

everything possible to support the pilots and aircraft 

maintainers. As shipboard journalists, my staff and I put 

in long hours covering the always-evolving story for the 

crew and a larger civilian audience. We were working 

around the clock. 

I was in my office one evening, putting the 

final touches on a story about “Shock 

and Awe” and hoping to hit the rack 

soon, when the telephone rang. I 

picked it up in the middle of the first 

ring. 

“Petty Officer Phillips,” I answered smartly. 

I had my notebook at the ready, prepared to head up 

to the bridge for a briefing or to a ready room to cover 

a preflight. My exhaustion slipped away. Whatever the 

mission, I was on it.

“JO1! Where’s my urinal cake?” the training officer 

screamed into my ear.

Cue the “game over” music at the end of a Pac Man 

game. My visions of journalistic grandeur evaporated like 

the steam off flight-deck catapults. In the few seconds 

it took to be yelled at by the TO, my enthusiasm for 

reporting the news was replaced by my dread of handling 

a tedious collateral duty. Being 3M (Maintenance 

Material Management) work center supervisor for 

admin department was worse than being a urinalysis 

coordinator, and that’s saying something.

Still, 3M and associated PMS checks are important. We 

all need to know that in the unlikely event of a fire, we 

can go to the nearest extinguisher with confidence that 

more than a fizzled pffffft of powder will come out. 

Most of the time our program ran beautifully. We 

were known for acing spot checks with the XO when 

other departments lived in fear of him. And yet, I was 

constantly hearing from the training officer about my 

guys gun decking the D-1 checks. The dreaded D-1s 

were daily “maintenance” on urinal cakes. In this case, 

maintenance usually meant a visual inspection of the 

existing deodorizers. When they were peed on, they got 

smaller over time and eventually had to be replaced. 

However, each day the lucky Sailor who’d been assigned 

the D-1s for the week had to get his rubber gloves and 

supplies, check the cakes, and fill out the maintenance 

log. It was a pain, and most of the guys would rather do 

a complicated bit of PMS than get stuck with D-1s. Let’s 

face it—no one writes home to mom from a war zone to 

brag that thanks to his efforts, the urinal smelled more 

like a chemical pine tree and less like a sewer. 

Unfortunately, our training officer really enjoyed a fresh 

urinal. He had an uncanny ability to sniff out a urinal cake 

that was a millimeter smaller than the requirement. When 

he called, I had to find my maintenance worker, lecture 

him about the importance of being thorough, and send 

him off to fix the problem.

The reality is I only cared about urinal cakes 

insofar as they caused me problems, which 

should have been never since women’s 

heads lack this amenity. However, with 

eight years of hindsight, I realize that 

diligence in maintenance is a habit that 

must be formed and a standard that 

must be adhered to — no matter how 

unsavory the task. If too many urinal 

cakes are allowed to substantially disintegrate, eventually 

the fire extinguishers may be unreliable as well.

While I didn’t understand this at the time, I did learn 

the value of a regulation-sized disinfectant, and I can 

assure you that when the training officer rotated off 

Harry S.Truman, he received a sizable, if anonymous, 

collection of pine-scented urinal cakes as a parting gift. 

April Phillips is the Naval Safety Center public affairs officer and editor 

of Smart Ride magazine.

FALL 2011 15
Are you one of those people who stick to the 

rules? If so, then you need not worry. But there 

have been unfortunate souls who didn’t heed 

them and ended up losing their heads (literally). 

When working with vertical package conveyors (VPCs), 

there’s no room for shortcuts. You must be 100 percent 

aware of precautions while operating and maintaining 

VPCs, Navy requirements, and your responsibilities. 

You also must take the required training to operate the 

equipment.

If you get trapped in one of these machines, the results 

can be unforgiving. But Sailors still violate the rules 

and, worse, contribute to mishaps. Violating these 

rules is nothing less than playing Russian roulette. 

Yet some people do it because they don’t want to be 

inconvenienced by taking a few seconds to establish 

proper phone communication. Maybe they don’t like 

feeling rushed to get the job done.

When you take shortcuts, you increase the risks of a 

mishap. This utter disregard of rules also teaches bad 

habits to new or untrained personnel. If you are unsure of 

what is required of you or how the equipment works, ask 

a qualified person.

two most commonly-ignored rules

by MMC (SW/AW) Esters Wright

Vertical package conveyors have been known to trap, cut, maim, and decapitate.

No Room For Shortcuts

The two-man-rule shall 

be adhered to at all times 

during conveyor operation to 

prevent injury. 

►

►

► Insufficient PMS records for the System 

Operability Tests (SOT II).

► Doors and controllers not locked when not in use.

► No nonskid on deck at each load/unload station.

Don’t place your head or 

other parts of your body into 

the conveyor trunk during 

operation of the conveyor. 

Common Discrepancies:

useful tools andRESOURCES online

References and Checklists

Helpful guides, instructions and checklists to keep 

you up-to-date. Also includes the 2011 Afloat Shipboard Equipment Shopping Guide:

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/afloat/surface/

references.aspx

■

Afloat Mishaps and Statistics

Class A mishap summaries and data tables that go 

back eight years: www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/

pages/statistics/afloat/afloat_stats.aspx

■

Ships’ Safety Bulletin

Summaries, research and data to assist in your 

mishap-prevention program. SSB back issues from 

2010-2011 now available:

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/afloat/surface/

ship_safety_bulletin.aspx

■

Top 10 Discrepancies

A collection of 10 most common deficiencies found 

during safety surveys from FY06-FY11. Do your part 

to not contribute to the list:

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/afloat/surface/

surfacewarfare_articles.aspx 

■

Naval Safety Center File Photo

Naval Safety Center File Photos

MMC Wright is the chief main propulsion/diesel analyst. Read more of 

his articles in the January-March 2011 Ships’ Safety Bulletin.

16 SEA COMPASS
I

f Martha Stewart lived in your home, I bet your 

kitchen would be spic-and-span. The vent hood 

above your deep fat fryer would never see grease 

(like the build up shown in the photo above). But, you’re 

a Sailor who works on a ship, and even though you aren’t 

Martha, her working space is a good example.

How do you measure up?

► Is your galley’s Gaylord wash system operational?

► Is PMS being performed daily when operating? 

► Is the wash system aligned to all vent hoods? 

If you can answer “No” to any one of these questions, 

your Gaylord vent hoods need a detailed inspection. 

Don’t be afraid to open them and look inside. The hood 

that attracts the most grease build-up is above the deep 

fat fryer, but don’t limit yourself to just looking there. If 

you find any signs of grease build up, you’ll have to do 

PMS on the system. We know the cleaning requirements 

for ships with a manual wash system and automatic 

cleaning system. If you’re the maintainer, you must open 

inspection doors and check inside the hood and drain for 

grease or dirt. 

When we go aboard ships for safety surveys, it always 

amazes me to see the APC/Gaylord system out of 

commission, while they’re using the deep fat fryer! This 

is a great ball of fire waiting to happen. In 74 percent of 

ships we surveyed last year, the wash system detergent 

tank was empty and the ventilation hoods had grease 

build up. Does yours look like the photo shown above?

PMSRequirements

- MRC 5121/004 R-1D: ships with manual wash systems 

- MRC 5121/004 R-5D: ships with automatic cleaning 

systems

These instructions are simple, and basic cleaning 

shouldn’t take too much of your time. One of the notes 

says, “Presence of an area that has not been subsequently cleaned indicates one of the spray nozzles is 

clogged. To correct this discrepancy, remove nozzle cap 

and clean holes with small wire; reinstall nozzle cap,” 

MRC 5121/004 R-1D, Note 4. You probably could do that 

in less than 10 minutes.

Don’t wait until you fail an inspection or cause a fire. 

SPECIAL ORDER

No Grease 

Fire With 

My Deep Fat 

Fryer, Please 

GET MORE B2BPMS TIPS ON OUR WEBSITE

Go to www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/

seacompass.aspx to read “Condition of Equipment a

Reflection of You,” an article about taking pride in your 

equipment by keeping it in good condition at all times.

By GMC (SW) Ramiro Salas 

bylt christine davy

LT Davy is the damage control lead. Read her article on evidence 

preservation in the January-March 2011 Ships’ Safety Bulletin.

Naval Safety Center File Photo

Ship’s fire marshals are responsible for making routine 

rounds of the galleys and ensure these problems don’t 

exist. Take prompt actions to get them corrected before 

it’s too late. 

Do you know of a space on your ship that’s being 

used for unauthorized stowage? Do the right 

thing. Tell your chain of command about it and fix 

the problem. I know that stowage space is limited 

aboard ship. But look at what happens if the 

perfect mix of conditions occurs together. 

The exhaust gases temperature could be as high 

as 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit. An alpha fire does 

not need 

that much 

temperature 

to start, 

especially if 

the ignition 

point of the 

material is 

relatively 

low. The left 

photo shows 

remnants of a stowage space 

after a fire.

You decide. Is the price of 

improper stowage worth the high 

price to be paid when you have 

a fire resulting from your lack of 

proper risk management? 

Or maybe you were secretly 

trying to get an ocean view from the uptake 

spaces. In that case, you might have succeeded.

Room With a View

by gscs (sw) esworth carty

GSCS Carty is the main propulsion/gas turbine analyst at the 

Naval Safety Center.

FALL 2011 17
There’s something unique about every evolution, 

even if it’s one the ship has done a hundred times 

before. A combination of variables will always be 

present: weather, personnel and schedule changes. As a 

standard, safety briefings are a big part of this operation, 

in port or out to sea. Safety officers are expected to have 

operational risk management discussions. 

For anyone who has seen many of these briefs, 

operational risk management (ORM) discussions could 

become monotonous and ineffective if the presenter 

doesn’t take the time and effort to make them engaging. 

When building your brief, use current slides with upto-date data. Have an interactive discussion about the 

unique aspects of the upcoming evolution. You may even 

ask your crew to contribute high-impact photos to include 

in your brief to make a point.

There have been preventable mishaps in the past couple 

of years you can address during these discussions. In 

2009, a Sailor was lost over the side while trying to move 

shore power outriggers. For this ship, this was a task 

they did every time the ship pulled into port, usually after 

they were pierside. This time, however, they were moving 

them while underway. No one discussed whether this 

required any additional PPE or precautions.

by LT Jennifer Knott

MANAGERISK. ENSURESUCCESS. COMPLETE THE MISSION.

Preventable mishaps have damaged equipment, as well. 

During the same year, a ship ran aground following a 

dry-dock availability. The ship had done these evolutions 

many times before. However, they had not done them 

with the current personnel or with the equipment they 

had available. Unprepared, ship personnel didn’t 

recognize how the out-of-commission equipment would 

affect their ability to safely conduct an evening personnel 

transfer. The ship ended up running aground, producing 

$20 million worth of damage.

These are just a couple of examples where it was a 

minor variation in the evolution that led to a devastating 

outcome. According to our mishap investigators, it is also 

very common for one of the causes to be complacency. 

By keeping your ORM slides fresh and briefings more 

interactive, you will encourage more participation and 

involvement. 

Safety officers and facilitators can obtain training or 

briefing materials — data, numbers, photos — from 

the Naval Safety Center website (www.public.navy.mil/

navsafecen). And for those ORM discussions? Invite 

personnel to ask the question or lead the discussion on 

what makes this time different from the other times a ship 

has done the same thing.

Do you have an ORM story to share? We’re looking for your personal

experiences about risk management, risk prevention or lessons learned from

things that went wrong because you didn’t ORM it (on or off duty). Send your

story to safe-seacompass@navy.mil.

 READ MORE ORM ARTICLES ON OUR WEBSITE

Read more articles about ORM basics at www.

public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/

seaccompass.aspx

At the time of this writing, LT Knott was the surface engineering 

assistant in the Afloat Safety Programs Directorate. She is currently 

attached to the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).

orm playbook

18 SEA COMPASS
browse – preview – download – sign up

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/Pages/orm/orm.aspx

► USN / USMC ORM Instructions

► Evolution ORM Assessment Sheet

► ORM Program Assessment Checklist

► Risk Matrix Postcard

► ORM Courses on NKO

► Web Tools and Resource Links

► Sign Up for Email Updates

Watch out for these variables

► Weather

► Personnel turnover

► Schedule changes 

 is your orm brief up-to-date?

► Data and statistics

► High-impact pictures

► Current slides and charts

ASK IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

► What's different today?

► What's going on?

► What could go wrong?

► What resources do we need? 

► How do we use them? 

include handout materials

► ORM matrix postcards

► ORM web resources

► ORM posters

 relevant topics

► Shipboard equipment and PPE

► PMS requirements

► Off-duty/liberty activities

► Duty watchbill rotations

► Flight-deck operations

► Other important topics

ARE you getting feedback?

► Initiate audience discussions

► Encourage participation 

► Invite question-and-answer forums

► Share been-there, done-that stories 

About the photo: USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) enters Dry Dock 6 

at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. (U.S. 

Navy photo by SN James R. Evans)

FALL 2011 19
casestudy

I

t was 0730 on a beautiful fall day when 

I went on my first survey as the lead 

combat systems assessor. My team and 

I had everything ready, including the coffee 

and donuts for “fuel,” of course. With our 

computers set up and in-brief completed, 

we were ready to get started and have a 

productive day. 

The morning went well until we walked by deck 

department where Sailors were rigging the 

accommodation ladder for a static display. Halt! My brain 

immediately went into super-active gear. What grabbed 

my attention was the guy who was standing dead center 

texting on his phone. After taking a second to visually 

survey the scene below, I stopped the work. 

There were just too many unsafe things going on to let 

their work continue: unauthorized safety lanyard, overthe-edge activity, downed lifelines, just to name a few. I 

called down to the deck and got the attention of the Sailor 

story and photo By etc (sw) jason mobbs

fractured leadership

who was texting. “Have your people come back within 

the lifelines and replace them,” I instructed. With that 

complete, I told them to stand by until I got down there. 

I immediately scoured the deck for our senior chief 

boatswain’s mate (BMCS). With him and the ship’s first 

lieutenant in tow, we went back to the scene. During the 

next few minutes I learned a few things that contributed to 

these infractions: 

1) The BMC billet had been gapped for about four 

months and would continue to be gapped until a 

replacement could be found. 

2) The first lieutenant had only been in the position for 

about two weeks and was told that his priority for the 

day was the safety survey. 

3) The person with some familiarity about this evolution 

wasn’t the safety observer; he was outside the lifelines 

on the accommodation ladder. 

In addition to our scheduled safety survey, a verbal safety 

brief was definitely needed that morning. Referencing the 

ORM process, we explicitly identified falling over the side 

as the risk. To make matters worse, the quarterdeck was 

not aware that anyone was working over the side. These 

guys definitely did not meet the requirements for working 

over the side as set forth by the Navy Occupational 

Safety and Health Program Manual for Forces Afloat

(OPNAVINST 5100.19E). 

Lack ofPlanning

I think the evolution went wrong during the initial planning. 

No one enforced the requirements for working over the 

side. If there had been an actual plan for the evolution 

and ORM applied, the trip hazards would have been 

removed from the deck, cell phones would have been put 

away, and the access and proper use of fall-protection 

equipment would have been discussed. 

do you have a situation at work, at home

or off-duty activity that would make a

good case study for sea compass?

Send your article to safe-seacompass@navy.

mil. Please include your observations about the 

following points of interest:

1. What is the situation?

2. Who are the people involved?

3. What is the missing catalyst that could make 

it better (for example: tools, leadership, time)?

4. What is the worst-case scenario?

5. What can you do to fix the problem?

Send your response to safe-seacompass@navy.

mil and we will feature your viewpoint online. We 

will not publish your name, but please include 

your rate, rank, age, job function, and years in the 

service.

You may include a photograph to make your 

point or to help readers get involved.

send us your opinion about this article. 

what other elements of good leadership

do you think are necessary to accomplish

a mission? what factors contribute to a

breakdown in communication?

20 SEA COMPASS
Lack of leadership

Next, I wondered, where was the leadership? I had 

to scour the ship to find khaki representation for that 

department. I understood that the BMC billet was gapped, 

but where was the BM1 or even the BM2? For whatever 

reason, they were not where they needed to be. And why 

was the first lieutenant walking with the surveyor when 

this evolution was happening in his division? The biggest 

issue on deck was the lack of direct leadership. 

Lack of supervision

What bothered me the most was the texting bandit as 

the safety observer. Even in today’s do-more-with-less 

Navy, we have to be smart about choosing who we put in 

charge of keeping our Sailors safe. Here’s one way this 

scenario could have played out: If the texting bandit had 

been assigned to the deck surveyor, instead of vice versa, 

the first lieutenant would have been available to supervise 

the evolution. 

Remember that the safety observer does not always have 

to be the most evolution-savvy individual, but one who 

has the “hair on the back of the neck” gene. The one who 

could immediately sense something could go wrong. In 

my day we called it common sense. We have other words 

and programs for it now, but the main theme is still there. 

Eliminate risk where you can, control it when you can’t, 

and always make sure that someone is looking out for Mr. 

Murphy’s arrival. 

YOU BE THE JUDGE

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS SCENE? 

Identify the six infractions and see if you’re up-to-speed with your deck-operations safety checklist. To get 

you started we pointed out the texting bandit (A). Send your answers for items B-F to safe-seacompass@

navy.mil. We will post the winning answers online at www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/seacompass.aspx.

c

a e

d

B

f

1. Supervisor texting on cell phone (A)

2. Unauthorized safety lanyard ____

3. Tied off to “J” hook ____

4. Life lines are down ____

5. Deck not cleared of trip hazards ____

6. Over the edge and no fall protection ____ 

ETC Mobbs is the fleet combat systems analyst. Read his article on 

safety lanyards in the January-March 2011 Ships’ Safety Bulletin.

FALL 2011 21
by LTJG Jennifer Knott

if only...

READ MORE SEA STORIES ON OUR WEBSITE

Enjoy reading your shipmates' sea stories at www.public.

navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/seacompass.aspx. If 

you want to share yours, send your article and a photo (if 

applicable) to safe-seacompass@navy.mil.

My morning started off with a hot breakfast while 

embarked on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 

72). After getting a thorough passdown and 

doing a tool inventory, I settled into my normal routine of 

preparing myself for daily flight operations.

I was the leading petty officer of the troubleshooter 

work center, which was split into three shifts: day, flight 

schedule and night. I was the only one assigned to the 

day shift, so I had a lot of responsibilities.

After some admin duties, I donned my PPE and started 

to inspect the 10 aircraft before flight ops. I stepped out 

of my work center and ventured through a tricky nonwatertight door, which had been slamming shut since the 

first day we started workups. There was so much force 

on the closing mechanism that the door bounced against 

the frame a couple of times before coming to rest. A 

berthing area was within feet of this door, so I’d always 

tried to keep it from slamming shut.

A few hours later, I headed back to the shop and greeted 

the oncoming troubleshooters for the flight-schedule shift. 

I gave them a thorough pass down and a detailed brief, 

describing their individual responsibilities. A glance at the 

clock showed we were ahead of schedule. I sent them up 

to the flight deck and gave the shop one last look before I 

headed up myself.

I noticed the SINS cables — you know that yellow, 

50-foot cable that you hook-up to the aircraft’s inertial 

navigation system? Yeah, that's it. Since I knew we might 

need them, I threw one set of cables over each shoulder 

and dashed up to the flight deck.

When I got to the tricky non-watertight door, I muscled 

it open using my right foot, shoulder and hand to keep 

the door open as I struggled through with both cables in 

tow. As my body and cables passed through the door, I 

removed my foot, which was acting as a brace. Slam!

The impact made enough sound to get the attention of 

a troubleshooter who saw my gloved hand get caught. 

I realized that my hand had slipped into the hinge side 

story and photo by am2(aw) justin asprer

of the door. I was wearing the required leather gloves, 

but one of my fingers had been pinched and felt numb. 

I continued up to the flight deck and deposited the 

SINS cables. My whole hand was starting to feel numb, 

coupled with intense throbbing. I took my gloves off to 

check the damage to my index finger. Blood spurted.

I raced to the flight-deck battle-dressing station. I passed 

my chief along the way and yelled to him, “I just ripped 

the tip of my finger off.” The corpsman hustled me down 

to main medical.

The door had lopped off a half-inch of flesh, broken a 

bone, and gouged off my fingernail. I was placed on 

several months of limited duty, had two surgeries and 

experienced a whole lot of pain. Oh yeah, and I have 

become the butt of a lot of “nubby” jokes.

If only I’d made the trouble call to fix the tricky 

door, instead of accepting it, I could have avoided 

the mishap.

the missing link

seastory

AM2 Asprer currently works at VFA-122, NAS Lemoore, California. 

Photos courtesy of the author.

22 SEA COMPASS
With the exception of running a half marathon 

several years ago, I’ve embraced running 

shorter distances and have truly enjoyed a 

four or five-mile run a few times a week. But, with the 

increased intensity for my marathon training program, I 

found myself cutting corners on my stretching, warm ups 

and cool downs in an attempt to accomplish more. 

On the day I sprained my knee, I was trying to fit an 

eight-mile run into an unusually short lunch break 

because I needed to stay on track with my training 

program. And, since I had a few deadlines at work 

and needed to be back by a certain time, I did the 

unthinkable: I skipped stretching and went straight into 

my run without so much as warming up. 

During the entire run, my body kept nagging me to stop 

and walk. I did not listen and, although I met my goal 

of eight miles, I knew I’d made a poor decision when I 

had significant swelling a few hours later. A trip to the 

doctor confirmed my worst fear: a sprained knee that 

only time, rest and proper care could heal. I followed 

every instruction from my doctor and did not deviate, as 

I wanted so badly to accomplish my goal of running my 

first marathon. Four weeks after my injury, and exactly 

six weeks before the marathon, the doctor gave me the 

green light to continue my training.

On June 5th, 2011, I ran my first marathon in four hours 

and 11 minutes. I didn’t push myself too hard; instead I 

ran at a comfortable pace because my goal was to finish, 

not re-injure myself. In addition to stretching properly, 

warming up and ensuring a proper cool down, I listened 

to my body during the entire run. I’d finally learned the 

importance of it!

Listening to My Body 

Saved My Injured Knee

WHAT TO DO FOR A SPRAIN

bylt michelle a. simmons

LT Simmons is a services officer at COMNAVSURFPAC, San Diego, 

California. Photo courtesy of the author.

A sprain is an injury to a joint, usually the ankle or the knee, 

involving the ligaments. When the joint is stretched or twisted 

beyond its normal limits, various tissues could tear. Always consult 

your physician before starting any physically demanding activity.

Source: Common Sense Outdoor 

Medicine and Emergency Companion, Third Edition, Newell D. Breyfogle, University 

of California, Santa Barbara.

► severity: Sprains vary in severity from a minor twisting of 

the part to serious tissue damage of the joint (sometimes with an 

accompanying fracture). Some muscle damage may occur.

► signs: Pain will vary with the degree of severity and increase 

with any movement or weight bearing on the injured part. There 

may be considerable soreness and swelling of the joint. If internal 

bleeding in the joint occurs, discoloration will appear.

As an avid short-distance runner, I know the importance of stretching 

properly and warming up the muscles before a run. So, when I decided to 

step out of my comfort zone and train for my first marathon — the 2011 San 

Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll — I never thought I’d be nursing a sprained knee caused 

by my lack of stretching a few weeks before race day.

offduty

► treatment: 

•	 Apply a cold compress or 

ice bag to the area. Do not 

apply ice directly to the part 

or immerse in iced water.

•	 Elevate the injured part 

18 inches and secure the 

compress with a lightpressure bandage.

•	 Cold applications are used 

for a period of six to 48 

hours depending on the 

severity of the injury.

•	 After cold compress 

treatment, apply a pressure 

bandage, elevate above 

heart level, and rest for 30 

minutes. Repeat until the 

swelling goes down.

•	 Heat therapy will be helpful 

a day or two after the cold 

treatment.

•	 Visit your doctor for further 

evaluation.

fitness and running

Naval Safety Center File Photo

FALL 2011 23
offduty

The Short 

Ride that 

Cancelled 

My Holiday

Although the accident happened years ago when 

I was 18 years old, I still remember the outcome 

everytime my knee hurts or my body aches 

when it’s really humid or very cold. But my memory of 

the accident goes in and out like Polaroid snapshots. I 

remember going down Tidewater Drive. Then I was being 

pulled out of the driver’s side and a white sheet being 

draped over me. I remember waking up in the emergency 

room and my dad looking down on me, trying not to cry. 

Then everything went black again.

Earlier that day, I had been on a mission. It was the 

annual gift drive for my high school’s Angel Tree 

community project. I convinced my best friend to drive 

and help me pick up the gifts, then deliver them to the 

Christmas tree inside a local mall. Since the drive from 

my house to the mall was short, I did not buckle my 

seatbelt. I wanted to quickly get in and out of the car. 

Everything changed in a split second when the sedan 

T-boned us on the passenger side. Jeanne and I (and 

the other driver) suffered only minor injuries. I spent a 

couple of days in the hospital. Aside from a lacerated 

knee, concussion, bruised kidney, broken ribs, and minor 

facial cuts, the doctors said I was lucky to be alive. It 

felt good to be alive; but I was sad that my bad decision 

ended up cancelling my family’s holiday event. I felt 

worse later when I discovered that my mom had kept the 

bloodstained coat I wore that day. My friend wouldn’t ride 

by evelyn odango

in the same car with me for a good while. I then realized 

that my decision to not buckle up caused more than just 

physical trauma. 

When my parents heard the news that I had been in a car 

wreck, but weren’t told that I was alive, they didn’t know 

what to think. And my friend? When she saw my body 

being pulled out of the car, with the white sheet covering 

my face staining with blood, she thought I was dead. My 

injuries seemed minor, but the long-term outcome of that 

accident has been constant body aches and pains that 

can sometimes be overwhelming. 

In a couple of months, the holiday season will be upon 

us, and some of you will be rushing to pack your bags 

and go on a road trip to visit with family and friends. 

Before you leave your ship or quarters, make a pact with 

yourself to come back unharmed. 

You’ve probably heard that car crashes happen close to 

home. Insurance researchers (www.carinsurance.com) 

reveal that most accidents occur within 10 miles from 

home. For most people, their comfort zone is within their 

neighborhoods. That’s how it was for me. The ChristmasEve car crash happened only three miles from my home.

No matter how short your trip will be, make sure you 

and your passengers buckle up. You never know when 

a distracted driver may cross your path and cause more 

than just a few scratches.

seatbelts and short trips

It’s almost lunch hour on a drizzly 

and cold Saturday morning in a busy 

shopping corridor in Norfolk, Va. It’s 

Christmas Eve and people are rushing 

to pick up last-minute gifts or groceries 

for their holiday celebrations. In a 

nearby parking lot, a woman exits 

and maneuvers her sedan to cross the 

median. My friend and I were in her 

compact car going down the main 

road at about 40 miles per hour. Then 

everything went black.

24 SEA COMPASS
U.S. Navy Chief Navy Diver Ryan Oakley adjusts his diving helmet before submerging 

underwater at the port of Umm Qasr, Iraq. Oakley (assigned to Commander Task 

Group 56.1), U.S. Soldiers, and Iraqi divers are attempting to raise a sunken pier. 

(U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Class Peter D. Lawlor)

FALL 2011 25
seastory shocking tales

Zapped and Lived

to Tell About It ... This Time

Getting a minor shock 

is nothing, as long 

as you live to tell 

about it. When I attended my 

first Navy technical school, 

one of my instructors said, 

“A person who works with 

electricity and has never 

been zapped is either very 

lucky or extremely cautious.” 

My classmates and I looked 

at one another, knowing we 

either had already “been 

there” or knew someone 

who had. 

myfirst "zap"

I got my first Navy “zap” 

doing PMS. I asked my 

LPO if he had tagged out 

a breaker on which I was 

planning to conduct a cleanand-inspect. He immediately 

replied yes. I started work 

by removing the side panel and pulling out the dusting 

brush, then I stuck my hand in the backside of the 

breaker. Instantaneously, I felt that 450-volt zap! After a 

quick check, I discovered that my LPO had tagged out 

the switch on the breaker, not the power to it.

Working in the electrical world, I quickly learned that 

I was not the first to experience a jolt after some form 

of miscommunication. When confessing to my lack of 

safety protocol, I found myself in a Navy “fraternity” that 

had zap-stories to share. I became privy to electricalshock stories and legends — the worst involved a friend. 

Apparently, he once conducted a clean-and-inspect but 

failed to short out a capacitor. Well, he soon shorted it out 

when he reached into the cabinet and his finger made 

contact. Imagine a little blue spark traveling up his arm 

and out his elbow. Whew! He still has the scare factor 

today.

shocking tales

During my 19 years in the 

service, I have heard tales 

grow as though it was a 

contest to see whose zap 

story was the most amazing. 

Every story had a close 

call, but the notorious hero 

always walked away. I 

spoke with a master chief 

petty officer about his 

electrical history for this 

article. He openly admitted 

he had once taken a minor 

“hit.”

He didn’t report it, which 

brings up another problem. 

After most negligible 

incidents, the victims would 

not want to be perceived 

as an idiot by peers or 

superiors. Sometimes 

people don’t report mishaps 

because they just want to avoid the paperwork. If they 

aren’t injured by the shock, they consider it a “free” 

warning.

your luck could end

However, just because a particular zap doesn’t injure or 

kill, don’t think a similar future shock won’t be fatal. Our 

greatest shortcoming is that by failing to report electrical 

shocks (however minor), we don’t create accurate data, 

trend analyses, and subsequent warnings that could 

prevent a mishap or save a life. Every year, we receive 

reports of hundreds of these electrical shock incidents. 

However, the number of preventable electric shocks or 

fatalities is far much greater. Just imagine if all shocks 

had been reported; how many subsequent mishaps and 

deaths could have been prevented over the years? 

ByETC (SS) Kevin Dawson

U.S. Navy photo

S&D 6 SEA COMPASS
ELECTRICAL OPERATIONSAFETY MEASURES

With rare exception, shocks result from carelessness. 

When working with electricity, remember these safety 

hints and you can save yourself from the misery of an 

electrical shock or burn. 

Mind the Voltage

► Know that both voltage and amperage can kill; 

even low-voltage circuits with amperage above 1 

amp (current) will kill.

► Do not use two hands to complete the circuit. 

When taking voltage readings, use alligator clips 

and only one hand. 

► Working in wet areas always increases the 

likelihood of shock because water is a good 

conductor and saltwater is an even better one. 

Communication

► Never work alone. Make sure your safety observer 

is stationed at the emergency-cutoff switches 

for the equipment on which you are working. 

Communicate!

► Communication is also essential when performing 

tasks like tag-out procedures or other processes 

involving more than one person.

Personal Protective Equipment

► Work on a live circuit only when absolutely 

necessary and you have your CO’s permission. 

Then follow all precautions and wear appropriately 

rated personal protective equipment.

► Wear electrical safety gloves. (It is very rare that 

someone using all the correct PPE gets shocked.)

Training and Awareness 

► Pay close attention to the safety training and 

follow the rules. Some of these regulations are in 

place today because someone was electrocuted.

► The greatest threat facing those who work with 

electricity daily is their sense of comfort. After 

repeatedly working with electricity, they become 

procedurally lax and let memory guide them. They 

often forget the inherent dangers.

► Always report a shock. You could prevent an injury 

or might save someone’s life.

ETC Dawson is the submarine electrical/mechanical analyst. His 

article on “Garbage Grinder and Vibration Detection Bracket” appears in the April-June 2011 issue of the Flash newsletter.

situational awareness

bestpractice

Prying 

Eyes

By MMCS(SS) Arthur Sisk

As if navigating the spaces aboard a submarine 

is not hard enough, try responding to a fire drill 

as damage controlman. You will find yourself 

needing to keep your eyes wide open. 

During a recent fire drill, damage-control personnel 

aboard a submarine responded in full gear, complete with 

environmental simulation. These firefighters wore visiondegrading devices over their self-contained breathing 

apparatus face pieces to simulate dense smoke.

After they put out the simulated electrical fire with 

portable extinguishers and fire hoses, an MMCM moved 

to secure the fire-simulating light. This put him into the 

path of a crowbar that firefighters were passing to the 

fire scene. The crowbar hit him in the eye and shattered 

his contact lens. Pieces of the lens scraped his cornea 

before he could get to sickbay and have a corpsman 

flush out his eye. The corpsman bandaged both eyes for 

36 hours, which was enough time for the cornea to heal. 

LESSON LEARNED: Vision-degrading devices 

improve the realism of a drill; however, they also increase 

the risk of injury and equipment damage. Everyone — 

from drill monitors to DC personnel — must remain alert 

at all times. Don’t let your zeal for training cause an injury 

or a casualty.

MMCS Sisk is the submarine damage control analyst. He has also 

written “Top Damage Control Significant Issues” in the April-June 2011 

issue of the Flash newsletter.

About the photo: U.S. Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS 

George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) combat a simulated fire during a 

general quarters drill in the ship's hangar bay while under way in the 

Atlantic Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Nathan A. Bailey)

FALL 2011 S&D 7
occupationalsafety & health

I

magine getting some foreign material 

in your eye. The first thing your instinct 

tells you is to head to the emergency 

eye wash station and flush it out (we’re 

taught that the solution to pollution is 

dilution).Then imagine blindly getting 

there but the eye wash station doesn’t 

work. Do you then hope that tears do the 

job? Unfortunately, many of the sites the 

safety-survey team visits didn’t have eye 

wash stations meeting the requirements 

of the Navy Occupational Safety and 

Health Program Manual for Forces Afloat 

(OPNAVINST 5100.19E).

Our findings show that eyewash stations fail for a variety 

of reasons: 

•	Someone has secured the supply valve to prevent 

water from getting to the surrounding area when 

accidentally activated.

•	Work is being done on the potable water system and 

no one recognizes the effect on the eyewash station.

•	A nozzle is clogged.

When you’re frantic to get rid of the burning in your eye, 

none of that matters — you just want to find a working 

eye wash station pronto! Ideally, your ship’s PMS 

monitoring is up-to-date. More often than not, people 

don’t realize the value of short bursts of fresh water 

into the eye until they’re in dire need. Depending on the 

material they’re trying to flush out, exposure may only 

cause irritation. Prolonged contact, however, could also 

lead to temporary or permanent vision loss. 

Simple PMS and knowing the requirements will ensure 

an eyewash station operates appropriately when 

activated. You never know when you might need it. 

OPNAVINST 5100.19E requires all (surface and 

submarine) eyewash stations to meet the following 

standards:

(1) Have a minimum flow rate of 0.4 gallons per 

minute for 15 continuous minutes. The flow 

from both nozzles should meet equidistant at 

the center of the bowl. If the station is secured, 

two portable eyewash bottles shall be staged at 

the eyewash station. 

(2) Shall have a one-motion (e.g., paddle or 

pull strap), stay-open valve, such that when 

activated, the eyewash will remain on to allow 

the user to hold open their eyelids to facilitate 

flushing.

(3) The travel route to the eyewash shall be free 

of trip hazards or overhead strike hazards, and 

positioned in such a way as to pose no hazard 

to the user (e.g., near electrical fixtures, down a 

ladder, through a door, obstructed, in a confined 

area).

(4) Eyewash nozzles shall be protected from 

airborne contaminants and debris. Whatever 

means used to afford such protection (plastic 

caps, cups, cover), its removal shall not require 

a separate motion by the operator when 

activating the unit.

(5) The eyewash shall deliver tepid flushing water 

(60-100 degrees Fahrenheit). 

(6) All emergency eyewash and shower equipment 

must be maintained through the planned 

maintenance system (PMS).

ByHMC (SS) Christopher Harris 

HMC Harris is the submarine medical analyst at the Naval Safety 

Center.

S&D 4 SEA COMPASS
Wearing a hard hat can make a huge difference between 

a crack in the hat or a crack in the head. Unfortunately, 

it’s too easy to put our hard hat aside for a variety of 

reasons: “It’s uncomfortable,” “It always gets in the way,” 

or “The job is only going to take a minute.”

These excuses are weak. It only takes a second to 

become seriously injured or be killed. PPE standards 

should be in place not just as a command policy but also 

as a personal responsibility.

When my unit was in a shipyard, one Sailor learned the 

value of not making excuses the “hard hat” way. As he 

went down the brow, on what could have been his last 

liberty call, a 3-pound piece of angle iron fell 30 feet and 

struck him. Fortunately, he was wearing his hard hat and 

By MMC (SS) Isaac Ingram

was not injured. The only damage was a minor dent in 

the hard hat.

While supervisors and shipmates should remind everyone to wear a hard hat when necessary, you must take it 

upon yourself to protect your head from the unexpected. 

Shipyard workers examine the 

USS Greeneville (SSN 772) in 

Dry Dock #1 at the Pearl Harbor 

Naval Shipyard and Intermediate 

Maintenance Facility, Pearl 

Harbor, Hawaii. (DoD photo)

MMC Ingram is the weapons analyst for the Submarine Division.

The underway submarine schedule seems to 

always go like this: wake up, stand watch, 

do after-watch clean up, do after-watch 

maintenance, carry out divisional and section training, 

conduct drills, then have field day. 

With a schedule like this, who’s got time to sleep? In your 

world, sleep is a commodity, and while you’re still grumbling about your lack of rack time, a fellow shipmate comments, “You can sleep when you die and get lots of it.”

“How do shortcuts and ‘sleep when you die’ fit together?” 

you wonder. So, you go about your day...

You take the watch and complete your rounds. You spot 

some dirt and oil next to the rudder ram. If you don’t 

clean it now, you will have to do it after watch (more of 

your precious sleep definitely will be lost). You decide 

to take a shortcut on time critical risk management, or 

TCRM. You calculate how you can “defeat” and work 

around the protective features of the area. 

by FTC (SS) William Cahill

You decide not to request permission because it will take 

even more time and, it only takes a few seconds to clean 

the trouble spot. Your hasty assessment tells you it looks 

safe enough, because you’ve cleaned it many times in 

port. You go for it. This time, something seems different. 

Before you know it, the submarine changes depth and 

you fall forward into the ram area. What’s going through 

your mind now? I’ll bet dimes to dollars it isn’t TCRM. 

LESSON LEARNED

A submarine is a harsh and unforgiving environment. 

The need for strict procedural compliance and continuous vigilance are lessons that were written in blood. If 

you know you’re lacking sleep, don’t throw your body into 

overdrive. Your mind and body will not work in sync, and 

it could ultimately bring disaster.

FTC Cahill is the submarine deck supervisor. Read his article on 

“MK-1 Commercial Auto Inflatable Life Vest CONAX Inflator” in the 

April-June 2011 issue of the Submarine Division’s Flash newsletter.

FALL 2011 S&D 5
dive locker

by ndc (dsw/exw) rebecca jones

The submarine fleet has one of the highest 

operational tempos of all vessels in the 

Navy. When they are not underway, 

crewmembers are training to be underway 

or doing maintenance to get underway. This 

heightened activity requires many submariners to 

perform multiple jobs on any given day. 

Top that off with training requirements for scuba 

diving and you’ve got one very tight schedule. As 

hard as it is to fill the duties of a scuba diver for 

many SSN and SSGN submarines, once aboard 

this function is often assigned as collateral duty. 

This function is valuable to submarines because 

it gives them the ability to conduct security swims, 

hull inspections and other required diving duties 

without relying on outside assets. However, this 

collateral duty is too often put on the back burner 

to other duties and responsibilities. 

The Naval Safety Center diving survey teams 

have identified maintaining dive proficiency as 

one of the most often overlooked requirements. 

An important factor to consider is compliance 

with MILPERSMAN 1220-260: “Scuba divers 

must complete a minimum of four dives every six 

months in order to remain current and continue to 

receive diving duty pay.”

Most collateral-duty submarine scuba divers don’t get enough 

time to dive, causing gaps in training and proficiency.

Submarines must always remind themselves that 

conducting scuba dives is also a big part of the 

command’s mission. The last thing any submarine 

CO would want on his watch is a dive gone wrong. 

The goal is for a submarine to have a safe and 

well-maintained scuba diving program. We have 

discovered many reasons why dives were not being 

completed: “We do not have enough qualified divers 

on board,” “It is not a priority right now,” or “We are 

getting ready to deploy.”

In reply, we ask these questions:

► “Are you prepared to respond if you have to get 

your stricken diver out of the water?”

► “What would you do if you lose your diver in the 

water?”

► “If you get the diver out of the water, do you 

know who to call for help?”

► “How do you get your diver into the 

recompression chamber?”

After a casualty is not the time to consider these 

questions. Remember, the absence of a diving 

mishap is not proof of proficiency. The most 

important thing to consider when conducting scuba 

diving operations is how to perform them safely and 

know how to react in case of a diving casualty. 

U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Jayme Pastoric

S&D 2 SEA COMPASS
NDC Jones is a diving analyst. Read more of her diving articles on 

diving gear and diving safety surveys in the Spring 2011 issue of the 

Diving Division’s Diving Safety Lines newsletter.

What can youdo to avoiddiving mishaps? 

TIME: Make time in the ship’s schedule to ensure 

the scuba divers are maintaining their diving 

proficiency. 

QUALIFICATION: If the reason diving operations 

cannot be conducted is the lack of qualified divers, 

get with other submarines or local dive lockers to 

coordinate diving operations. 

FREQUENCY: Practice makes perfect when it 

comes to scuba diving. The more scuba diving 

operations a submarine performs, the more 

comfortable their divers will be in preparing for a 

dive and conducting a dive. 

This photo: Students at the Naval Diving 

and Salvage Training Center undergo 

various training scenarios to prepare 

them for duties involving underwater 

emergencies and procedures. The 

dive school graduates approximately 

1,400 candidates per year in basic and 

advanced diving certifications. Students 

are assisting one of their classmates in 

preparation for a surface-supply dive 

in the vicinity of the complex. Opposite 

page: U.S. Navy Diver 2nd Class 

David Orme, center, assigned to Mobile 

Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) Two, 

ascends to the surface of a pool along 

with Colombian divers Chief Technician 

Aurelio Alonso, left, and Capt. Camilo 

Cifuentez during underwater gear 

familiarization in Panama City, Panama. 

qualifying a scuba diver

To become a qualified scuba diver, the candidate 

must complete the submarine scuba diving course 

(CIN-A-433-0023). Each submarine is billeted to 

have five qualified scuba divers onboard, but a 

minimum of four is required to conduct a scuba dive. 

This is a challenging task to accomplish because 

of the difficulties in finding individuals that are able 

to meet the minimum requirements as stated in 

MILPERSMAN 1220-100, to even be accepted to go 

to the submarine scuba diving course. 

Submarine scuba school is physically and mentally 

demanding. A large number of candidates fail 

because they were unprepared to be there. 

Common reasons candidates do not graduate from 

dive school include: failure to complete the minimum 

number of pull-ups, inability to tread water with 

scuba tanks on, and not being able to complete a 

timed swim using fins.

U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer’s Mate Chris Desmond.

FALL 2011 S&D 3
SUB & DIVE ARTICLES

S&D 1	 Charting the Way Ahead

Leadership Focus

VADM John Richardson, 

Commander, Naval Submarine Forces

S&D 2	 Dive Locker

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late Scuba 

divers need ample time to maintain 

proficiency and ensure a mishap-free 

underwater operation. 

By NDC (dsw/exw) Rebecca Jones 

S&D 4	 Occupational Safety & Health

For Your Eyes Only What would you do 

if the shipboard eyewash station doesn’t 

work? 

By HMC (SS) Christopher Harris

Formula for Disaster: Lacking Sleep

+ Taking Shortcuts Don’t be that guy 

who takes sleep for granted and finds out 

painfully that taking shortcuts spells bad 

outcome 

By FTC (SS) William Cahill

Learning the Hard (Hat) Way There’s 

no excuse for not wearing a hard hat, 

especially when working in a shipyard. 

By MMC (SS) Isaac Ingram

S&D 6	 Sea Story: Shocking Tales

Zapped and Lived to Tell About It...

This Time Working around electricity can 

make you into a hero — or a number in 

the mishap stats. 

By ETC (SS) Kevin Dawson

S&D 7	 Best Practice: Situational Awareness

Prying Eyes Confined spaces, 

submarine, drill, and crowbar: these 

elements contributed to an MMCM’s 

scraped cornea. 

By MMCS (SS) Arthur Sisk

on the web now

Read more Sea Compass online articles at

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/

media/seacompass.aspx:

►	 “Make Your Gear Seaworthy”

By EMCM (SW/AW) Frank Valdepeña

COVER PHOTO: Divers use a lift bag system to move a 

sunken ship’s propeller during an underwater lift with Mobile 

Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) Two. (U.S. Navy photo by 

MC1 Jayme Pastoric)

THIS PAGE: The submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756) pulls 

into Augusta Bay, Sicily, Italy. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass 

Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Cameron 

Bramham)

OPPOSITE PAGE: Master Chief Petty Officer Paul Davenport, 

Chief of the Boat aboard the Los Angeles-class submarine 

USS Greeneville (SSN 772), and his line-handling supervisors 

prepare to receive the Chinhae pilot during Greeneville’s 

inbound transit to the Republic of Korea Naval Base in 

Chinhae, South Korea. (U.S. Navy photo by EM2 Noah 

DeLaughter)

Do you have a must-share submarine or 

diving story? If you believe that there's always 

something to be learned from someone else's 

experience, then you're what Sea Compass

needs! Send your story idea, article or a photo 

essay to safe-seacompass@navy.mil. For more 

information, contact the editor directly at evelyn.

odango@navy.mil.

we're looking for a few good writers
Commander, Naval submarine forces

Going to sea, and in particular submarining, is dangerous business. 

It's not natural to take a steel boat of several thousand tons, load it 

with weapons and other sources of tremendous energy, immerse 

that boat deep under the surface, sail it submerged for months 

around the globe, potentially release our weapons to destroy 

an enemy, and return safely home. No technology alone can 

make us completely safe and effective. Time and again it 

becomes clear that no matter how advanced and robust 

our boats become, no matter how elegant and efficient 

our designs and procedures, submarining is – at its 

essence – a human endeavor. 

Doing it safely is only possible because of dedicated 

submariners with deep expertise and a deeper sense 

of integrity. We feel that we own this challenge – 

it is ours. It is the same thing with the new Sea 

Compass magazine - it is ours. The Submarine Force 

succeeds because of the creativity and initiative of 

our submariners. Sea Compass will succeed as 

well because it will be driven by the same forces - a 

magazine for us, written by us. So share your stories 

- with all the useful details - and help make us all 

safer.

Safety is a weapon. Your story may save a Sailor's 

life and keep them in the fight. The Submarine Force 

is all in - you'll be hearing from us. Please join us 

and use Sea Compass to make our Navy more safe. 

Semper Procinctum.

VADM John Richardson

charting the way ahead

leadership focus