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EDITORIAL STAFF

Media Division Head Derek Nelson

Editor Evelyn Odango

Graphics Allan Amen

John W. Williams

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EDITORIAL OFFICE

Commander, Naval Safety Center 

Attn: Sea Compass

375 A Street 

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

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

afloat safety programs directorate

Commander, Naval Safety Center 

Attn: Code 30

375 A Street 

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

Afloat mishap line: DSN 564-1562 / 7130; Fax: DSN 564-8636

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: Commander, Naval Safety 

Center, ATTN: 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 non-DoD resources do not imply Department of the Navy endorsement. Unless 

otherwise stated, material in this publication may be reprinted without permission; 

please credit the magazine and author. We reserve the right to edit all submissions 

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mission statement: Our goal is to provide information and resources 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 Commander, Naval Safety Center, Attn: Sea Compass, 375 A Street, 

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399.

Spring-Summer 2012 / Vol. 1, No. 3

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/

Commander, Naval Safety Center RADM Brian C. Prindle

Deputy Commander COL Mark W. Erb, USMC

Director, Afloat Safety Programs CDR Rosario D. McWhorter

Assistant Director, Afloat Safety Programs LCDR Timothy Debelak

Director, Communications and Marketing John Mahoney 

naval safety center advisors and contributing writers

CDR Kevin L. Smith kevin.l.smith@navy.mil

Surface Ship Division Head

LT Eli Ford elijah.ford@navy.mil

Diving and Salvage Division Head

LT Richard Ray richard.d.ray1@navy.mil

Submarine Division Head

Steve Scudder steve.scudder1@navy.mil

Afloat Safety Analyst/Publications Review

SURFACE

LT Edward Alexander edward.alexander1@navy.mil

Deck Analyst

HMC (SW/AWFMF) Randahl S. Benson randahl.benson@navy.mil

Medical/Independent Duty Corpsman Analyst

EMCM (SW/AW) Jim Burke jim.burke@navy.mil

Electrical Analyst

GSCS (SW) Esworth Carty esworth.carty@navy.mil

Main Propulsion/Gas Turbine Analyst

LT Christine Davy christine.davy@navy.mil

Damage Control Lead/Mishap Investigator

ETC (SW) Jason Mobbs jason.mobbs1@navy.mil

Fleet Combat Systems Analyst

DCC (SW/AW) John Ralston john.t.ralston@navy.mil

Damage Control Analyst

CWO4 Danny L. Royse danny.royse@navy.mil

Main Propulsion/Diesel Lead

GMC (SW) Ramiro Salas ramiro.salas@navy.mil

Weapons Analyst

Submarine and Diving

FTC (SS) William Cahill william.j.cahill@navy.mil

Submarine Deck Supervisor

CWO4 Robert Cassels robert.m.cassels@navy.mil

Diving/Salvage Assistant

ETC (SS) Kevin Dawson kevin.d.dawson@navy.mil

Submarine Electrical and Mechanical Analyst

HMC (SS) Christopher Harris christopher.l.harris@navy.mil

Submarine Medical Analyst

MMC (SS) Isaac Ingram isaac.ingram@navy.mil

Weapons Analyst

NDC (DSW/EXW) Rebecca Jones rebecca.a.jones@navy.mil

Diving Analyst

MMCS (SS) Arthur Sisk arthur.sisk@navy.mil

Submarine Damage Control Analyst

EMCM (SW/AW) Frank Valdepeña frank.valdepena@navy.mil

Submarine Division LCPO

COVER PHOTO AND OPPOSITE PAGE: 

Damage Controlman 1st Class Hector Floresdiaz 

demonstrates firefighting techniques to students 

attending the Center for Naval Engineering 

Learning Site, Pearl Harbor. DC1 Floresdiaz is an 

instructor of naval engineering, basic and advanced 

damage control, and aviation and machinery room 

firefighting tactics. (U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Mark 

Logico)

connect with us on the web

http://twitter.com/NSC_updates

www.youtube.com/user/navalsafetycenter

www.facebook.com/navalsafetycenter
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 1

SPRING-SUMMER 2012

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/sea-compass/index.aspx

cover story

TRAINING DAY 12

By DC1 (SW) Hector Floresdiaz

Damage controlman and instructor DC1 (SW) Hector 

Floresdiaz talks about what it takes to train and stay 

alive in a real fire and a training exercise.

feature Story

Painful First Deployment 16

By ENS Joshua Stewart

Nutritional supplements get a Sailor in painful situation 

when he didn't follow dosage instructions.

IN THIS ISSUE

letters, feedback & comments 5

SC NEWS WIRE 5

multimedia resources index 5

VIEWPOINT 

Written in Blood 6

By John Mapp

ASK THE EXPERTS

How Many Sailors Does It Take to Change a Light 

Starter? 8 

By EMCM (SW/AW) Jim Burke

What's the Secret to a Successful Safety Survey? 9 

By ETC (SW) Jason Mobbs

Sc magazine QUIZ

Test Your High-Risk Evolution Knowledge 15
2 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

GEAR, tools and equipment

Make Your Gear Seaworthy 26

By EMCM (SW/AW) Frank Valdepeña

CLEATS AND HATCHES

Cleats vs. Hands 28

By MMC (SS) Isaac Ingram

Keep Your Sub's Hatch Cover On 29

By Tom Deatherage 

DECK

Don't Wash That Non-Skid! 30

By LT Edward Alexander

ARMORY

Does Your Armory Have an SOP? 30

By GMC Ramiro Salas

ABOUT THE PHOTO ON THIS PAGE: Deep sea divers 

assigned to Mobile Diving Salvage Unit (MDSU) 1, deployed 

with Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), search the 

Palau, Federation of Micronesia crash site of a WWII military 

aircraft for the remains of fallen service members. (U.S. Navy 

photo by MC2 Christopher Perez)

SPRING-SUMMER 2012

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/sea-compass/index.aspx

departments

EDITOR'S CORNER

On Managing Risks and Resources 4

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A Promise to Ride Well and Stay Alive 10

By LT Noah Rich and ENS Caitlin Castello

USS Benfold (DDG 65) motorcycle riders sign a "Pledge 

to Safety" contract before hitting the road.

YOU BE THE JUDGE

Mishap Waiting to Happen 15 

By HMC (SW/AW/FMF) Randahl S. Benson

Would you be the one who should have done something 

about a mishap but chose not to? Judge the picture and 

tell us how many things you find wrong with it. 

ORM PLAYBOOK

Damage Control Gear 17

By Derek Nelson

Can you trust your gear? Make sure your gear works 

when you need it. Don't wait until it's too late. Get going 

with the right checklist.

safety and health

What's In Your Water? 18

By CWO4 Danny L. Royse

Prevent water contamination by following simple steps 

for checking and maintaining hoses, connectors and 

storage.

Knowing When to Say 'Damn It's Hot!" 19

By HMC (SS) Christopher Harris 

Don't overheat this summer. Know the early recognition 

and rapid treatment of heat injury symptoms. It's key to 

saving lives. 

case study

OPNAVINST 5100.19E? Never Heard Of It 20

By FTC (SS) William Cahill

A valuable reference for supervisors and leaders in 

keeping a ship's daily operations and evolutions in 

check.

dive locker

Diving Operation Essentials 21 

By CWO4 Robert Cassels

Checklists can help you avoid discrepancies and 

prepare for diving safety survey and diving operational 

readiness.

best practice

Two Checks (Together) Don't Make Right 22

By ETC (SS) Kevin Dawson

Required independent second checks protect people 

and prevent costly equipment damage. 

sea story

Pain in the Rear 24

By MMCS (SS) Arthur Sisk

A submariner looks back 20 years when haste caused a 

shipboard incident, which led to a tailbone injury.

OFF DUTY

Control the Urge 32

By LCDR Dave Williams

If you have a need for speed and fast cars, there's a way 

to do it legally. Some tips to keep you out of trouble.

The Helmet that Saved My Life Back Cover

By PR1 Thresa Crotz

By using everything this rider learned in motorcycle 

safety riders course, she now has a chance to tell you 

that wearing PPE works.
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 3
4 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

editor’s Corner i on managing risks and resources

Returning to Norfolk from an event in 

northwestern Virginia, I stopped in 

Washington, D.C., to drop off a passenger. 

Then the remaining passengers and I headed 

southbound on I-395 and I-95. Although it was just after 

midnight, the highway was still packed with cars going 

more than 70 miles per hour. 

En route to Richmond, the three passengers were 

fully awake and talking loudly. I focused on the highway. 

My sister said the driver of the car on her right was 

waving at her. A 

minute later, her 

son said that a car 

honked at us (I 

hadn’t heard it). 

When another 

car passed on my 

left, I checked 

my speed. The 

driver of the car 

behind me began 

flashing his high 

beams. Apparently, 

something was 

wrong, but I didn’t 

know what.

I got off the 

next exit and 

parked in a well-lit 

area. Keeping the 

engine running, I 

asked my nephew 

to walk around 

the vehicle to do a 

visual check. My 

headlights were off!

How could I have missed such an important 

standard operating procedure? I’ve been driving for 

nearly 30 years. My insurance company gives me a 

discount for being a good driver.

Several things led up to my dangerous error. For one 

thing, I wasn’t driving my own vehicle because it wasn’t 

big enough. Another factor was that by the time I pulled 

over, I’d driven nearly 10 hours, stopping at three major 

Virginia cities and logging more than 500 miles. I didn’t 

feel tired, but I was running on adrenaline. 

Fatigue was slowly taking over. I had become 

inattentive and complacent. Examining the dashboard, I 

saw that I hadn’t set the lights from “automatic” to “on.” 

I just assumed they were on because the dashboard was 

lit.

Driving on that dark, crowded highway, my 

situational awareness (SA) was in the “red.” In terms of 

time-critical risk management (TCRM), my resources 

(represented by the blocks in the graphics inset) 

weren’t adequate. I hadn’t had a checklist for that type 

of car, and made a 

procedural error. 

At least members 

of my “crew” spoke 

up, and other 

drivers tried to 

alert me.

I’d been 

bore-sighted on 

getting home, 

and I kept going 

(this time with 

headlights on). 

By the time we 

got to Richmond, 

it was clear that I 

needed to get back 

to the “green,” with 

improved SA and 

resources. I turned 

the keys over to my 

niece.

Which brings 

me to this issue 

of Sea Compass

— which is 

about managing risks and using resources effectively. 

In the articles, our Naval Safety Center experts 

and contributing writers share personal accounts, 

observations and lessons learned. We hope you find this 

issue both useful and enjoyable, and stay tuned for our 

summer digital edition on the web.

evelyn.odango@navy.mil
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 5

Naval Submarine School Claims Two NETC 

Safety Excellence Awards

GROTON, Conn. – The Naval Submarine School (NAVSUBSCOL) Safety Department received, this spring, 

the North District Command Safety Award and program 

manager Individual Safety Award from the Naval Education and Training Command. The awards recognize 

outstanding performance in the areas of safety and risk 

management in a training and education environment. 

With an annual throughput of 30,000 Sailors in nearly 

200 different courses, NAVSUBSCOL provides undersea 

war fighting training for the submarine force. For more 

news from NAVSUBSCOL, visit https://www.netc.navy.

mil/centers/slc/nss/default.aspx. 

ORM Magazine Now in Production 

NORFOLK, Va. – The Naval Safety Center is soliciting 

articles for the production of the 2012 ORM magazine. 

We're looking for articles where ORM or TCRM (timecritical risk management) principles were used during 

any on- or off-duty situation. Did risk management 

play a key role in your success, or was the lack of risk 

management a problem? Send articles to safe-seacompass@navy.mil. If you have any questions, contact Ted 

Wirginis at theodore.wirginis@navy.mil or 757-444-

3520, ext. 7271 (DSN 564-7271). Inputs are due by 

July 20.

Do you have news briefs and short takes? 

If you have an important announcement, news brief or safety 

information that can't wait until the next issue, you can be 

proactive and use Sea Compass to chart the way ahead. We 

can also post your news online.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Get approval from your chain of command, safety 

department or PAO.

2. Provide submission POC's name, email and phone 

number.

3. If referring to websites, please provide the full website 

address (URL).

4. Provide as much information as you can including 

the who, what, where, when, and how to access the 

information.

5. News briefs should be one page, double spaced.

7. Submit news briefs to safe-seacompass@navy.mil.

For more information, contact the editor at evelyn.odango@

navy.mil or call 757-444-3520, ext. 7220 (DSN 564).

SC News Wire safety news briefs letters, feedback & comments

 Please accept my congratulations on your 

Fall 2011 edition of Sea Compass. This is one 

of the finest publications of its kind I have seen 

in over 30 years in the Navy safety world. The 

articles are outstanding, and made me wish that 

a quality product like this was available to me 

as a deckplate leader years ago. I am looking 

forward to the next issue.

— Mark A. Lovelace, CSP 

U.S. Customs & Border Protection

From the Editor: Thank you very much for your 

generous comments. We have a pool of talented 

contributing writers, subject-matter experts and 

advisors who helped us create the first issue. We 

hope you enjoy this edition, as well.

We welcome letters, comments 

and suggestions from our 

readers. Send them to evelyn.

odango@navy.mil. We 

appreciate your feedback. You 

can also visit the Sea Compass 

magazine page at www.public.

navy.mil/pages/media/sea-compass/index.aspx. 

Scan the code with your smartphone to download 

the fulll issue (data rates may apply). 

If you would like to receive email notification of 

the digital edition online availability, subscribe by 

sending an email to safe-seacompass@navy.mil. 

Page 11 MSR DASHBOARD PLAYBOOK — 

The motorcycle safety representative's 

handy booklet for using ESAMS and other 

resources. 

Page 17 DECKPLATE DIALOGUE — Resources 

for guiding important discussions between 

Sailors and LPOs.

multimedia resources index

Throughout this issue, you will come across references 

to mulitmedia resources available from the Naval Safety 

Center. The page number reference listed below will 

take you to the article associated with the resource. For 

more information, contact the Communications and 

Marketing Department at 757-444-3520, Ext. 7870.
6 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

viewpoint commentary, opinion and point of view from Sea Compass readers

6 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

Written in Blood

Every safety regulation, the instructions, the Naval 

Safety Center, safety petty officers—all of these 

exist because someone died or came close to 

dying. The Navy got tired of losing trained personnel 

to senseless, preventable mishaps. Since it isn’t possible 

to wrap them in bubble-wrap or lock them up when 

they aren’t on duty, the Navy went with training and 

education. 

This brings us to the purpose of safety organizations 

that exist throughout the Navy. Contrary to popular 

opinion, the task of any safety organization is not to 

send specialists wandering around enforcing safety 

rules. Enforcement simply is not enough. Their primary 

goal is to make sure Sailors, Marines and civilians go 

home with the same amount of blood, and number of 

fingers, toes, and eyes they left home with. Part of their 

task is giving our workers enough information about the 

hazards they face every day to make the right decisions 

about managing risks. So the idea was that personnel 

would get educated about the risks they faced. These 

educated Sailors, Marines and civilians would make 

informed decisions about the hazards they were exposed 

to, thus reducing the number of mishaps.

Alas, this proved to be wildly optimistic. A solid 

percentage of these “apprentices” apparently slept 

through their training—judging by the unending stream 

of mishaps where young men and women continually 

rediscover the old tried-and-true ways to get hurt, 

maimed and killed. Even if a Sailor or Marine managed 

to pay attention to safety training, he or she often 

thought the rules applied to everyone else. “That’ll never 

happen to me. I know what I’m doing.”

Another favorite line is, “I’ve been doing this job for 

umpty-squintillion years and never had an accident!” Guess 

what? The person making that statement was either 

following basic safety rules all along or has been lucky 

for a long time. Congratulations on dodging the bullet 

all those years. But you need to remember that luck 

comes in three flavors—blind, dumb and bad—and you 

can’t control which version shows up. If you’re relying 

on luck to keep you safe, you’re gambling with your life 

and health.

There are always a few folks out there at this point 

who say, “So what? My life; my business!” It isn’t just your 

life and health you put in jeopardy. What happens if 

your lack of regard for others injures, maims, or kills one 

of your shipmates? Don’t say you didn’t know it would 

happen. 

Every man and woman wearing the uniform has 

been through training and refresher training and safety 

By John Mapp

There is a Navywide tendency to scoff at safety rules. The old traditions of 

“toughing it out” or “can do” are widely regarded as the sources for this 

attitude. What everyone keeps forgetting is that those rules were written 

in someone’s blood.
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 7

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.

– RADM Brian Prindle, Commander, Naval Safety Center

What's Your Point of View?

Do you have an idea for a safety viewpoint or maybe an observation about a process or a daily 

routine? Send your commentaries, opinions and views to safe-seacompass@navy.mil.

SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 7

stand-downs their entire career. They’ve been told it 

can and will happen. They’ve been shown it can and 

will happen. And yet they still insist on behaving like 

drunken frat boys on a beer run. “No pro-o-o-oblem, 

man. If there’s one thing I know, it’s how to drive when I’m 

hammered. Rules? They’re for other people.”

When you get right down to it, it isn’t your life to 

throw away; even if yours is the only life at risk. Like it 

or not, the Navy gets a say in what you can do with your 

life, whether you’re on the ship, on duty or in uniform. 

Before you start complaining, remember that every 

service member wearing the Navy or Marine Corps 

uniform swore an oath to obey the orders of the officers 

appointed over them. For those of you who weren’t 

paying attention, those safety regulations you fail to 

obey are lawful orders. Every time you refuse to follow 

a safety instruction, you are proving to everyone around 

you that your sworn word is no good. “Oh, yeah! I’m too 

cool to bother with safety rules!”

Your safety is in your hands. It’s your responsibility. 

So, the next time someone tells you to put on your 

safety glasses don’t get mad at them. All they did was 

catch you being stupid. When someone reminds you to 

keep your hands clear of the machine guards, don’t gripe 

about it. You were just demonstrating the fact that you 

lied about obeying orders. 

Don’t complain when you get told to wear gloves 

and an apron with that solvent you’re using. You were 

just proving that you don’t care about yourself or your 

shipmates. If you insist on being inconsiderate, you have 

no one to blame but yourself when the lack of common 

sense blows up in your face. The only real tragedy is 

from the innocent bystanders who might get caught in 

the ensuing disaster.

Here is a truism about safety rules: Read and heed, or 

ignore and bleed.

Mr. Mapp, a retired Sailor, is a safety specialist at the 

Norfolk Naval Shipyard. He writes for his command 

safety newsletter and is a regular contributor to Sea 

Compass. His articles have also appeared in Decisions 

magazine, and previously in Sea&Shore and other 

Naval Safety Center publications.

Read more Viewpoint online at www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/sea-compass/viewpoint.aspx
8 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

Send your questions you want Naval Safety Center subjectmatter experts to address in the next issue, to safeseacompass@navy.mil. Please provide your email and 

contact information for verification purposes. 

questions, mysteries and unclear issues 

answered by CNSC safety analysts

By EMCM (SW/AW) Jim Burke

I

often joke with Sailors around the fleet that this is 

what you do when you reach the pinnacle of your 

career as a U.S. Navy master chief electrician: you tell 

people how to replace light bulbs! 

As funny as it seems, the fleet is lacking in guidance 

on how to change out light starters and isn’t familiar 

with current advisories. Sixty-five light-starter shocks 

were reported in 2010 alone. In fact, plastic starters 

and metal starters that have been specifically recalled 

have caused light-starter change-out to become the 

most commonly reported shock hazard on ships and 

submarines in 2011. 

This is not an electrician issue that can be controlled 

by targeted advisories. It is a Sailor issue, because all 

hands routinely change out their own light starters in 

divisional spaces and berthings. Even a simple light-bulb 

or starter replacement can be dangerous, given the fact 

that we are effectively floating on a live capacitor: an 

ungrounded electrical system surrounded by salt water.

Plastic starters have been illegal on naval ships and 

submarines since 2007. They become heated, discolored 

and brittle over time. When Sailors attempt to replace 

them, they tend to 

crumble in their 

hands exposing 

them to internal 

elements rated at 

120 volts AC. In 

September 2010, 

one popular type 

of metal starter 

was recalled 

by Naval Surface Warfare Center: Surelite FS-2 light 

starters with blue writing and a black base. 

There are many Surelite starters in the fleet, but this 

particular model is cheaply made and has oversized tabs 

that rotate to come in contact with 120-

volt terminals (left). If these particular 

starters are found in your supply bins, 

turn them back into supply and fill out 

a quality deficiency report (QDR) so 

your supply chain can be purged up 

to the depot level (DLA has already 

purged down to the depot level from 

their end). The message governing this 

How Many Sailors Does It Take to Change a Light Starter?

recall and guidance is NSWCCD-SSES 938 In-Service 

Engineering Advisory No. 043-07, "Discontinued Use 

of Plastic Starters for Fluorescent Lights Installed on 

Ships" and Advisory No. 025-10, “Discontinued Use 

of Surelite Brand Fluorescent Lamp Starters.” Both 

advisories released on plastic and metal Surelite starters 

offer guidance on replacing starters. If you find any of 

these recalled starters, maintenance should only be 

attempted by a qualified electrician.

Naval Safety Center experts recommend that the 

basic tenets of this guidance be applied to all light/

starter replacement procedures. Pass this information 

on to your crew through POD notes and at INDOC or 

annual crew electrical-safety training: 

► De-energize/turn off the light fixture before 

maintenance. 

► Remove the light bulb, as this effectively breaks 

the circuit between the 120-volt source and the light 

starter. (See diagram below.)

► Remove light starter and replace with new.

► Re-install light bulb and turn back on.

Now you know the answer to the age-old question. 

And please remember, even though it’s “just a light 

bulb,” that doesn’t mean it can’t kill you. It happened to 

a Coast Guardsman in 2010. Keep your eyes open and 

stay safe.

EMCM Burke is the leading chief petty officer for the survey team in 

the Afloat Safety Directorate, Naval Safety Center.
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 9

online resources

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

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

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 (SSB)

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

By ETC (SW) Jason Mobbs

We often get frantic phone calls just prior to a 

ship’s safety survey and the question is always 

the same: What do we need to do to pass our 

upcoming safety survey? We do our best to assure the 

caller that, no matter what, they will be fine.

How can we say that without seeing the ship? 

Because we are there to help. Although there is no way 

to fail a safety survey, some are more successful than 

others. Here are some quick tips to ensure success:

Prepare early

Begin preparing six months out. Start with a senior 

person from each area running the applicable checklist. 

Answer honestly and use a zero-defect mentality. One 

of our goals while onboard is to give the commanding 

officer a detailed report on every item as we walked by 

it. Discrepancies that are corrected prior to the end of 

the survey will still be listed; however we will note the 

crew’s corrective actions. 

Use your last safety survey as a guide. Avoid 

recurring hits from your last survey if possible. If past 

surveys noted programmatic deficiencies—and these 

programs are still a problem—then you may need 

outside assistance. Contact your subject-matter expert at 

the Naval Safety Center (NSC) as early as possible with 

any questions or concerns.

take action

Are the issues that you are finding programmatic? 

Are they PMS-related? Or are they general design or 

supply-related? Once a program is up and running there 

should be no reason for it to fail. There may be times 

that certain checklist items may not be ideal due to 

manning, unexpected transfers or higher priorities. Ask 

for help from the appropriate higher authority, such as 

your TYCOM, ISIC, or NAVSEA.

We quantify a PMS-related deficiency based on 

the PMS card information we find. For example, if the 

PMS had been done verbatim as the card was written, 

then there would be no deficiency. Many times we find 

these discrepancies when the PMS card called for a 

form or specific information to be recorded in a log, and 

the log or information called for in the maintenance 

requirement card cannot be produced. 

Have you seen things around your ship that you just 

know are not right or are improperly designed? Contact 

NAVSEA or the appropriate technical warrant holder. 

NSC analysts can also help you contact the appropriate 

authority.

Train to the reference and the applicable standard

During the time safety surveyors are onboard, 

you will never hear, “I think this is how it should be” or 

“On my old ship this was how we did it.” We train and 

speak directly to the paragraph or sentence that we are 

citing as a deficiency. As our manning decreases in the 

fleet, we are constantly creating new subject-matter 

experts and training them to existing references and 

standards. This process ensures continuity of service and 

standardization. 

These steps will ensure success and help create a 

well-managed culture of safety. We are your advocate 

for successful surveys. Don’t wait too long. Avoid that 

frantic phone call at the last minute.

ETC Mobbs is the fleet combat systems analyst in the Afloat Safety 

Directorate, Naval Safety Center.

What's the Secret to a Successful Safety Survey?
10 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

in thespotlight

T 

he crew of a ship faces dangerous tasks every day, 

from climbing towering masts to landing helicopters 

on a tossing and turning platform to dangling over 

the side to paint. However, the most dangerous task 

Sailors face every day in port is the commute to and 

from work. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration, about 35,000 people die as a result of 

motor vehicle crashes each year. In California alone, 

where the weather is ideal for motorcycle riding, 

around 70 out of every 100,000 registered motorcycle 

drivers are killed in crashes each year. The safety team 

on USS Benfold (DDG 65) wants to do its part in 

making the highways safer for motorcycle riders and 

others on the road. 

The command’s goal, as it is with any other on- or 

off-duty task, is not to avoid risk but to manage it. The 

Navy isn’t going to ban motorcycle riding because it 

is dangerous. Its leaders and safety team want to teach 

riders how to manage the risks of riding to make sure 

every Sailor stays alive.

With this in mind, the crew of USS Benfold held 

their first “Motorcycle Safety Ride” in spring 2011, 

with nine Sailors participating. It was organized 

by ENS Chris Richardson, the ship’s motorcycle 

safety coordinator. He prepared the event at the 

recommendation of Chief Warrant Officer Chester 

Gorman, the ship’s main propulsion assistant, to 

educate the riders of safe-riding practices and raise 

awareness of all drivers on the importance of looking 

out for motorcyclists on the road. It has since become a 

monthly event.

After riding into work in the mornings a few times, 

CWO3 Gorman noticed that some of Benfold's novice 

motorcycle riders were clearly nervous on their bikes. 

“The motorcycle safety course that is required for 

all DoD personnel is a great tool, but it’s only two days 

long,” he explained. “No one is an expert after that.” 

USSBenfold (DDG 65) riders round the bend on motorcycle safety

By LT Noah Rich and ENS Caitlin Castello

ENS Allison Hamel, one of the less experienced 

riders aboard USS Benfold, explains how much she has 

benefited from the ship’s safety rides. “The ride taught 

me a lot about my bike that I didn’t know. I feel so much 

more confident riding now.” She also appreciates the 

other riders who have helped her better understand the 

elements of her motorcycle and how to check them for 

performance and safety.

USS Benfold's recent time in the yards has helped 

her crew focus on their personal and professional 

development. ENS Richardson had aimed to make 

monthly motorcycle safety rides a part of this 

SC Magazine Illustration

A Promise to Ride Well and Stay Alive

The ride taught me a lot about 

my bike that I didn’t know. 

I feel so much more confident riding now. 

– ENS Allison Hamel
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 11

development. CWO3 Gorman illustrated why these 

rides will continue to be effective contributions to USS 

Benfold's mission right now. “We are setting it up like any 

mentor program in the Navy,” Gorman explained. 

“Those who have been riding for a long time will 

pair up with newer riders and work with them on 

important skills like passing and riding in tandem 

– things you don’t really get a lot of practice with in 

the two-day course but that are important for any 

motorcycle rider to be proficient with so that they build 

confidence in their riding abilities.” 

Each of the participants in the command’s 

motorcycle safety ride showed their commitment 

to the mission of personal development by signing a 

“Pledge to Safety,” in which they promise to follow all 

regulations and practice safe riding habits both on- and 

off-duty. 

“It’s a reminder to all of us that the most important 

thing is that we make it home alive every time,” said 

ENS Richardson.

The program has maintained 100 percent 

accountability in the ESAMS database for all riders. 

Currently all riders have taken the required Navymandated courses and have had zero injuries related to 

motorcycles this year. And with winter approaching, 

now is a good time to get extra training through 

military-endorsed/state-approved courses. Riders 

can take extra classes including the military sportbike 

rider course (MSRC) and the experienced rider course 

(ERC) to get more familiar with their motorcycles. 

During their last ride, the group went over winter 

tips. Although they rarely see ice in San Diego, the team 

discussed the need for warmer clothes, proper riding 

gear and motorcycle maintenance, including changing 

out anti-freeze in preparation for the cold months. 

At the time of this writing, LT Rich served as the ship’s operations 

officer, and ENS Castello was the ship’s first lieutenant. USS Benfold

is homeported in San Diego.

Top: (From left) GSM1 Michael Oswald; CS3 Erick 

Reanos; and FC2 Kevin Moreland look back to make sure 

the group is ready to ride. Above: Every rider must read 

the rider's safety contract and sign the "Pledge to Safety," 

which addresses motorcycle operational checklist, PPE, 

ORM, local and state laws, and general safety. 

Photo by LT Noah Rich

SC Magazine Photo

online resources

Enterprise Safety Applications Management System (ESAMS) 

www.cnic.navy.mil/CNRMA/RegionOperationsandServices/OperationsandManagement/Safety/ESAMS/index.htm

Navy Motorcycle Management Tool 

www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/documents/ashore/motorvehicle/Nav_ ESAMS_mcy_msg.doc

Navy Motorcycle Training Registration 

www.navymotorcyclerider.com/

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

Fatality Analysis Reporting System Encyclopedia: www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/main/index.aspx 

Traffic Safety Facts/California: www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-30/ncsa/STSI/6_CA/2009/6_CA_2009.htm

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

www.msf-usa.org/index_new.cfm?spl=2&action=display&pagename=Library

Calling all Motorcycle Safety Reps 

(MSRs). We have two new resources 

for you: MSR Dashboard Playbook 

(ESAMS gouge) and MSR "Quick Tips" 

trifold. Visit the Naval Safety Center 

website to download your PDF.
12 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

 hen a firefighter arrives at the scene 

of a fire, everything he learned in the 

classroom and in the field comes back in 

full force. Everything must be done by the 

book. He has to trust the people around him. However, 

the challenge is not always with structure fires or 

machinery-room explosions. 

For a trainer, perhaps the most demanding part of 

each day is having the Sailors work together under all 

kinds of conditions, including conflicting attitudes. I 

tell students that their survival depends on their ability 

to work together. If they ignored this, they could lose 

their ship or their shipmates. Attitudes play a big part in 

guaranteeing we all come out alive. 

Safety First

The students’ safety is always the top priority at the 

schoolhouse. When we receive students at SWOS, we 

expect them to be prepared. We expect the commands 

that are sending students to us to prepare their Sailors 

with basic knowledge of safety and high-risk evolutions. 

Some students tell us their commands remind them to 

make sure they get a good breakfast before coming to 

class, drink plenty of water, and get enough sleep the day 

before. These are the students we know will be prepared 

for training. Unfortunately this is not always the case. 

So, if anything is going to go wrong it would be with the 

others. That is why we have to be ready for anything.

We always call a training time out (TTO) whenever 

an instructor sees something that is not right. Our 

protocol for safety is intense. There are days that we 

might call six TTOs during one evolution because 

students are not paying attention or they lack energy. If 

it becomes necessary to prolong training to get through 

a high-risk evolution without any violations or mishaps, 

we would do so for the students’ safety. 

A Matter of Trust

As trained damage control (DC) instructors, we 

can control everything, from how big the fire gets to the 

behavior of the fire. Equipment can sometimes break 

down and when it does, our skilled communication 

personnel can usually fix it. But human error is one 

aspect of this job that is beyond our control. Human 

stress — the student who might not be paying attention 

or doesn’t care to be in the field — affects the entire 

U.S. Navy photo/SWOS Engineering Learning Site Pearl Harbor

cover story 

Going into a fire, there are 

three things a damage 

controlman must trust: 

his partner, gear and 

training. All three control 

the outcome of every 

scenario, real or not. 

In the three years that 

I’ve been an instructor 

at the Surface Warfare 

Officer School (SWOS) 

Engineering Learning Site 

at Pearl Harbor, I’ve seen 

how teamwork affects the 

outcome of a fire. Training By DC1 (SW) Hector Floresdiaz Day
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 13

mood of the class. It adds anxiety to the setting because 

now there are two things that the instructor will have 

to be aware of: the students who are happy to get the 

training and the student who wishes he were somewhere 

else and doesn’t want to be there. As soon as a student 

comes to our learning site, he learns to trust the person 

next to him. Just as important, the students must have 

assurances that the instructor is giving them his full 

attention so they can safely maneuver through their 

training scenarios.

An unprepared student can panic and become 

disoriented. In most cases this happens to someone 

who doesn’t have adequate training. During a training 

evolution, it is important for students to discuss the 

value of teamwork. Panicking is one of the most 

dangerous things DC personnel can do in a real fire. 

This condition could lead to a more serious situation 

like becoming trapped. There must always be someone 

on your team who can be trusted to remain calm and 

composed at all times. Repetitive training can build selfconfidence and strong teamwork.

All the Right Gear

One of the reasons why it is important to have 

everyone go through a high-risk class is to let them 

know that their personal protective equipment (PPE) 

works. It is also a valuable time to learn that if they take 

care of it, the equipment will take care of them. So, make 

sure you know your equipment even if you’re never 

going to use it. It is better to know your equipment 

and never have to use it than need it but don’t know 

anything about it. Your PPE will protect you. But you 

need to train. Your training will get you through any 

casualty. 

The self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) has 

two alarms: a bell alarm and a vibration alarm (in case 

they cannot hear the bell). These alarms will save them 

if they run out of air. We show them how to test the 

alarms before going into a fire. This check is done by the 

damage controlmen on the ship, but is something good 

for everyone to know.

The SCBAs that we use to fight fires have 40 to 

45 minutes of air. Everyone breathes differently, so 

this alarm system is very critical. For one person, a 

45-minute bottle might last for 40 minutes, which is 

normal. But then you have people that get very excited 

and breathe very fast, or may not be in good shape; their 

bottles can last 25 minutes. That is why it is important to 

know that your alarms work before going into a fire. 

This check takes about 10 seconds and it will save 

your life. In a fire, if you don’t get the indication that 

you are running out of air the fire may not get you, but 

the smoke will. The alarm goes off when you have 25 

percent of air left in the bottle. That gives you about 10 

minutes — plenty of time to evacuate.

We show slides of this process in the classroom 

and demonstrate it in the field. The students have to 

demonstrate proficiency that they know how to do this 

check. Alternatively, the other indication that they are 

running out of air is their SCBA gauge, which is visible 

in the dark. But when fighting a fire, paying attention 

to the bottle is often hard to do. Knowing how the two 

alarms work is more practical. 

Training Day

Every training scenario is different. But one 

element of training that must remain uninterrupted 

is communication. In this scenario, instructors and 

students communicate verbally and by body language. 

The air capable ship-helo firefighting team evaluation 

( J-495-0414) starts in the classroom and moves into 

the fire field. We address three topics: flight deck 

and aluminized fire protective clothing/equipment, 

organization and procedures, and the actual scenario. 

U.S. Navy photo/SWOS Engineering Learning Site Pearl Harbor

A class goes through the shipboard 

consolidated firefighting training (A-495-

0018). This “fire” is a main machinery fire. 

The students are coming from above and 

heading down two flights of stairs where 

they have to fight a boiler fire. 

Information Systems Technician 2nd 

Class Shana Gibbs adjusts a Sailor's 

firefighting gear during a general 

quarters drill aboard the amphibious 

U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Nardelito Gervacio

assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2).
14 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

Only personnel who are trained and prepared to 

be evaluated by the instructors participate. If they pass 

this class, it will be the first step to being air-capablecertified for their ship. Once the class is over, the field 

safety chief—who is in charge of the safety of the whole 

evolution—addresses the safety evolution of the fire. 

He talks to them about the TTO and mishap policies, 

and what is expected of them during the evolution. 

An instructor then leads them into a space where they 

receive their PPE. 

Once inside, their scene leader takes over and 

dresses them in their turn-out gear. Our instructors 

then walk around the room to make sure everyone 

is satisfactorily dressed and ready. At the same time 

that we are inspecting their PPE, we are also studying 

them by looking into their eyes and making sure they 

comprehend what is being explained by their scene 

leader. When they are ready an instructor walks them 

over to the helo fire structure. After another look, they 

head inside the fire trainer. All the instructors must be 

satisfied before the instructor team leader allows the 

structure chief to let the students enter the structure. 

Once the structure chief gives him the okay, the 

instructors walk the hose teams to their designated area 

and the instructors start talking to them to make sure 

they know what is supposed to happen. If they have 

no questions, we will do a “wet walk-through” (going 

through the whole scenario with no fire, just water). If 

we see that they understand the whole scenario, we will 

bring them out and go over any safety violation that we 

see and ask if they have any questions before we actually 

do the evaluation. If they are ready, we give them a break 

to drink plenty of water and get ready for the evolution. 

Once they are all back we bring them inside and our 

scene leader instructor yells out that an incoming helo 

is on its way with problems and describes what is on 

board. Everyone goes down to the deck. He signals the 

structure chief to light up the helo. He then signals back 

to the on-scene leader instructor to engage the fire. The 

ship’s on-scene leader takes over and we evaluate the 

evolution. They have two chances to pass the evolution. 

Our students receive the best type of training 

they can possibly get. At this command we have safety 

precautions in place so that no Sailor gets injured and, at 

the same time, they see how safety plays a big part in the 

Navy. One thing that could hurt the Sailors is that their 

command might not be able to send them because they 

are too busy with inspections or drills. 

Every high-risk evolution presents a different set of 

dangers. All Sailors should have the opportunity to learn 

how to make time-critical risk management decisions. 

Training is what they need to better prepare themselves.

DC1 Floresdiaz is an instructor of naval engineering, basic and 

advanced damage control, and aviation and machinery room 

firefighting tactics at SWOS Engineering Learning Site, Pearl Harbor.

How I got here ...

After completing the journeyman instructor training (JIT) school, 

I went through scenarios for fires and wet trainers. I practiced 

each topic in the syllabus with other students until each one 

of us was able to teach the entire class as part of the exercise. 

For the field, I started out as an under instruction (U/I) safety 

observer where I kept an eye on students to make sure they 

went through a safe evolution while looking at the evolution 

itself. This ensured that one day I would be able to do what the 

instructors were doing inside the fires. When I arrived here, I 

was quickly qualifying for the fires as a new instructor. I was 

already a team leader and my next qualification was structure 

chief, a position for which mostly chiefs qualify. But before I was 

able to finish my qualifications I was sent to Iraq for a year of 

individual augment (IA) tour. After that tour, I had to start all over 

again with my qualifications to include sitting in all the classes 

as a student. I didn’t mind that because I love what I do and it 

has helped me become a better instructor.

Physically and mentally fit ...

In this job it's important to be physically and mentally ready. The 

first thing I do when I get up at 0230 is eat a big breakfast then 

go to the gym when it opens at 0430. I do an intense one-anda-half hour workout to prepare myself and to clear my mind of 

any problems I have outside of work. By 0600, I am ready to 

train and fight fires. All that is in my mind as an instructor are 

the students.

Good leaders, great shipmates ...

At every command where I’ve been, usually a chief has a lot to 

do with my success. My chiefs have always pushed me to be 

better than the next guy. If you are committed to always doing the right things, then your chiefs will always help you even 

when you slip up. And this command is no exception; they 

have helped me in my ups and downs and have kept me out 

of trouble. This command also has great shipmates that have 

helped in my success when it came to being a good instructor.

The greatest reward ...

Knowing that I play a big role when it comes to training our 

Sailors and knowing they look to me for guidance when a real 

casualty occurs. 

DC1 Floresdiaz talks 

with Sea Compass about 

his training experience, 

what he values most as a 

damage controlman, and 

the people he works with. U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Mark Logico
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 15

Send your answers to safeseacompass@navy.mil. Answers will be 

posted online this summer. Visit the Sea 

Compass home page on the Media tab of 

the Naval Safety Center web site.

Test your high-risk 

evolution knowledge

Q: What is a high-risk evolution?

Q: Who is the “Hot Suit Man”?

Q: When performing damage control gear 

PMS check, how often should you visually inspect and refill your air cylinder?

a) after any use

b) each month

c) every 36 months

Q: How often should you inspect, clean and 

stow breathing apparatus?

a) after any use

b) each month

c) every 36 months

Q: What is the requirement to inspect and 

test breathing apparatus?

a) after any use

b) each month

c) every 36 months

Q: When should you perform an SCBA functional test?

a) after any use

b) each month

c) every 36 months

ALSOBYDC1 FLORESDIAZ: "By the Book"

Experience is the greatest teacher of all. In shipboard damage control, doing everything by the 

book is a matter of life and death. (Online)

YOU BE THE JUDGE

By HMC (SW/AW/FMF) Randahl S. Benson

Despite several high-profile and costly hazmat fires in 

the last few years, most people still feel that it will never 

happen to them, and that hazmat is someone else’s job. 

Neither attitude is right. Dealing with hazardous materials 

on a ship is everyone’s responsibility and can become 

everyone’s problem. How many times have you walked 

past the 55-gallon drum of lube oil in the fan room? 

How many times have you walked by items with expired 

hazardous-material warning label on them and just figured 

that someone else would take care of them? What about 

the Sailor with the unlabeled food-service can of paint? Or 

the guy who needed a small amount of hazmat and just put 

it in a handy water bottle. 

These are just a few of the things we find during our 

surveys. Why do we find things that crewmembers didn’t 

find in their own spaces? I understand that sometimes 

a new set of eyes is helpful. But if we all maintained a 

questioning attitude, things like those above would not 

get overlooked. If something looks wrong, it probably is. 

At the very least, let the space owner know so they can 

take care of the problem. Don’t be the one looking back 

thinking, “If only I had said something.” We all have to 

maintain our spaces and protect our ship and shipmates. 

Do your part as you move about. Correct discrepancies 

when you see them. 

HMC Benson is the medical/independent duty corpsman analyst in 

the Afloat Safety Directorate, Naval Safety Center.

Mishap Waiting to Happen

HOW MANY THINGS CAN YOU FIND WRONG WITH THIS 

PICTURE? Submit your answers to safe-seacompass@

navy.mil. We will post the answers next issue.

SC Magazine

Quiz
16 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

Properly used, it is okay to take nutritional 

supplements; however, they must be 

used in moderation and in accordance 

with the guidance listed on the container. 

Supplements can be a powerful tool in supporting 

your work in the weight room.

I, however, learned firsthand that they can be 

dangerous if you don’t adhere to the precautions 

on the label. It is important that people learn from 

my mistake so that no one will have to repeat 

what my ship and I went through. I started using 

supplements three months before the start of rugby 

season my senior year of college. I decided to take 

nutritional supplements to get a competitive edge. 

After the first couple of weeks I noticed a huge 

difference in my performance. I was getting much 

stronger while also losing weight. 

A few weeks later, I secured a starting spot on 

the team and loved the attention that I was getting, 

so I kept using supplements without regard for the 

label on the product. I was in the best shape of my 

life and didn’t think anything of the risk.

Three weeks after getting commissioned, I 

reported to my first ship and immediately set sail 

across the Atlantic on deployment. After the third 

day of our transit, I started being unable to urinate 

freely. I immediately went to medical where the 

corpsman recommended that I relax and drink 

plenty of fluids. Later that night, I felt severe pain in 

my lower stomach and headed back to medical for 

help. As a result of the failure to urinate on my own, 

Taking nutritional supplements has its benefits, but failing to read the 

label puts this young ensign in a hospital while on his first deployment

the fluid was building up inside me and causing 

significant pain. The corpsman inserted a catheter 

which relieved the pain � not the most pleasant 

experience. 

I thought everything was good until the same 

problem recurred; this time catheterization didn’t 

work. My ship rerouted at high speed to the nearest 

hospital. I was under intense pain. The corpsman 

inserted a needle into my bladder to remove the 

urine through a syringe. 

Upon arriving at a hospital ashore, I was 

hospitalized for a week with internal bleeding. It 

was the most painful experience I have endured in 

my life. I played rugby for a few years in college and 

have had my share of painful injuries, but none of 

them were even close to the pain I encountered.

Before you take a nutritional supplement, you 

need to know the dangers and hazards involved 

and potential side effects. All I really cared about 

at the time was the fact that the supplements 

were enhancing my performance on the field. The 

supplement’s label said to take it for no longer than 

three months, not to drink any other sources of 

caffeine, and to drink plenty of water. I failed to 

follow all three of these warnings. 

You need to understand the risks involved and 

the precautions you need to take when consuming 

supplements. Do your research before starting a 

supplement; if in doubt, talk to your physician. 

ENS Stewart serves aboard USS Carr (FFG 52).

online resources

Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center 

www.nmcphc.med.navy.mil/Healthy_Living/Nutrition/dietary_supplements.aspx

Deployment Health

www.nmcphc.med.navy.mil/Deployment_Health/deploymenthealth_overview.aspx

Pa i n f u l Fi r s t 

D e p l o y m e n t

By ENS Joshua Stewart
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 17

Playbook ORMMANAGE RISK . ENSURE SUCCESS . CO MPLETE THE MISSION .

Adapted from “Deckplate Dialogue,” June 2010

By Derek Nelson

What’s the issue?

Sailors understand the importance of damage 

control (DC), but may not appreciate the need for 

maintaining the gear.

What’s going on?

Few personnel have dealt with a major casualty, such 

as a serious fire or collision. Such catastrophic events 

are rare, but they do happen. Fighting the conflagration 

aboard USS George Washington in May 2008, the 

crew found that at least 20 percent of the firefighting 

apparatus and gear either didn’t work at all or didn’t 

work up to standards. After USS San Francisco’s allision 

with a sea mount in January 2005, the crew’s damagecontrol efforts spelled the difference between recovery 

and the threat of a complete loss.

In any case, a serious casualty is not the time to find 

out that your Vari-nozzle doesn’t work or that you have 

a problem with your self-contained breathing apparatus 

(SCBA) face piece. Small Class C fires can quickly spiral 

out of control if damage control efforts aren’t quick and 

effective.

In the summer of 2008, Naval Safety Center survey 

teams documented downward trends in the condition 

of damage-control material readiness and the level of 

knowledge of damage control petty officers. Although 

surveyed units are required to follow-up on how they are 

fixing problems, there were too many repeat problems 

and ineffective actions. Commands averaged 42 

discrepancies on the 146 damage-control items checked 

by the submarine survey teams. Surface ships averaged 

21 discrepancies for the 107 items checked. Recurrent 

shipboard problem areas include CO2

 actuators, 

compressed-gas cylinders, and explosion-proof lighting.

During the first quarter of FY11, every command 

had problems with submersible pumps and aqueous 

potassium carbonate (APC) systems (nozzles, fusible 

links, and scissor assemblies). Two-thirds of the 

surveyed commands had discrepancies with electricalsafety gloves, self-contained breathing apparatus face 

pieces, red-devil blowers, and fire-extinguisher PMS. 

What’s the solution?

During the past three years, a number of initiatives 

have been launched to improve the material readiness 

of damage-control equipment, and improve the level of 

knowledge of damage control petty officers (DCPOs) 

and ship’s company.

DC courses (both the training and the exams) have 

been expanded and made much more practical and 

hands-on. An intensive effort is underway to clarify and 

correct PMS maintenance requirement cards. Naval 

Safety Center teams spent the past year providing 

focused DC training aboard ships. They don’t just teach 

Sailors how to do the PMS — they teach the chain of 

command how to oversee and verify the work.

Mr. Nelson is head of the Media Division at the Naval Safety Center.

Damage Control 

Can You Trust 

Your Gear?

Discussion items and open questions

1. When was the last time you actually used some 

damage control equipment (as opposed to going 

through the motions)? Did you have any problems?

2. Are you confident that all of your damage-control 

gear works as advertised?

3. If so, do you actually check it?

4. Have you ever gun-decked PMS? If so, why? www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/orm/orm.aspx

browse

preview

download 

sign up

Visit the Media tab of the Naval Safety Center home

page for archives of "Deckplate Dialogue."
18 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

safety & health

By CWO4 Danny L. Royse

Your ship has just returned from another 

arduous underway period. You breathe 

a sigh of relief. You and your crew can 

finally get some well-deserved liberty. You go 

through your in-port checklist, and the last thing 

to do is connect the pier-side potable water to 

your ships system. You grab the hoses and get the 

job done. 

Down below, the crew starts drinking that 

ice-cold water or mixing their energy drinks after 

completing a sea-detail-workout. The galley crew 

is busy whipping up the evening meal using the 

water you provided.

All of a sudden, this enormous responsibility 

looms over you. Questions run through your head. You 

mentally review the steps and procedures you took one 

more time. Did I follow all the proper precautions? Did I 

clean and sanitize those hoses thoroughly before use? 

Are you one of those auxiliaries members (better 

known as “A-Gangers”) who drink bottled water because 

you saw what the connection fittings and hoses looked 

like? 

The ship's health and welfare is in your hands at this 

specific moment. Are your potable-water-connection 

accessories in accordance with the Naval Ships’ Technical 

Manual (NSTM 533, Potable Water Systems)? What 

happens if your ship’s potable-water system gets 

contaminated and a large number of the crew is hit with 

a waterborne disease? The ship’s mission could 

be degraded because of something as simple as 

improperly maintained hoses and connectors.

Follow these simple steps to prevent potable 

water contamination. 

1. Potable-water fill connections shall be 

closed and capped when not in use. The cap must 

be chained or wired to the station. 

2. Potable-water receiving-station risers and 

hose connections must be color coded and clearly 

marked in one-inch letters: “Potable Water Only.”

3. Potable-water hoses shall be labeled 

“Potable Water Use Only” every 10 feet. 

4. Potable-water deck lockers shall be labeled 

“Potable Water Hose Stowage” and mounted 18 

inches off the deck. They must be vermin-proof 

and locked at all times. The only authorized items 

stored inside the lockers are potable-water hoses and 

connection fittings that are coupled or closed with 

caps. Instructions for disinfecting hoses and risers must 

be posted in a conspicuous place inside the locker, as 

well. This locker is not an authorized storage place for 

hypochlorite. 

Do the right thing — pay close attention during 

potable-water-handling evolutions. Remember, a safe 

environment doesn’t happen by accident.

CWO4 Royse is the main propulsion/auxiliaries analyst in the Afloat 

Safety Directorate, Naval Safety Center.

U.S. Navy photo U.S. Navy photo
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 19

U.S. Navy photo

H

ow can you tell when your body is overheating? 

Lightheadedness? Nausea? How about passing 

out on a treadmill and getting thrown from the 

machine’s moving track? 

That’s what happened to one of my fellow 

crewmembers. After watch during a Mediterranean tour, 

he decided to go for a run on the treadmill located in 

the engine room. After some time, he started feeling a 

little dizzy and nauseated, but being a trooper he fought 

through it. A little later, I heard the words I always dread 

over the 1MC, “Corpsman lay aft.” 

He lay unconscious aft of the treadmill. He had two 

lumps the size of half a grapefruit on his head. He’d hit 

his forehead on a handrail as he fell and the back of his 

head hit a locker.

Could this have been avoided? Definitely! He 

just needed to realize that he was suffering from 

heat exhaustion and stop once he started feeling the 

symptoms. I had provided all-hands training prior to our 

deployment on heat stress, which included the signs and 

symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

This training obviously wasn’t effective. However, 

this incident was highly effective in training the rest 

of my crew members. We didn’t have another heatrelated casualty the remainder of my time aboard that 

submarine. 

So with the hot months of summer upon us, now 

is a good time to shift from thinking about seasonal 

cold injuries such as hypothermia and frost bite to heat 

injuries. The early recognition and rapid treatment of 

heat injury symptoms is the key to saving lives. 

By HMC (SS) Christopher Harris

'Damn, It’s Hot!'

Knowing When to Say

All submarines are required to have a heat stress 

program. Per OPNAVINST 5100.19 series, the medical 

department representative is required to perform heat 

surveys in engineering spaces when such monitoring is 

required. 

When are heat surveys required? I always thought 

that I had to break out my meter and do a survey once 

the ambient temperature reached 100°F. I was wrong 

by 10 degrees. The requirement is 90°F in spaces 

manned by watch standers with greater than four-hour 

watches (on an 18-hour day schedule, we stand a sixhour watch). Ambient air temperature is required to be 

monitored every four hours if the temperature is 85°F or 

less, hourly if the temperature exceeds 85°F.

Many heat injuries are preventable. Allowing for 

acclimation, the body gradually becomes accustomed to 

the heat over a period of time (typically three weeks). 

Drink plenty of fluids and avoid caffeine and alcohol—

these steps will keep you hydrated and help your body 

regulate internal temperature. Get plenty of rest prior 

to, during and after the heat exposure. This provides for 

recovery time and allows the regulation of internal body 

temperature. 

HMC Harris is the submarine medical analyst in the Afloat Safety 

Directorate, Naval Safety Center.

Condition Signs/Symptoms Treatment

Heat Rash Raised bumps on your skin 

in the affected area.

Get plenty of air circulation. 

Wear light, loose clothing that 

will let your skin “breathe.”

Heat 

Cramps

Involuntary spasm of 

muscles usually affecting 

the major muscles that are 

being stressed in the hot 

environment: thigh, calf, 

abdominal wall, and arms.

Stop the activity. Get to a 

cooler place, drink plenty of 

fluids, and gently stretch the 

muscles that are cramping.

Heat 

Exhaustion

Profuse sweating, 

weakness, muscle cramps, 

headache, nausea and 

vomiting, lightheadedness 

and fainting, low grade 

fever. 

Move to a cooler environment 

and remove clothing to 

encourage heat loss. If 

conscious and able, drink 

fluids to rehydrate.

Heat 

Stroke

High body temperature, 

the absence of sweating, 

with hot red or flushed dry 

skin, rapid pulse, difficulty 

breathing, hallucinations, 

confusion, agitation, 

disorientation, seizure, and/

or coma.

This is a medical emergency. 

Notify emergency services 

immediately.Move to a cooler 

environment, remove clothing, 

apply cool or tepid water to the 

skin, fan the victim to promote 

sweating and evaporation, and 

place ice packs under armpits 

and groin.
20 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

casestudy

By FTC (SS) William Cahill

What is this 

OPNAVINST 

5100.19 series I 

see on some maintenance 

requirement cards (MRCs)? 

Where can I find it? Naval Safety 

Center surveyors frequently hear 

these questions from Sailors on 

the deck plates. In other words, 

the average Sailor in today’s 

submarine Navy doesn’t know 

that OPNAVINST 5100.19E 

is the basic reference for afloat 

safety. Sound scary? It should, 

especially if you’re a supervisor, 

because it means you’re not 

doing your job.

Case Study

Consider the case of a 

supervisor who wasn’t in position to make a machinist 

mate second class (MM2) follow safe procedures. The 

MM2 was tightening the belt for the forward sanitary 

pump on a submerged Trident submarine. The belt 

had been slipping, which was both very noisy and 

threatened to damage the pump.

To do the job, the MM2 first had to loosen retaining 

bolts for the assembly. He then had to adjust the pulley 

assembly. In the MM2’s mind, he’d have to adjust the 

belt with the pump running. Because he was off watch 

and pumping near the rotating gear, he took very few 

precautions. He did remove his loose clothing, ring and 

watch.

The pre-brief had included a 

warning not to put any part of his 

body near the moving belt. The 

MM2 followed procedures, and 

was careful until he had made 

the final adjustment. He had 

worked on several vehicles at his 

house and would frequently use 

his fingers to test belt tension for 

older model trucks. He placed his 

index and middle finger inside on 

the belt to test its slack. The belt 

caught his fingers and quickly 

chopped them off. 

He called away the medical 

emergency via his sound 

powered phones to control, all 

the while squirting blood all over 

auxiliary machinery room #1. His 

blood loss caused him to be flown by helo to a shoreside hospital. 

Super visor’s Resp ons ibility

As the superviosr, you are responsible for managing 

the ship’s daily plan of the day. You can’t enforce 

standards and help provide a safe environment unless 

you know all the rules and ask the right questions. Get 

familiar with OPNAVINST 5100.19E, and make sure 

you have someone monitoring the evolution to prevent 

lapses of judgment. 

FTC Cahill is the submarine deck supervisor in the Afloat Safety 

Directorate, Naval Safety Center.

OPNAVins t 5100.19E? Never Heard of It

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?

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?

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.

do you have a situat ion at work, at home or

off-duty activity that would make a good

case study for sea compass?
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 21

Check Area Question

ID

% of Units Receiving 

Discrepancy Discrepancy

Admin A2JO 60.87 Is there an effective means of ensuring all divers are kept up-to-date on all the current 

AIG-239 diving advisory messages? 

Training A1X0 52.94 Does the diver’s training plan include emergency response drills? 

Admin A1D1 52.17

Are divers conducting the minimum number of dives every six months to maintain their 

qualifications? Commands are required to provide NSC survey team with a list of all 

command divers. 

Scuba A1N0 52.17 Are up-to-date manufacturers’ technical manuals available for all scuba equipment? 

Training A2B0 47.83 Is the dive locker following its training plan, and are records of attendance and critiques 

kept for completed training? 

Admin A2J1 43.48 Is there an effective means of ensuring all divers are kept up-to-date on all the diving 

safety lines? 

Admin A4B3 43.48 Is the command submitting dives into the dive jump reporting system (DJRS)?

Training A2F0 43.48 Is a diver’s training program in place, and does it include a long-range and short-range 

training plan? 

Scuba A2M0 40.00 Is the first stage of the single-hose regulator set at the manufacturer’s designated PSI? 

dive locker

By CWO4 Robert Cassels

Need help preparing for your upcoming diving 

safety survey (DSS) and diving operational 

readiness assessment (DORA)? It may not 

be too late to get ready. Submarines that conduct 

diving operations are required a DORA every two 

years and a DSS 14 to 20 months from the date of 

their last DORA.

Diving may not be your primary function aboard 

a submarine, and it can be hard to maintain your 

dive locker as required. But safe diving operations 

are still mandatory. If you are having difficulties or 

have questions concerning processes, procedures, 

and requirements, reach out to your squadron diving 

representative, the Naval Safety Center or the locally 

assigned divers. 

The list below highlights the top-10 diving 

discrepancies we found in 2011. Most of these 

discrepancies were also on the top-10 list from 2010. 

Both the DORA and DSS use the same check sheets. 

These are available at www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/

pages/afloat/diving/chklist.aspx. Use these checklists 

to prepare for your survey. 

CWO4 Cassels is the diving/salvage assistant in the Afloat Safety 

Directorate, Naval Safety Center.

Diving Operation Essentials
22 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

bestpractice

SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

The off-going officer of the deck (OOD) and 

lookout are having problems rigging the bridge, so now 

they’re really feeling the pressure. Finally, the bridge is 

rigged, and all that’s left to do is rig the access trunk. 

The off-going OOD and lookout drop into the trunk 

and a few minutes later, complete the rig for dive. Right 

on time, the submarine slides beneath the surface, and 

everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

Later the captain orders: "All ahead flank cavitate." As 

the ship increases speed, the watch team hears something 

Two Checks (Together) 

To avoid damaging expensive submarine equipment, make sure you do 

required independent second checks. 

bumping in the sail area. The chief of the watch 

announces the radar mast no longer indicates down. 

This may sound familiar if you have been involved in 

an incident like this. In many cases, part of the problem 

was someone's omission of the required independent, 

two-party checks. The tag-out (used Navywide) and 

the rig-for-dive procedures (used by submarines) 

specifically require these checks. When they are 

overlooked, expensive equipment gets damaged and 

even worse things can happen.

By ETC (SS) Kevin Dawson 

I

t's dark, cold and raining as a submarine approaches the dive point. The officer 

of the deck shifts the watch to control while the off-going officer of the deck and 

lookout scramble to rig the bridge and bridge-access trunk for dive. With only five 

miles to the dive point, tension is building because many things must be done before 

the ship submerges. 
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 23

Doing the first and second check together is 

not the only way to bypass the independent check. 

During rig-for-dive operations aboard one submarine, 

a petty officer aligned the bow planes for submerged 

operations. Because he wasn’t familiar with all the 

valves involved, he had a watch stander (who also 

didn’t understand the system) try to help him. 

Later, the officer who was second-checking the 

rig-for-dive had the same problem as the petty officer 

and had the same watch stander try to help him. Both 

the petty officer and the officer got the same incorrect 

information. When the watch team tried to extend and 

test the bow planes, they wouldn’t move.

In another case, a Sailor was assigned to hang a tag 

out. When he found a valve he wasn’t familiar with, he 

too got help from someone in the area. As you might have 

guessed, the second checker had the same problem and 

got help from the same person. In this case, though, a 

third person doing a weekly tag out audit recognized the 

valve was out of position, before maintenance started.

For tag outs, independent checks are required 

both during the process of preparing the tag out and 

while hanging the tags. Similarly, the rig-for-dive 

procedure requires the designated officers to check 

the rig-for-dive in each compartment level. They 

must follow the checklists as a separate action, not 

in conjunction with, but after the designated petty 

officer completes the check.

Clearly, other factors were involved in these 

examples, but in each case, all-important independent 

checks could have prevented a mishap. Procedures that 

protect people and ships must be at the top of everyone’s 

priority list. The only acceptable standard is verbatim 

compliance. 

ETC Dawson is the submarine electrical/mechanical analyst in the 

Afloat Safety Directorate, Naval Safety Center.

 Don’t Make Right
24 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

seastory

By MMCS (SS) Arthur Sisk

So there I was, en route to medical to get an x-ray for my throbbing tailbone, toppling off my bike after 

hitting a railroad track that was covered with snow.

How did I find myself in this unenviable position? Read on.

A

s with any typical duty day for an “A-Ganger” 

(submarine auxiliaryman), a lot of work had to get 

done. One task on our list for the night —mine 

specifically, since I was junior — was to bilge blast 

the diesel bilge. It wasn’t uncommon for the bilge 

to get greasy and grimy, especially after running the 

“Screaming Demon” (Fairbanks Morse 5.25 diesel 

engine). This name for our diesel came about due to its 

high-RPM operation. Our workload on that given day 

was substantial and with all the watch standing, the only 

time I could get to clean the bilge was after my 1800-

2200 below-decks watch. 

The ship’s duty officer and duty chief petty officer 

knew about the job because they had been briefed 

earlier. There were a couple of problems: I was starting 

the job late at night, and I’d been working and standing 

watch all day.

Nevertheless, it seemed like an easy task. All I had 

to do was break out the bilge blaster, high-pressure hose, 

nozzle, and the water hose, and then connect them. The 

electrical connection was close enough so I didn’t need 

an extension cord, but the nearest water connection was 

in the chief ’s quarters. I tried to run the hose through 

the diesel access hatch in the bow compartment, but it 

was too short. I was tired and getting irritated.

I decided to use the emergency egress hatch as the 

route for the hose. I opened the hatch and installed the 

latch. I pulled all the slack out of the hose and laid it 

down on the deck in the bow compartment. Then I went 

up the forward hatch and walked to the hose. I took it to 

the chief ’s quarters and connected it to the hot water.

U.S. Navy photo
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 25

Stepping Onto Air

As some of you might have noticed, I hadn’t 

installed safety chains on both sides of the emergency 

egress hatch. The hatch wasn’t visible from the passage 

because it was around a corner. I rushed down the 

passageway to get the job started and my right foot met 

an empty hole. My left leg stayed on the deck, and my 

body followed my right leg down the hole.

My tailbone slammed into the edge of the hatch 

ring, and it was no match for solid steel. The pain was 

indescribable. I went into shock.

I pulled myself up out of the hatch and climbed 

down the forward ladder to the diesel. I leaned on my 

hip and collected myself while I silently cursed my chief 

for making me do this job. Tears filled my eyes as the 

pain took over my thoughts. After about 20 minutes of 

venting, I continued with the task at hand. I put up the 

safety chains, finished cleaning the bilge and then put 

everything away. After I cleaned up, I crawled into my 

rack for a nap before my next watch.

The next morning the pain was still overwhelming 

so I went to see the doc. Instead of giving me some 

“Vitamin M” (Motrin), he sent me to medical to get my 

tailbone X-rayed. The duty van wasn’t available to take 

me to medical. My only option was to ride my bike to 

the clinic. 

Road Rash

I worked it out with my inner self and decided 

that I would stand the whole way so as not to further 

injure myself. I had ridden my bike many times to and 

from work, but on this day it would prove to be tricky 

due to snow covering the ground. I managed to stay 

upright, but along my route to the clinic from dry dock 

#3, my back tire 

entered a hidden 

railroad track. This 

slip of the back 

tire caused me to 

quickly slam to the 

ground, ripping 

my dungarees and 

cutting my right 

leg and arm. I got 

back on my bike 

and continued 

riding to the clinic. 

They looked at me 

and assumed they 

already knew my reason for being there due to the blood 

on my uniform. I told them that this was not the only 

reason for my visit. After the wounds were cleaned up, I 

proceeded to X-ray only to find out that I had fractured 

my coccyx during my first mishap. 

Twenty years later, I still have pain in my tailbone if 

I sit on a hard surface for any period of time. Now that I 

am at the Naval Safety Center, I see young guys leaving 

chains unlatched, creating a potential hazard just like 

mine. As my previous commander would say, “Think 

about the space as if the lights were out and it’s flight or 

fight. That safety chain could be the only thing keeping 

you alive.” 

As part of my enlisted submarine qualifications 

aboard USS L. Mendel Rivers (SSN 686), while in 

Portsmouth, N.H., I remember standing blindfolded at 

various locations where I had to point out or describe 

every piece of damage control equipment in different 

areas. Realizing that my life someday might depend on 

knowing the location of all this equipment, as well as 

obstructions and turns in the passageway, I was intent 

on doing well.

With the passage of time, I forgot some of what 

I had learned, but much of the knowledge has stayed 

with me through my career. Every day I spent aboard 

the submarine increased my familiarity with certain 

surroundings, even though I wasn’t always aware of 

it. Without thinking, I would bend down to avoid 

low-hanging obstructions or take a slight side step to 

prevent hitting my shins on something. This familiarity 

is invaluable to a submariner. However, it also can cause 

problems once haste and inattentiveness come into play.

Slow down and keep yourself and everyone around 

you safe. There are hazards to every part of shipboard 

life. Be familiar with your surroundings, but not to the 

point where you start taking them for granted. If you do, 

you aren’t earning your sea pay.

MMCS Sisk is the submarine damage control analyst in the Afloat 

Safety Directorate, Naval Safety Center.

MMCS(SS/DV) (Ret.) Dom Azzarito sits 

safely by the hatch that would have saved 

me a few painful days.

Photo courtesy of the author

SC Magazine Illustration
26 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

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 so they might learn from your experience. Submit your article to 

safe-seacompass@navy.mil. 

Make Your Gear Seaworthy

By EMCM (SW/AW) Frank Valdepeña

Photos by ETCS (SS) Robert May 

Maintaining our tools and equipment is crucial to 

mission accomplishment. During our surveys, 

we often find improperly completed maintenance issues. During a shipboard incident while deployed is not the time to find out that a tool does not 

work. Here are a couple of scenarios: 

► Have you ever not been able to flash the field of a 

generator because the field excitation leads were 

swapped incorrectly? 

► Have you ever blown out a compartment sample 

cover because C (calibration) was not selected 

on the CAMS (Central Atmosphere Monitoring 

System) compartment selector switch before 

you introduced the CAMS calibration gas?

To avoid problems like these, there are standard 

operating procedures that everyone who works for 

the Navy knows about: PMS (Planned Maintenance 

System). PMS provides the tools to plan, schedule, 

and control maintenance. Maintenance procedures 

developed by Submarine Maintenance Engineering, 

Planning and Procurement (SUBMEPP) Activity, 

in accordance with reliability-centered maintenance 

(RCM), are the minimum required to maintain 

equipment within specifications.

A maintenance requirement card (MRC) contains 

the minimum maintenance required to keep a piece of 

equipment in proper operating condition. If we accept 

80-90 percent accomplishment, is our gear seaworthy 

and ready for war? If not, what standards are we 

shooting for?

How to run a successful 3M program:

 Assign the right maintenance person for the task.

 Have the right tools, parts, materials, and test 

equipment. Substitutions must satisfy both the basic 

maintenance and safety requirements of the MRC. If 

there is any doubt, submit a PMS Technical Feedback 

Report (TFBR) specifying the desired substitution and 

reason. All items listed in the “miscellaneous” section 

are required.

 Ensure all protective personal equipment (PPE) 

required by the MRC, Navy Safety and Occupational 

Health (SOH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat 

(OPNAVINST 5100.19E) and Hazardous Material 

Users Guide (HMUG) (OPNAVINST 5100.28) are 

used. If there are any differences between the PPE 

required by the MRC, HMUG or the SOH, submit a 

TFBR requesting clarification. 

 Ensure procedural verbatim compliance, 

including notes and cautions. In the "Procedure" 

block, work center supervisors may cross out alternate 

procedures that do not pertain to current equipment or 

configuration. This step is followed by "if applicable" or 

a note identifying steps to be omitted. These items must 

be reviewed and initialed by the division leading chief 

petty officer or leading petty officer. As these changes 

are work center-specific, submission of a TFBR is not 

required. If a particular step can’t be followed, a TFBR 

must be submitted to resolve the issue.

 Ensure deck plate (LCPO, DIVO, etc.) 

monitoring, supervision and follow-up of maintenance. 

Ensure forms are of the current revision (i.e., 

Accomplishment Confidence Factor and Wire 

Removal/Replacement Forms). The “Effective Planned 

Maintenance System Completion & Monitoring 

Practices” training can be found in the Submarine Safety 

Officer Training, Topic 6, on the AKO/DKO Secure 

Site at https://www.us.army.mil/.

EMCM Valdepeña is a submarine analyst and the submarine advisor 

for class “A” safety investigations at the Naval Safety Center.

gear, tools and equipment

26 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 27

What Can

You Do?

IMPROPERLYCOMPLETED MAINTENANCE ITEMS

Inspect, Replace, Protect

Here are some events that have occurred due to 

improperly completed maintenance:

1. Manual Bus Transfer (MBT) Vent Failure: $800,000.

2. Bow-Dome Failure: $1.2 million without a replacement dome; $8 million including the replacement 

dome.

3. Two Reduction Gear Failures: $1.8 million each.

4. Anchoring Failure: $2.5 million required docking.

5. Life Jacket/Harness Failures: Four souls lost.

You are responsible for incorporating a review and 

monitoring program, along with periodic PMS spot 

checks by the LCPO or division officer, as required 

by paragraphs 1-4 and 1-5.22 of NAVSEAINST 

4790.8B, Ships' Maintenance and Material Management Manual.

Sailors comment that they had been sent to conduct PMS the first time on their own. But neither 

the divisional LPO nor LCPO had ever witnessed, 

been involved in the training, or personally verified 

that the young Sailor performing the maintenance 

was achieving quality results. Proper monitoring 

leads to quality and efficient work and a reduction 

in lost man-hours.

(A) Unauthorized brass piping is used in a high-pressure 

system and unauthorized fitting adapter is attached to 

the high pressure hose. (B) The gauge is broken and not 

calibrated. 

The pneumatic grease gun assembly is required to be assembled IAW MIP 5462/001, MRC Q-1R. 

I challenge safety officers, department heads, division officers, leading chief petty officers and 3M 

coordinators to reinvigorate your PMS monitoring 

program.

► Require 100 percent verbatim PMS accomplishment 

and inspect what you expect by conducting deck plate 

monitoring.

► Don’t purposely pick the 10-minute weekly PM. 

► Monitor that tough out-of-the way maintenance; you 

may just learn something about your boat and your 

people. 

► Your proficiency reduces the time required to perform 

a good look and will prepare you for future assignments. I guarantee it’s worth your time, and if the crew 

sees that it is important to you, it will be important to 

them.

PNEUMATICGREASEGUNASSEMBLY

Multi-outlet power strips

LIGHTINGNAVIGATION PANELN-1

(A) Unauthorized power strip with personal electrical 

equipment (iPOD charger) that has not been checked for 

proper use and cleared for electrical safety. (B) Unauthorized power strip that has an attached electrical safety tag 

for improperly conducted PMS.

Where a multi-outlet power-line is required, only one is 

permitted on one isolated receptacle circuit, it must be the 

marine type. They must have a metal case, a double-pole 

switch/circuit breaker, and dual thermal fuses to prevent 

dangerous overheating. A six-receptacle unit with a six-foot 

cord is available under NSN 6150-01-362-7192.

The panel must be configured IAW COMSUBLANT/COMSUBPAC A&I N-3171 for 688 Class, A&I TZ-0856 for 726 

Class, MIP 4221/011, MRC S-1 for 688/21/774 class, 

MIP 4221/012, MRC S-1 for 726 class.

Broken breaker with 

exposed metal. Improperly 

completed maintenance on 

the N-1 panel can also result in an electrical shock.

Α

Α

B

B

SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 27
28 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

► Ensure PMS is completed correctly. A good PMS 

monitoring and spot-check program can solve 

most of the PMS problems that plague us today. 

There have been too many issues surrounding PMS 

accomplishment throughout the fleet as well as the 

Navy as a whole.

► Train personnel to accomplish procedures correctly 

using the principles of operational risk management 

(ORM) and time-critical risk management 

(TCRM).

MMC Ingram is the submarine weapons analyst in the Afloat Safety 

Directorate, Naval Safety Center. 

In the battle between submarine retractable cleats and Sailors handling them, no need to guess on the outcome if PMS was not 

part of the plan. Below are just a few stories involving personnel who didn’t follow procedures (either operational or PMS):

Line handlers aboard USS 

Missouri (SSN 780) loosen 

the bolts on the retractable 

cleats as the ship makes 

final preparations to 

conduct sea trials. 

By MMC (SS) Isaac Ingram

A Sailor was rigging retractable cleats in preparation for

entering port. A wet cleat slipped in his grasp, caught his

middle finger and cut it.

A petty officer was trying to roll a cleat that was bound. It

gave way and slammed down on his hand. It amputated

one finger at the second knuckle and partially amputated

another at the same spot.

Two Sailors were checking a retractable cleat that had locked

in the “up” position. As one man held the cleat open, a

machinist’s mate first class (MM1) put his hand between the

sections to check the locking bar. The after-section slipped

from the first Sailor’s grasp and caught the MM1’s hand,

ripping the skin on one finger and cutting two other fingers.

Sailors were handling lines as tugs moved a submarine

into dry dock. While casting off a line to the forward tug, a

seaman (SN) put both hands in the eye of the line to pull

it over and onto the cleat. At that moment, the tug started

rubbing against the submarines sail staging. The tug master

immediately backed down, catching the SN’s left hand and

amputating two fingers.

A retractable deck cleat fractured a seaman’s right index

finger when the cleat swung to the stowed position during a

maneuvering watch.

A Sailor was handling a line during a maneuvering watch

when a cleat stuck (due to lack of PMS). As he was pulling

on the cleat, it came free. He lost his balance. He hung onto

the cleat but ended up with two crushed fingers on his left

hand. A missile technician (MT) was holding a retractable cleat

while another Sailor lubricated it. The cleat rolled and

amputated the MT’s little finger.

lesso ns learned

CLEATS anD hatches

US. Navy photo by MC1 Steven Myers
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 29

Keep Your Sub's Hatch Cover On

When sub is in port, hatch cover protectors must be in place

The protective covers on personnel access 

hatches are often in disrepair. These covers 

are important, because they include improved 

hatch-seat protectors made of lightweight material 

[ultra high molecular weight poly (UHMWP)] with a 

replaceable hinge kit in case of damage or fatigue failure 

of the original hinge. The use of the protective covers is 

required by Planned Maintenance System (PMS). They 

preserve and protect the surfaces that touch when the 

hatch closes; if these areas are damaged, the hatch won’t 

seat properly when it is closed. 

These hatch covers should be installed anytime the 

ship is in port and the hatch is opened for personnel 

or equipment access. Install the watertight (WT) 

seat protector to protect the WT hatch seats anytime 

the ship is in port and engine-room conditions don’t 

preclude the WT hatch from staying open.

These protective covers are initially provided by 

the TYCOM as a type commander kit (TYKIT) as a 

replacement to the existing seat protectors. They should 

be stored when not in use in the same manner as the 

existing protectors. 

Visually inspect to verify the conditions of the 

hinges and the seat protector prior to installation of the 

hatch protectors. If either hinges or the seat protector 

are damaged or severely rusted, don’t use these 

protectors and order the replacement parts (using the 

APL for the hatch in question) through your supply 

system. (See table for replacement parts list.)

Don’t use damaged hatch protectors. Personnel, 

such as the member of a unit that was in port for 

a maintenance period, can be injured. A shipyard 

By Tom Deatherage contractor (working aboard a submarine while it was in 

maintenance) was getting ready to exit the boat through 

the aft lower escape trunk (LET) hatch when somebody 

yelled "Look Out!" 

An improperly installed hatch protective cover 

on the LET hatch opening did not have a complete 

assembly in place. It resulted in half of one hatch 

seat freefalling 8-10 feet to the deck below hitting 

the shipyard contractor on the head. The shipyard 

contractor received a contusion with a concussion. This 

mishap was completely preventable if the hatch seat 

cover had been installed properly. 

Protect your personnel by inspecting your 

hatch protectors before entering port as well as after 

installation on the hatch opening.

Mr. Deatherage is the program manager for environmental, safety 

and facilities at Submarine Forces Atlantic (SUBLANT). Photo 

courtesy of the author.

RELATED MESSAGE:

Unclassified

Subject: Afloat Safety/Environmental Best Practices

Originator: COMSUBLANT NORFOLK VA (MC) 

DTG 291544Z Jun 11

Precedence: Routine

DAC: General

To: AL SUBFOR (SC), AL ALSUBLANT (SC), AL 

SUBLANT (SC), AL ALSUBPAC (SC), AL SUBPAC (SC)

Cc: COMSUBPAC PEARL HARBOR HI, COMSUBLANT 

NORFOLK VA (MC)

The following are the Allowance Parts List (APL) for 

replacement parts for the hatch protectors:

•	Hatch seat protector for 25-inch hatch / 31A070075

•	Hatch seat protector for 30-inch hatch / 31A070076

−	 Upper & lower, forward & aft escape trunk

−	 Upper weapons shipping

•	Bayonet style hatch protector for 30-inch hatch / 

31A070077

−	 Lower weapons shipping

•	Hatch protector for 20x38 WT door / 31A070078

−	 CL 20 38 watertight door

Inspect, Replace, Protect
30 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

It baffles me that in a Navy where I have seen 

standard operating procedures (SOPs) for changing 

out a roll of toilet paper, I rarely see SOPs for what I 

consider the most dangerous place on a ship. A place 

where we stockpile a plethora of guns, ammunition 

and sometimes explosives: the armory. Nothing 

directs us to have one, but is that what really stops us 

from setting our Sailors up for success?

Picture this. It is 0315 and the ship is quiet. The 

aroma of fresh-baked bread is in the air. The off-going 

watch is anxiously waiting to be relieved so they can 

get a few hours of shut-eye before the oncoming day. 

Then, out of nowhere, Sailors hear a loud “Pop!”

Mass confusion ensues. The watch team 

desperately searches for the origin of the sound and 

ensures everyone’s safety. Safety personnel rush to the 

armory to find people looking around as if they had 

just lost their minds. Reality sets in. It has happened. 

Someone on your ship has negligently discharged 

a weapon. After making sure that everyone is okay, 

Does Your Armory Have an SOP?

By GMC Ramiro Salas

DECK

Don't Wash That Non-Skid!

By LT Edward Alexander

Non-skid reduces the risk of personnel and 

equipment slipping on the weather decks. When you 

apply deck wash to the non-skid, it fills the areas in 

the non-skid, reducing its profile and making it less 

effective. This is a growing issue. Personnel have slipped 

on degraded non-skid and fallen over the side. Deckwashed non-skid may look pretty, but it increases the 

risk of mishaps.

Line-handling stations and boat decks are primary 

areas of concern. I have also found deck-washed 

underway replenishment stations. Adding fuel and 

water to the equation makes for an even higher risk of a 

mishap. Note that color topping of non-skid is for visual 

landing aid (VLA) and safety markings. 

For more information on deck washing, refer to 

NSTM Chapter 634, Deck Coverings, Paragraphs 634-

3.24.2, 634-3.24.3, 634-3.31.1. Contact the Naval Safety 

Center Afloat Safety Directorate at 757-444-3520, ext. 

7102/7108 (DSN 564) or email safe-code31@navy.mil.

LT Alexander is a deck analyst in the Afloat Safety Directorate, Naval 

Safety Center.

what do you do? Wouldn’t it be great if you had 

thought ahead and made a plan for this very plausible 

occasion? The fact of the matter is that when things 

like these happen it is usually at the most inopportune 

time and in the company of the ill-trained. 

This is the time when an SOP would be very 

useful. It can be as simple as a set of standing orders 

for the armorer to follow in the event of any incident. 

It can give directions for the upper chain of command 

until the appropriate personnel arrives to take control 

of the situation. It can also be as detailed to define 

how inventory is completed and how watch turnover 

is done. 

Don’t let the fact that you were not directed to 

do this deter you from being prepared for any given 

situation. Remember, just because nobody got hurt, 

that doesn’t guarantee the same result next time. Have 

a plan in place and train to the plan. 

GMC Salas is the weapons analyst in the Afloat Safety 

Directorate, Naval Safety Center.

armory

32 SPRING-summer 2012 SEA COMPASS 

offduty

T here are essentially two 

types of cars on the road 

today. One has enough 

power to outperform a late-60's 

muscle car. The other provides 

an economical means of 

transportation.

By LCDR Dave Williams

Photo by John Williams

Sure, you might find some odds-and-ends that don’t 

fit these criteria, but they are becoming increasingly 

rare. Even some economical cars are beginning to blur 

the lines between inexpensive and really fast. As a safety 

officer, my concerns lie with fast cars.

I might be preaching to the choir here because I 

drive a 2001 BMW M3. This car has 333 horsepower, 

262-foot pounds of torque, weighs 3,400 pounds, and 

will do zero to 60 miles per hour in a shade below 5 

seconds. It’s fast. Really fast. And I’m not alone.

Cars these days present a wide array of options. Big, 

lifted American trucks are getting blowers and aftermarket engine software upgrades. Hondas have been 

lowered, engine-swapped, and intaked for years. Diesels 

are getting turbos, regular gas engines are getting more 

turbos, and car companies have figured out ways to 

make high-power engines that produce upwards of 30 

miles per gallon. These cars are sitting in our lots right 

now!

The days when Seaman Timmy pined over speed are 

over. We all drive cars that are capable of great speed and 

can kill at the drop of a hat. If safety was the number one 

concern on the roads today, we’d all drive cars with a top 

speed of 75 miles per hour. This would allow us to drive 

at the speed limit in many areas. But Americans love 

their cars, and they love them fast.

There are ways to harness that desire for

speed and do it in a safe manner. Unharnessed,

it is what the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration calls “aggressive driving.” They

suggest the following steps:

► Concentrate. Don’t allow yourself to

become distracted by talking on your cellular

phone, eating, drinking or putting on makeup.

► Relax. Tune the radio to your favorite

relaxing music. Music can calm your nerves and

help you to enjoy your time in the car. But don’t

be too relaxed that you fall asleep to the music!

► Drive the posted speed limit. Fewer

crashes occur when vehicles are travelling at or

about the same speed.

► Identify alternate routes. Try

mapping out an alternate route. Even if it

looks longer on paper, you may find it is less

congested.

► Use public transportation. Public

transportation can give you some much-needed

relief from life behind the wheel.

► Just be late. If all else fails, just be

late. This may be a hard pill to swallow for your

immediate superior, but arriving safely will quickly

outweigh the cost of a speed-related accident.
SEA COMPASS SPRING-summer 2012 33

Every time you speed or become an aggressive 

driver, you are gambling with your health and safety. 

Why not put the odds in your favor and decrease your 

speed? Speeding tickets are expensive and can hurt your 

insurance rates as well your driving record. 

There is a time and a place for speed and it’s not on 

public roads. Take a deep breath, relax, and control the 

urge to push your car to its max.

Want to drive fast and do it legally? Take a look at 

track days. Search for it online. There are many clubs out 

there that provide a fantastic way to get your car up to 

speed. It’s usually cheap, and all you’ll need is a safe car 

and a helmet. In most cases, you don’t even need to be a 

member of the club. 

Check out www.carclubs.com/clubname.html for a 

complete listing of every club imaginable You can also 

try any of these organizations.

Sports Car Club of America: This organization 

has great programs and tracks set up on everything 

from parking lots to Indy car race tracks. You can race 

anything from a Pinto to a Pantera.

National Auto Sport Association: It has chapters all 

over the country and also offers great tracks.

RaceLegal.com: San Diego-based organization that 

provides a drag racing venue at Qualcomm Stadium 

every Friday night.

Various type/make-specific clubs: Mustang, 

Corvette, Audi, Cadillac, Datsun/Nissan, BMW, 

Porsche, Ferrari, Mopar, GM, Ford, and everything in 

between. 

LCDR Williams is the safety officer on USS Makin Island (LHD 

8) and is a regular contributor to Naval Safety Center publications.
Story and photo by PR1 Thresa Crotz 

May 20th started out as a beautiful, warm, sunny 

Sunday. My children had spent the night with friends. 

My boyfriend and I decided to go on a motorcycle ride. 

I wanted to try my new bike, a 2005 custom Chopper, 

and he rode his 1992 Harley Davidson Softail. 

I suited up with all my bike PPE, including my 3⁄4-face 

helmet. Since it was our first time with me on the new 

bike, we stayed on back roads until we felt comfortable 

on state roads. 

The wind had been gusting but not enough to scare me, just enough for me to “think” a little 

more than normal. It was a picture-perfect Florida afternoon. We had lunch at a restaurant we 

hadn’t tried before and made new friends there. Finally, it was time to head home.

Having tested the new bike, I wanted to ride some more. We decided to go to a nearby creek. 

We took the back roads, which were much more picturesque and made for a shorter trip. While 

coming around a long corner, I found myself too close to the center line. I didn’t think that I had 

time to correct my position — an oncoming car was not too far away.

I was taught to always “have an out” when riding. I learned this long ago when I rode dirt bikes, 

taught by my boyfriend who has been riding for more than 20 years and from the Motorcycle 

Safety Riders course I had taken last year. I was also taught that “you and the bike are one; 

what hurts the bike will hurt you,” and vice-versa. I saw my two choices: land under or on the 

car, or go into a yard bordered by a ditch. I had to choose immediately. I opted for the yard with 

the ditch (and some railroad ties).

I remember driving into the ditch and the initial impact of the front tire hitting the railroad tie. 

Then I awoke to a strange voice saying I was going to be okay. A woman – a Good Samaritan – 

was holding my head in her lap. I was praying. 

At the hospital I underwent several X-rays and MRIs. I was fortunate enough to come out with 

only a fractured nose, a mild concussion and a big knot on my right eyebrow, which required at 

least 25 stitches (it will eventually need cosmetic surgery). The only damage to the bike was a 

busted headlight.

I’m alive because I wore my helmet in a non-helmet law state! Learn from my experience. Put it 

on. My helmet saved my life. Let your helmet save yours.

PR1 Crotz is attached to Fleet Readiness Center Southeast in Jacksonville, Fla. 

The Helmet 

that Saved

My Life

Log on to our YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/user/navalsafetycenter to watch motorcycle safety videos and other 

public safety awareness campaigns. You can also read more motorcyle safety articles and personal stories in the 2012 

edition of Smart Ride magazine. Visit www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/pages/media/smart_ride.aspx for details.

... and last but not least