WHERE ARE THE 

SUPERVISORS?

Supervision and Accountability

2018 Vol. 13|No. 2

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

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EDITORIAL STAFF

Safety Promotions Division Head April Phillips

Editor Michael J. Morris

Social Media Manager Susanne Greene

EDITORIAL OFFICE

Commander, Naval Safety Center

Attn: Sea & Shore

375 A Street

Norfolk, VA 23511-4399

SAFETY PROMOTIONS DIVISION

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

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

REPORT A MISHAP

(757) 444-2929 (DSN 564)

AFLOAT SAFETY PROGRAMS

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

Surface Division ext. 7831

Email: safe-afloat@navy.mil

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Email: safe-submarines@navy.mil 

OPERATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT/EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE SAFETY PROGRAMS

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

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Email: safe-divesalvage@navy.mil

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SHORE SAFETY PROGRAMS

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

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ABOUT SEA & SHORE

Sea & Shore is a print and digital publication. The editorial content of this magazine is edited 

and approved by the Naval Safety Center Public Affairs Office. Sea & Shore is an authorized 

publication for members of the military services and distributed to ships, submarines, diving 

commands, shore-based commands, and DoD agencies. Contents and opinions expressed are 

not necessarily the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the U.S. 

Navy and do not imply endorsement thereof. Unless otherwise noted, photos and artwork are 

for illustrative purposes only. Reference to commercial products or links to non-DoD resources 

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

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Commander, Naval Safety Center 

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Director, Afloat Safety Programs

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

CONNECT WITH US

RADM Mark L. Leavitt

CAPT Roger L. Curry, Jr.

CMDCM Baron Randle

CAPT J. Lee Bennett

Jonathan Wilson

2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2

4

WHERE ARE THE 

SUPERVISORS?

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HEAT RELATED ILLNESS:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

RUNNING

INTO THE GROUND

LOST ON THE RUNWAY

MOTORCYCLE 

AWARENESS 

Building a Respiratory 

Protection Program

Technology Awareness: 

Digital Eye Strain & Text Neck

2

IT'S SPRING & MOTORCYCLISTS 

ARE HITTING THE ROAD

DRIVERS TAKE NOTICE:

TEN RULES TO IMPROVE

SAFETY LEADERSHIP

WORKING OUT: 

GAIN WITHOUT THE PAIN

WORKPLACE 

SAFETY INSPECTIONS
CONTRIBUTORS WANTED

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 1 

Article Formatting

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please make a note of it when submitting your article.

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Our surveys consistently show that readers like articles written 

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

experiences. Your effort keeps others from having to learn the hard 

way. Therefore we want your letters, feedback, and comments.

We want honest appraisals and realistic solutions. Our staff is always 

open to new ideas, so don’t be afraid to try something different. 

Send your submissions, and comments to michael.j.morris@

navy.mil.

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

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

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

Mishaps in the Fleet have, and will most likely always occur as emphasized by several recent high-profile accidents. 

These accidents have placed a spotlight on safety culture in the Navy and have led us to ask certain questions: What 

are the root causes of these mishaps? What can we do to reach a zero-sum mishap rate? How can we increase safety 

awareness? How can we expand access to, and advance the flow of information to improve safety culture?

With these questions in mind, the Naval Safety Center is currently restructuring to become a powerhouse of change 

for safety culture in the Navy. The Safety Center is creating a new division called Knowledge Management and Safety 

Promotions (KMSP). The Knowledge Management Department of KMSP will concentrate on data analysis and predictive 

modeling, giving leadership and safety professionals access to the information they will need to prevent mishaps. The safety 

promotions component, to which the public affairs and lessons learned teams belong, have been tasked with developing 

products that translate this data for ease of use to improve safety culture, and reduce our overall mishap rates. 

The Naval Safety Center wants to engage with our communities to better understand what tools 

safety professionals need to meet mission requirements. Do you as a reader feel that this publication 

is a useful tool or would the associated content be better delivered via alternate formats? What 

products will better enhance your ability to reduce mishap rates and the overall safety culture of your 

command?

Please email our team at SAFE-MediaFdbk@navy.mil or visit our Facebook page at https://www.

facebook.com/NavalSafetyCenter/ and leave us a comment. Change is coming, and you have a chance 

to help shape it, to improve the safety culture, and reduce or prevent future mishaps. Editor Sea & Shore Magazine
SEA & SHORE

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WHERE ARE THE 

SUPERVISORS?

Supervision and Accountability

A

ll commands are required by the Navy and 

Marine Corps Mishap and Safety Investigation, Reporting and Record Keeping 

Manual (OPNAVINST 5102.1D/MCO P5102.1B) to 

report all mishaps, hazards and near misses.

In addition to reporting, they’re supposed to be 

investigated to determine what happened and how 

to prevent the incident from happening again.

By Joe Perfetto
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 3 

Personnel from the Naval Safety Center review all 

Web Enabled Safety System and a majority of the 

Enterprise Safety Application Management System 

reports.

Over time,we’ve learned both military and civilian 

personnel know how to get injured. There are no new 

ways to get injured. Most of the time a generic writeup can be used and all that’s required is to change the 

name.

Why is this occurring? The words that come to mind 

are SUPERVISION and ACCOUNTABILITY. 

Supervisors own the process and employees are 

accountable to follow the process. If an employee is 

not performing a defined process properly, why is the 

process not being followed? What should be done to 

ensure the process is followed? Did the supervisor or 

another employee witness a violation and not correct 

the action? The majority of injuries can be categorized 

as compliancy, but what is the cause? 

Here is an example of improper supervision and 

improper personal accountability: An employee is using a 6-foot ladder when an 8-foot ladder is necessary. 

The employee stands on the top rung. Not authorized. 

The thought process is “I’m only going to do this one 

time.” A supervisor or another employee witnessed the 

employee not following the process. Nothing was said. 

The employee did not fall; no injury. 

Behavioral science would show this as a sure 

certain positive. If an individual accomplishes a task 

without regards to personal safety and does not get 

injured, the individual has convinced him/herself that 

this behavior is satisfactory. The more the task is accomplished without regards to safety, the higher the 

chance of a mishap. 

The supervisor or employee who witnessed the 

violation should have stopped the job on the spot. The 

process should be reviewed and the proper ladder 

brought to the job site. What usually happens is finish 

the job and try to remember to bring the proper ladder next time. Did the employee using the ladder know 

the top two rungs should not be used to stand on? If 

properly trained he/she should know. Did the supervisor or other employee know? The supervisor should 

know, the other employee may or may not know. If the 

process looks unsafe it usually is. 

How are dilemmas like this solved? Supervisors 

are not always around and when the job needs to get 

accomplished and personal accountability sometimes 

falters when the job needs to be done now. 

If the employee’s lack of accountability caused a 

personal injury what else is counted besides the injured employee? Depending on the injury, a trip to the 

hospital is required. If during working hours, another 

employee may take them (more lost time) or emergency services are called. Either way the project is 

stopped. Time is lost. 

If the proper ladder was brought or the project delayed until the proper ladder arrived, the chance of an 

injury is greatly reduced. Time was delayed, not lost.

During this time of fiscal restraint employees may 

hear “you need to do more with less.” No such luck. 

With less, what is going to be sacrificed? 

Is safety culture needed? Yes, safety should always 

be included into the command culture or command 

climate. Make it common practice to stop an unsafe 

evolution and properly train employees or shipmates.

When using operational risk management (ORM), 

you must decide whether the risk overrides the benefit. There are very few results in everyday tasks were 

the risk overrides the benefits. Everyone who sees a 

safety violation should say something. If you think it 

is unsafe most likely it is. Bottom line, supervisors 

should supervise and review processes. Employees 

should be accountable to report processes that are not 

working or outdated. 

Mr. Perfetto worked in the Shore Safety Programs Directorate of the 

Naval Safety Center, where he served as a safety and occupational health 

specialist.
SEA & SHORE

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TEN RULES TO IMPROVE

SAFETY LEADERSHIP

By Steven Geiger

Good leadership in safety and occupational health within the Navy helps 

differentiate the best performing commands from the rest. Such a healthy 

safety culture fully supported by leadership at all levels pays great dividends for commands and the Navy as a whole. The following guidance for leadership is taken from the Army’s Leader’s Guide to Civilian Safety.

No one is in a better position to influence worker safety than the leader. If you 

provide employees with proper guidance, training, and development of good 

work habits, they will perform safely whether or not you are in the area. The 

safety culture of an organization is often described as “what people do when no 

one is looking.” Leaders drive safety culture by setting the example, encouraging and rewarding safe performance, and by not rewarding or tolerating short 

cuts and unsafe acts.
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 5 

Know and care for your personnel. In a sense, 

you have two families. Care for your people as 

you would care for your family. Be sure each 

worker understands and accepts his or her personal 

responsibility for safety. Know their training status and 

their qualifications. Verify knowledge and skills level 

of new employees, regardless of whether or not they 

have been previously certified in a certain area. Consider individual abilities when assigning job tasks.

Know the rules of safety that apply to the work 

you supervise. Never let it be said that one of 

your people was injured because you were not 

aware of the required safety precautions. Know your 

equipment, its capabilities, and its condition. Checklists and publications are available to guide you.

Anticipate the risks that may arise from 

changes in equipment or methods. Evaluate the 

impact of equipment changes or modifications, 

timeline and schedule changes, seasonal and weather 

changes and personnel assignments and skill levels. 

Changes in one or more of an operation’s conditions 

can introduce new hazards or increase risk, if not 

addressed. Seek and use expert safety advice that is 

available to help you guard against new hazards.

Encourage your staff to discuss with you the 

hazards of their jobs. A job hazard analysis is a 

good tool to discuss specific tasks, equipment 

and safe procedures at the start of an operation to 

ensure you and your personnel understand the requirements, procedures and equipment to perform the tasks 

safely and efficiently. Be receptive to the ideas of your 

workforce. They are a valuable source of first-hand 

knowledge that can help prevent mishaps.

Assign sufficient and qualified people and 

equipment to get the task done safely. Do not 

allow shortcuts. In the long run, shortcuts do 

not save time or money.

Follow up on your instructions consistently. 

Provide positive reinforcement of safe behavior 

by recognizing employees who use personal 

protective equipment and follow safe procedures. 

See that your people use the safeguards provided. 

Routinely spot check their work. If necessary, enforce 

safety rules through disciplinary action. Left uncorrected, unsafe performance becomes the accepted 

standard. Frequent excuses for poor safety performance include: “We’ve always done it this way.” “No 

one has gotten hurt yet.”

Set a good example. Demonstrate safety in 

your own work habits and personal conduct. 

Do not be a hypocrite in the eyes of your staff. 

Set and enforce high operating standards in every part 

of your operation. Safety is a by-product of professionalism, of doing the job right the first time and 

every time.

Investigate and analyze every mishap, however 

slight. Develop corrective measures to prevent 

similar mishaps. Corrective action following a 

minor mishap or near-miss may be an opportunity 

to avoid a major mishap. Where minor mishaps go 

unheeded, crippling major mishaps may strike later.

Cooperate fully with those in the organization who are involved in employee safety. The 

safety professional, industrial hygiene and 

occupational health staff work to help you identify and 

protect your workers from injury and health hazards. Their purpose is to help you get your job done 

safely. Maintain awareness. Do not relax your vigil 

and become complacent when everything is running 

smoothly.

Remember, mishap prevention is good business and increases mission readiness.

Mr. Geiger worked in the Shore Safety Programs Directorate of the Naval 

Safety Center, where he served as the occupational health and industrial 

safety division head.

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Workplace safety inspections are required annually in accordance 

with Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Instruction 5100.23 

series (OPNAVINST 5100.23) and the Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR 1960.25). Workplace inspections are one of the principle 

means of detecting hazards and unsafe behaviors that may develop in a 

workplace over time. Supervisors and employees should always be on the 

lookout for hazards and unsafe behaviors, but there are occasions when 

hazards overlooked due to complacency. 

SAFETY INSPECTIONS

WORKPLACE By Joseph Perfetto
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 7 

Workplace inspections help to ensure hazards are 

identified and corrected before a mishap occurs, and 

may be conducted by a safety and health professional, 

collateral duty safety officer, supervisor, higher level of 

command or through base operations support services. These inspections seek to discover conditions, 

procedures, and practices that if allowed to continue, 

could lead to mishaps. Your installation safety office 

and preventive medicine activity are another resource 

that can help conduct these critical inspections.

Although workplace inspections are usually scheduled once annually, what happens during the remaining 

364 days of the year? Employees are the eyes and 

ears of the deckplates and are a key extension of a 

command safety office in ensuring one’s own safety 

and health, as well as the safety and health of others.

During workplace inspections checklists may be 

used; line items from the CFR, National Fire Protection 

Agency, American National Standards Institute and 

other agencie’s regulations can be utilized, and a comprehensive checklist is available at https://intelshare.

intelink.gov/sites/navsafe/OnOffDuty/Workplace_Inspection_Checklist.xls. This and other checklists are 

not and should never be considered complete and individuals utilizing checklists should always be properly 

trained prior to using one. Checklists are designed only 

to give a basic idea of what hazards could exist and 

anything that is considered out of the ordinary or just 

does not seem right should be immediately reported to 

the safety officer for further investigation or evaluation. 

Inspection Frequency 

Inspections and assessments of operations, practices and facilities are required annually, or more often if 

necessary. Inspection frequency can be daily, weekly, 

monthly or quarterly based on the type of organization 

and potential hazardous activities and conditions. 

Frequently changing workplace conditions or high 

risk operations warrant more frequent checks to ensure safe performance.

Inspection procedures will emphasize use of observation, interviews, operational reviews, performance 

testing, and similar techniques designed to detect high 

risk of both unsafe acts and conditions at the earliest 

possible time.

Most concerns during formal inspections or assessments are related to complacency and ignorance 

of standards. During inspections be on the lookout 

for statements such as “that has been like that for a 

while” or “that has been written up numerous times 

and is never fixed.” Statements such as these help 

indicate issues that may need to be addressed. 

Safety inspections should:

• Detect missing equipment guards, poor housekeeping, inadequate maintenance of tools or other unsafe 

conditions or equipment that might cause mishaps.

• Detect short cuts or other unsafe actions by personnel 

such as operating equipment without authority or at 

unsafe speeds, unsafe handling of materials and using 

improper personal protective equipment.

• Encourage employees to inspect their own work areas 

and practices.

Inspections can be accomplished by supervisors or 

employees. 

Rountinely Identified Items

During formal annual inspections and assessments 

there are some deficiencies that are generally identified, such as electrical. This can include daisy chains, 

excessive use of extensions cords or overloaded 

junction boxes. These items should be identified by the 

employees and supervisors in routine inspections and 

assessments. 

Formal inspections should focus on items not routinely inspected or assessed. While performing formal 

inspections and assessments, non-routine items such 

as ergonomics (work benches, desks), fall protection 

equipment inspections, respiratory protection equipment inspections should be inspected. Here are some
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questions to ask yourself: Does the command have a recent industrial hygiene 

survey? Do the employees know where 

the survey is located? Do the employees 

know how to read it? Is the survey being 

adhered too? 

What Can You Do?

With all the established inspections and 

assessments, why does safety still fall 

to the wayside? This is an unfortunate 

and recurring occurrence. Is someone 

bypassing a workcenter safety requirement no matter what it is? Regrettably, 

the answer is often yes and this happens 

more than it should. 

Does taking a short cut or bypassing a 

safety regulation always cause a fatality or injury? No, it does not. Are some 

safety rules a pain? You bet they are. 

However, these rules and regulations are 

required and are here for your protection. 

Most rules are written in blood, because 

someone has been seriously injured or 

killed requiring the establishment of these 

rules, procedures and standards. 

Don’t allow yourself or anyone else 

become an incident statistic, follow the 

rules and standards. Remember to be 

safety-wise and if you see something 

wrong say something. The life you save 

could be your own.

Mr. Perfetto worked in the Shore Safety Programs Directorate of the Naval Safety Center, where he served as a 

safety and occupational health specialist.

Safety Sta
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 9 

How many can you find?

ndard Violations
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Safety awareness and practices follow us everywhere. All personnel should be in tune 

with their work environment and 

be cognizant of safety at all times. 

Just as fleet Sailors must be aware 

of the flight deck, underway replenishment or engine room hazards, all 

personnel working ashore must be 

aware of office safety issues. 

Working in an administrative 

command’s safety office has 

shown me not only the hazards that 

exist, but also the false sense of 

security displayed by staff members. Staff often get complacent 

ashore and forget what they’ve 

learned in the fleet with regards to 

safety. Consider the basics of an 

office. Desk chairs tend to have 

wheels and can lean back. Standing 

on a chair with wheels to reach an 

object, leaning far back in a desk 

chair, and using the chair to haul 

boxes are a few potential injurycausing actions. I’m still amazed 

when personnel stand on rolling 

chairs to reach something right in 

front of the safety staff. 

Popular today, although not 

supported by the Department of 

Defense, is the use of stability balls 

as chairs. Originally designed to 

prevent musculoskeletal injuries, 

research has shown that they may 

actually cause injury when used for 

long periods. 

The importance of breaks for 

By Jane Bush

office workers can never be overstressed. Breaks enable your body 

to rest and help prevent musculoskeletal injuries, to say nothing of 

your need to periodically rest your 

brain. File cabinet drawers left open 

present hazards for personnel walking into them or tripping over them. 

Opening several cabinet drawers at 

once can lead to cabinet tip-over. 

Worn carpets with holes and 

water on tiled floors are potential 

trip and slip hazards. Power cords 

crossing aisles can also be a trip 

hazard. Office clutter limiting exit 

aisle width could become a hazard 

in case of an emergency. Good 

housekeeping means a safer environment. 

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

Safety

AWARENESS

PRACTICES
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 11 

Electrical safety should always 

be a priority. Many office spaces 

do not have sufficient power outlets to supply all the power gadgets 

used today, resulting in people 

using several power cords plugged 

together. “Daisy chaining” of extension cords is a frequent safety 

issue, especially during the holidays. Combining appliances such 

as coffee pots, microwaves and 

refrigerators on one 

circuit can easily 

overload the circuit. 

Overloading circuits 

greatly increases 

the likelihood of fires 

as the increased 

power consumption 

translates into heat 

in the wiring, the 

circuit breakers and the connected 

devices. Securing power on an 

overloaded circuit may suffice to 

remove the electric shock hazard, 

but it does not put out the fire 

caused by melting wires or sparking breakers!

Mold is a hazard that brings fear 

to many individuals and the truth 

is mold exists everywhere. There 

are numerous kinds of mold with 

varying degrees of toxicity. Certain 

molds can be dangerous and that 

is why every effort should be made 

to prevent mold growth and decrease mold exposure. Additionally, 

individuals have varying sensitivity 

levels or conditions that make them 

more susceptible to mold. There 

are plenty of damp spaces in an office building where mold can grow, 

especially older buildings that suffer 

from leaks, particularly in inaccessible or confined spaces.

Safety training should not be 

overlooked. The assumption of 

“I know how to be safe,” is often 

proven otherwise just by looking 

at the mishap list. Safety training 

should be on-going, but should 

also be appropriate to the worker’s 

surroundings. Senior leadership 

support is essential in reinforcing 

the importance of safety training, 

practices and the safety of the 

organization. 

Working in an administrative environment ashore may 

be a relaxing break 

from a shipboard/

overseas tour, but it 

is not an opportunity 

to disregard potential 

safety hazards or to 

defer safety training. 

The mission and the 

tools may be different, but the wisdom 

of vigilance still prevails. The office 

environment can harbor many hazards that we should all be aware of. 

Safety first is always a good rule, 

no matter where you are. 

Ms. Bush is a safety & occupational health 

specialist for the Office Safety Ashore, PERS53Z.

Senior leadership support 

is essential in reinforcing 

the importance of safety 

training, practices and the 

safety of the organization. 

Office Envir ment

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

default.html

Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders

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

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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

index.html

ONLINE RESOURCES

Indoor Environmental Quality

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

The National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health (NIOSH) 

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/index.htm
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Technology Awareness: 

Digital Eye Strain and Text Neck By Cindy Whitehead

Living in the modern digital 

age certainly has its benefits. 

How did we ever live without 

the endless amounts of information, instant results and ability to 

interact and communicate, all at 

our fingertips? We all enjoy the 

conveniences electronic technology offers, especially our mobile 

handheld devices. However, with 

all the advantages we gain from 

mobile technology comes the risk 

of serious and permanent health 

problems. According to the Pew 

Research Center, 68 percent of 

U.S. adults owned a smartphone in 

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

hitting shelves every day, the market for digital devices continues to 

grow. This means more time spent 

looking at electronic screens and 

digital content. 

The intention of spending five 

minutes checking your email can 

easily turn into an hour browsing 

the web on your smartphone. Your 

eyes become dry and irritated, your 

vision blurred. Your thumb, wrist, 

and neck have been held in the 

same unnatural position the entire 

time. Before long, your thumbs 

have been typing in an awkward 

position and they start An average person checks the phone every 6.5 minutes in a 16-hour waking cycle (Nokia, 2012)
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 13 

hurting. Your wrists have been 

bent over and tendinitis can set 

in. Your neck aches from looking down at your phone for a long 

time. Many Americans average 

six to nine hours a day in front of 

digital devices; 76 percent of us are 

still looking at our devices the hour 

before we sleep!

Since it’s unlikely that we’ll unplug any time soon, awareness is 

one way to fight the onset of lasting 

eye strains and muscle sprains.

Digital Eye Strain

Digital eye strain is now a common repetitive strain injury among 

workers, surpassing rates for carpal 

tunnel syndrome and tendinitis. Eye 

redness or irritation from staring 

at the bright backlight of screens 

for long periods, dry eyes due to 

reduced blinking, blurred vision 

and general fatigue from staring at 

screens and straining to see small 

fonts and images are all symptoms 

of digital eye strain. The percentage 

of people experiencing digital eye 

strain increases with the number of 

devices used simultaneously. Headaches may occur from repeated eye 

strain.

While irritation and discomfort 

can be temporary, there is potential for long-term effects such as 

age-related macular degeneration 

or cataracts. Studies show that 

long-term overexposure to blue 

light, or high-energy visible (HEV) 

light could damage the retina, the 

part of the eye that brings objects 

into focus.

Strain is often caused by the 

distance between the eyes and a 

digital screen. Our eyes are designed for near vision and far vision 

rather than the mid-range viewing 

distance needed to focus on words 

and images on laptops and desktop 

screens. As many as 90 percent of 

patients don’t discuss their digital 

viewing habits with their eye doctors. 

Computer eyewear is designed 

for the mid-range viewing distance 

of reading a computer screen. 

Lens technology can cut glare, 

block HEV, and decrease brightness 

with or without a prescription. Talk 

to your eye care provider about 

your digital viewing habits to determine what options are best for you.

Only 7 percent of U.S. adults have 

tried computer glasses to reduce 

digital eye strain.

Strain can also occur when overhead and surrounding light compete 

with your device’s screen, flooding 

your eyes with blue light. Viewing in 

total darkness is just as bad, forcOnly 7 percent of U.S. adults have tried computer glasses to reduce digital eye strain.

ing your eyes to constantly adjust 

to lighting levels. Balance the light 

in the room with your primary viewing device for best results. Adjust 

the brightness of your device, or 

the size of the text, as necessary.

Give your eyes a break. Follow 

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

eyes. Every 20 minutes, take a 20 

second break and view something 

20 feet away in the distance. Blink 

more often to rehydrate your eyes. 

Keep your screen clean to make 

text and images clearer and easier 

to read.

Text Neck

We are exposed to devices that 

cause “text neck” the majority of 

the day, almost every day!

People of all ages spend countless hours daily hunched over numerous types of handheld devices 

with their heads flexed forward. 

They are all in constant danger and 

at risk of developing “text neck.” 

For every inch of forward head 

posture, the weight of the head 

increases force on the spine by an 

additional 10 pounds. Among the 

chief complaints associated with 

text neck are neck, shoulder, back, 

arm, finger, hand, wrist and elbow 

pain, as well as headaches and 

numbness and tingling of the upper 

extremities. A Mayo Clinic study 

found that long term forward neck 

posture leads to “long term muscle 

strain, disc herniation and pinched 

nerves.” 
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Leaning over any object, not just 

smartphones and tablets, for an 

extended period of time (a sink full 

of dishes or caring for a newborn 

baby, for instance) can strain joints, 

muscles, and soft tissues causing pain. Is your home television 

mounted high above the fireplace 

or have you read your phone while 

lying on a couch or bed? Have you 

checked text messages under a 

table at a meeting or read a tablet in 

an economy airplane seat? This is 

not how we would set up our desk 

space at work, yet we may spend 

another few hours on our devices 

when we leave the office. 

Try the same principles as if you 

were in an office:

• Sit in a neutral position. Try resting your arms on your desk as you 

work. 

• Hold your smartphone a little higher 

to decrease the amount of stress on 

the neck (so you don’t have to look 

down as much).

• Give your neck a rest by looking up 

and bending sideways. Stretch every 

five to ten minutes. 

• Switch to a telephone call or your 

laptop if the texting (or web surfing) 

session starts getting too long.

If adults are suffering from neck 

problems after only a few years of 

texting and cell phoning, imagine 

what’s in store for our kids, who 

may start having physical problems 

much younger than we are. Do your 

kids slump at the computer, hang 

their necks as they look down on 

their cellphones and tilt their heads 

to the side as they hold the phone 

between their neck and their ear as 

they type? You can tell them to sit 

up straight, use a headset or speakerphone, and they’ll roll their eyes 

like when your parents told you to 

stop slouching. 

Most of us see our personal electronic devices as electronic security 

blankets, keeping us safe and everconnected. But there is such a thing 

as being too connected — especially when a little bundle of glass, 

electronic circuitry, and plastic has 

the power to cause undue pain.

Cindy Whitehead is a human systems engineer 

at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, 

Virginia focusing on human-centered design of 

the operation and maintenance of systems in 

Defense acquisition lifecycle and is the Program 

Manager for the Navy Ergonomics Program.
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 15 
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One of the toughest safety programs to keep functional through high turnover rates, multiple continuous 

maintenance availabilities (CMAV), and dry-docking selected restricted availability (DSRA) is the 

respiratory protection program. The program involves maintaining a high level of knowledge and 

accountability on the deckplates of how the program works, and strong leadership to establish and maintain the 

program. Below are the lessons learned from the USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98) as she prepared for the Board 

of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) in August 2017.

Establishing a functional 

and efficient Respiratory Program

1. Develop a shipboard instruction utilizing OPNAVINST 5100.19E, Chapter B6 (Respiratory 

Protection) and 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory 

Protection (NOTAL). The shipboard instruction at 

minimum should focus on qualitative respiratory 

fit test protocols, list specific respiratory disqualifying conditions, and include the commands 

recent Industrial Health Survey (IHS). Standard 

operating procedures that govern the selection, 

Building a Respiratory 

Protection ProgramBy LT Blake Lusty

maintenance, issue, and use of respirators should 

also be included.

2. Select and qualify a respiratory protection manager (RPPM) which requires attendance at CIN 

A-4J-0082, which is offered by the Naval Occupational Safety Health and Environmental Training Center. Recommend sending two additional 

RPPMs for personnel flexibility.

3. Determine all respirator operators to be medically 

qualified, fit tested, and trained on proper operating procedures. At a minimum, an active roster 
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 17 

should be maintained in relational admin (RADM) 

of all respiratory program participants. The RPPM 

shall maintain a roster to include: name, rate/rank, 

division, department, date of current PHA, date of 

fit test, fit test medium and size.

4. Conduct a review of the program annually and an 

audit of the inventory semi-annually, performed 

by the Safety Officer, to provide focused feedback 

on program deficiencies.

Building a Shipboard Culture to Support

When Forrest Sherman departed her 2016 DSRA in 

the fall of 2016, more than 20 percent of the original 

crew since entering the dry-dock period had departed 

the ship. This high turnover rate led to challenges in 

maintaining the respiratory program and general shipboard level of knowledge about respirators at a level 

required.

The most important element in a successful safety 

afloat program is that the crew understands how to 

smartly execute safety procedures and more importantly, understands detailed command, and Navy-wide 

safety instructions and expectations. Safety is a team 

sport.

The first step the Forrest Sherman safety team took 

was establishing a strong cadre of safety petty officers 

to execute the safety mission. Twenty safety petty 

officers were selected to cover the eighteen divisions 

through the command. In addition to the required 

personnel qualification standard (PQS), each safety 

petty officer was required to complete the Safety Afloat 

course required for the safety petty officer NEC 9571 

designation. This allowed every division onboard to 

have a knowledgable safety representative at the deckplate – a significant safety force multiplier!

The next step is selecting a strong leader for the 

respiratory program. BM2 Sean Huntsman was selected to attend the RPPM school aforementioned. 

Upon returning, BM2 was instrumental in establishing 

the respiratory command instruction. BM2 empowered 

the safety petty officers to provide the deckplate forceful back-up to ensure Sailors who operated respirators were medically qualified, fit tested, and properly 

trained. 

Ensuring one hundred percent accountability of all 

respirators operated on the ship was the most difficult 

task. Numerous respirators were located around the 

ship in spaces where contractors had worked and it 

was essential no sailor operated these respirators. 

This accountability was incorporated into the zone 

inspections in which inspectors were briefed to collect 

and turn in all respirators to BM2 Huntsman. Within 

two weeks full accountability was achieved.

Retraining the entire crew was the next step and 

required utilizing the ships deckplate cadre of safety 

petty officers to help train and provide a helpful link in 

directing any concerns or questions to BM2 Huntsman, the Forrest Sherman RPPM. The training first 

focused on raising shipboard level of knowledge 

through understanding the basics of hazard assessment and maximum use concentrations (MUC), two 

critical elements of respirator operation. Chapter B6 

from the OPNAVINST 5100.19E, The Navy Safety and 

Occupational Health Program manual provides excellent guidance on understanding these terms. The hazard assessment is determining the type of contaminant 

and its concentration and this assessment is the most 

important consideration in the selection of respirators. 

The MUC is for a class of respirators that determines 

the maximum level of protection that a class of respirators can provide against a contaminant.

Establishing a respirator program is no easy task 

but BM2 Huntsman, with the support of the Forrest 

Sherman safety team and command leadership, led 

the charge. There is no allowable error for “getting 

it wrong” when it comes to safety. As a result of the 

hardworking efforts of the Forrest Sherman safety 

team and lessons learned documented above, the 

ship received high marks with a 92 percent overall in 

NAVOSH programs and the respirator program was out 

briefed as “one of the best on the waterfront.” 

LT Blake Lusty is the assistant safety officer aboard the USS Forrest 

Sherman (DDG-98).
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Mr. Borkowski works in the Shore Safety Programs Directorate of the 

Naval Safety Center, where he serves as a traffic and recreation off-duty 

safety specialist.

What do Motorcycles and May have in common? May 

is motorcycle safety awareness month, a time of year 

designed to remind all drivers and motorcyclists to 

share the road with each other. Motorcycle safety is an issue of 

increasing concern. 

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Motorcycle Safety 

Foundation (MSF) and the Naval Safety Center are encouraging 

all motorists to share the road and watch for motorcyclists.

IT'S SPRING & MOTORCYCLISTS 

ARE HITTING THE ROAD By Michael Borkowski

DRIVERS TAKE NOTICE:
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 19 2018VOLUME 13|No. 2

National Highway Traffic Safet Administration

 https://one.nhtsa.gov/Driving-Safety/Motorcycles

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

http://www.msf-usa.org/

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

ForCarDrivers.com 

 http://www.forcardrivers.com/downloads.html

According to NHTSA data in 2016 there were 5,286 

motorcyclists killed in motor vehicle crashes in the 

United States, 12 of whom were Navy shipmates. While 

the national numbers have not been released yet for 

2017, the Navy numbers for fiscal year 2017 show we 

lost 21 sailors due to motorcycle crashes. 

As the weather improves, more motorcyclists are out 

for a ride and sharing the road with other motorists. 

You may be aware of the risks of riding your bike, but 

are the drivers around you aware? Assume the answer 

is no. The sudden population of motorcycles on our 

roads often catches drivers by surprise this time of 

year. Do your part by being aware that other drivers 

may not see you. Stay out of blind spots and expect the 

unexpected.

Motorcycles are some of the smallest vehicles on 

our roads, often hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot or 

just blending in with traffic and not seen. Drivers can 

successfully interact and share the road with motorcyclists by taking the extra time and looking twice to spot 

motorcyclists in traffic, especially at intersections.

Additional tips:

1. Passenger car drivers must allow a greater following distance behind a motorcycle. Motorcyclists 

will often slow down by downshifting, or merely 

getting off the throttle. In either of these situations 

the brake light does not illuminate. Therefore, it 

is suggested to allow a following distance of 3-4 

seconds when following a motorcycle.

2. Drivers should also show extra caution at intersections. Many crashes occur when a driver fails to 

see a motorcyclist approaching an intersection 

and turns left in front of the motorcycle.

3. Drivers should never try to share a lane with a 

motorcycle. Always give a motorcycle the full 

lane’s width. Motorcyclists should practice operational risk management and never split or share a 

lane with a motor vehicle. 

4. Motorcyclists should avoid riding in poor weather, 

but sometimes it occurs unexpectedly. So car and 

truck drivers should take extra care and be more 

observant during rain, wind, or other inclement 

weather conditions.

5. Use your vehicle’s rear-view and side-view mirrors properly to help eliminate blind spots where 

small vehicles like motorcycles can be missed. 

Motorcyclists should position their motorcycles to 

avoid being in a driver’s blind spot.

6. All motorists should use turn signals for every 

turn or lane change, every time.

7. Motorcyclists can help themselves be more 

visible by wearing brightly colored clothing with 

reflective material, which will better their chances 

of being seen by other drivers.

The motorcycle awareness month campaign was 

launched by the AMA in the early 1980s and has since 

been adopted by many state motorcycle-rights organizations, NHTSA, MSF and government entities.

Reducing crashes is a shared responsibility for 

drivers and motorcyclists alike. Safe riding and cooperation from everyone on the road can help reduce 

these numbers. Stay alert, use common sense and be 

courteous while on the road. The Naval Safety Center 

wants drivers to get in the habit of looking for motorcyclists as they drive, not only during this campaign 

month but throughout the year.
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By Joe Perfetto & Bonnie Revell

MOTORCYCLE 

AWARENESS 
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 21 2018VOLUME 13|No. 2

T

he National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration (NHTSA) and the 

Naval Safety Center want to take 

this opportunity to remind everyone 

that with warmer weather approaching 

more motorcycles will be on the roads. 
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All drivers are asked to please share the road and 

look twice for motorcycles. Because of their smaller 

size compared to other vehicles they are often difficult 

to distinguish in traffic and appear to be farther away 

than they actually are. This misperception has led to 

more than a few cars moving over on or merging into 

motorcyclists’ lanes of traffic resulting in mishaps. 

Motorists often say following an accident with a 

motorcycle “I didn’t see him/her there.” Don’t be that 

motorist.

The latest NHTSA vehicle mile travel data shows motorcyclists are about 27 times as likely as passenger 

car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash, 

and six times as likely to be injured. 

As of May 1 of fiscal year 2018, the Navy has experienced seven motorcycle fatalities. This is up from 

from five incurred during the same time frame in fiscal 

year 2017. 

The U.S. Marine Corps has experienced eight motorcycle fatalities this fiscal year, which is up from seven 

during this same period in fiscal year 2017. 

Most mishaps occur with riders under the age of 27. 

The 25 and under age group is usually riding sport 

bikes and wearing required protective gear, but many 

of them are riding with little to no experience and 

pushing their machines’ capabilities, which can override the effectiveness of even the best protective gear 

on the market when tested in crashes at high speed.

Command leadership should ensure military riders 

take the mandated motorcycle safety training, and 

ensure that there is an established motorcycle mentorship program in place. 

Commander, Navy Installations has a contractor on 

staff to assist in this training effort, and each major 

installation has rider coaches available to provide 

training. There is no need to postpone training with the 

number of rider coaches now available. Contact your 

motorcycle safety representatives (MSRs) or local 

installation safety office to obtain information on available courses. 

 Command MSRs are a great resource, and the more 

involved they are in rider mentoring and the riding 

process, the more effective the motorcycle safety 

program will be. 

Peer-to-peer rider support is one of the best ways to 

ensure all riders know and comply with Department of 

Navy and common sense motorcycle safety requirements.

The Naval Safety Center provides resources for 

MSRs. Weekly rider down reports are widely distributed to help increase awareness of motorcycle mishaps. 

Additional information is available to command MSRs 

by visiting the links below, where posters, infographics, talking points, tips and other motorcycle safety 

information can be found.

• http://www.nhtsa.gov/safety/motorcycles

• http://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/sharetheroad

• http://exchange.aaa.com/safety/motorcycle-safety

Remember that there is no such thing as a fenderbender for a motorcycle rider who is completely 

exposed. By working together and sharing the vast 

amount of information available, we can collectively 

reduce needless mishaps and safely share the road.

Hand Signals and Safe Motorcycling

Everyone should be aware of the biker wave, but 

what most people don’t know is that there is a 

full system of hand signals designed to non-verbally communicate many of the things riders need to 

convey to other drivers and riders. Some of the most 

common hand signals used by motorcyclists out on 

the roadways can be found on the next page.
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 23 

COMMON MOTORCYCLE HAND GESTURES
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MOST IMPORTANT, ALWAYS RIDE ALCOHOL & DRUG FREE.

ALWAYS WEAR THE PROPER PROTECTION. ALWAYS RIDE RESPONSIBLY. 

Safe motorcycling takes balance, coordination, and good judgment. Here are some ways to ensure you’ll be 

around to enjoy riding your motorcycle for many years to come.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE PROPERLY LICENSED - Completing a motorcycle rider education course is a good way 

to ensure you have the correct instruction and basic experience it takes to ride a motorcycle. Do not stop there; 

continue to progress on with advanced level courses where offered.

PRACTICE OPERATING YOUR MOTORCYCLE - Make sure you know how to handle your motorcycle in a variety 

of conditions (e.g., inclement weather or encountering hazards such as slick roads, potholes, and road debris). If 

you plan to carry cargo or a passenger, be prepared to make adjustments to the tires, suspension, and placement 

of the load.

ENSURE YOUR MOTORCYCLE IS SAFE - Before every ride, you should check the tire pressure and tread depth, 

hand and foot brakes, headlights and signal indicators, as well as fluid levels.

National Highway Traffic Safet Administration

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

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

http://msf-usa.org/

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS MORE INFORMATION

Mr. Perfetto worked in the Shore Safety Programs Directorate of the Naval 

Safety Center, where he served as a safety and occupational health specialist. Ms. Revell worked in the Shore Safety Programs Directorate of the 

Naval Safety Center, where she served as a traffic and recreation off-duty 

safety specialist. 
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 25 
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Everyone has been lost at 

least once in their lives. For 

many of us, being lost usually happens while we’re driving. 

This typically only means that we’re 

getting to our destination a little 

later or perhaps having to stop and 

fire up our GPS to get turn-by-turn 

directions. For me, it meant finding 

myself on a runway at the same 

time that an airplane was touching 

down. 

On Sept. 28, 2016, I was working 

in the VAW-116 line shack when a 

Seaman from a visiting E-2 squadron came over and asked to borrow 

the MSU-200 Air Start Unit (ASU). 

The visiting squadron was on detachment to Point Mugu, California 

from Norfolk, Virginia, and needed 

to borrow equipment from time to 

time. I checked the equipment out 

to the Seaman and began driving 

to the transient line area. Since 

they were visiting, I was unfamiliar 

with the location of the transient 

line area, and the Seaman had low 

situational awareness because he 

was unfamiliar with the airfield. 

This would have been a good time 

to double-check and ask questions 

about where to go, but everyone 

involved assumed that the other 

person knew where to go. 

And you know what happens 

when you assume.

Without clarifying the best route 

to get there, we began driving and 

navigating to the transient ramp. 

While driving on what I thought 

was a taxiway, the hair on the back 

of my neck began to stand up 

and I looked around and saw the 

markings for a runway. The next 

thing I saw was a Hawkeye do a 

touch-and-go on the same piece 

of concrete I was on. Afraid for 

the lives of everyone on that piece 

of concrete, I put the pedal down 

and continued across the runway 

until we got to the transient ramp. 

We dropped off the equipment and 

I returned to the VAW-116 line 

shack, this time taking the appropriate route. 

When I returned to the line shack, 

my leading petty officer (LPO) 

pulled me aside and informed me 

that I had, in fact, driven across 

an active runway. The tower had 

contacted VAW-116’s maintenance 

control desk and told them of the 

incident. For the second time that 

day my heart started racing; this 

time for fear of losing my job. I 

eventually sat down with my master 

chief and discussed how the event 

unfolded and what learning points 

we could pull from it. Some immediate actions involved me taking 

a flight line driver’s course as well 

as debriefing each shop about the 

incident. 

Driving across an active runway has the potential to have fatal 

consequences; we were lucky that 

no one was hurt or any equipment 

damaged. The visiting squadron’s 

Seaman and I should have both 

taken time to acquaint ourselves 

with our surroundings and verified the appropriate route to take. 

Utilizing deliberate operational risk 

management (ORM) or simply 

asking ourselves “What is different?” would have greatly reduced 

the likelihood of this happening. We 

all receive yearly ORM training and 

sometimes it’s easy to gloss over 

the steps, but it’s times like these 

that highlight how important and 

relevant the process truly is to a 

safe evolution.

SN Mateo Diaz is assigned to VAW-116 Sun 

Kings located in Point Mugu.

LOST ON THE RUNWAYBy SN Mateo Diaz
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 27 

I

run every morning before work. 

I love to. It helps me wake up 

plus I get my workout done early so I have the rest of the day after 

work to myself. On July 30, 2016, 

I woke up to run as usual, but this 

time I was running behind. I run the 

same path every morning because 

it’s generally clear of traffic. 

About two miles into the run, I 

came to an intersection with rattle 

grates on either side of the road. 

As I approached the intersection, I 

noticed two vehicles driving toward 

me with their lights on. The lights 

temporarily blinded me as I ran 

over the grates, and I tripped and 

fell on my knee. 

 At first I didn’t feel any pain, 

so I stood back up to make sure I 

was okay, dusted myself off, and 

kept going. I was more worried 

about the embarrassment of falling 

in front of two groups of people. 

When I looked at my knee, it was 

a different story. I moved the palm 

of my hand when I saw the blood 

running down my leg into my shoe 

and saw the bottom of my knee 

cap and the tendon attached to it. 

It looked like a large chunk of my 

knee just fell on the ground. Both of 

the vehicles just sat there with their 

lights shining on me and I realized 

no one saw how bad it was. I used 

my phone’s flashlight to signal to 

someone that I needed help. 

Someone immediately drove 

toward me and got out to help once 

they saw what my knee looked like. 

The other car drove by once I was 

in the first vehicle and left. They 

took me to the Air Force security 

building and called an ambulance, 

my husband, and my squadron. 

At the ER, I got a tetanus shot, 

antibiotics, and pain medication. 

The doctor checked to make sure 

I could still move my knee and 

that I didn’t damage the tendon. 

In the end, I received 36 stitches 

and couldn’t bend my knee for four 

weeks, but thankfully avoided any 

major injury. 

What was supposed to be a 

routine morning run, turned out to 

be a painful trip to the emergency 

room. It was unfortunate that the 

drivers blinded me at the exact moment I ran over the grates, but also 

lucky that they were there to give 

me a ride to the medical facility. In 

hindsight, I wish I had either slowed 

down or stopped running until the 

vehicles passed and I had a clear 

field of view of the obstacles. When 

routine tasks become atypical, it’s 

never a bad idea to slow down and 

take the conservative approach. I 

learned this lesson while off-duty, 

but we can all apply this to our professional environments as well.

AT2 Jordan Osmera is an aviation electronics 

technician with Fleet Readiness Center 

Southeast (FRCSE) Jacksonville.

RUNNING

INTO THE GROUND

By AT2 Jordan Osmera
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S

weat was dripping down my face. I was enjoying the famous runner’s 

high and on my way to breaking my personal record on the treadmill. 

AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” perfectly matched my running pace, as if the 

stars had lined up for me to knock this cardio session out of the park, or so 

I thought. My trance was interrupted by an ill-omened 1MC announcement, 

“Standby for heavy rolls while the ship comes about.” Shortly after the last 

word was heard, I found myself dangerously close to the front end of the 

treadmill. I reached for salvation in the form a bright red “STOP” button. 

GAIN

WITHOUT THE

PAIN

WORKING OUT

By ENS Jose Otero-Vera 
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 29 

ENS Jose Otero-Vera is currently the 

assistant safety officer onboard USS 

Arleigh Burke (DDG 51).

Too late! My foot violently struck the treadmill’s plastic frame and, in a blink of an eye, my gaze went from 

the uninteresting bulkhead down to the vicious and 

merciless treadmill. There was one thing that made the 

difference between an unpleasant treadmill face tattoo 

and walking away relatively unscathed: the emergency 

stop cable. Luckily, I limped away with just a hurt ego 

and a scraped knee. 

Staying fit while underway can be a very difficult 

and frustrating goal, especially when your ship is 

smack in the middle of a high operational tempo. Many 

ships, such as USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), provide 

her Sailors with a well above average fitness facility, 

well-equipped with free weights, cable machines, and 

cardio equipment in an effort to maintain fleet fitness 

standards and to provide Sailors with a means to let 

off steam. However, these benefits oftentimes go hand 

in hand with inherently hazardous situations as we hop 

on the treadmill or hit the weights. Riding on what is 

essentially a metal cork in the ocean, our bodies have 

to account for pitch and roll when transiting the ship, 

let alone running full speed on a barely user-friendly 

machine or holding up heavy chunks of metal over our 

heads. One false step and you could find yourself on 

the wrong side of a medical emergency and on a oneway trip to the hospital. 

Many of us who have made the gym part of our 

underway routine have seen firsthand potentially life 

threatening situations while we squeeze a workout into 

our busy schedule. A few of my (dis)honorable mentions include the “shoulder press gone wrong,” where 

I saw in slow motion a shipmate’s elbow start rolling 

the wrong way, and the “dumbbell avalanche,” where 

you watch in fear as improperly stowed dumbbells 

precariously dangle from the weight rack over someone doing sit-ups below. It is no secret that under the 

worst cocktail of factors, one of your shipmates might 

have been heading at flank towards very serious bodily 

harm or in the worst of cases, death. 

The gym is inherently a dangerous place both ashore 

and at sea. We all take into account the risk in order 

to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. However, 

the reality of the matter is that the chance of most 

of these cringe-worthy situations occurring can be 

highly reduced. The ship will continue to roll, the seas 

will never accommodate to our schedule, but through 

proper planning, risk management, supervision, and 

situational awareness, we can make our average workout be just that, an “average” workout. 

Here are some nuggets of wisdom that make for a 

safe workout underway: Know the seas. Take a quick 

trip to combat information center and ask a watchstander what they expect the weather will be like that 

day. This way you can decide if you can replace some 

of the free weight-intensive exercises with body weight 

equivalents. 

Be mindful of your surroundings. Keep an eye out for 

misplaced equipment, runaway dumbbells, and other 

gear adrift. Be a leader and move the object out of the 

way for your shipmates. 

Know your equipment. Understand all of your equipment’s safety features and use them. They might 

appear annoying at times but nothing is more annoying 

than a treadmill skid mark on your face.

Protect your shipmates. Be that on-call spotter and 

look out for others in the gym. You might stop a developing dangerous situation before anyone gets hurt. 

Do not be a hero. Know when to call it. If the ship 

undergoes unforeseen maneuvering or weather conditions, consider wrapping up your workout. You can 

easily make up some reps or a set later, but you can’t 

say the same for missing teeth.

ENS Jose Otero-Vera is currently the assistant safety officer onboard USS 

Arleigh Burke (DDG 51).
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HEAT RELATED ILLNESS:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

By LCDR Todd P. Davis

On Feb. 11, 2016 a Sailor aboard an aircraft carrier 

became lightheaded and dizzy from dehydration approximately 30 minutes into a workout. The Sailor’s 

workout consisted of stationary biking, pushups, and 

sit-ups. The service member had only four hours of 

restless sleep for several nights prior to this incident. In the hours preceding the Sailor’s workout, the 

service member drank five beverages consisting of: 

a name brand flavored water, orange juice, and one 

glass of water. The temperature had been in the low 

to mid-70s for several weeks in the area. The service 

member reported not feeling thirsty during the exercise routine; but did have a history of light-headedINSIDE STORY

ness on two previous occasions due to dehydration.
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 31 

Why should you be concerned about heat related illness? Sailors and Marines fall victim 

to heat stress conditions every year compromising their health, productivity, and alertness hindering an organization’s ability to accomplish its mission. 

Heat-related illnesses occur when heat exposure or physical exertion increases to the point 

at which the body’s attempts to cool itself are no longer effective. Symptoms observed include 

profuse sweating, dehydration, rapid heart rate, cramps, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and core 

body temperatures of 100°F and above. Workers and supervisors must be able to recognize 

symptoms early. If symptoms go untreated, heat-related illnesses can lead to death.

Training should be established within an organization to help supervisors and workers prevent, 

recognize, and treat heat-related illness. Supervisors should implement a heat acclimatization 

program for workers, encourage proper hydration, establish an appropriate work/rest schedule 

for heat stress conditions, ensure access to shade or cool areas, monitor workers during hot 

conditions, provide prompt medical attention to workers who show signs of illness, evaluate 

work practices continually to reduce exertion and environmental heat stress, monitor the heat 

index daily, and consider rescheduling jobs with high heat exposure to cooler times of the day.

Workers should drink water or other hydrating liquids frequently enough to never become 

thirsty (about 1 cup every 15-20 minutes), eat well-balanced meals, wear loose-fitting breath-
SEA & SHORE

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Figure 1: Wet Bulb Globe Temperature and intense physical exertion flag reference. 

Figure 2: Heat stress injury symptom and treatment chart.

able clothing, take breaks in the shade or a 

cool area when possible, be aware that protective clothing or personal protective equipment 

may increase the risk of heat stress, monitor 

your physical condition and that of co-workers 

and tell a supervisor if they show symptoms 

of heat-related illness. Talk with your doctor 

about medications you are taking and how the 

medications may affect heat tolerance. Refer to 

figure 1 and figure 2 to assess your risk.

WHEN THE HEAT IS ON, 

STAY HYDRATED

You have the tools and resources, now put 

them into action. Use time critical risk management to keep the heat off! It’s as easy as 

ABCD.

LCDR Davis worked in the Shore Safety Programs Directorate of 

the Naval Safety Center, where he served as the industrial hygiene 

officer.
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 33 

Naval Safety Center

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

heat_stress.aspx

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 https://www.cdc.gov/extremeheat/

CS259550

Extreme Heat 

Heat related deaths are preventable

WHAT:

Extreme heat or heat waves 

occur when the temperature 

reaches extremely high levels 

 or when the combination of heat 

and humidity causes the air to 

become oppressive.

WHO:

 Children Older adults 

Outside workers People with disablities

WHERE:

 Houses with Construction

 little to no AC worksites

 Cars

HOW to AVOID: 

Stay hydrated with water, Stay cool in an 

avoid sugary beverages air conditioned area 

 Wear light-weight, light colored, 

			 	loose	fitting	clothes

During extreme heat

the temperature in 

your car could 

be deadly. 

Outside Temperature 80° 

 Inside 

109° 

T ime Elapsed:

20 minutes 

T ime Elapsed:

20 minutes

Inside 

118° 

 T ime Elapsed:

20 minutes

Inside 

118° 

HEAT ALERTS: Know the difference.

 HEAT OUTLOOK HEAT WATCHES HEAT WARNING/ADVISORY

Minor Major

 Excessive Excessive Excessive

 heat event in heat event in heat event in

 3 to 7 days 12 to 48 hours next 36 hours

DID YOU KNOW?

Those living in urban areas may be at a greater risk 

from the effects of a prolonged heat wave than those living 

in rural areas.

Most heat-related illnesses 

occur because of overexposure to heat or 

 over-exercising. 

Sunburn can significantly slow the skin’s ability to 

release excess heat. 

206 people died in the US as a result of 

extreme heat in 2011. 

$30 BILLION estimated total cost

of the 2012 US drought and heatwave. 

For more information on ways to beatthe heat please visit: 

http://www.cdc.gov/extremeheat/

The following factors are individual risks for heat 

casualties. The more factors, the higher the risk.

• Not acclimatized to heat (need 10 to 14 days to 

get trainees adequately acclimated)

• Exposure to cumulative days (two to three days) 

of any of the following:

- Increased heat exposure

- Increased exertion levels

- Lack of quality sleep

• Poor fitness

• Overweight

• Minor illness (cold symptoms, sore throat, lowgrade fever, nausea, vomiting)

• Taking medications (either prescribed or over the 

counter), supplements or dietary aids (e.g., allergy 

or cold remedies or Ephedra supplements)

• Use of alcohol in the last 24 hours

• Prior history of heat illness (any heat stroke or 

more than two episodes of heat exhaustion)

• Skin disorders such as heat rash and sunburn 

that prevent effective sweating

• Age greater than 40 years

DID YOU KNOW?
SEA & SHORE

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With tornadoes, it can be easy to fall into a complacent 

mindset of “it will never happen to me,” because they 

only happen in Tornado Alley – that region between the 

Rocky and Appalachian Mountains. Tornadoes rank third on the 

National Weather Service’s list of weather events that cause the 

most fatalities. Therefore, everyone needs to know the importance 

of taking severe weather and tornado warnings seriously; tornadoes can occur anywhere there is severe weather (convective 

environment – mostly in conjunction with thunderstorms). 

By Bonnie Revell

Ms. Revell served as a safety professional for more than 25 years. She worked 

in the Shore Safety Programs Directorate at the Naval Safety Center, where she 

served as a traffic and recreation off-duty safety specialist. 
2018

VOLUME 13|No. 2 35 

Ready.gov

 https://www.ready.gov/tornadoes

National Weather Service 

 http://www.weather.gov

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

American Red Cross

 http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/types-ofemergencies/tornado

 http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4340177_

Tornado.pdf

Tornadoes, the most violent natural hazard, are 

rotating, funnel-shaped clouds, formed from thunderstorms. Strong winds are a tornado’s most destructive 

aspect, with gusts reaching as high as 300 mph. The 

damage path from these natural hazards can be a mile 

wide. Tornado season generally runs spring through 

What to Do If There Is a Tornado

• Take shelter immediately in a designated room.

• If you are outside, find shelter immediately or, if shelter is unavailable, lie flat in a ditch or low-lying area.

• If you are in a car, stop immediately and find shelter. Do NOT try to drive through a tornado.

• Stay tuned to radio or TV for information and instructions as they become available.

• Stay in your shelter until the tornado has passed.

• Once you are in a safe place, report to your command if you are military or civilian government personnel or a member of the selective reserves.

How to Prepare for a Tornado

• When a tornado threatens, take immediate action. Do not delay!

• Stay informed and know tornado terminology:

- Tornado watch — Weather conditions are favorable for the development of a tornado. Stay tuned to the radio or TV 

 for more information and further instructions.

- Tornado warning — A tornado has been spotted. Take shelter immediately. 

• Identify a place in your home and at work to take shelter in case of a tornado:

- A storm shelter or basement provides the best protection.

- Stay away from windows, doors, and outside walls.

- In homes and small buildings, go to an interior part of the lowest level—closets, bathrooms, or interior 

 halls. Put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. 

- In schools, nursing homes, hospitals, factories, and businesses, go to the pre-designated shelter areas. Interior 

 hallways on the lowest floor are usually best.

- In high-rise buildings, go to an interior small room or hallway.

- Leave areas with high, open-roof enclosures such as auditoriums, gymnasiums, aviation hangars, etc.

- Leave mobile homes or vehicles, and go to a substantial shelter. If there is no shelter nearby, lie flat in the 

 nearest ditch, ravine, or culvert with your hands shielding your head.

• Conduct frequent tornado drills.

• Obtain an emergency supply kit and make a family emergency plan.

summer, but tornadoes can occur any time of the year. 

They most often occur at the tail end of a thunderstorm with 80 percent of tornadoes occurring between 

noon and midnight. While some areas are more prone 

to tornadoes than others, they can occur anywhere, so 

it is best to be prepared.

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