material also must be labeled. Stock hazardous material should be at the minimum quantity required to meet the operational requirements. The following paragraphs list some of hazardous items used afloat. ACID.— Unless classified as safe material in the Naval Ships’ Technical Manual, chapter 670, store liquid acid in the acid locker. If the acid locker is not available, stow acid bottles in the flammable storeroom. However, a watertight rubber lining must cover the deck and the lower part of the bulkhead Also, label the space with ACID BOTTLE STOWAGE, in 3/8-inch letters, securely attached to the outside of the storeroom door. Corrosive acids are acute fire hazards. Stow corrosive acids separately from oxidizing or flammable materials. Avoid contact of corrosive acids with your skin or eyes. Personnel handling these acids must wear rubber gloves, rubber aprons, and goggles for protection. ALCOHOL.— Since most alcohols have a flash point below 100°F, all alcohol must be stored in flammable liquid storerooms. Store grain alcohol (ethanol or ethyl alcohol) in an alcohol locker. OXIDIZING MATERIAL.— The HMIS lists oxidizing material by Special Material Content Code J (Juliet). Store all oxidizing material in a dry compartment away from combustible materials. One of the oxidizing materials used onboard ships is calcium hypochlorite. It is a bleaching agent and disinfectant. Ships use calcium hypochlorite for purification of potable water, sewage treatment, and biological and chemical agent decontamination. Calcium hypochlorite itself is noncombustible. However, it is a strong oxidizing agent that will generate heat and liberate chlorine. It can also cause fire when stowed in contact with paints, grease, oils, detergents, and other combustible materials. Calcium hypochlorite should be stored in bins or lockers. The storage space must contain the label HAZARDOUS MATERIAL-CALCIUM HYPO- CHLORITE in red letters on a white background. COMPRESSED GASES.— Compressed gas is any material or mixture in the container that has an absolute pressure of more than 40 psi (pounds per square inch) at 70°F. Or, regardless of pressure at 70°F, it may contain an absolute pressure of more than 104 psi at 130°F. Compressed gas also includes any liquid flammable material that has a vapor pressure above 40 psi at 100°F. On ships, compressed gases are stored on the weather deck unless the ship has specifically designed spaces below deck for such material. When stored, compressed gas cylinders must be vertical and secured with the valve protection caps in place. Compressed gas cylinders must be located away from other flammable materials, especially grease and oil. Also, the cylinders must be as far away as possible from navigation, fire control, or gun stations. The cylinders must be protected from the direct rays of the sun or accumulations of snow and ice. You must take precautions when storing com- pressed gases below decks. You must prevent any leaking fumes from entering ventilation air intakes leading to working or living spaces. Usually, empty cylinders still have some gas remaining in them; therefore, you must stow and handle empty cylinders with the same precautions as full cylinders. You must handle compressed gases, particularly the flammable and explosive gases, with extreme care. You must prevent cylinders from dropping or forcefully striking against hard surfaces. You must not allow the tampering of cylinder safety devices. When not in use, be sure that the valve protection cap is secure] yin place. If the valve of the cylinder should snap off, the cylinder can behave like a missile. For example, a cylinder with 2,200 pounds per square inch (psi) pressure can travel 2,600 feet in free flight. This is disastrous when it happens in a confined space. The following paragraphs describe the safety requirements you must observe when handling compressed gas cylinders. You must prevent cylinders from coming in contact with tire, sparks, or electrical circuits. Exploding steel cylinders have the same destructive effect as a bomb. Do not drag or slide cylinders when moving them. You must use hand trucks, as prescribed by NavalShips’ Technical Manual, chapter 9230. If hand trucks are not available, tilt the cylinder and roll it on the bottom edge. During loading or offloading of gas cylinders, you must secure them to a cradle, pallet, or rack. Never hoist cylinders with electromagnets, or with hooks or lines attached to the valve protection caps. You must prevent the altering or defacing of the numbers or markings on the cylinders. Do not add markings to the cylinders without approval from the engineering officer. Do not issue cylinders if you cannot identify their contents. The Naval Ships’ Technical Manual, chapter 550, contains detailed information about the stowage, handling, and use of various types of compressed gases. Anyone handling gas cylinders must be familiar with the color coding used on them. The color codes and markings identify the contents of the cylinders. The color coding is used coding consists of as a hazard warning. The color primary and secondary color 6-8