packaging and preservation. You must locate this material in spaces that are least likely to cause its deterioration. You also must use the coolest and driest space available for storing the more deteriorative materials, such as dry cell batteries and rubber products. To make periodic screening easier, consolidate shelf-life items in a readily accessible area whenever possible. AIRCRAFT ENGINES.— While stored, an engine must be in its original container unless authorized to be stowed on an engine stand/cart. Aircraft engines are expensive items and require extreme protection and accountability. In older ships, aircraft engines are stowed on weather decks or sponsons. Stowage and issue of aircraft engines to and from the weather deck area require the use of a crane or hoisting equipment. Newer ships have bulk stowage areas assigned in the hangar bay area. Movement of aircraft engines in the hangar bay area requires a forklift or an overhead hoist. Regardless of stowage space, you must always keep aircraft engines and containers secured for sea. Securing for sea means tying the engines and containers down to prevent shifting in any direction. To preserve the condition of an engine, conduct corrosion preventive maintenance according to the specific engine manual. The supporting maintenance department normally conducts the corrosion preventive mainte- nance. MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT To keep the Navy supplied with the volume of material it requires, many types of handling equipment was selected to haul, unload, store, and issue material. You must remember that whether the job at hand is handling or storing of material, a piece of equipment is usually available for the job. Also, remember that any piece of material-handling equipment is only as efficient as the person operating it. Throughout your naval career as an AK, your job may be operating material-handling equipment or supervising an operation that uses the equipment. Therefore, you should be familiar with the types of material-handling equipment commonly used at naval activities. Storage and Material-Handling, DOD 4145.19-R-1, chapter 4, and Naval Ships’ Technical Manual, chapter 572, give detailed information on this topic. Material handling is the lifting and shifting of materials up, down, or sideways. In other words, it means the movement of material other than by a common carrier. We constantly move material for processing in receiving, storage, packing, and shipping areas. In the process of moving material, a piece of equipment is usually available for the handling of that material. When assigned, you can be the material-handling equipment operator or supervisor of the operation. Therefore, you must become familiar with the types of material-handling equipment used in the Navy. The Navy uses a variety of material-handling equipment. The following text contains descriptions of the equipment and information about its use. NOTE: The information presented here is not a complete training guide for the use of material-handling equipment. Its purpose is to give you the basic knowledge about the equipment. You must get proper training and licensing before operating any material-handling equipment. FORKLIFT TRUCK The forklift truck is probably the most widely used power-driven piece of material-handling equipment assigned to the supply department. The purpose of forklift trucks is to pick up, carry, and stack unit loads of supplies and equipment. Equipped with telescopic masts, forklift trucks are able to lift loads beyond the height of the collapsed mast. Most trucks have free lift capability. Free lift is the lifting height of the forks before the inner slides move upward from the mast and increase the overall height. Gasoline-powered forklift trucks may have solid rubber or semisolid tires for use in warehouses. We use forklift trucks with pneumatic tires for handling material in outdoor storage areas. Electric-powered trucks have solid rubber or semisolid tires for indoor operations only. Forklift trucks are commonly used for handling palletized unit loads. They are also used for hauling boxes or containers equipped with skids and large rigid containers or packages. Forklift trucks are used aboard ship, on barges, on piers, in warehouses, in freight terminals, and on the ground to lift heavy containers. In unpaved yards or storage areas not covered with hard surfaces, the trucks must have pneumatic tires to operate efficiently. Occasionally, forklift trucks are used in place of tractors. Forklift trucks are more efficient if used for elevating palletized loads into storage and for handling palletized loads between hauling operations. You should not use forklift trucks for traveling with individual loads for distances of more than 400 feet. Use tractor trailer trains if the operation requires travel for greater distances. When using tractor-trailer trains or other 6-10