Some hazardous materials become especially
dangerous when stored near certain items. For
example, calcium hypochlorite and bleaching powder
decompose and emit oxygen when exposed to heat or
moisture. The oxygen emitted by these substances
would accelerate the combustion of any flammable
accidentally ignited nearby. The excess oxygen could
also contribute to spontaneous combustion of
flammable material stored in the vicinity of oxygen
emitters. For these reasons, any item that tends to
decompose and emit oxygen should be handled the
same as flammable material. Chlorinated compounds,
including cleaning compounds, must be isolated from
acids, other oxidizing agents, moisture, flammable
material, or exposure to heat.
Compressed Gases. Compressed gases are
classified as either flammable or nonflammable and
must be handled properly. Oxygen and chlorine are
nonflammable gases but react violently when mixed
with hydrogen and acetylene.
Special safety precautions to be followed when
handling compressed gas cylinders are as follows:
. Protective caps must be kept on cylinders that are
not being used. Unprotected valves are easily damaged
or broken off and could cause undetected leakage.
Undetected leakage of hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon
dioxide, chlorine, or ammonia could result in
suffocation.
. Cylinders must be secured by using collars or
notched spacers during shipment.
l Cylinders must not be tested by opening a valve
to check if they are filled with gas. They must be
weighed or checked with a pressure gauge to determine
if they are full. Empty cylinders must be tagged with
an EMPTY label to prevent confusion or mixing with
full cylinders.
DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
Replenishment at sea is considered an all-hands
evolution. With the exception of a major ammunition
movement, UNREPs involve more personnel directly
and physically than any other operation. Material is
removed from the staging area of the issuing ship,
loaded onto cargo nets, and sent to the receiving ship at
rates in excess of 100 tons per hour. This material must
be removed from the receiving area as fast as it arrives
and moved to staging areas or to storerooms at
approximate] y the same rate. Close coordination of all
hands must be followed to move the material efficiently.
The executive officer (XO) is responsible for
overall control and coordination of the UNREP. Before
the scheduled UNREP, the XO convenes a meeting of
all department heads and assigns individual
responsibilities.
The detailed planning and the
day-to-day coordination with other departments are
normally assigned to the supply officer. The XO is kept
informed of programs in the planning of the UNREP and
takes an active part only when difficulties arise that
cannot be handled at the lower level. During the
replenishment, the XO remains on the bridge and the
supply officer is in charge of the movement of stores
when received on board.
Although departments other than supply are
actively concerned with the replenishment, the weapons
and air departments have the greatest responsibility.
The operations department irresponsible for mail being
transferred and for transfer of personnel when required.
The engineering department is responsible for manning
the elevator pump rooms, granting permission to open
hatches as required, and making sure that
sound-powered telephones are available and in working
condition. The aircraft intermediate maintenance
department (AIMD) is responsible for maintaining
forklifts and other materials-handling equipment.
Weapons Department. The
weapons
department is responsible for physically loading the
material on board the receiving ship (except during
VERTREPs), enforcing all safety precautions at
replenishment stations, and making sure that all nets,
slings, pallets, and other handling material belonging to
the delivering ship are returned. Only weapons
department personnel are authorized to operate
weapons department elevators when used to strike
incoming stores below decks. The weapons department
representative is primarily concerned with the expected
tonnage and the rate at which the stores come aboard.
Air Department. The air department is
responsible for providing direction to the helicopter in
spotting each net load received during VERTREPs.
The air department must be informed of the amount of
clear deck space required and the elevators that must be
manned during the replenishment.
REPLENISHMENT PROCEDURES.
Replenishment procedures cover several areas that
require the knowledge and attention of a senior AK
These areas include the different stations used during
replenishment, the personnel required, the equipment to
be used, and the actual procedures employed for the
receiving, strike, and transfer of accountability.
3-18