SAFETY PRECAUTIONS LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recognize safety precautions to follow when handling suspension, arming, and releasing equipment. As an AO, you need to be concerned with safety when working with suspension, arming, and releasing systems. It is doubtful there is a petty officer in the Navy who has not witnessed a minor mishap with suspension, arming, and releasing equipment. Accidents can be prevented if safety precautions and maintenance instructions are followed. Accidents can be prevented if personnel are trained and educated to work on the equipment. As a petty officer, it is part of your job to follow safety precautions and maintenance instructions and train new personnel. A few safety precautions that you need to follow, and train your subordinates to follow, are shown below. Keep all components of the various systems clean, well adjusted, and lubricated as prescribed. Make operational checks or periodic inspections of the system under the direct supervision of fully qualified personnel. Never insert your fingers or tools into a rack when the rack is cocked. Check wiring and electrical fittings regularly. Replace frayed or broken wiring. Check plugs for condition and proper installation. Never bypass safety circuits or devices or make them inoperative. Don’t use any safety pin other than the prescribed one. When stores are loaded, install safety pins or other safety devices as prescribed while the aircraft is on the ground. Never install or arm an ejector rack unless the safety pin(s) and flag(s) are in place. Don't use an ohmmeter to check electrical continuity of an electrically primed cartridge. Remove or electrically disconnect all cartridges from the rack firing circuits before removing any component. Install only the prescribed cartridges in ejector devices. Never allow a dual breech ejector unit to be fired without two cartridges or a cartridge and authorized filler plug in the breeches. Never allow an ejector unit to be fired without a store latched in place. When loading stores, inspect all handling gear carefully. Don’t use doubtful gear. When loading stores, make sure that the store is in position and the rack is securely locked before removing hoists. Don’t place any part of your body under stores being loaded or unloaded if it is possible to accomplish the job without doing so. When installing suspension equipment, torque all installation bolts or screws to the prescribed torque value. Make sure all final work performed on the armament system is inspected by quality assurance personnel familiar with the system. Operational tests should be made on repaired systems where necessary. 10-39