granted by the officer of the deck in port or the
commanding officer when under way. Guidance for
requesting permission should be included in the signal
bridge standing orders.
OPNAVINST 5100.19, Navy Occupational Safety
and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual, contains
instructions and general precautions for going aloft.
MAINTENANCE AND MATERIAL
MANAGEMENT (3-M) SYSTEM
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Explain the purpose
of the 3-M system, the Hazardous Material
Users Guide and material safety data sheets
(MSDS).
Although this chapter points out that Electrician's
Mates generally are responsible for electrical repairs
of signal equipment, signal bridge personnel do
perform routine upkeep and maintenance functions on
assigned equipment. Periodic checks and adjustments
must be made, for example, and there are stipulated
times when equipment should be lubricated for best
performance.
To achieve maximum efficiency in the use of
material, as well as manpower, the Navy implemented
the 3-M system. The basic purpose of the systems is
to provide for managing maintenance and
maintenance support in a manner that will ensure
maximum equipment operational readiness. The 3-M
system standardizes preventive maintenance
requirements, procedures, and reports on a fleetwide
basis.
OPNAVINST 4790.4, Maintenance and Material
Management (3-M) Manual, is the basic source of
information on the 3-M system.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
USERS GUIDE
The Hazardous Material Users Guide was
developed to provide Navy personnel, particularly the
deckplate sailor, with safety data for hazardous
materials commonly used on ships. The Users Guide
is written to avoid the need for technical jargon,
chemical symbols, or coded information frequently
found in material safety data sheets (MSDS).
The Users Guide gives control measures, safety
precautions, health hazards, and spill control and
disposal guidelines for each of 20 hazardous material
groups (for instance, adhesives, cleaners, greases,
paints, and solvents).
The Control Measures section identifies and
prescribes personal protective equipment (PPE)
that is appropriate for the chemical hazards in a
particular group.
The Safety Precautions section gives safety
guidance for using and storing hazardous
materials in the group.
The Health Hazards section points out common
signs and effects of overexposure to the
hazardous materials and provides “‘what to do”
instructions to the hazardous materials user.
The Spill Control section provides information
for responding to a spill.
The Disposal Guidelines section gives
acceptable methods for disposing of materials
within the group.
Materials not included in the Users Guide are
items such as ammunition, explosives, propellants,
medical/pharmaceutical supplies, and radioactive
materials.
Material Safety Data Sheets
MSDSs are technical bulletins containing
information about materials, such as composition,
chemical and physical characteristics, health and
safety hazards, and precautions for safe handling and
use. MSDSs should be readily available for every item
of hazardous material aboard ship.
When performing maintenance and working with
hazardous materials, use of the Users Guide and
MSDSs is mandatory. Guidelines contained therein
are vitally important and MUST NOT be ignored. The
information will help reduce the risk of injury and
long-term health effects.
SUMMARY
In this chapter you were informed of some of the
equipment you will come in contact with during your
daily routine aboard the signal bridge. This equipment
ranges from the 12-inch searchlight to the Mk 37 NVS.
You were informed how to operate and maintain this
equipment. You were also informed about the care and
maintenance of flags, pennants, and halyard line. As
you know by now, knowing how to operate signal
bridge equipment is a valuable part of being a
Signalman. Learn your equipment well!
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