ABILITY TO READ AND UNDERSTAND
REGULATIONS.—An explosives driver must be able
to read, write, and understand the English language,
and to complete the various forms for which a driver is
responsible. The driver is required to read and
understand the regulations that pertain to the duties as
prescribed in NAVSEA OP 2239.
In addition to these qualifications, if you apply for
certification as an explosive driver, you are required to
complete an explosive driver's training course and pass
the tests given at the conclusion of the course. All
explosive drivers receive at least 12 hours of instruction
in the following activities:
Driving trucks, truck-tractors with semi trailers,
and other vehicles of appropriate types
Handling and transporting hazardous materials
Interpreting
regulations
and
procedures
pertaining to the transporting of hazardous
materials
Training and use of fire extinguishers
Completing and filing required reports
When operating Navy-owned vehicles, you, as an
operator, must comply with DOD regulations and all
state and local traffic laws. You are also subject to fine
or imprisonment when you violate these regulations
and traffic laws.
REVIEW NUMBER 4
Q1.
To what publication should you refer for
information about transporting hazardous
materials?
Q2.
What is the minimum age requirement for an
explosive driver to transport explosives
off-station?
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Safety
precautions
prescribe
the
minimum
requirements and regulations you should observe when
handling ammunition. These regulations may be
general
in
nature
or
step-by-step
procedures.
Regardless of the situation, safety precautions must
NEVER be ignored or bypassed, even during the
simplest ammunition-handling evolutions.
The general safety precautions listed below show
some of the regulations contained in publications
referred to in this chapter.
1.
Properly stow all materials within a magazine
and keep them in a safe condition. Never let
trash resulting from decanning, depalletizing,
or unpacking accumulate in a magazine. It
presents a fire hazard and unsafe working
conditions for personnel.
2.
Don't use improvised tools, platforms, or
ladders.
3.
Before ammunition loading, explosives load-
ing, or offloading operations, either at a shore
activity or a ship underway, inspect all fire
mains to make sure they operate properly and
efficiently. Fire hoses must be laid out ready for
use in the immediate area of operations. The
hoses must be laid out so those damage control
and fire boundaries are not crossed, using all
risers available. Additionally, keep the valves
controlling these fires hoses open so that water
is readily available.
4.
Flame, heat, or spark-producing devices aren't
permitted where explosives or flammable
materials, batteries, or battery charging lockers
are located. Cigarette lighters, heaters, fires,
welding tools, soldering irons, cutting torches,
and uncovered lights are included in this
category. When work requiring the use of
flame, heat, or spark-producing devices is
urgently
required
in
or
adjacent
to
an
ammunition
stowage
space,
follow
the
procedures outlined in OPNAVINST 8023.2
(series) and OPNAVINST 8023.21 (series).
5.
Emphasize safety precautions applicable to
in-service ammunition items or equipment by
using applicable signs throughout the ship.
Signs may be obtained as Cog I material. They
are indexed in Section 13 of Navy Stock List of
Forms and Publications—Cognizance Symbol
I, NAVSUP Publication 2002, or when not
listed in NAVSUP 2002, you may obtain them
from a tender-type ship by submission of a
work order.
6.
Emergency drills requiring the use of the
general alarm system, ship's bell or whistles
aren’t conducted aboard ship while moored to
an ammunition-activity pier, unless specific
approval for such drills has been granted by the
commanding
officer
of
the
ammunition
activity.
Similarly, such emergency drills aren't conducted
by
ships
nested
together
or
at
a
pier
where
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