unpacking, assembling/disassembling, testing, fusing,
Program is applicable to all personnel (both military
loading/downloading, or arming/de-arming. When
and civilian, including contractors) in naval establish-
team operations are involved, the team leader must be
ments where duties require evolutions or tasks
designated and must be certified and qualified. Any
involving explosive devices.
change in team personnel must be kept to a minimum.
COs or OICs initiate, monitor, and maintain the
Shipboard gun, missile crews, and air wing integrated
Explosives Handling Personnel Qualification and
arm/de-arm crews are considered teams for the purpose
Certification Program.
of qualification and certification. Requalification or
Personnel within the program should be sent to
recertification of a team after any personnel change is at
formal schools, if possible, and personnel qualification
the discretion of the commanding officer. At times,
standards are required, where applicable. However,
contractor personnel perform functions within the
school attendance and personnel qualification stan-
scope of the Explosives Handling Personnel
dards do not necessarily qualify an individual for
Qualification and Certification Program at naval
certification.
activities. The contractor must provide the CO or OIC
with the documentation to prove that personnel are
Certification must be documented by using the
qualified and certified before performing any duties
format shown in figure 4-1. The board chairman
that come under the program.
maintains the original. A copy is placed in the
individual's training records. When the individual is
INITIAL BOARD MEMBER CERTIFICATION
transferred, the original (maintained by the board
chairman) is placed on the left side of the individual's
One major problem of the initial certification of
service record.
personnel is to ensure that persons who perform
qualification evaluations are themselves qualified.
Certification of military personnel is transferable at
Occasionally, it is necessary to initially certify per-
the discretion of the receiving command. Receiving
sonnel to perform a particular explosive-related job if
commands should validate the certification by placing
no certification board is currently established. Com-
the board chairman's signature in the recertification
manders should ensure the intent of this program when
block. Certification, unless revoked, is valid for a
they select certification board qualifying observers.
period of 1 year.
The department head (or equivalent supervisor)
This section will discuss requirements for
reviews personnel for initial certification by screening
individual and team certification, initial certification,
school records, previous certification, demonstrated
and revocation of certification.
ability, and by conducting a personal interview. Then
INDIVIDUAL CERTIFICATION
they make a recommendation to the CO or OIC as to
whether a person should or should not be certified.
If a person's duties (including explosive ordnance
Certification is made at the discretion of the CO or OIC.
disposal [EOD] personnel involved in non-EOD duties)
When sufficient personnel have been qualified, a
require them to individually inspect (including the duty
minimum qualification, a certification board is
of safety observer), prepare, adjust, arm, or de-arm
established.
explosive devices, they must be qualified and certified
for such tasks. Personnel who conduct magazine
EXCEPTIONS
inspections, maintenance on aircraft safety and survival
The following personnel are exempt from the
equipment, or perform any other function that involves
provision of OPNAVINST 8020.14, but are not exempt
explosive devices must be included in this program.
from ensuring the required standards of explosive
The supervisor of explosive operations and members of
safety are in place and followed to the letter:
the command-appointed certification board (except the
chairman) must be individually certified for the
Qual/Cert board chairman, provided the chair-
evolution that they may supervise or observe.
man does not handle explosives.
Board advisors.
TEAM CERTIFICATION
Supervisors are not required to be qualified as
A person must be team certified and qualified
power-operated handling equipment operators
or individually qualified to perform any of the
for those evolutions requiring the use of this
following duties as a team member: packing,
4-5
