shoes from the supply system or a local purchasing agent or are reimbursed for their own purchase. HAND PROTECTION.— Personnel should not wear   gloves   when   operating   rotating   or   moving machinery.  However,  they  should  wear  gloves  for protection against other types of hazards. Handling sharp  materials  requires  the  use  of  leather  gloves. Performing hot work or handling hot items requires the use of heat-insulated, nonasbestos gloves. The use of portable electric tools in damp locations or during work on live electrical circuits or equipment requires the use of  electrical-grade,  insulating  rubber  gloves.  Handling caustic  or  toxic  chemicals  requires  specific  gloves, depending on the type of substance being used. Thin rubber gloves or foodhandler-type gloves tear and leak easily and are not resistant to chemical absorption. Therefore, personnel must not use these gloves for any activity involving the use of a chemical substance. All types of gloves are available in the supply system. SAFETY CLOTHING.— Safety  clothing  consists of   flameproof   coveralls,   disposable   coveralls, impervious  chemical  spill  coveralls,  welding  leathers, and chemical aprons. When standing watch or working in a ship’s fireroom, in main machinery spaces, and in hot work areas, personnel must wear fire-retardant coveralls. They should not wear synthetic clothing, such as certified Navy twill (CNT), in those areas. Aboard ship,   fire   retardant   coveralls   are   provided   as organizational  clothing.  Ashore,  special  protective clothing is provided at government expense. FALL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT.— Person- nel must wear parachute-type safety harnesses with Dyna-brake safety lanyards when climbing, working aloft, or working over the side. They should substitute wire rope for nylon working lanyards when performing hot  work. FLOTATION DEVICES.— Whenever   personnel other than aircrew members and flight deck personnel are required to wear life jackets in open sea operations, the life jackets must be inherently buoyant. In exposed battle  stations  and  when  working  over  the  side, personnel  must  wear  jacket-type  life  preservers.  They must also wear them topside in heavy weather, during replenishment at sea, and in small boats. ELECTRICAL  SAFETY  PROGRAM Electrical shock is a serious hazard. If you combine high   humidity,   metal   structures,   high-voltage electricity,  and  perspiration,  you  have  an  electrical hazard. You must always observe safety precautions when working around electric circuits and equipment to avoid  injury  from  electric  shock  and  short  circuits. Records  show  most  fatalities  caused  by  electric  shock result  from  people  working  on  energized  circuits  and equipment. Post-mishap investigations show that they could  have  prevented  these  mishaps  by  following established  safety  precautions  and  procedures.  A technician must view safety with a full appreciation of the  various  hazards  involved  in  maintaining  complex and  sophisticated  Navy  equipment. Elements of the Electrical Safety Program The  Electrical  Safety  Program  consists  of  the following  elements: Following  electrical  safety  standards Properly using equipment tag-out procedures Performing routine and periodic testing to detect and  correct  unsafe  equipment Properly  installing,  maintaining,  and  repairing electrical  and  electronic  equipment Performing control and safety testing of personal electrical  and  electronic  equipment Portable Electrical Tool Issue Ships  must  have  a  centralized  portable  electrical tool issue room for the daily issue of portable electrical tools. The electrical safety officer supervises operation of the portable electrical tool issue room. Personnel assigned  to  the  portable  electrical  tool  issue  room perform  daily  inspections  and  safety  testing  of equipment before issuing it and upon its return. Before  issuing  portable  electrical  tools,  personnel assigned to the tool issue room brief tool users on routine tool safety precautions. In addition, they issue any required  personal  protective  clothing  and  equipment. The tool custodian documents this briefing on the issue record. The custodian can issue tools only to personnel who  have  received  ship’s  electrical  safety  training within the year. Certain divisions or work centers maybe authorized permanent  custody  of  selected  electrical  tools  or equipment. These divisions perform required safety checks  on  their  equipment.  Personnel  performing  these checks  must  be  members  of  an  electrical  or  electronic rating.  They  must  not  issue  these  tools  to  other  divisions. Ashore, tools must meet Underwriters Laboratories (UL) approval or have a grounded metal case. Tools are 5-22