CHAPTER 7 AFLOAT SAFETY Ships and submarines present unique hazards not found at shore industrial activities. As discussed in chapter  1,  Department  of  Defense  (DOD)  safety  direc- tives  allow  for  the  adjustment  of  Occupational  Safety and  Health  Administration  (OSHA)  safety  standards  for military  systems  and  equipment.  We  must  attain  the highest possible safety standards within these limitat- ions. As we have a separate safety program for shore activities  and  aviation,  we  address  afloat  safety  stan- dards  in  its  own  directive,  OPNAVINST  5100.19B, Navy Occupational Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Pro- gram Manual for Forces Afloat. Another  instruction (OPNAVINST  5100.21B,  Afloat  Mishap  Investigation and Reporting) includes additional requirements for shipboard safety. The  Afloat  Safety  Program  applies  to  all  DOD military  and  on-duty  civilian  personnel  assigned  to  or embarked in a U.S. Navy vessel. The program also covers U.S. Naval Reserve and Military Sealift Com- mand  (MSC)  vessels  manned  by  military  personnel  and civil  service  employees.  Because  of  the  manning  com- plexities of MSC ships, a command may tailor some administrative procedures for MSC ship application. However,  the  procedures  must  provide  protection  equal to,  or  better  than,  those  contained  in  OPNAVINST 5100.19B. In this chapter, we will address the following topics: Afloat Safety Program background and goals Afloat Safety Program elements Afloat Safety Program organization Shipboard  safety  organization Afloat  safety  training Afloat Safety Program evaluation Surface  ship  safety  standards Afloat mishap reporting AFLOAT SAFETY PROGRAM GOALS Attaining  the  highest  degree  of  operational readiness  and  mission  accomplishment  is  the  primary goal of the Afloat Safety Program. We achieve this goal by eliminating or controlling hazards. By achieving this goal,  we  reduce  injuries,  deaths,  and  material  damage. Another goal of the program is to setup and main- tain a fleetwide atmosphere of safety consciousness. This awareness must be foremost in every evolution of the program. To achieve the Afloat Safety Program goals, we must strive for constant improvement through positive  leadership.  We  need  personnel  at  all  levels  to take part in the Afloat Safety Program. We also need the support of those who oversee the program in helping to ensure compliance. You can easily see how your role as a supervisor fits into this program. The critical, first step in achieving the Afloat Safety Program  goals  is  hazard  identification.  Hazard  identifi- cation requires all levels of the chain of command to practice safety awareness by continuously watching for hazards.  Preventing  mishaps  depends  on  the  elimina- tion,  control,  and  correction  of  hazards.  We  discussed hazard abatement in chapter 3. Remember, you cannot eliminate some hazards. In such cases, you can reduce the risk through engineering controls,  administrative  controls,  and  personal  protec- tive devices. OPNAVINST 5100.19B, Navy Occupa- tional Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat, introduces specific requirements on hazard   awareness,   identification,   reporting,   and correction. All commands should take the following actions: Report  unsafe  or  unhealthful  conditions,  without fear of reprisal Take positive action on all reports of unsafe con- ditions Correct unsafe conditions based on the severity of the hazard Investigate and report mishaps and near mishaps and rapidly issue lessons learned to prevent re- currence AFLOAT  SAFETY  PROGRAM ELEMENTS The Afloat Safety Program encompasses a variety of operational safety, general safety, and health program 7-1