OCCUPATIONAL  HEALTH  PROGRAMS Occupational  health  deals  with  preserving  the health of workers on the job. Unlike safety, in which the results of a mishap are quickly clear (such as a fall down a ladder), many occupational illnesses and diseases aren’t instantly apparent. They may not show up until years after workers have been exposed to a hazard. Since the effects may be slow to appear, the hazards may not be  readily  obvious.  One  good  example  is  hearing  loss. Hearing loss normally takes place gradually as a result of  years  of  noise  exposure. The Navy is concerned with occupational health issues as well as safety. They both can affect our sailors’ quality of life. They can cause lost work time and cost millions of dollars in worker compensation. Occupational  health  programs  include  the following: Heat stress control Lead  safety Sight  conservation Hearing  conservation Respiratory   protection Asbestos  control Nonionizing  radiation  and  laser  safety Personal  protective  equipment  (PPE) Hazardous  material  control  and  management We will provide in-depth coverage of the preceding programs  in  this  and  the  following  chapters.  For additional information, consult the  Navy  Occupational Safety   and   Health   (NAVOSH)   Program   Manual, OPNAVINST  5100.23C,  or  the  NAVOSH   Program Manual for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST 5100.19B. OCCUPATIONAL  SAFETY  PROGRAMS Occupational  safety  concerns  the  prevention  of mishaps and injuries that may occur on the job. Most safety mishaps result in immediate injuries and material damage that affect mission readiness. Anytime a sailor loses a day of work because of a mishap, the command loses a valuable resource and part of the team. The   occupational   safety   components   of   the NAVOSH  Program  include  the  following: Deck safety Tag-out Electrical  safety Gas  free  engineering Machinery and workshop safety Weapons  safety  (general  safety  precautions) Diving  operations  (general  safety  precautions) Shipboard   aircraft   safety   (general   safety precautions) Hazardous  material  handling,  storage,  and disposal Marine  sanitation  devices  (MSD)  and  collection, holding,  and  transfer  (CHT)  safety Often,  these  occupational  safety  and  occupational health programs overlap. Only by taking all NAVOSH Program  aspects,  including  on-duty  and  off-duty  safety, into account can we cover the entire spectrum of today’s Navy. SCOPE OF THE NAVOSH PROGRAM The  NAVOSH  Program  applies  to  both  civilian  and military   workers.   OPNAVINST    5100.23C,    the NAVOSH  Program  Manual,  does  not  address  all  safety and health standards for civilian and military workers assigned ashore. In those cases, shore personnel must follow OSHA standards or other applicable criteria. For example, since the NAVOSH  Program  Manual  does  not contain electrical safety standards, it refers readers to 29 CFR 1910, General Indsutry Standards. OPNAVINST  5100.19B,  Navy  Occupational Safety and Health Program Manual for Forces Afloat, applies  to  all  DOD  civilian  and  military  personnel assigned  to  or  embarked  on  naval  vessels.  This publication  defines  safety  standards  for  ships, submarines, and small craft. Volumes II and III of OPNAVINST  5100.19B  provide  surface  ship  and submarine safety standards. INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE The  shore  and  afloat  NAVOSH  manuals  refer personnel to industrial hygiene officers or industrial hygienists  for  assistance.  Industrial  hygiene  is  the science  of  protecting  workers’  health  through  the control of the work enivironment. Historically, the health of workers was of little concern  before  1900,  even  though  diseases  were 5-2