immediately rig a temporary line. Don’t hang or secure
any weight on a lifeline.
When working near a ladder, Sailors have the bad
habit of placing paint cans, buckets, or tools on the steps
to minimize bending over. This practice could cause a
mishap. Because water will cause a ladder to become
very slippery, you should be especially careful on rainy
days. Paint drippings are equally dangerous for the
same reason.
Never unship (take down) a ladder without
permission. Rope off all open hatches and gangways
leading to unshipped ladders.
The smooth deck of a ship does not provide a good
hold for scaffolding. The base of scaffolding must be
properly braced and lashed down to prevent it from
sliding. The use of makeshift scaffolds is prohibited.
Scaffolds must be erected only when needed to do a job
and dismantled as soon as the job is completed.
You should not work on a scaffold in high winds or
when the scaffold is covered with ice or snow. Never
throw or drop objects from a scaffold; use handlines for
raising or lowering objects. Do not paint scaffolds,
because the paint might conceal defects. Use lifelines
and safety belts when working on a boatswain’s chair or
on unguarded scaffolds above a height of 10 feet.
HANDLING CARGO
Serious, sometimes long-lasting injuries can result
from improperly handling heavy objects and from the
failure to observe basic safety precautions. By
observing the following precautions, you can prevent
injury to yourself or to others and prevent damage to
cargo and equipment:
When lifting a heavy or bulky object, crouch
close to the load with feet solidly placed and slightly
spread. Get a good grip on the object and lift with your
arm and leg muscles, keeping your back as nearly
vertical as possible. If the load is bulky or heavy, don’t
feel embarrassed to ask for help.
Don’t throw articles from elevated places; lower
them by a line or carry them.
Wear appropriate safety clothing and equipment,
such as safety shoes, a hard hat, gloves, and a life
preserver, for the job at hand. Remove rings,
wristwatches, and bracelets when handling cargo.
Stow hatch covers and strongbacks in such a
manner that they won’t interfere with traffic or be
knocked into the hatch or over the side.
When steadying loads, don’t stand between the
load and a fixed object. Don’t stand under a suspended
load. Never ride loads. Use the nonworking side of a
ship for fore-and-aft travel.
Never stand in the bight of a line. Keep clear of
lines under a strain. A line (particularly nylon) can part
with a whiplike snapback, which can cause severe
bruises, broken bones, amputations, or even death.
Don’t engage in horseplay.
When going up or down a ramp with a hand
truck, keep the load below you. Thus you pull the load
up and push it down.
WORKING ALOFT OR OVER THE SIDE
Before any work may be done aloft, permission
must be obtained from the OOD. Before granting
permission, the OOD makes sure that all power on
appropriate radio and radar antennas is secured and that
controls associated with the antennas are tagged
“SECURED. PERSONNEL ALOFT.” The OOD also
notifies the engineer officer where the personnel will be
working so that the necessary precautions can be taken
to prevent operations such as the lifting of boiler safety
valves or the blowing of tubes. After the work has been
completed, a report is made to the OOD, who, in turn,
will notify the appropriate officers.
When you are working aloft, wear a standard
Navy-approved safety harness with a safety line
attached. Radio and radar transmissions, even from
another ship, can induce a charge in guy wires, stays,
ladders, and other metal fittings. If you touch one, you
may receive a shock. The shock itself may not be
dangerous, but a natural reaction when shocked is to
jerk away. Without a safety harness you could easily
fall.
19-7
Student Notes:
