If you are issued protective gear, wear it when performing  work  for  which  the  gear  was designed. Never overload electrical outlets. Keep file drawers closed when they are not in use. Avoid making files top-heavy and be sure drawer stops are operative. Don’t hang extension cords where somebody can be snagged by them. Extension cords can become  a  trip  hazard  also.  When  using  an extension cord, make certain it won’t be cut by a closing hatch or door or by any other means while it is lying on the deck. Keep all tools in good condition. Don’t watch a welder’s arc if you aren’t wearing dark goggles. Report defective equipment. When you open a hatch, always secure it open with the equipment provided. Secure all loose articles when heavy weather is expected. Take  heed  of  all  warning  signs:  HIGH VOLTAGE, STACK GAS, RF HAZARD, and so on. Never smoke in NO SMOKING areas, when the smoking lamp is out, when painting, or when handling ammunition or flammables. Follow good housekeeping practices at all times. Don’t allow loose gear to accumulate where it might present a tripping hazard. Learn and follow all safety precautions for the job you are doing. EQUIPMENT TAG-OUT PROCEDURES Learning Objective: When you finish this chapter, you will be able to— Recall the purpose and procedures of the Navy Tag-out System. Identify and interpret HAZMAT labels. Identify  the  purpose  of  hazardous  materials labels, signs, and symbols. Post  DANGER  tags,  CAUTION  tags,  and instrument  OUT-OF-COMMISSION  or  OUT-OF- CALIBRATION  labels  following  the  authorized procedures. Those tags and labels help ensure the safety of  personnel  and  prevent  improper  operation  of equipment. Don’t remove or break posted safety tags without proper authorization. Practically every day, you are involved with tagging out a piece of equipment. You tag out a switch or a motor to  secure  the  equipment  to  perform  planned maintenance. Why do we have tag-out procedures? We have them because our ships are complex and personnel can get hurt  because  of  improper  equipment  operation.  For example, A submarine was moored to a pier, where it was waiting for the local diving team to do some repair work on the hull. Since it was Saturday, only the duty officer, the duty chief, and the duty section were aboard. The diving tag-out had been written out and hung, and the diving team was waiting for the senior diver to get to the ship and check the tag out. Once that was done, the divers entered the water. The duty chief  decided  to  check  the  tag  outs  in  the torpedo room. The chief found the DANGER tags for the torpedo high-pressure air ejection s y s t e m    p r o p e r l y    h u n g    i n    p l a c e    a n d second-checked—just like they were supposed to be. But, when the duty chief checked the position of the air valves, they were in the open instead of shut position. With the valves in the open position, the divers were subject to a blast of air of 5,000 pounds from the torpedo tubes. The duty chief immediately ordered the divers out of the water. What happened? The persons who hung the tags hadn’t changed the position of the air 19-24 Student Notes: