Recall the procedures for use and maintenance of personal protective equipment. Personal protective devices do nothing to reduce or eliminate hazards. They merely establish a “last line of defense.” Some devices that are not worn properly or that are subjected to improper maintenance may not work as designed. For this reason, proper equipment selection,  maintenance,  personnel  training,  and mandatory  enforcement  of  equipment  use  are  key elements in the use of personal protective equipment. You should know what equipment to wear, when to wear it, and how to wear it. You should also know how to take care of the equipment. If you take care of the protective devices, they will take care of you. The  following  paragraphs  describe  some  of  the protective equipment available to personnel and the procedures to follow in upkeeping this equipment: Eye protection includes such articles as personal eyeglasses,  common-use  goggles,  and  common-use face shields. These articles should be kept clean and disinfected. Personal eyeglasses are the responsibility of the owner/wearer. Eye protection should be stored where it will be protected from dust, moisture, and the weight of other objects placed directly on it. The best container is probably the box it was packaged in by the manufacturer. Respiratory  protection,  such  as  respirators, should be assigned to you for your exclusive use, if practical. Respirators should be cleaned and disinfected regularly. While cleaning, you should check for wear or deterioration. This type of protection should be stored in a container that will protect it from dust, moisture, and the weight of objects placed on top of it. Hearing  protection  includes  articles  such  as circumaural protection and earplugs. Earplugs should be washed often (with the exception of the disposable plugs, of course). The circumaural protective devices should  have  the  ear  pads  cleaned  and  disinfected periodically.  Most  small  earplugs  come  in  a  small container especially made for them. The circumaural device can be hung from the headband. Foot  protection  includes  steel-toed  boots  or shoes, which should fit properly. When they wear out, replace them. Head protection includes helmets and hats that are worn to protect the head from falling or flying objects and low overheads. Check these periodically for worn headbands or cracks in the shell. Electrical  protective  devices  include  rubber gloves, rubber mats, rubber hoods, rubber sleeves, and rubber blankets. Keep these items clean and free of moisture. Check these periodically for cracks or holes in the rubber material. When storing the gloves, return them to the box they came in and do not stack anything on them that would crush them. PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING SAFETY HAZARDS/VIOLATIONS Learning Objective: When you finish this chapter, you will be able to— Recall  the  procedures  for  reporting  safety hazards and violations. The  first  part  of  this  chapter  explained  your personal responsibilities. If you detect a safety hazard, you are required to report this hazard to your immediate supervisor. The supervisor will then have the hazard corrected  or  seek  assistance  from  the  ship’s  safety officer on ways to correct it.  Navy Safety Precautions for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST 5100.19, contains the information on Navy safety. REVIEW 14 QUESTIONS Q1.  List  the  personal  protection  equipment  you should use in each of the following categories. a. Head protection b. Electrical protective devices c. Eye protection d. Respiratory protection 19-29 Student Notes: