valves. That time, no one was hurt. The persons
who had hung the tags were reprimanded, and
the repairs were completed.
During your career, you will probably tag out some
type of equipment. Be alert, do the job right, and you
shouldn’t have any problem. Take your time and do the
tag out right the first time. Don’t let anyone or anything
d i s t r a c t y o u w h i l e y o u ’r e h a n g i n g a t a g o r
second-checking one. If you’re not sure of a tag-out
procedure, get a copy of your command’s tag-out bill.
The Standard Organization and Regulations of the U.S.
Navy, OPNAVINST 3120.32, govern the Navy’s
equipment tag-out bill.
PURPOSE OF EQUIPMENT TAG-
OUT BILL
An equipment tag-out bill has three purposes—
1. To provide a procedure for personnel to use to
prevent the improper operation of a component, piece of
equipment, system, or portion of a system that is
isolated or in an abnormal condition.
2. To provide a procedure for personnel to use in
operating an instrument that is unreliable or not in a
normal operating condition. (NOTE: This procedure is
like the tag-out procedure, except that it requires the use
of labels instead of tags to indicate instrument status.)
3. To provide separate procedures for personnel to
use when accomplishing certain planned maintenance
(PMS) actions. These procedures apply only to
non-nuclear surface ships and craft and non-nuclear,
non-propulsion areas of nuclear surface ships. PMS
t a g - o u t p r o c e d u r e s a r e n ’t a u t h o r i z e d a b o a r d
submarines, submarine tenders, submarine rescue
vessels, in propulsion areas of nuclear surface ships, or
within submarine support facilities.
All U.S. Navy ships and repair activities must use
standardized tag-out procedures.
ORGANIZATION
The CO or officer in charge heads the tag-out bill
organization. Department heads are responsible for
making sure personnel in their departments understand
and follow bill procedures.
When a repair activity performs repairs on a ship,
the ship is responsible for and controls the tag-out
system for the equipment being repaired. The repair
activity is responsible for complying with (following)
tag-out bill procedures.
Commanding Officer
The CO or officer in charge is responsible for the
safety of the entire command. The CO must make sure
that all concerned persons know and comply with the
applicable safety precautions and procedures of the
tag-out system.
Officer of the Deck (OOD)
The OOD may be the OOD or the ship’s duty
officer, depending on the ship’s condition. The OOD
keeps track of the systems being tagged out and the
condition of readiness of the ship.
Departmental Duty Officer (DDO)
The departmental duty officer (DDO) is designated
(named) on the approved watch bill or in the plan of the
day. The DDO is responsible for knowing the material
condition of a department and the state of the readiness
at all times. This officer must know what systems are
tagged out for periodic maintenance or for repairs
requiring long downtime.
Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW)
The engineering officer of the watch (EOOW)
keeps up with the status of the engineering plant at all
times and whether a tag-out bill affects the readiness of
the plant. Depending on the engineering plant
conditions, the engineering duty officer may serve as the
EOOW. The EOOW informs the proper persons of the
status and readiness of the plant and when it will be
repaired and returned to normal status.
Authorizing Officer
The authorizing officer signs the final authorization
placing a system or piece of equipment off line for
19-25
Student Notes:
