analytical purposes unless they must be submitted to
higher authority.
Safety Stand-Down
The following safety indicators may provide a
warning of potential future safety problems:
Increasing numbers of identified hazards or
deficiencies
Increasing numbers of personnel injuries
Severe mishaps or near mishaps
A lack of or decreased training because of
operations
Whenever a command needs to raise the level of
awareness of personnel safety, it should initiate a safety
stand-down. During a safety stand-down, which usually
lasts 1 day, ship’s personnel stop all normal work (except
for emergency corrective repairs). They then make a
concerted effort to correct safety deficiencies and to
provide safety training, particularly on the safety items
pointed out in mishap and near-mishap investigations.
Each command should consider conducting a safety
stand-down following a safety evaluation. That is an
ideal time to conduct safety training and to correct
deficiencies identified during the evaluation.
Commands should conduct at least one safety
stand-down per year.
COORDINATION OF THE SAFETY
PROGRAM
Coordination between department heads is
necessary when personnel of one department must
operate equipment or perform evolutions under the
control of another department head. In such cases, the
responsibility for teaching and enforcing the safety
precautions relating to the operation rests with the
controlling department head. Members of the safety
organization should monitor the safety procedures and
provide assistance and advice as required.
EVALUATION OF THE SAFETY PROGRAM
The safety organization, particularly the safety
council and the safety committee, frequently evaluates
the effectiveness of the safety program. The Navy
Occupational Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program
Manual for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST 5100.19B,
provides guidance for the evaluation. The evaluation,
which is either formal or informal, includes the
following indicators:
A rise or decline in the rate of mishaps or
incidents
A rise or decline in the number of observed
unsafe personal practices or safety hazards
The progress made in the correction and
prevention of unsafe conditions
The degree of acceptance and interest in the
unit’s safety program
The extent to which first- and second-line
supervisors actively take part in the safety
program
COMMAND TRAINING
Effective training is often cited as the critical factor
in fleet combat readiness. As fleet technology increases,
training technology must keep pace. Training your
personnel to operate and maintain their equipment is
important to the operational readiness of the command.
Also of significant importance to unit readiness is in-rate
training, individual watch-station qualifications, and
military training. While shore-based training facilities
normally provide basic training and technical training,
local commands should provide proficiency training.
The following are the three basic features of an effective
command training program:
Compatibility. The training program must work
within the organization’s framework and schedule.
Evaluation and instruction. The training program
requires instruction of personnel and evaluation of their
individual progress and their ability to function
efficiently and safely as a team. Division officers must
ensure the petty officers responsible for training and
qualifying subordinates have the knowledge and
practical skills to clearly demonstrate and communicate
the subject matter.
Analysis and improvement. The analysis of
training effectiveness includes observing performance
of groups and individuals, comparing results with
standard criteria, and recognizing deficiencies and
methods for improvement.
The command training program should function
within the existing organization so that the same person
has responsibility for both readiness and training in the
mission area. Accordingly, the command should use the
training group concept to conduct training. A training
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