CHAPTER 1
NAVAL SAFETY
HISTORY OF NAVAL SAFETY
Safety awareness in the Navy can be traced back to
1818. The old saying “hindsight is 20/20” probably
came from a gunner who, in 1817, lit a candle in the
powder magazine. His action not only sent him and his
crew into orbit, but also helped introduce the first naval
safety regulation. That regulation dealt with fire and the
handling of black powder aboard ships. Since then,
experience has played the major role in developing the
safety programs of today’s Navy. Here is a brief listing
of some major milestones in the history of naval safety:
1917—Safety engineers were assigned to each
major naval shipyard.
1922—Safety programs for civilian employees
were introduced at all naval activities.
1929—Enlisted personnel on shore duty were
included in safety programs.
1947—The Navy Department Safety Council
was organized under the Director of Safety of
the Office of Industrial Relations (OIR). Its
original mission was to coordinate safety
procedures and to provide communications
between the bureau safety engineers and the
technical staff of the OIR safety branch. In
1957, the council’s mission was expanded to
include the development and maintenance of
the U.S. Navy Safety Precautions Manual,
OPNAV 34P1 (superseded by OPNAVINST
5100.23, Navy Occupational Safety and Health
[NAVOSH] Program Manual ).
1951—The transition from propeller to jet
aircraft helped the Secretary of the Navy
(SECNAV) to establish the Naval Aviation
Safety Council. In 1955, the title was changed to
Naval Aviation Safety Center.
1963—The Navy was shaken by the loss of the
USS THRESHER (SSN-593), in which 129
sailors were lost. A court inquiry was convened
to examine the circumstances leading to and
surrounding the incident. The court’s findings
resulted in the creation of the Submarine Safety
Program (SUBSAFE). Its purpose was to
impose high standards of quality control on
submarine construction and operations. In
1964, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO)
established the Submarine Safety Center at the
Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut,
to examine and coordinate all matters of
submarine safety.
1966-1967—The SECNAV tasked CNO to
review the entire Navy Safety Program after a
series of fires, collisions, and other mishaps
involving surface ships resulted in over 200
deaths and more than 100 million dollars in
damage. On 3 May 1968, as a result of CNO’s
findings, the SECNAV established the Naval
Safety Center.
1970—The Occupational Safety and Health
Act (OSHA) of 1970 became law. Insofar as
possible, this law assures safe and healthful
working conditions for every working person in
the nation.
1971—The Naval Safety Center assumed the
responsibility for the Navy’s Defensive Driver
Education Program.
1972—The Navy implemented its Motorcycle
Training Course.
1973—The Commander, Naval Safety Center,
was designated as the CNO Safety Coordinator
(OP-09F), reporting directly to the Vice Chief
of Naval Operations. This designation made the
Naval Safety Center’s mission more specific
and all-encompassing.
Now refer to the Navy Occupational Safety and
Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat
(OPNAVINST 5100.19), chapter A2. Also read the
Standard Organization and Regulations of the U.S.
Navy (OPNAVINST 3120.32), chapter 7. The
information in these chapters will enhance your
knowledge of the NAVOSH program organization and
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