read chapter 22 of the Navy Occupational Safety andHealth (NAVOSH) Program Manual, (OPNAVINST5100.23) for shore operations, and chapter B9 of theNAVOSH Program Manual for Forces Afloat(OPNAVINST 5100.19).TAG-OUT BILLThe tag-out bill is a system of documents used tosave lives and to prevent unnecessary damage toequipment. It uses CAUTION tags and DANGER tags,out-of-calibrationlabels, and out-of-commission labelsto let you know when a specific switch, circuit breaker,piece of equipment, electronic system, or plumbingvalve should be either operated with extra care orcompletely left alone.As an ET, you won’t be securing many plumbingvalves. But, you will be securing a lot of power switchesand circuit breakers to do preventive and correctivemaintenance on electronic systems and equipments. It’snot possible in this topic to identify all situationsrequiring tag-out. However, here are a few situationsthat do require you to tag out the equipment:Working Aloft or Over the Side: Since manyareas on the exterior of a ship are inaccessible fromdecks or built-in work platforms, it becomes necessaryto go aloft or over the side to reach these areas.The greatest hazard associated with working aloftor over the side is the danger of a fall. Other hazardsinclude the dropping of objects on (or by) personnel,radiation burns, and asphyxiation. When working aloft,the following must be observed:Do not go aloft on masts, maces, stacks, or kingposts or be suspended over the side by a crane withoutfirst obtaining written permission from the O.O.D. inthe form of a working aloft checklist.Wear supplied air respirators when working nearstacks or exhaust which are actively discharging gases.Use a climber sleeve assembly in conjunctionwith the safety harness when going aloft where aclimber safety rail is installed.Before commencement of work and every 15minutes thereafter, pass a verbal warning over the 1MC, DO NOT ROTATE ANTENNAS, ENERGIZEOR RADIATE ANY ELECTRICAL OR ELEC-TRONIC EQUIPMENT WHILE PERSONNEL AREWORKING ALOFT. If personnel aloft are in the vicin-ity of the stacks add, DO NOT BLOW TUBES ORLIFT SAFETY VALVES WHILE PERSONNELARE WORKING ALOFT.Inform ships in the vicinity that personnel will beworking aloft to ensure they take appropriate action onoperation of electrical or electronic equipment.Departments concerned shall ensure that all ra-dio transmitters and radars that pose radiation hazardsare placed in the STANDBY position and a sign placedon the equipment that reads:SECUREDPERSONNELALOFTDATETIMEINITIALSPosition a safety observer on deck near the workbeing performed. Outfit the safety observer with asafety harness, lanyards, and climber safety sleeve topermit rapid emergency assistance aloft if required. Thesafety observer shall keep the deck area beneath thework aloft free of unnecessary personnel.Now, refer to Navy Occupational Safety and Health(NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat,(OPNAVINST 5100.19), and read Chapter C8. Thenreturn to this manual.Corrective Maintenance: When you’re workingon equipment that must have its power secured, andthere’s a chance someone else could inadvertentlyreapply power while you are still working on it.Preventive Maintenance: When plannedmaintenance system (PMS) maintenance requirementcards (MRCs) or equipment technical manuals directyou to secure electrical power.Danger Exists: When you are operating anequipment that could endanger someone’s life. Thiscould apply to both mechanical and electrical faults.TAG-OUT RESPONSIBILITIESCommanding officers are responsible for the well-being of their people and the operational readiness oftheir equipments. They are ultimately responsible formaking sure their personnel follow the appropriate tag-out procedures. To help do this, they assign authorizingofficers who have authority to sign, issue, and clear tagsand labels. There is usually one authorizing officer foreach department. The authorizing officer can be acommissioned officer, chief petty officer, or pettyofficer. When the affected system will be rendered out-of-commission as a result of the tag out action, theAuthorizing Officer shall obtain permission of the COwhen appropriate and the cognizant Department Head3 -7
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