CHAPTER 13
ENGINEERING PLANT OPERATIONS,
MAINTENANCE, AND INSPECTIONS
maintaining, and operating the various equipment
In today's environment of decreasing resources and
needed to keep the ship functional.
manpower, it is essential that equipment be well
maintained and people be properly trained. This chapter
will give you some idea of the scope of activity required
OPERATION RESPONSIBILITIES
to keep today's engineering plant operable and ready.
The engineering department administrative
organization is set up to provide the proper assignment
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
of duties and supervision of personnel. Personnel,
Upon completion of this chapter, you will be able to
including yourself, are needed to ensure that all
do the following:
pertinent instructions are carried out and that all
machinery, equipment, and electrical systems are
1. Identify the various forms, records and reports
operated following good engineering practices. Other
required to operate an engineering plant.
responsibilities include the posting of instructions and
2. Recognize the need for preventive maintenance.
safety precautions by operational equipment and
ensuring that they are obeyed by all personnel.
3. Identify the various forms used in reporting and
WatchStanders must be properly supervised to ensure
tracking maintenance actions.
that the entire engineering plant is operated with
4. Identify the various types of inspections
maximum reliability, efficiency, and safety.
conducted and realize their importance.
For you to monitor and record your plant's status
5. List the various ship trials conducted.
and performance, you need to know which engineering
records and reports are required. Reports regarding
6. Identify the responsibilities of various members
administration, maintenance, and repair of naval ships
in and out of the command for enforcing safety
are prescribed by directives from authorities such as the
guidelines.
Type Commander, Naval Ship Systems Command
Although it is possible to consider operations,
(NAVSEA) and the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO).
maintenance, and inspections as three separate areas of
These records must be accurate and up to date following
responsibility, it is important to remember that the three
current instructions.
cannot be totally separated. Much of your work requires
you to operate equipment, maintain it for further use,
As an EM1 or EMC, you will have supervisory
and keep auditable records on the equipment.
duties that require you to have a greater knowledge of
engineering records and administrative procedures than
you had as an EM3 or EM2. Supervisory duties and
ENGINEERING PLANT
responsibilities require a knowledge of engineering
OPERATIONS
records as well as inspections, administrative
procedures, training, preventive maintenance, and
The primary goal of a ship is to get underway. In
repair procedures.
meeting that objective, the engineering department
functions to ensure that the engineering plant is fully
Information on the most common engineering
functional, can be safely operated, and adequate watch
records and reports is given in this chapter. These
teams are trained and qualified.
standard forms are prepared by the various systems
As a member of the engineering department, you
commands and CNO. The forms are for issue to forces
will be responsible for ensuring that the equipment
afloat and can be obtained as indicated in the Navy Stock
under your cognizance is ready to support the ship in
List of Publications and Forms, NAVSUP 2002. Since
getting underway. Once underway, the engineering
these forms are revised periodically, you must be sure
department continues its job of monitoring,
that you are using the most current version. When
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