RESPIRATORS AND MASKS
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Respirators and masks protect personnel from the
Safety equipment is for you. It will protect you
inhalation of many toxic materials. The wearing of a
from injury and may possibly save your life. Some of
respirator is required when performing grinding,
the more common types of safety equipment for your
welding, brazing, and wood operations. It is also
personal protection are described in the following
required when you are exposed to high concentrations
paragraphs.
of hazardous vapors or fumes. Respirators and masks
provide protection against aerosols, dusts, fumes, and
EYE PROTECTION
vapors. Some respirators are disposable and others are
reusable. A filter or disposable respirator protects
Proper eye protection is of the highest importance
against dust; and the reusable chemical cartridge type of
for all personnel. Eye protection is necessary because of
air-purifying respirator protects against gaseous
by flying objects such as sparks, globules of molten
vapor masks are also reusable.
metal, or chipped concrete and wood. These hazards are
always present during welding, cutting, soldering,
chipping, grinding, and a variety of other operations. It
SAFETY HAZARDS AND
is absolutely necessary for you to use eye protection
PRECAUTIONS
such as helmets, face shields, goggles, and safety
glasses during eye-hazard operations. Appropriate use
HTs perform plan, supervise, and perform tasks
of goggles will limit eye hazards. Some goggles have
necessary for fabrication, installation, and repair of all
plastic windows that resist shattering upon impact.
types of shipboard structures, plumbing, and piping
Others are designed to limit harmful infrared and
systems. This includes performing welding, cutting,
ultraviolet radiation from arcs or flames by use of
brazing, and grinding operations. Because of this, HTs
appropriate filter lenses. Remember, eye damage can be
must be aware of the general and specific safety
extremely painful. Protect your eyes.
precautions involved in their work. The following
paragraphs will discuss some of the safety hazards and
precautions that you should be familiar with.
HEARING PROTECTION
MACHINE/EQUIPMENT SAFETY
Proper hearing protection is a must when working
with or around certain types of power tools. Some tools
Before using any machine or piece of equipment,
are capable of producing dangerously high noise levels
you must be familiar with all safety precautions
which, if ignored, can result in serious hearing loss or
pertaining to its operation. Carelessness around any
injury. You should use hearing protection regularly.
moving machinery is extremely dangerous. When
Examples of hearing protection are aural hearing
moving machinery is equipped with sharp cutting tools,
protectors, single-flanged earplugs, double-flanged
the dangers are greatly increased. The following list
earplugs, triple-flanged earplugs, and foam earplugs.
includes some of the more general safety precautions
for machines/equipment. Specific safety and operating
precautions should be posted in plain sight on or by
SAFETY SHOES/BOOTS
every machine.
Safety shoes/boots protect and prevent injury or loss
--Before operating a machine, make sure there is
of toes. Some safety shoes are designed to limit damage
plenty of light to work by.
to your toes or feet from falling objects. A steel plate is
placed in the toe area of such shoes so that your toes
--Do not distract the attention of a machine
are not crushed if an object falls on them. Other safety
operator.
shoes are designed for use where danger from sparking
could cause an explosion. Such danger is minimized by
--Do not lean against any machine that is in
elimination of all metallic nails and eyelets and the use
motion. Keep clear of all gears, belts, and other moving
of soles that do not cause static electricity. Examples of
safety shoes are boondockers, high-steel toe, and molder
parts. Never remove the guards from any part of an
boots.
operating machine.
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