July 14, 2011
Nimitz News
July 14, 2011
Page 1
Vol. 36, No. 28
Avoiding Hazards:
Safety Dept. stresses use of PPE for gas-free spaces Story by MCSA Alexander Ventura II
Nineteen USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Sailors have failed to wear personal protective equipment while entering gas-free spaces since Nimitz has been in Docking Planned Incremental Availability in December. The risk of getting hurt from toxic gas is astronomically high on the Nimitz, said Cmdr. Todd McVay, the safety officer. People die in shipyards every year from entering spaces such as voids, tanks and rooms without ventilation where toxic gas can be present. “When I was stationed in Mayport, Fla., on the USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), three guys were assigned to do work in a gas-free space. The Sailors rushed down there without any respirators. The first guy immediately faints after walking into the space. The second guy saw him and went to get him and also faints from the gas. The third guy saw both of them on the ground, but instead of going out to get help he went to help them out. He managed to get both the guys out but he ended up dying from exerting himself while breathing in the toxic gas and the two Sailors who fainted survived.” The toxic gases on the ship are the result of gas leaks from cylinders filled with argon used for welding and fumes emitted from fuel and paint, which all expand and fill a space, said Lt. Cmdr. Joshua Porton, the industrial hygiene officer. “Gas such as argon is heavier than air and settles in the lower levels of the ship and pushes air out of a space and displaces oxygen,” said Porton. “Any kind of space that doesn’t have ventilation can be a problem because there isn’t any circulation of oxygen. “Depending on the gas, it can physically asphyxiate you. For example, the chemical argon, if you breathe it in, will physically asphyxiate you. It’s the same effect as if you were breathing water; you’re basically drowning. You pass out because the gas is filling your lungs, which
Pizza sale Friday
There will be a pizza sale this Friday from 1100 to 1230 in Hangar Bay 1.
means you’re not getting enough oxygen. When you pass out on the floor you’re in the three feet pocket where the gas has settled. If you continue to breathe that gas you will die.” The ship is having an awareness issue on which spaces require PPE. “People are ignoring or misreading tags that tell which spaces are gas-free and require you to wear respirators,” said McVay. “Recently a Sailor read a tag that said it required him to have a respirator in the space he was going into, but because there wasn’t painting going on in the space he didn’t wear one. That shouldn’t happen. You have to wear the respirator because of the painting scheduled to happen there. They might be on a break or just completed the job and the fumes could still be present. “Sailors are also in a rush or don’t have any supervision. Guys are being complacent and are trying to hurry jobs so they can be done for the day and go home. Also, new Sailors who have not received training should have a supervisor present to ensure their safety. If you haven’t been trained on how to enter a gas-free space, you shouldn’t be there.” Luckily, the 19 Sailors who failed to wear the proper PPE have not been harmed, said Porton. They are receiving remedial training on how to enter and work in gas-free spaces from their departments. A training course for how to enter a gas-free space from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard is slated to take place on the crew messing and berthing barge within the next two weeks. “Remember to take two,” said Porton. “Things change rapidly; you go to lunch and then come back things can be different. Take two minutes every time you go to your work center to check out your environment to see if anything has changed.”