SAFETY  PRECAUTIONS LEARNING  OBJECTIVE:  Recognize  safety precautions   to   follow   when   handling suspension,  arming,  and  releasing  equipment. As an AO, you need to be concerned with safety when  working  with  suspension,  arming,  and  releasing systems. It is doubtful there is a petty officer in the Navy who has not witnessed a minor mishap with suspension, arming, and releasing equipment. Accidents can be prevented  if  safety  precautions  and  maintenance instructions  are  followed.  Accidents  can  be  prevented if personnel are trained and educated to work on the equipment. As a petty officer, it is part of your job to follow  safety  precautions  and  maintenance  instructions and train new personnel. A few safety precautions that you  need  to  follow,  and  train  your  subordinates  to follow,  are  shown  below. Keep  all  components  of  the  various  systems clean,  well  adjusted,  and  lubricated  as  prescribed.   Make operational checks or periodic inspections of  the  system  under  the  direct  supervision  of  fully qualified  personnel.   Never insert your fingers or tools into a rack when the rack is cocked.   Check wiring and electrical fittings regularly. Replace  frayed  or  broken  wiring.  Check  plugs  for condition  and  proper  installation.   Never bypass safety circuits or devices or make them  inoperative. Don’t  use  any  safety  pin  other  than  the prescribed  one. When stores are loaded, install safety pins or other safety devices as prescribed while the aircraft is on  the  ground. Never install or arm an ejector rack unless the safety pin(s) and flag(s) are in place. Don't  use  an  ohmmeter  to  check  electrical continuity of an electrically primed cartridge. Remove  or  electrically  disconnect  all  cartridges from  the  rack  firing  circuits  before  removing  any component. Install only the prescribed cartridges in ejector devices. Never allow a dual breech ejector unit to be fired without two cartridges or a cartridge and authorized filler plug in the breeches.    Never allow an ejector unit to be fired without a store latched in place. When loading stores, inspect all handling gear carefully. Don’t use doubtful gear.    When loading stores, make sure that the store is in  position  and  the  rack  is  securely  locked  before removing  hoists. Don’t place  any  part  of  your  body  under  stores being loaded or unloaded if it is possible to accomplish the job without doing so. When installing suspension equipment, torque all installation bolts or screws to the prescribed torque value. Make   sure   all   final   work   performed on  the  armament  system  is  inspected  by  quality assurance   personnel   familiar   with   the   system. Operational tests should be made on repaired systems where  necessary. 10-39