cleaning,  preservation,  and  lubrication  of  paving  and support  equipment.  This  includes  daily  inspections  and adjustments,  required  for  good  operation.  Malfunctions in   equipment,   which   go   beyond   those   operating adjustments performed by the EO, should be referred to the  field  mechanic  for  corrective  action.  This  does  not release you from working with the field mechanic unless you  are  directed  otherwise. PAVING  SAFETY Construction  with  bituminous  materials  involves several hazards. One of the most serious dangers is associated with the heating required to convert the solid or semisolid materials to a degree of fluidity which will permit their application or mixing. As a safety measure, make sure fire-extinguishing equipment (foam type) is present at all times. When readying the distributor and/or asphalt kettle, be sure they are in a level position (before heating) and are located a safe distance from buildings and other flammable materials. Keep covers closed during the heating  period  to  prevent  the  escape  of  flammable vapors;  avoid  exposure  to  fumes  from  hot  bituminous material-stay  on  the  windward  side.  Wear  gloves  and full body clothing to avoid prolonged skin contact or burns from hot bituminous material. When  heating  bituminous  materials  for  spraying purposes, you should check the temperature suggested in  table  16-2  for  the  type  and  grade  being  used. Remember  that  most  of  the  flush  points  are  exceeded before   the   materials   reach   spraying   or   working temperature;  therefore,  additional  caution  must  be exercised to prevent the exposure of rising fumes to an open flame. A dense yellow cloud or vapor, rising from the distributor or kettle, is an indication that the material is being overheated to the extent that a small spark is sufficient  to  ignite  the  vapors. Always   extinguish   burners   before   spraying bituminous material. When spraying, stand at least 25 feet clear of the spray bar. On a bituminous distributor, spray bars have been known to blow open or rip with sudden  pressure  of  heated  materials.  Remember  that bituminous  material  must  be  heated  to  a  high temperature, and any of this material coming in contact with the skin will leave a serious burn. When handling asphalt that is being processed, you must wear proper protective apparel. Wear loose, heavy clothing  that  is  in  good  condition.  Clothing  should  be closed  at  the  neck;  sleeves  should  be  rolled  down  over the tops of gloves. You should wear cuffless trousers that extend well down over the top of safety shoes. Goggles should be worn to prevent eye burns from bubbling or splashing asphalt. In addition, you should wear a safety hard hat. Frequently,   bituminous   operations   are   often planned for roads that must carry traffic while work is in  progress.    Slow or caution signs or other warning devices should be conspicuously placed at both 100 yards and 20 yards from each entrance of the project. Flagmen, dressed in safety vests or some other safety attire, should aid in traffic control. Most  airfields  must  remain  operational  during bituminous   operations. The construction schedule, equipment  routing,  and  maximum  height  of  equipment should be discussed with the airfield safety officer. Liaison with air traffic control must be established if trucks and other equipment are to cross runways that are in use. Machinery and mechanized equipment must be operated  only  by  qualified  and  authorized  personnel.  It must not be operated in a manner that will endanger personnel  or  property.    The safe operating speeds or loads  must  not  be  exceeded.  Equipment,  requiring  an operator, must not be permitted to run unattended. Mounting  or  dismounting  equipment  while  it  is  in motion,  or  riding  on  equipment  by  unauthorized personnel,  is  prohibited. All equipment, using fuel, must be shut down with the ignition off before and during  refueling  operations. When paving equipment is being operated, frequent inspections of running mechanisms and attachments are the  operator’s  responsibility.  The  operator  is  also responsible for inspecting such items as the power train, power plant, transmission, tracks, controls, guards, loading or unloading warning devices, and receiving hoppers. When paving materials are being applied, crew members often become so occupied with their particular job that they are unaware of equipment operating near them. For this reason, at least one crew member should be  designated  as  safety  inspector  to  ensure  that reasonable precautions are observed within the assigned working areas. In addition, the safety inspector should periodically  hold  short  (approximately  5  to  15  minutes) safety  meetings  (called  stand-up  safety  meetings), during  which  the  inspector  briefs  the  crew  on  the hazardsaand precautions relating to current work. All hand tools used for paving purposes must be kept  in  good  repair  and  used  only  for  the  purpose  for which  they  were  designed.  When  you  are  using  hand 16-43