CHAPTER 1

MANAGEMENT SAFETY AND SUPERVISION

Chapter Objective: Upon completion of this chapter, you will have a working knowledge of the AME work center supervisor's responsibilities for a continuous safety program.

The Manual of Navy Enlisted Manpower and Personnel Classifications and Occupational Standards, NAVPERS 18068 (series), states that the AME is responsible for the maintenance of many systems. Some of these systems are covered in this manual. Other areas that the AME1 and AMEC must be qualified in are maintaining work center records, preparing reports, and training and leadership. The training and leadership responsibilities are addressed in the Aviation Maintenance Ratings Supervisor, NAVEDTRA 10343-A1, which you should complete along with this training manual (TM).

Senior AME personnel, because of the inherent dangers involved in the duty, must be more concerned with personnel and equipment safety than senior petty officers in other aviation ratings. Because of this concern, management, safety and supervisory information is presented here as a separate chapter, as well as in other places throughout this training manual.

SAFETY

Learning Objective: Identify safety precautions for working with hazardous substances and equipment.

In the AME rating there are many ways for a careless or inexperienced worker to hurt himself or others and damage equipment. In fact, no other aviation ratings has more potential for loss of life or violent destruction of property than the AME rating. Because of the inherent dangers associated with survival equipment, AME supervisors must be able to recognize and correct dangerous conditions, avoid unsafe acts, and train others to recognize and respect the importance of safety.

Each year Navy personnel operating and maintaining safety and survival equipment are involved in accidents. These accidents result in excessive repair and/or replacement cost amounting to millions of dollars and reduced operational readiness. The magnitude of this recurring loss emphasizes the necessity for preventing accidents, and the associated human suffering. Investigations have revealed two major reasons for most accidents with and around safety and survival equipment; (1) lack of effective training, (2) lack of supervision and leadership. The supervision, leadership, and training required for the proper operation and maintenance of safety and survival equipment are provided by the AME1 and the AMEC.

The term safety, as discussed in this course, is defined as freedom from danger. This definition covers both personnel and equipment. It does not mean that hazards will not exist (they will); but it does mean that if the hazards are known, safety awareness can and will help prevent accidents.

Safety is everybody's responsibility, and all hands are required to promote and adhere to safety rules and regulations. This is easy to say, and it is the ultimate aim of all supervisory personnel, but it is not easy to achieve.

The AME's interest in safety is personal. Ask anyone about safety and they will agree it's very important. This means everyone wants to be safe, but may feel that observing safety precautions slows down their work. Some feel they know the job so well that they don't have to be cautious. Still others think "there will be accidents, but to the other guy, not me."

It is these attitudes toward safety that place the burden of responsibility for safety on AME supervisory personnel. They must realize that accidents can happen anywhere, anytime, and

to anyone. The AME1 and AMEC must, where possible, ensure "freedom from danger" for his personnel and equipment.

The best method for the supervisor to meet his responsibility for safety is by a continuous safety program. This program should include inspection of work areas, equipment, and tools; interpretation of safety directives and precautions; and personal attention to personnel problems and differences.

The main objective of this chapter is to discuss the parts of a SAFETY PROGRAM that will reduce the human suffering and operational readiness losses due to aviation safety and survival equipment accidents.