Look on the Ground it’s a Chemical, it’s Flammable, it’s Dangerous, it’s HAZMAT

VA, UNITED STATES

01.25.2018

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Trey Hutcheson 

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73)

While in refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH), the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington’s (CVN 73) hazardous material (HAZMAT) division plays a vital role in the day-to-day operations of the ship. In RCOH, HAZMAT’s main job is the distribution and disposal of HAZMAT that is needed for on-going maintenance around the ship, as well as for the different periodic maintenances that individual departments do on a daily basis.
On a typical day, HAZMAT will support around 50 different maintenance tasks onboard the ship. It is important that every Sailor aboard the ship is following proper procedure, when it comes to HAZMAT. Wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when using, storing and disposing of HAZMAT is key to the safety of the Sailors who are working with HAZMAT.
“Our biggest concern while in RCOH, is the safety of the Sailors who are using HAZMAT,” said Chief Logistics Specialist Genorse Gilbert, the HAZMAT leading chief petty officer. “It’s labeled HAZMAT for a reason, so wearing safety goggles, gloves, chemical aprons, boots, anything that can protect your skin and eyes from chemical burns is necessary while dealing with any type of HAZMAT.”
With safety being such a major concern, it is important that Sailors do not make easily avoidable mistakes while getting and handling their HAZMAT.
“A common mistake being made by Sailors is leaving HAZMAT unattended,” said Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Wuarlin Ortiz Rosario. “Leaving HAZMAT unattended is a danger to not only yourself but others around you, so it is extremely important that you know where your HAZMAT is at all times.”
HAZMAT division has an amnesty program in place. Any Sailor who finds any type of HAZMAT laying around the ship, that is not supposed to be there, can bring it to the HAZMAT trailer in the hanger bay without any repercussions.
“We’re seeing a lot of the same mistakes from many different Sailors,” said Gilbert. “When you come to HAZMAT you should know exactly what you need, how much of it you need and know that when you are finished with the HAZMAT you must bring it back to us. Even if you use all the HAZMAT, you must bring the container that the HAZMAT was stored in back to us.”
In an effort to properly store all these materials the HAZMAT division designed and built an additional storage facility to store HAZMAT located on the pier.
In the upcoming months, there will be a lot more painting going on, which means a lot more HAZMAT onboard the ship.
“There is going to be a lot more painting going on next month, much more painting then we have seen since we’ve entered RCOH,” said Gilbert. “So, we designed a red HAZMAT trailer down on the pier to store all of the extra paint.”
However, with the ship being in RCOH, most of the HAZMAT that was stored onboard has since been removed.
“Prior to entering RCOH, most of our HAZMAT stock was ordered to be off-loaded from the ship,” said Gilbert. “What HAZMAT is left on the ship now is more of the high demand items, things that are used on an everyday basis to complete planned maintenance’s.”
As we get more into the RCOH process, more HAZMAT is going to be required. Therefore, Sailors should maintain good practice now in the proper handling, usage and disposal of HAZMAT.

• Date Taken: 01.25.2018
• Date Posted: 01.31.2018 12:08
• Story ID: 263880
• Location: VA, US