What should be on it?

Pear MSG Half-Mast,

Every time I PCS to a new duty station, my new unit has an electrical safety board that has different things on it than my last unit. Is there anything in writing that says what should be on an electrical safety board?

SGT K.W.

Dear Sergeant K.W.,

of TB 385-4. Safety Requirements for Maintenance of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Aug 92), makes some recommendations on what a good electrical safety board should have, but leaves the door open for some deletions and additions.

These additions or deletions would be made by your commander or safety office based on your mission and work environment. Check with your local medical authority and get approval for the items.

Each maintenance facility in which soldiers are exposed to 70 volts or higher should maintain safety boards in accessible and conspicuous locations.

Safety boards should be as big as needed to hold all the items your unit requires. One of the critical factors for the safety board is location. Decide where your electrical danger areas are. Centrally locate your board to cover these areas. Safety boards should be painted white with a two-inch green border. The words "Safety Board" should be painted in white letters on a green rectangle. The size of this title is your call.

--FM 21-11, First Aid for Soldiers

--Local safety instructions

--Emergency procedures and emergency telephone numbers

--Location of power kill switches

--Gloves, rubber, 3,000 volts, sizes 9-12 respectively, NSN 8415-01-158-9449/50/51/52

--Rope, 3/8-in, 25-ft, NSN 4020-00-174-3031. Or 25 feet of rope, NSN 4020-00-599-7529. (It's thinner, stronger, cheaper and orange!)

--Flashlight, NSN 6230-00-264-8261

--Safety goggles, NSN 4240-00-052-3776

--General purpose first aid kit, NSN 6545-00-922-1200. it's a good idea to inventory your kit regularly, because items from it seem to disappear.

Some other things you may consider around, or on the board, are a resuscitator. a fire extinguisher, a portable defibrillator and hazard signs but resist the urge to make the board for general safety by adding non-electrical safety related items. Other safety items can fit into another presentation.

Don't stack things in front of the board. In an emergency, even the few moments it takes to move clutter could cost a life.

Inspect the board each month to make sure all items are on hand and in good shape. No matter how well-equipped the hoard is, it's of little use if it's not maintained.

Finally, make hoard training SOP. Everyone working in the area should know each piece of equipment and low to use it and understand that the equipment is for emergency use only.

Item                      Qty Per Kit          NSN         Qty Per
                                                           Each NSN

Iodine                    10 packets    6505-00-148-7096      144
Field dressing               3 ea       6510-00-159-4883        1
Field compress               1 ea       6510-00-200-3075        1
Gauze bandage,               2 ea       6510-00-200-3185       12
 3-in x 18-ft
Triangle bandage,            1 ea       6510-00-201-1755        1
 37-in x 37-in x 52-in
Adhesive bandage            18 ea       6510-00-913-7909      300
 3/4-in x 3-in
Rolled elastic bandage,      1 ea       6510-00-935-5820       10
 2-in x 12-ft
Surgical tape,               3 ea       6510-01-060-1639      100
 1-in x 54-in
Petrolatum gauze,            3 ea       6510-01-112-6414       12
 3-in x 36-in
Surgical blade               1 ea       6515-00-754-0426        5
Scissors                     1 pr       6515-00-935-7138       12
Exam glove                   4 ea       6515-01-364-8554      100
Dental bag                   1 ea       6520-00-926-9041      100
Eye dressing                 1 ea       6545-00-853-6309       12
Case                         1 ea       6545-00-113-3722        1