CHAPTER 13
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS
Many materials and situations aboard ship can
damage personnel and the environment. Continued
emphasis and direction on combating environmental
pollution by federal agencies is contained in presidential
executive orders and congressional legislation. All
facilities owned by, or leased to, the federal government
must be designed, operated, maintained, and monitored
to conform to applicable air, water, and noise standards
established by federal, state, and local authorities.
The Navy actively participates in a program to
protect and enhance the quality of the environment. The
Navy adheres to all applicable regulatory standards and
initiates actions to conserve natural resources, protect
historical and cultural properties, and prevent or control
pollution caused by Navy facilities. This chapter
contains information dealing with some of the more
serious problems that threaten the environment. It also
covers the controls that are used to reduce the risks.
HEAT STRESS
On board ship, certain kinds of working spaces may
be hot and humid. Some examples of hot and humid
spaces are firerooms (boiler rooms), sculleries with
automatic dishwashing machines, and galleys.
Heat stress is the basic inability of an individual’s
body to cope with the effects of a high-temperature and
high-humidity environment. When a person works in a
hot, humid environment, such as a boiler, heat builds up
within his/her body. When the body’s capability to cool
itself is exceeded, heat stress can occur. The human body
tries to cool itself automatically through sweating.
Sweating is the mechanism by which the body gets rid
of excess heat through evaporation. The sweat
evaporates, thereby cooling the body and reducing body
temperature. Although the sweating mechanism is a
normal body function, the sweating process depletes the
body of water and salts and changes the body’s
chemistry. If liquid volume and salts are not replaced,
several heat illnesses or injuries can occur.
HEAT CRAMPS
Heat cramps are simply painful muscle contractions
or spasms. They are normally caused by the loss of body
fluids through sweating. It is also possible for a person
who is overheated to induce muscle cramps by drinking
cold liquids too quickly or in large quantities. Heat
cramps are often an early warning of heat exhaustion. If
you ever experience heat cramps, go to a cooler place,
drink plenty of cool (not cold) water, and massage the
cramping muscles.
NOTE: Administering salt in any form, even in
drinking water, is POOR health care for victims of heat
cramps. The loss of body fluids through sweating results
in a HIGHER concentration of salts within the body. If
the body’s heat load builds up, the muscles will absorb
increased amounts of salts. This absorption causes the
muscles to cramp.
HEAT EXHAUSTION
Heat exhaustion is a more serious threat to health
than heat cramps. Heat exhaustion usually occurs when
personnel work or exercise in hot environments. The
body’s sweating mechanism is overloaded and cannot
cope with the heat buildup within the body. Since the
blood flow is disturbed, the victim may feel dizzy,
headachy, and nauseated. The signs and symptoms of
heat exhaustion are similar to those of shock and should
be treated as such. When a person suffers from heat
exhaustion, the skin is gray in color and feels cold and
clammy. To help the heat exhaustion victim, remove the
victim to a cool area and loosen his/her clothing. You
should apply cool wet cloths to the head, groin, and
ankles and lightly fan the victim. If the victim is
conscious, give him/her cool water to drink. If vomiting
occurs, do NOT administer any more fluids. Transport
the victim to a medical facility as soon as possible.
HEATSTROKE
Heatstroke is a less common but far more serious
threat to health than heat exhaustion. In about 20 percent
of heatstroke cases, heatstroke is fatal. In heatstroke, the
sweating mechanism breaks down completely; the body
is unable to rid itself of excess body heat. The body’s
temperature may rise as high as 105°F. Prolonged, high
body temperatures can cause failure of the brain,
kidneys, and liver.
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