safety features or might cause ignition during handling
PYROTECHNIC SAFETY
or stowage. Because of the potential dangers associated
All pyrotechnic and screening devices, while
with these devices, take great care to prevent damage
designed and tested to be safe under normal conditions,
both to the devices and to their containers.
can be subject to accidental ignition because of a wide
variety of circumstances. The general rule to follow is:
Be constantly aware that pyrotechnics contain chemical
Effect of Moisture on Pyrotechnics
components that are intended to burn with intense heat,
and act accordingly.
The proper functioning of pyrotechnic, dye-
Toxic Hazards of Pyrotechnics
marking, and screening devices is frequently affected
by moisture. Some compositions become more
Many chemicals used in pyrotechnics, screening
sensitive and dangerous when exposed to moisture,
equipment, and dye-marking devices are poisonous if
while others tend to become difficult to ignite and less
taken internally. This also applies to the residue of
dependable in operation. When you handle or stow
burned pyrotechnics. From the inhalation standpoint,
these devices, exercise care to prevent damaging their
the products of pyrotechnic devices and smoke
seals because some of them are activated when their
generators often present a serious problem. Many of the
chemical contents react with moisture in the air. Also,
smokes and fumes given off by pyrotechnics and
bear in mind that some marine location markers, such as
screening devices are considered nontoxic and are only
the Mk 58, are saltwater-activated. In emergency
mildly irritating to the eyes and nasal passages when
situations, markers with damaged seals could be
encountered in relatively light concentrations out-of-
activated by exposure to fire-fighting water or runoff.
doors. Heavy concentrations in closely confined
spaces, however, are dangerous and may be lethal
because they reduce the amount of oxygen in the air.
Effect of Temperature on Pyrotechnics
Avoid anything more than a brief exposure to the gases
of combustion or to screening smokes. If you must,
spend more than a brief time in the gases or smokes,
Pyrotechnics and some screening devices may
protect yourself by using an appropriate breathing
become adversely affected by excessively high or
apparatus.
variable temperatures. These devices should never be
stored where direct rays of the sun could generate
PYROTECHNIC HANDLING AND
excessively high temperature. Stowage should be in
STOWAGE
dry, well-ventilated places that provide the greatest
possible protection from such conditions. All Navy
All pyrotechnics and smoke-screening devices are
pyrotechnics have been designed to withstand
designed to withstand normal handling. However, they
temperatures from -65F to 160F, so they should be
should still be handled as little as possible, to lessen the
safe from deterioration or damage within that range.
chances of damage, which might cause accidental
However, every reasonable effort should be made to
ignition or leakage. Many devices contain dangerous
maintain stowage temperature at not more than 100F.
materials and are therefore designed with built-in safety
S p e c i f i c ammunition stowage temperature
features, which should be maintained in good operating
requirements for all types of ammunition are addressed
condition. Dents, deformations, or cracks in the outer
in NAVSEA OP 4.
body may interfere with the proper functioning of these
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