P-385-63 Range Safety Pamphlet Download

(3) A violation of the safe separation distance could result in serious injury, and within 1 m may cause fatal injuries. 2–11. Range personal protective equipment requirements a. Training casualties on operational ranges must be minimized through the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). This pamphlet provides recommendations as to the level of PPE to be used with specific weapon systems. These PPE levels are found in table 2–2. Ultimately, the commander must decide the appropriate level of PPE based on thorough risk assessment. b. All personnel within the hearing hazard zone will wear approved hearing protection. The size of the hazard zone varies with the weapon. For mixed-use ranges, it is usually convenient to establish the zone based on the loudest weapon used. For administrative convenience, the size of the hearing protection zones can be increased to encompass areas within convenient access or demarcation points. For the Army, the senior commander may, based on risk management, mitigate risk of noise hazard to the lowest possible level consistent with mission accomplishment. The Marine Corps requires that all personnel exposed to gunfire or artillery or missile firing, under any circumstances, will wear hearing protective devices. The following list of distances to the hazard contours for common military weapons is conservative: (1) 0.50 caliber: 55 m to the side; 12 m to the rear. (2) 0.45 caliber: 12 m to the side; 4.5 m to the rear. (3) 9mm: 9 m to the side; 6 m to the rear. (4) 7.62mm: 20 m to the side; 8 m to the rear. (5) 5.56mm: 24 m to the side; 6 m to the rear. c. Approved eye protection (or eye armor) will be used, especially during force-on-force training maneuvers or scenarios by personnel undergoing training, as well as those in close proximity (for example, evaluators, observers, and very important persons). Based on risk assessment, the senior commander (Army)/installation commander (Marine Corps) may reduce or eliminate requirement for eye protection, if the decision is made that reduced vision created by use of eye protection outweighs its value. For the Army, to prevent serious eye injury the only approved eye protection for use with close combat mission capability kit (CCMCK) is the standard-issue sun, wind, and dust goggles (national stock number 8465–01–328–8268), which must be worn until all training has ceased. d. The discharge of weapons creates hazardous impulse noise levels and in the firing range, the impulse noise may act differently when it reflects off hard surfaces. Repeated exposure to impulse noise greater than 140 decibels can cause significant hearing loss. The noise exposure limit is at 84 decibels on the A-weighted scale (decibels (A)) for frequencies of 20 to 16,000 hertz)) for an 8-hour time-weighted average. When time-weighted average exposures are greater than 84 decibels (A), personnel exposed to these activities shall be included in the Hearing Conservation Program. Table 2–2 Personal protective equipment Personal protective level Personal protection required 0 1 Army combat uniform/standard utility uniform, hearing/eye protection 1 1 Body armor and helmet, hearing/eye protection 2 1 Body armor with front/back enhanced small arms protective insert plates and helmet, hearing/eye protec- tion 3 Body armor with front/back/side enhanced small arms protective insert plates and helmet, hearing/eye protection Notes: 1 Eye protection is encouraged. Based on risk assessment, the unit commander may require ballistic and/or laser eye protection. 2–12. Army requirements for areas known to contain improved conventional munitions and sub- munitions This section prescribes Army controls to address hazards associated with maintenance, characterization, clearance, or removal actions at ranges and other areas known to contain ICMs and sub-munitions. a. Applicability. (1) Activities that involve ICM or sub-munitions undertaken by Active Army, Army National Guard, U.S. Army Reserve personnel, Army civilian employees, Army contractors, and other DOD components. (2) Operational and former ranges and other areas owned or controlled by the U.S. Army, both in the United States and overseas. 12 DA PAM 385–63 • 16 April 2014