Aircraft carrier

An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to support and operate aircraft, engage in attacks on targets afloat or ashore, and engage in sustained operations in support of other forces. The largest and most capable carriers have catapults that can, in seconds, accelerate small and medium aircraft to flying speed; they also have a system of arresting wires, which allows a high-performance aircraft to be brought to a stop in seconds. Smaller carriers may only be able to operate vertical or short-takeoff aircraft.

Flight deck

Aircraft take off and land from the flight deck, which is one of the most dangerous places outside an intense battlefield. On U.S. ships, every crew speciality is indicated by color-coded jackets and helmets, with constant visual monitoring and loud, immediate calls to anyone out of their assigned area.

Besides the danger of being run over by aircraft, sucked into jet engines, cut in half by a snapped arresting wire, there are less visible threats.

=Elecronic systems

The U.S. Navy is extremely aware of the hazards of intense electromagnetic radiation from aircraft and ship avionics:

Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Personnel (HERP)

Radar and communication systems, which use high-power RF transmitters and high-gain antennas represent a biological hazard to personnel working on, or in the vicinity of, these systems. The detrimental effects of overexposure to RFR are associated with an increase in overall body temperature or a temperature rise in specific organs of the body. High-level electromagnetic energy can also induce electrical currents or voltages that may cause shocks and burns. An RF burn is the result of RF current flow through that portion of the body in direct contact with a conductive object (in which an RF voltage has been induced) or at the site/+ of a spark discharge (no direct contact with a conductive object).

The use of HF transmitters (1 kilowatt and up) and the complicated structure and rigging aboard ship, especially cargo ships, has increased the probability of voltages being induced on various objects. The handling of metallic cargo lines while shipboard HF transmitters are radiating can be hazardous to ship’s personnel. On numerous occasions, RF voltages have been encountered on items such as crane hooks, running rigging, booms, missile launchers, and parked aircraft. These voltages, which may be sufficient to cause injury, are induced on the metallic items by radiation from nearby transmitting antennas.

In addition to electromagnetic radiation hazards, there are other physical hazards to Navy personnel working aloft on shipboard radar antennas. Working aloft presents a fall hazard. In addition, rotating antennas might accidentally be energized causing an injury from contact or a fall. [See Acquisition Safety Fall Protection for fall hazards onboard Navy ships.]

Hazard of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance (HERO)

The high intensity RFR fields produced by modern radio and radar transmitting equipment can cause sensitive electrically initiated devices (EIDs), classically known as electro-explosive devices (EEDs), contained in ordnance systems to actuate prematurely. RFR energy may enter an ordnance item through a hole or crack in its skin or through firing leads, wires, and so on. In general, electrically initiated ordnance systems are most susceptible during assembly, disassembly, loading, unloading, and handling in RFR electromagnetic fields. The potential dangers to ordnance and fuels are obvious because there could be an explosive chain reaction.

Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Fuel (HERF)

Fuel vapors can be ignited by RF induced arcs during fuel handling operations close to high powered radar and radio transmitting antennas. For example, many ships carry at least one helicopter or have the ability to refuel a helicopter and carry fuel to support helo operations.