PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-630
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 630
MAY 2005
PS 630
MAY 05
59
First, what is your environment? Your decision may be
different in a combat area than if you are at home station
on a training range.
Second, what is the risk of continued operation to the
crew and passengers? A fuel or oil leak in the engine com-
partment of many vehicles could lead to fire or explosion.
Third, what is the risk of losing the vehicle to cata-
strophic failure if you continue operation?
Fourth, what is the risk to the environment?
Fifth, if people are injured, equipment is damaged, or
the environment is harmed due to your decision to contin-
ue operations, could criminal or civil charges be made
against you? Could an investigation find you at fault and
hold you financially responsible?
PMCS…
Leaks are a Warning,
Are You Looking?
Y
ou carefully did your Before Operations PMCS. The drip pans were clean and
dry and you didn’t notice any staining or seepage. Your vehicle was good to go,
and you went.
Now your vehicle has a Class III leak. It doesn’t much matter whether it’s a
radiator hose on a HMMWV, a hydraulic leak on a SEE, or an oil leak from the
front transmission seal of a HEMTT.
You have a decision to make. Can you continue the mission, can you make it
back to the motor pool or must you stop where you are?
Start by determining the extent of the leak. Any time a drip forms enough to
drop off your vehicle you have a Class III leak, a condition that makes most vehi-
cles Non Mission Capable. Of course, if your vehicle’s leak is more like a stream
of fluid, component failure could be just moments away.
So what do you do? If the TM states that a Class III leak makes the vehicle
NMC if found during Before Operations PMCS, the vehicle is probably NMC as
soon as you find it during operations.
drivers can perform
great pm before
operations. but
equipment
doesn’t
often break down in
the motor pool.
that’s why
d
uring
O
perations
pm is
critical.
risk
assessment
is about
protecting
soldiers and
equipment.
soldiers
may make
assessments
but leaders
must make
critical
safety
decisions.
soldiers who are well
trained take
better
care
of their equipment and are
better
able
to assess
and avoid hazards.
The
right
approach to your
situation is a
risK
assessment.
ready to
go, specialist
jones?
you bet, top!
we’re ready
to
roll!!
hey, jones!
you’ve sprung
a
leak!
great!
it
looks like the
radiator hose’s
got a leak. I
think I’m nmc!
good report,
jones. sergeant
evans, I’ll take
your
vehicle and driver.
you go with jones.
jones, watch the
gauge. if the temp
starts rising, pull over
and let it cool down.
refill the radiator
if necessary. take all
afternoon if you have
to. …just get back
safely… and radio me
when you get there.
top, we’ve got a class III
leak in a radiator hose. the
engine’s cooled down and
I’ve refilled the radiator.
I think it’s nmc, but its
less less than ten miles
back to the motor pool.
usually it
happens in
inconvenient
places
at
inconvenient
times.
630.58-59(C)
3/28/05
8:22 PM
Page 1
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