Each new ship that joins the Navy is more technically advanced and complex than the one before. The main propulsion plants call for engineering skills at ever higher levels of competence. That means more and better training of personnel who must keep the ships combat ready. The need for training and the problem of frequent turnover of trained personnel call for some kind of system that can be used to keep things going smoothly during the confusion. The EOSS was developed for that purpose.

EOSS is a set of manuals designed to eliminate problems due to operator error during the alignment of piping systems and the starting and stopping of machinery. It involves the participation of all personnel from the department head to the fireman on watch. EOSS consists of a set of detailed written procedures, using charts, instructions, and diagrams. These aids are developed for safe operation and casualty control of a specific ships engineering plant and configuration. EOSS improves the operational readiness of the ships engineering plant by providing positive control of the plant. This, in turn, reduces operational casualties and extends machinery life.

EOSS is divided into two subsystems: (1) engineering operational procedures (EOPs) and (2) engineering operational casualty control (EOCC).

ENGINEERING OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES (EOPs)

EOPs are prepared specifically for each level of operation: plant supervision (level l), space supervision (level 2), and component/system operator (level 3). The materials for each level or stage of operation contain only the information necessary at that level. All materials are interrelated. They must be used together to maintain the proper relationship and to ensure positive control and sequencing of operational events within the plant. Ships that do not have EOSS use operating instructions and a casualty control manual for plant operations.

ENGINEERING OPERATIONAL CASUALTY CONTROL (EOCC)

This subsystem of EOSS enables plant and space supervisors to RECOGNIZE the symptoms of a possible casualty. They can then CONTROL the casualty to prevent possible damage to machinery, and RESTORE plant operation to normal. The documents of the EOCC subsystem contain procedures and information that describe symptoms, causes, and actions to be taken in the most common engineering plant casualties.