(2) Protective clothing and equipment. Personal protective equipment such as impermeable
protective clothing, self contained breathing apparatus, coveralls, gloves, aprons, boots,
etc., will be issued according to the needs established by the SOPs for individual operations
or for emergencies.
(3) Storage and inspection of protective equipment. Personal protective equipment shall be
placed at a location which will permit immediate access for use. A list showing the quantity
and type of equipment required to be on hand shall be posted at this location. Centrally
located protective equipment shall be inspected prior to and after each use, and on a
regularly scheduled basis thereafter. Equipment that becomes unserviceable shall be
replaced promptly.
i. First Aid. Appropriate first aid and decontamination equipment shall be readily available at each
work site. Each employee shall be instructed in the use of this equipment. For further
information on first aid measures, refer to FM 21-11 and FM 21-40.
j. Change Houses. Change houses and showering facilities, either stationary or mobile, shall be
provided at the work area. Personnel shall be required to wash their hands thoroughly with
soap and water after handling chemical munitions, particularly before eating.
k. Disposition of Defective Munitions. Destruction of chemical agents will be accomplished in
accordance with requirements outlined in regulations for the specific type of agent involved. As
a matter of policy, open pit burning of lethal or incapacitating chemical agent or agent-filled
munitions in any quantity is prohibited. Further information on methods for destroying large
quantities of chemical agents and munitions shall be obtained, through channels, from the
Commander, US Army Armament, Munitions, and Chemical Command, ATTN: AMSMC-MAS-
C, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD 21010-5423.
l. Packing, Marking, and Shipping. Chemical agents, munitions, and components shall be
packed, marked, and prepared for shipment in accordance with current drawings and
specifications for the item involved. In addition, all applicable DOT regulations governing the
shipment of chemical agents and munitions shall be observed.
m. Specific Storage Procedures. Due to the unique characteristics of chemical munitions, separate
storage is required for each of the four chemical groups A, B, C, and D to preclude mixing with
each other or with other dissimilar materials. Each group of chemical munitions require different
personal protective equipment.
(1) By now, you should have a good understanding of chemical munitions and the hazards
involved in storage. Chemical munitions have not been deployed since World War II.
Currently the Army's stockpile of chemical munitions are stored at various distribution
depots. Over the years since World War II, there has been a demilitarization program to
reduce to the nation's inventory of chemical munitions. Increased technology has produced
new weapons and the end of the Cold War provides an avenue for total destruction of all
chemical stocks.
(2) In order to destroy chemical stocks, the Army must build chemical incinerators at key
locations. Public concern has caused the Army's program for destruction to come under
attack. Some states have enacted restrictive legislation that could prevent or delay
construction of incinerators. The prevention or delaying tactics will only increase the cost of
maintaining the stockpile.
6. Unserviceable Ammunition. Unserviceable ammunition comes from normal deterioration and from
defects inherent in manufacture. Improper storage, handling, or transporting can also cause
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