What It Means to Meet the SUBSAFE Certification
The SUBSAFE Program has served as a platform for creating capable and safe vessels for the United States Navy. Established in 1963, just two months after the loss of the USS Thresher, the SUBSAFE Program works to ensure the watertight integrity and recovery capability of all naval vessels through the SUBSAFE certification process.
Find out what it means to meet the SUBSAFE Certification below.
The SUBSAFE Certification Process
According to the U.S. Navy
, The SUBSAFE certification process ensures that all naval vessels are capable enough for unrestricted operations. It works to provide reassurance that all ships are designed to deliver optimum watertight integrity to reduce the risk of flooding. The certification also ensures that all submarines have the recovery capabilities needed to help them resurface safely should flooding occur.
The SUBSAFE Certification Program covers four areas of a vessel’s creation:
- Design
- Material
- Fabrication
- Testing
For a ship to be SUBSAFE certified, it must meet the program’s safety requirements for all areas listed. This means that the overall design, materials used, manufacturing process, and testing procedures used to create the submarine minimizes the risk of flooding in unrestricted operations. Certification for each of these areas applies to the construction and maintenance of the vessel throughout its entire life.
The SUBSAFE Program Culture
Safety is the biggest priority in the creation of U.S. Navy vessels, and that’s clear when we look at the SUBSAFE Program and certification process. The SUBSAFE Program and certification promote optimum safety by encouraging work discipline, material control, and documentation.
Work discipline ensures that everyone understands all the safety requirements and compliance with those requirements during the creation of a U.S. Navy vessel. Material control makes sure that all materials used are durable and correctly installed. This includes all materials used for storage, handling, and installation in the submarine.
Documentation is the most important part of the SUBSAFE Certification process. It promotes overall assurance and accountability. There are two categories for the documentation stage:
- Selected Record Drawings and Data is used to collect records regarding the vessel’s system diagrams, SUBSAFE Mapping Drawing, Ship Systems Manuals, etc., when it’s being designed. These documents should be maintained throughout the entire life of the ship to retain its SUBSAFE Certification.
- Objective Quality Evidence requires documentation for all work performed on the submarine throughout its life. These documentations include everything from weld forms to hydrostatic and operational test forms. These documentations work to ensure that all maintenance and work for the vessels were performed correctly. They also provide proof that all the steps were taken to ensure that the submarine complies with all the safety requirements of the SUBSAFE Program.
What It Means to Meet the SUBSAFE Certification
Meeting the SUBSAFE Certification means that the vessel created is safe enough for unrestricted operation in the United States Navy. It ensures that the vessel is designed and made with the proper parts to help minimize the risk of flooding. It also makes sure that the submarine can safely resurface should flooding occur.
Here at CPV Manufacturing, we’re proud to provide the U.S. Navy with the high-quality valves and fittings needed to help their vessels meet the SUBSAFE Certification. Our Quality Management System is certified in the areas of design, material, fabrication, and testing, and has been approved to meet the requirement of MIL-I-45208, SUBSAFE Level 1, EB 2678.
For more information about our trusted valves and fittings, contact CPV Manufacturing today.