USAFE: Safety - BITS

50 AFMAN91-221_USAFESUP1_I 18 AUGUST 2005
AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MISHAP—Any mishap in which there is intent for flight and reportable damage
to a DOD aircraft. Explosives and chemical agents or guided missile mishaps that cause damage in excess
of $20,000 to a DOD aircraft with intent for flight are categorized as aircraft flight mishaps to avoid dual
reporting. This is the only aviation mishap subcategory that contributes to the flight mishap rate.
BEELINE FADED GIANT—A nuclear reactor system or radiological incident as defined by the criteria
in paragraph 1.4.7.
BENT SPEAR—A reporting flagword identifying a nuclear weapon system incident. This includes
mishaps not in the accident category but meeting any of the criteria in paragraph 1.4.4.
BROKEN ARROW—A reporting flagword that identifies a nuclear weapon accident that could NOT
create the risk of war, but meets the following criteria: nuclear detonation of a nuclear weapon;
nonnuclear detonation (no nuclear yield) or burning of a nuclear weapon, nuclear warhead, or nuclear
component; radioactive contamination from a nuclear weapon or nuclear component; jettison of a nuclear
weapon or nuclear component; public hazard (actual or perceived) from a nuclear weapon, nuclear
warhead, or nuclear component.
CAUSAL FINDING—Causal findings are those, which, singly or in combination with other causal
findings, logically result in damage or injury. They are identified with the word “CAUSE” at the start of
the text of the finding.
CAUSE—A cause is a deficiency, which if corrected, eliminated, or avoided, would likely have
prevented or mitigated the mishap damage or significant injury.
CHEMICAL AGENTS—A chemical compound intended for use in military operations to kill, seriously
injure, or incapacitate persons through its chemical properties. Excluded are riot control agents, chemical
herbicides, smoke, and flame producing devices. Pesticides, insecticides, and industrial chemicals, unless
selected by the D0D Components for chemical warfare purposes, are also excluded.
CHEMICAL AGENT MISHAP—Any unintentional or uncontrolled release of a chemical agent when:
reportable damage to property from contamination or costs are incurred for decontamination; or
individuals exhibit physiological symptoms of agent exposure; or the agent quantity released to the
atmosphere is such that a serious potential for exposure is created by exceeding the applicable maximum
allowable concentration-time levels for exposure of unprotected workers or the general population or
property.
COMPETENT MEDICAL AUTHORITY—Allopathic (MD), osteopathic (DO), and chiropractic
practitioners, as well as podiatrists, optometrists, dentists, and clinical psychologists. The term competent
medical authority includes these medical practitioners only to the extent of their operations within the
scope of their practice as defined by state law and subject to regulation by the Secretary of Labor.
Competent medical authority also includes nurse practitioners and physician assistants under supervision
of licensed medical practitioners.
CONTRACTOR MISHAP—A mishap resulting from contractor operations that involves injury to
DOD personnel and/or damage to DOD resources.
CONVENING AUTHORITY—The individual who has the authority to order a safety investigation.
CRITICAL PROFILE—A mission profile exceeding system limitations based on system specifications
or other program documentation.
DIRECTED ENERGY—An umbrella term covering technologies that relate to the production of a beam