MIL-STD-38784 Manuals, Technical: General Style And Format RequirementsThis standard covers the general style and format requirements for the preparation of standard Technical Manuals \(TM\) and changes thereto intended for military applications. This includes all technical documents assigned a TM identification number and controlled by a TM management information system, or subject to requisition from an inventory control point. This standard provides for Standard Generalized Markup Language \(SGML\) Document Type Definition \(DTD\) usage \(see Appendices B through E\) required for electronic data delivery, including PDF. This standard supplements the performance of detail specifications used for specific TM types and related publications, but does not deliver any technical data. Unless specified otherwise herein, the examples at the end of this standard are typical and may be adapted to fit the specific equipment or situation being covered. All appendices are intended for compliance when applicable.

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MIL-STD-38784A

paragraph by both a warning and a note, or a caution and a note, etc, warnings shall precede cautions,

which in turn shall precede notes. Figure 8 illustrates the styles. Warnings, cautions and notes shall be short,

concise and used only to emphasize important or critical data. Warnings and cautions may be worded

positively or negatively and shall state the hazard and result or reason, unless obvious. Appendix Aof this

standard provides additional guidance for inclusion of warnings and cautions.

(A) Notes shall precede the applicable paragraph.

(M) Warnings shall be in all caps. If more than one paragraph in warnings, cautions or notes, put a

space between each paragraph. Bullets may be used when there are three or more paragraphs within

the warning, caution or note.

4.3.10.1 Health hazards. (F) Procedures prescribed for the operation of equipment shall be consistent with

the safety standards established by the Air Force Occupational Safety and Health (AFOSH) Standards.

Each service will reference their own safety program. When exposure to hazardous chemicals or other

adverse health factors or use of equipment cannot be eliminated, guidance pertaining to the exposure

shall be included in the Safety Summary or a Warning. A list of personnel protective devices shall be

included. Appendix A provides additional guidance for inclusion of warnings. Unless otherwise speciied (see

6.2.u.), icons (see 3.2.15) shall be used as described in Appendix A.

4.3.10.2 Nuclear Surety. Nuclear weapon or weapon system technical publication procedures containing

operations, maintenance, troubleshooting, (F) Operational Certiication (OPCERT), handling, movement,

restraint coniguration, loading, testing and delivery require certiication for nuclear safety. The primary

consideration for nuclear weapon systems is to ensure that the system is safe and weapons are not subjected

to inadvertent power application, control signals, or used for troubleshooting. If nuclear weapon or weapon

system technical publication procedures require nuclear safety certiication, applicable cautions shall be

incorporated into technical publications to ensure that safety is not degraded during operation and maintenance.

4.3.10.2.1 Nuclear surety procedure symbol. Unless otherwise speciied (see 6.2.v.), all Nuclear Surety

. When approved by the acquiring activity, the

Procedures (NSP) shall be marked with the symbol

symbol **NSP** may be used in lieu of the box NSP symbol. The symbol shall be prepared in the same

style and size as the applicable paragraph sidehead. The symbol shall not be included in the paragraph title

in the TOC. Use of the symbol is as follows:

a. When the entire manual is nuclear safety certiied, the symbol shall be inserted immediately

following the title of the manual on the title page (e.g. "WEAPON LOADING PROCEDURES

").

b. When the entire chapter, section and all subordinate paragraphs/steps relate to Nuclear surety

procedures, the symbol shall be inserted immediately following the chapter or section title or

immediately following the paragraph number (e.g. "PYLON LOADING

"or "1.2

LOADING OPERATIONS").

c. When all subordinate paragraphs and steps do not contribute to establishing nuclear surety, only

those which do contribute will be annotated with the symbol.

4.3.10.2.2 Nuclear surety procedures symbol explanation. When applicable, the Foreword/Preface/Introduction

shall include the symbol and an explanation of the NSP symbol and other pertinent information as necessary

to emphasize the uniqueness of nuclear surety. This shall include an explanation that all manuals, chapters,

sections, paragraphs, procedures and steps identiied by the symbol must be followed as written to ensure

nuclear surety is not degraded. This explanation shall be preceded by a CAUTION heading.

4.3.10.3 Nuclear hardness. If equipment to be operated, maintained or overhauled has nuclear survivability

requirements (i.e. Over Pressure and Burst, Thermal Radiation, Electromagnetic Pulse or Transient Radiation

Effects on Electronics), applicable cautions shall be incorporated into technical publications to ensure that

hardness of equipment is not degraded during operation and maintenance.

4.3.10.3.1 Nuclear hardness symbol. Unless otherwise speciied (see 6.2.w.), all Hardness Critical Processes

(HCP) shall be marked with the symbol

. When approved by the acquiring activity, the symbol

**HCP** may be used in lieu of the boxed HCP symbol. The symbol shall be prepared in the same style