1. Fire Protection in Shipyard Employment

2. General provisions Purpose and Scope 501 Fire safety plan 502
Precautions before hot work 503
Fire watches 504
Fire response 505
Hazards of fixed extinguishers on board vessel 506
Landside fire protection system 507
Training 508

3. Purpose
Requires employers to protect all employees from fire hazards in shipyard employment, including employees engaged in fire response activities
Provides increased protection for shipyard employment workers from the hazards of fire on vessels and vessel sections and at land-side facilities
Reflects new technologies and national NFPA consensus standards

4. Scope Covers employers with employees engaged in
Shipyard employment aboard vessels and vessel sections
Land - side operations
Regardless of geographic locations

5. Employee participation
Employer’s must provide for employees or employee representatives to participate in developing and reviewing programs and policies to comply with this subpart

6. Multi-employer worksites
Host employer responsibilities
Inform employers about the content of the fire safety plan including hazards, controls, fire safety and health rules, and emergency procedures
Ensure safety and health responsibilities for fire protection are assigned as appropriate to other employers at the worksite

7. Multi-employer worksites (cont’d)
Contract employer responsibilities
Ensure host employer knows about the fire-related hazards associated with the contract employer's work and what the contract employer is doing to address them
Advise the host employer of any previously unidentified fire- related hazards that the contract employer identifies at the worksite

8. Fire safety plan 29 CFR 1950-502 Employer responsibilities
Plan elements
Reviewing the plan with employees
Additional employer requirements
Contract employers

9. Plan elements Plan must include:
Identification of significant fire hazards
Procedures for recognizing and reporting unsafe conditions
Alarm procedures
Procedures for notifying employees of a fire emergency
Procedures for notifying fire response organizations of a fire emergency
Procedures for evacuation
Procedures to account for all employees after an evacuation; and
Names, job titles, or departments or individuals who can be contacted for information about the plan

10. Reviewing the plan with employees
The employer must review the plan with each employee at the following times:
By March 14, 2004, for current employees
Upon initial assignment for new employees; and
When the actions the employee must take under the plan change because of a change in duties or a change in the plan.

11. Additional plan requirements
Must be accessible to employees, employee representatives and OSHA
Review and update at least annually
Document affected employees have been informed about the plan
Give a copy to outside fire response organizations that will respond to fires

12. Contract employers
Contract employers in shipyard employment must have a fire safety plan for their employees, and the plan must comply with the host employer's fire safety plan
The contract employer can adopt the host employers fire safety plan to meet this requirement

13. Precautions for hot work 29 CFR 1915 – 503
General requirements
Designated areas
Non-designated areas
Specific requirements
Maintaining fire hazard free conditions
Fuel gas and oxygen supply line and torches

14. General requirements - designated areas
The employer may designate areas that are free of fire hazards for hot work in sites such as:
Vessels
Vessel sections
Fabricating shops
Subassembly areas

15. Non-designated areas
Visually inspect area where hot work will be performed, including adjacent areas unless Marine Chemist’s certificate or Shipyard Competent person’s logs is used for authorization
Perform hot work only in areas that are free of fire hazards, or controlled by physical isolation, fire watches, etc.
Maintain fire hazard-free conditions

16. Precautions for hot work – specific requirements
Fuel gas and oxygen supply lines and torches
No unattended lines in confined spaces
No unattended charged lines in enclosed spaces for more than 15 minutes
Fuel gas and oxygen hose lines disconnected at end of each shift

17. Precautions for hot work – specific requirements (cont’d)
Roll lines back to supply manifold or open air and then disconnect torch, or
Disconnect extended fuel gas and oxygen hose lines at the the supply manifold
Only if the lines are given a positive means of identification
Use a drop test or other positive means to ensure the integrity of fuel gas and oxygen burning system before resuming hot work

18. Fire watches 29 CFR 1915 - 504 Written policy Posting fire watches
Assigning employees to fire watch duty

19. Written policy Detailed fire watch training
Identifies duties employees will perform and equipment they will be given
Includes personal protective equipment (PPE) that must be made available and worn

20. Posting fire watches
Must post a fire watch during hot work if any of the following are present:
Slag, weld splatter, or sparks might pass through an opening and cause a fire
Fire-resistant guards or curtains are not used to prevent ignition of combustible materials on or near decks, bulkheads, etc
Combustible material is closer than 35 ft. and cannot be removed, shielded or protected

21. Posting fire watches (cont’d)
Hot work is carried out on or near insulation, combustible coatings that cannot be shielded, cut back, removed, or inerted
Combustible materials adjacent to the opposite sides of bulkheads, decks, etc. may be ignited by conduction or radiation
The hot work is close enough to cause ignition through heat radiation or conduction on:
Insulated pipes, bulkheads, decks, partitions, or overheads; or
Combustible materials and/or coatings

22. Posting fire watches (cont’d)
The work is close enough to unprotected combustible pipe or cable runs to cause ignition
A Marine Chemist, a Coast Guard-authorized person, or a shipyard Competent Person requires that a fire watch be posted

23. Assigning employees to fire watch duty
Employees must not be assigned additional duties while the hot work is in progress
Employees must be physically capable of performing fire watch duties
Employees assigned to fire watch duty must:
Have a clear view and immediate access to all areas included in the fire watch
Be able to communicate with workers exposed to hot work
Be authorized to stop work and restore safe conditions within hot work area

24. Assigning employees to fire watch duty (cont’d)
Remain in the hot work area for 30 minutes after completion of the hot work - Unless the employer or its representative surveys the exposed area and makes a determination that there is no further fire hazard
Be trained to detect fires in areas exposed to the hot work
Extinguish incipient stage fires in the hot work area
Alert employees of any fire beyond the incipient stage; and
If unable to extinguish fire, activate the alarm

25. Fire response 29 CFR 1915 – 505 Employer responsibilities
Written policy information
Internal response
External response
Medical requirements for shipyard response employees
Organization of internal fire response functions
Personal protective clothing and equipment for fire response employees
Equipment maintenance (PPE)

26. Employer responsibilities
Decide what type of response will be provided and who will provide it
Internal fire response
Outside fire response
Create, maintain, and update a written policy that:
Describes the internal and outside fire response organizations that the employer will use; and
Defines evacuation procedures, if the employer chooses to require a total or partial evacuation of the worksite at the time of a fire

27. Written policy – internal response
The basic structure of the fire response organization
Number of trained fire response employees
The fire response functions that will be carried out
Minimum number of fire response employees necessary
Type, amount, and frequency of training that must be given to fire response employees
Procedures for using protective clothing and equipment

28. Written policy – outside response
Types of fire suppression incidents to which the fire response organization is expected to respond at the employer's facility
Liaisons between the employer and the outside fire response organizations

29. Written policy – outside response (cont’d)
A plan for fire response functions that:
Addresses procedures for obtaining assistance from the outside fire response organization
Familiarizes the outside fire response organization with the layout of the employer's facility or worksite
Sets forth how hose and coupling connections will be made compatible and location of adapter couplings
States employer will not allow use of incompatible hose connections

30. Written policy – combination of internal and outside response
The basic organizational structure of the combined fire response
Number of combined trained fire responders
Fire response functions that may need to be carried out
Minimum number of fire response employees necessary
Number and types of apparatuses, and
Description of the fire suppression operations established by written standard operating procedures for each particular type of response at the worksite
Type, amount, and frequency of joint training with outside fire response organizations

31. Employee evacuation Emergency escape procedures
Procedures to be followed by employees who remain at worksite to perform critical operations during the evacuation
Procedures to account for all employees after emergency evacuation is completed
Means of reporting fires and other emergencies
Names or job titles of employees or departments to be contacted for further information or explanation of duties

32. Written emergency response
The employer must include the following information in the employer's written policy:
A description of the emergency rescue procedures; and
Names or job titles of the employees who are assigned to perform them

33. Medical requirements for shipyard fire response employees
The employer must ensure that:
Fire response employees receive medical exams to assure they are physically and medically fit for duties expected to perform
Fire response employees, required to wear respirators meet the medical requirements
Each fire response employee has an annual medical examination; and
Medical records are kept on fire response employees

34. Organization of internal fire response functions
Organize fire response functions to ensure adequate resources for emergency operations
Establish lines of authority and assign responsibilities to ensure components of the internal fire response are accomplished
Set up incident management system to coordinate and direct fire response functions, including:
Specific fire emergency responsibilities
Accountability for all fire response employees participating in an emergency operation; and
Resources offered by outside organizations
Provide information as required to the outside fire response organization to be used

35. PPE for fire response employees
General requirements
Thermal stability and flame resistance
Respiratory protection
Interior structural firefighting operations
Proximity firefighting operations
Personal alert safety system (PASS) devices
Life safety ropes, body harnesses and hardware

36. General requirements Employer must:
At no cost, supply all fire response employees appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment they need to perform expected duties
Ensure employees wear the appropriate PPE and use the equipment, when necessary, to protect them from hazardous exposures

37. Thermal stability and flame resistance
Ensure each fire response employee exposed to flame hazards do not wear clothing that could increase the extent of injury
Prohibit wearing clothing made from acetate, nylon, or polyester, either alone or in blends, unless it can be shown that:
The fabric will withstand the flammability hazard that may be encountered; or
The clothing will be worn in such a way to eliminate the flammability hazard that may be encountered

38. Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) devices
Provide each fire response employee involved in firefighting operations with a PASS device; and
Ensure that each PASS device meets the recommendations in NFPA Standard on Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS)

39. Life safety ropes, body harnesses and hardware
The employer must ensure that:
All life safety ropes, body harnesses, and hardware used by fire response employees for emergency operations meet the applicable recommendations in NFPA
Fire response employees use only Class I body harnesses to attach to ladders and aerial devices; and
Fire response employees use only Class II and Class III body harnesses for fall arrest and rappelling operations

40. Equipment maintenance
Personal protective equipment
Employer must inspect and maintain PPE used to protect fire response employees to ensure that it provides the intended protection
Fire response equipment.
Keep fire response equipment in a state of readiness
Standardize all fire hose coupling and connection threads throughout the facility
Ensure all fire hoses and coupling connection threads are the same throughout the facility as those used by the outside fire response organization, or
Supply suitable adapter couplings if such an organization is expected to use the fire response equipment within a facility or vessel or vessel section

41. Hazards of fixed extinguishing systems on board vessels and vessel sections – 29 CFR 1915 - 506
Employer responsibilities
Requirements for automatic and manual systems
Sea and dock trials
Doors and hatches
Testing the system
Conducting system maintenance
Using fixed manual extinguishing systems for protection

42. Employer’s responsibilities
The employer must comply with the provisions of this section whenever employees are exposed to fixed extinguishing systems that could create a dangerous atmosphere when activated in vessels and vessel sections, regardless of geographic location

43. Requirements for automatic and manual systems
Before working in a a space with a fixed system, either:
Physically isolate the systems or use other positive means to prevent the systems' discharge; or
Ensure employees are trained to recognize:
Systems' discharge and evacuation alarms and the appropriate escape routes; and
Hazards associated with the extinguishing systems and agents including the dangers of disturbing system components and equipment

44. Sea and dock trials and door hatches
During trials, the employer must ensure that all systems remain operational
Take protective measures to ensure all doors, hatches, scuttles, and other exit openings remain working and accessible for escape in the event the systems are activated; and

45. Sea and dock trials and door hatches (cont’d)
Ensure that all inward opening doors, hatches, scuttles, and other potential barriers to safe exit are removed or blocked open, if systems' activation could result in a positive pressure in the protected spaces sufficient to impede escape

46. Testing the system
When testing a fixed extinguishing system involves a total discharge of extinguishing medium into a space, employer must:
Evacuate all employees from space and assure no employees remain in the space during the discharge
Retest the atmosphere to ensure that the oxygen levels are safe for employees to enter
When testing a fixed extinguishing system does not involve a total discharge of the systems extinguishing medium, employer must:
Ensure system's extinguishing medium is isolated
All employees not directly involved in the testing are evacuated from the protected space

47. Conducting system maintenance
Before conducting maintenance on a fixed extinguishing system, the employer must ensure that the system is physically isolated

48. Using fixed manual extinguishing systems for fire protection
If fixed manual extinguishing systems are used to provide fire protection for spaces in which the employees are working, the employer must ensure that:
Only authorized employees are allowed to activate the system
Authorized employees are trained to operate and activate the systems; and
All employees are evacuated from the protected spaces, and accounted for, before the fixed manual extinguishing system is activated

49. Land-side fire protection systems 29 CFR 1915 - 507
Employer responsibilities
Portable fire extinguishers and hose systems
Fixed extinguishing systems

50. Employer responsibilities
Ensure all fixed and portable fire protection systems needed to meet OSHA standard for employee safety or employee protection from fire hazards in land- side facilities meet the requirements, including, but not limited to:
Buildings
Structures
Equipment

51. Portable fire extinguishers and hose systems
Employer must select, install, inspect, maintain, and test all portable fire extinguishers according to NFPA Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers
Class II or Class III hose systems permitted as fire extinguishers if the employer selects, installs, inspects, maintains, and tests those systems according to the specific recommendations in NFPA Standard for the Installation of Standpipe, Private Hydrant, and Hose Systems

52. General requirements for fixed extinguishing systems
Ensure any fixed extinguishing system component or extinguishing agent is approved by an OSHA Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory
Notify employees and take necessary precautions to ensure employees are safe from fire if for any reason a fire extinguishing system stops working, until the system is working again
Ensure repairs to fire extinguishing systems and equipment are done by a qualified technician
Provide and ensure employees use PPE when entering discharge areas in which the atmosphere remains hazardous to employee safety or health

53. General requirements for fixed extinguishing systems (cont’d)
Post hazard warning or caution signs at entrance to and inside of areas protected by fixed extinguishing systems that use extinguishing agents in concentrations known to be hazardous to employee safety or health
Select, install, inspect, maintain, and test all automatic fire detection systems and emergency alarms according to NFPA

54. Fixed extinguishing systems
Standpipe and hose systems IAW NFPA
Automatic sprinkler systems IAW NFPA , and either NFPA 13 – 1999, or NFPA 750 – 2000
Fixed extinguishing systems that use water or foam agent IAW NFPA
Fixed extinguishing systems using dry chemical IAW NFPA
Fixed extinguishing systems using gas IAW NFPA

55. Training 29 CFR 1915 - 508 Training All - employee training
Additional training requirements for employees expected to fight incipient stage fires
Additional training requirements for shipyard employees designated for fire response
Additional training requirements for fire watch duty
Records

56. Training Current employees by 03/15/2005
New employees upon initial assignment
When necessary to maintain proficiency for employee previously trained

57. Employee training (cont’d)
Employer must train all employees on
Emergency alarm signals, including system discharge alarms and employee evacuation alarms
The primary and secondary evacuation routes that employees must use in the event of a fire in the workplace

58. Training for employees expected to fight incipient stage fires
Principles of using fire extinguishers or hose lines
Hazards involved with incipient firefighting, and the procedures used to reduce these hazards
Hazards associated with fixed and portable fire protection systems
Activation and operation of fixed and portable fire protection systems that the employer expects employees to use in the workplace

59. Requirements for shipyard employees designated for fire response
Have a written plan stating fire response employees are trained and capable of carrying out their duties
Update plan to address anticipated emergencies
Review training programs and hands-on sessions before their use in training and ensure employees are protected from hazards associated with response training
Provide training that ensures employees are capable of carrying out their duties
Train new employees before they engage in emergency operations

60. Requirements for shipyard employees designated for fire response (cont’d)
At least quarterly, provide training on written operating procedures
Use qualified instructors to conduct the training
Conduct training that involves live fire response exercises IAW NFPA
Conduct semi-annual drills according to employer’s written procedures
Prohibit use of smoke generating devices in training exercises

61. Additional training for fire watch duty
The employer must ensure that each fire watch is trained by an instructor with adequate fire watch knowledge and experience:
Before being assigned as a fire watch
Whenever there is a change in operations that presents a new or different hazard
Whenever employer believes fire watch’s skills are inadequate
Annually

62. Additional training for fire watch duty (cont’d)
Basics of fire behavior
Different classes of extinguishing agents
Stages of a fire
Methods for extinguishing fires
Adverse health effects caused by fire
Physical characteristics of hot work area
Extinguishing live fire scenarios
Unless prohibited by local and federal law
Extension to July 1, 2005

63. Additional training for fire watch duty (cont’d)
Hazards associated with fire watch duties
PPE and its use
Selection and use of extinguishers and hoses
Location and use of barriers
Means of communication
When and how to start fire alarm procedures
Employer’s evacuation plan
Vessel sections
Land-side

64. Additional training for fire watch duty (cont’d)
Alert others to exit the space when
The fire watch perceives an unsafe condition
Fire watch perceives a worker is in danger
Employer or employer’s representative orders an evacuation
An evacuation signal is activated

65. Records Training records must include:
Employee’s name
Trainer’s name
Type of training
Dates training took place
Records must be maintained for one year, or until replaced by new record, whichever is shorter

66. For More Help Contact your local OSHA office
OSHA Web site (
Maritime Page
OSHA