On February 11, 2014, OSHA issued a long awaited Shipyard Employment “Tool Bag” Directive (CPL 02-00-156).  While the Directive provides compliance guidance to Compliance Safety & Health Officers (CSHO) for inspections of shipyard employers, it also provides guidance to covered employers.  The Directive is a source of information on how OSHA interprets various requirements and provides answers to commonly asked questions relating to the shipyard industry.

A significant portion of the Directive covers the relatively new requirements in Part 1915, Subpart F – General Working Conditions in Shipyard Employment.  On August 1, 2011, OSHA issued a final standard for General Working Conditions in Shipyard Employment, which set out requirements in the following areas:

• Housekeeping, Lighting, and Working Alone

• Medical Services/First Aid and Sanitation

• Lockout/Tags-Plus (control of hazardous energy)

• Motor Vehicles

Many of the revisions in the new rule are simply updates to existing requirements; however, the final rule is significant in that it is the first time that OSHA has established requirements for the control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) in the shipyard industry.  The new Directive provides guidance, including answers and questions regarding the application of lockout/tags plus in the shipyard industry.

A copy of the Directive can be found here:

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=5799