Executive Summary
This Instruction provides guidance to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) national, regional, and area offices; industry employer and employee groups; and State programs and federal agencies concerning OSHA’s policy and procedures for implementing intervention and inspection programs to reduce or eliminate workplace hazards related to confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres in shipyard employment. As detailed in the Department of Labor’s Strategic Plan, OSHA is particularly committed to focused interventions to reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in all industries, including shipyard employment.
This Instruction provides information and guidance to support intervention and inspection
programs related to shipyard employment. This Instruction:
- Supports DOL’s Strategic Plan for increased emphasis on improving occupational safety and health in all industries, including shipyard employment.
- Provides OSHA compliance officers, consultants, interested government, and industry parties with information to support confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres intervention efforts and to minimize employee exposure to hazards.
Significant Changes
This Instruction has been revised and updated to include significant changes as follows:
- Updates references and directives to include new documents and the current version of
documents previously listed. - Revises flowcharts in Appendix A to improve format, readability, and clarify logical process.
- Revises the format of the instruction text to comply with current Agency procedures.
- Revises definitions of Safe for Hot Work and Safe for Workers for consistency with NFPA
306 for the maximum oxygen by volume criteria.
