Scope: This standard provides the requirements for ventilation and protection in welding, cutting and heating.

Special Requirements: Communication, PPE (i.e., respirators, filter lenses, helmets), precautions, references other standards

1915.51(c) - Welding, cutting and heating in confined spaces.

• 1915.51(c)(2) - The means of access shall be provided to a confined space and ventilation ducts to this space shall be arranged in accordance with § 1915.76(b)(1) and (2) - access to cargo spaces and confined spaces.
• 1915.51(c)(3) - When sufficient ventilation cannot be obtained without blocking the means of access, employees in the confined space shall be protected by air line respirators in accordance with the requirements of § 1915.154 - respiratory protection, and an employee on the outside of such a confined space shall be assigned to maintain communication with those working within it and to aid them in an emergency.

1915.51(d) - Welding, cutting or heating of metals of toxic significance.

• 1915.51(d)(2) - Welding, cutting or heating in any enclosed spaces aboard the vessel involving the metals specified below shall be performed with local exhaust ventilation in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (b) - mechanical ventilation requirements, of this section or employees shall be protected by air line respirators in accordance with the requirements of § 1915.154 - respiratory protection: [Reference paragraph (d)(2)(i) - (iv)].

1915.51(e) - Inert-gas metal-arc welding.

• 1915.51(e)(1) - Since the inert-gas metal-arc welding process involves the production of ultraviolet radiation of intensities of 5 to 30 times that produced during shielded metal-arc welding, the decomposition of chlorinated solvents by ultraviolet rays, and the liberation of toxic fumes and gases, employees shall not be permitted to engage in, or be exposed to the process until the following special precautions have been taken: [Reference paragraph (e)(1)(i) - (iv)].
  • 1915.51(e)(1)(ii) - Helpers and other employees in the area not protected from the arc by screening as provided in § 1915.56(e) - arc welding and cutting, shall be protected by filter lenses meeting the requirements of § 1915.153 - eye and face protection. When two or more welders are exposed to each other's arc, filter lens goggles of a suitable type meeting the requirements of § 1915.153 - eye and face protection, shall be worn under welding helmets or hand shields to protect the welder against flashes and radiant energy when either the helmet is lifted or the shield is removed.

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for welding, cutting and heating in way of preservative coatings.

Special Requirements: Test, determine, competent person, precautions, respiratory protection, references other standards

1915.53(b) - Before welding, cutting or heating is commenced on any surface covered by a preservative coating whose flammability is not known, a test shall be made by a competent person to determine its flammability. Preservative coatings shall be considered to be highly flammable when scrapings burn with extreme rapidity.

1915.53(c) - Precautions shall be taken to prevent ignition of highly flammable hardened preservative coatings. When coatings are determined to be highly flammable they shall be stripped from the area to be heated to prevent ignition, or, where shipbreaking is involved, the coatings may be burned away under controlled conditions. A 1½ inch or larger fire hose with fog nozzle, which has been uncoiled and placed under pressure, shall be immediately available for instant use in the immediate vicinity, consistent with avoiding freezing of the hose.

1915.53(d) - Protection against toxic preservative coatings.

• 1915.53(d)(1) - In enclosed spaces, all surfaces covered with toxic preservatives shall be stripped of all toxic coatings for a distance of at least 4 inches from the area of heat application or the employees shall be protected by air line respirators meeting the requirements of § 1915.154 - respiratory protection.
• 1915.53(d)(2) - In the open air, employees shall be protected by a filter type respirator in accordance with the requirements of § 1915.154 - respiratory protection.

1915.53(e) - Before welding, cutting or heating is commenced in enclosed spaces on metals covered by soft and greasy preservatives, the following precautions shall be taken:

• 1915.53(e)(1) - A competent person shall test the atmosphere in the space to ensure that it does not contain explosive vapors, since there is a possibility that some soft and greasy preservatives may have flash points below temperatures which may be expected to occur naturally. If such vapors are determined to be present, no hot work shall be commenced until such precautions have been taken as will ensure that the welding, cutting or heating can be performed in safety.
• 1915.53(e)(2) - The preservative coatings shall be removed for a sufficient distance from the area to be heated to ensure that the temperature of the unstripped metal will not be appreciably raised. Artificial cooling of the metal surrounding the heated area may be used to limit the size of the area required to be cleaned. The prohibition contained in § 1915.34(b)(2) - mechanical paint removers, shall apply.

1915.53(f) - Immediately after welding, cutting or heating is commenced in enclosed spaces on metal covered by soft and greasy preservatives, and at frequent intervals thereafter, a competent person shall make tests to ensure that no flammable vapors are being produced by the coatings. If such vapors are determined to be present, the operation shall be stopped immediately and shall not be resumed until such additional precautions have been taken as are necessary to ensure that the operation can be resumed safely. 

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for welding, cutting and heating of hollow metal containers and structures not covered by § 1915.12 - precautions and the order of testing before entering confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres.

Special Requirements: Tested, competent person, inspect/ed, determined

1915.54(a) - Drums, containers, or hollow structures which have contained flammable substances shall, before welding, cutting, or heating is undertaken on them, either be filled with water or thoroughly cleaned of such substances and ventilated and tested.

1915.54(c) - Before welding, cutting, heating or brazing is begun on structural voids such as skegs, bilge keels, fair waters, masts, booms, support stanchions, pipe stanchions or railings, a competent person shall inspect the object and, if necessary, test it for the presence of flammable liquids or vapors. If flammable liquids or vapors are present, the object shall be made safe.

1915.54(d) - Objects such as those listed in paragraph (c) of this section shall also be inspected to determine whether water or other non-flammable liquids are present which, when heated, would build up excessive pressure. If such liquids are determined to be present, the object shall be vented, cooled, or otherwise made safe during the application of heat.

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for gas welding and cutting.

Special Requirements: Inspected, ICC identification and markings, authorized person, instruct, tagged, sign, name painted, approved

1915.55(c) - Treatment of cylinders.

• 1915.55(c)(2) - No person other than the gas supplier shall attempt to mix gases in a cylinder. No one except the owner of the cylinder or person authorized by him shall refill a cylinder. No one shall use a cylinder's contents for purposes other than those intended by the supplier. Only cylinders bearing Interstate Commerce Commission identification and inspection markings shall be used.

1915.55(d) - Use of fuel gas. The employer shall thoroughly instruct employees in the safe use of fuel gas, as follows: [Reference paragraph (d)(1) - (6)].

• 1915.55(d)(5) - If, when the valve on a fuel gas cylinder is opened, there is found to be a leak around the valve stem, the valve shall be closed and the gland nut tightened. If this action does not stop the leak, the use of the cylinder shall be discontinued, and it shall be properly tagged and removed from the vessel. In the event that fuel gas should leak from the cylinder valve rather than from the valve stem and the gas cannot be shut off, the cylinder shall be properly tagged and removed from the vessel. If a regulator attached to a cylinder valve will effectively stop a leak through the valve seat, the cylinder need not be removed from the vessel.

1915.55(e) - Fuel gas and oxygen manifolds.

• 1915.55(e)(1) - Fuel gas and oxygen manifolds shall bear the name of the substance they contain in letters at least one (1) inch high which shall be either painted on the manifold or on a sign permanently attached to it.

1915.55(f) - Hose.

• 1915.55(f)(3) - All hose carrying acetylene, oxygen, natural or manufactured fuel gas, or any gas or substance which may ignite or enter into combustion or be in any way harmful to employees, shall be inspected at the beginning of each shift. Defective hose shall be removed from service.

1915.55(g) - Torches.

• 1915.55(g)(2) - Torches shall be inspected at the beginning of each shift for leaking shutoff valves, hose couplings, and tip connections. Defective torches shall not be used.

• 1915.55(g)(3) - Torches shall be lighted by friction lighters or other approved devices, and not by matches or from hot work.

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for arc welding and cutting.

Special Requirements: Reported, supervisor, instructions/instruct, inspected, checked, 

1915.56(c)(5) - The frames of all arc welding and cutting machines shall be grounded either through a third wire in the cable containing the circuit conductor or through a separate wire which is grounded at the source of the current. Grounding circuits, other than by means of the vessel's structure, shall be checked to ensure that the circuit between the ground and the grounded power conductor has resistance low enough to permit sufficient current to flow to cause the fuse or circuit breaker to interrupt the current.

1915.56(c)(6) - All ground connections shall be inspected to ensure that they are mechanically strong and electrically adequate for the required current.

1915.56(d) - Operating instructions. Employers shall instruct employees in the safe means of arc welding and cutting as follows: [Reference paragraph (d)(1) - (4)].

• 1915.56(d)(4) - Any faulty or defective equipment shall be reported to the supervisor.

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for uses of fissionable material in ship repairing and shipbuilding.

Special Requirements: Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Standards, exposure, licensed, competent person, trained, supervision, references other standards

1915.57(a) - In activities involving the use of and exposure to sources of ionizing radiation not only on conventionally powered but also on nuclear powered vessels, the applicable provisions of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Standards for Protection Against Radiation (10 CFR Part 20), relating to protection against occupational radiation exposure, shall apply.

1915.57(b) - Any activity which involves the use of radioactive material, whether or not under license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, shall be performed by competent persons specially trained in the proper and safe operation of such equipment. In the case of materials used under Commission license, only persons actually licensed, or competent persons under direction and supervision of the licensee, shall perform such work.