Scope: This standard provides the requirements for general provisions related to fire protection.

Special Requirements: Employee participation, developing, reviewing, programs, policies, inform, fire safety plan, safety and health rules, emergency procedures, responsibilities, communicate, information, controls, advise

1915.501(c) - Employee participation. The employer must provide ways for employees or employee representatives, or both to participate in developing and periodically reviewing programs and policies adopted to comply with this subpart.

1915.501(d)(1) - Host employer responsibilities. The host employer's responsibilities are to:

• 1915.501(d)(1)(i) - Inform all employers at the worksite about the content of the fire safety plan including hazards, controls, fire safety and health rules, and emergency procedures;

• 1915.501(d)(1)(ii) - Make sure the safety and health responsibilities for fire protection are assigned as appropriate to other employers at the worksite; and

• 1915.501(d)(1)(iii) - If there is more than one host employer, each host employer must communicate relevant information about fire-related hazards to other host employers. When a vessel owner or operator (temporarily) becomes a host shipyard employer by directing the work of ships' crews on repair or modification of the vessel or by hiring other contractors directly, the vessel owner or operator must also comply with these provisions for host employers.

1915.501(d)(2) - Contract employer responsibilities. The contract employer's responsibilities are to: [Reference paragraph (d)(2)(i) - (ii)].

• 1915.501(d)(2)(ii) - Advise the host employer of any previously unidentified fire-related hazards that the contract employer identifies at the worksite.

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for a fire safety plan.

Special Requirements: Written fire safety plan, procedures, elements, responsibilities, respond, develop, information, reviewing, update, document, informed, copy, affected employees, contract employers, fire response organization

1915.502(a) - Employer responsibilities. The employer must develop and implement a written fire safety plan that covers all the actions that employers and employees must take to ensure employee safety in the event of a fire. (See Appendix A to this subpart for a Model Fire Safety Plan.)

1915.502(b) - Plan elements. The employer must include the following information in the fire safety plan: [Reference paragraph (b)(1) - (8)].

1915.502(c) - Reviewing the plan with employees. The employer must review the plan with each employee at the following times: [Reference paragraph (c)(1) - (3)].

1915.502(d) - Additional employer requirements. The employer also must:

• 1915.502(d)(1) - Keep the plan accessible to employees, employee representatives, and OSHA;

• 1915.502(d)(2) - Review and update the plan whenever necessary, but at least annually;

• 1915.502(d)(3) - Document that affected employees have been informed about the plan as required by paragraph (c) of this section; and

• 1915.502(d)(4) - Ensure any outside fire response organization that the employer expects to respond to fires at the employer's worksite has been given a copy of the current plan.

1915.502(e) - Contract employers. Contract employers in shipyard employment must have a fire safety plan for their employees, and this plan must comply with the host employer's fire safety plan.

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for hot work precautions.

Special Requirements: Designated areas, authorizing/authorize, inspect, certificate, competent person's log, fire watches, drop test, identification, references other standards 

1915.503(a)(1) - Designated Areas. The employer may designate areas for hot work in sites such as vessels, vessel sections, fabricating shops, and subassembly areas that are free of fire hazards.

1915.503(a)(2) - Non-designated Areas.

• 1915.503(a)(2)(i) - Before authorizing hot work in a non-designated area, the employer must visually inspect the area where hot work is to be performed, including adjacent spaces, to ensure the area is free of fire hazards, unless a Marine Chemist's certificate or Shipyard Competent Person's log is used for authorization.

• 1915.503(a)(2)(ii) - The employer shall authorize employees to perform hot work only in areas that are free of fire hazards, or that have been controlled by physical isolation, fire watches, or other positive means.

1915.503(b)(1) - Maintaining fire hazard-free conditions. The employer must keep all hot work areas free of new hazards that may cause or contribute to the spread of fire. Unexpected energizing and energy release are covered by 29 CFR 1915.181 - electrical circuits and distribution boards, Subpart L. Exposure to toxic and hazardous substances is covered in 29 CFR 1915.1000 through 1915.1450, Subpart Z.

1915.503(b)(2)(iv) - All disconnected fuel gas and oxygen hose lines are rolled back to the supply manifold or to open air to disconnect the torch; or extended fuel gas and oxygen hose lines are not reconnected at the supply manifold unless the lines are given a positive means of identification when they were first connected and the lines are tested using a drop test or other positive means to ensure the integrity of fuel gas and oxygen burning system.

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for fire watches.

Special Requirements: Written fire watch policy, training/trained, posting fire watches, marine chemist, Coast Guard-authorized person, competent person, assigning, fire watch duty, communicate, authorized, qualifications, alert, references other standards

1915.504(a) - Written fire watch policy. The employer must create and keep current a written policy that specifies the following requirements for employees performing fire watch in the workplace:

• 1915.504(a)(1) - The training employees must be given (§ 1915.508(c) contains detailed fire watch training requirements); [Reference paragraph (a)(1) - (4)].

1915.504(b) - Posting fire watches. The employer must post a fire watch if during hot work any of the following conditions are present: [Reference paragraph (b)(1) - (8)].

• 1915.504(b)(8) - A Marine Chemist, a Coast Guard-authorized person, or a shipyard Competent Person, as defined in 29 CFR Part 1915, Subpart B - confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres in shipyard employment, requires that a fire watch be posted.

1915.504(c) - Assigning employees to fire watch duty.

• 1915.504(c)(1) - The employer must not assign other duties to a fire watch while the hot work is in progress.
• 1915.504(c)(2) - Employers must ensure that employees assigned to fire watch duty:  [Reference paragraph (c)(2)(i) - (viii)].

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for fire response.

Special Requirements: Responsibilities, evacuation procedures, protective clothing and equipment procedures, fire response, written policy information, liaisons, fire response organizations, information, fire response plan, organization, written policy, lines of authority, incident management system, procedures, explanation of duties, descriptions, respiratory protection, certified, personal alert safety system, PPE, inspect, respiratory protection program, recommendations, medically fit, medical records, references other standards

1915.505(a) - Employer responsibilities. The employer must: [Reference paragraph (a)(1) - (2)].

1915.505(b) - Required written policy information.

• 1915.505(b)(1) - Internal fire response. If an internal fire response is to be used, the employer must include the following information in the employer's written policy:  [Reference paragraph (b)(1)(i) - (vi)].
• 1915.505(b)(2) - Outside fire response. If an outside fire response organization is used, the employer must include the following information in the written policy: [Reference paragraph (b)(2)(i) - (iii)].
• 1915.505(b)(3) - A combination of internal and outside fire response. If a combination of internal and outside fire response is to be used, the employer must include the following information, in addition to the requirements in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section, in the written policy: [Reference paragraph (b)(3)(i) - (v)].
• 1915.505(b)(4) - Employee evacuation. The employer must include the following information in the employer's written policy: [Reference paragraph (b)(4)(i) - (v)].

• 1915.505(e)(5) - Proximity firefighting operations. The employer must provide, at no cost, to all fire response employees who are exposed to the hazards of proximity firefighting, appropriate protective proximity clothing meets the applicable recommendations in NFPA 1971-2000 Standard on Protective Ensemble for Proximity Fire Fighting (incorporated by reference, see § 1915.5).
• 1915.505(e)(6) - Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) devices. The employer must: [Reference paragraph (e)(6)(i) - (ii)].
• 1915.505(e)(7) - Life safety ropes, body harnesses, and hardware. The employer must ensure that: [Reference paragraph (e)(7)(i) - (iii)].

1915.505(f)(1) - Personal protective equipment. The employer must inspect and maintain personal protective equipment used to protect fire response employees to ensure that it provides the intended protection.

1915.505(f)(2) - Fire response equipment. The employer must: [Reference paragraph (f)(2)(i) - (iii)].

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for hazards of fixed extinguishing systems on board vessels and vessel sections.

Special Requirements:  Employer responsibilities, trained, evacuation alarms, fire extinguishing systems, measures, testing, authorized employees, system maintenance, trials, references other standards

1915.506(a) - Employer 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.

1915.506(b) - Requirements for automatic and manual systems. Before any work is done in a space equipped with fixed extinguishing systems, the employer must either: [Reference paragraph (b)(1) - (2)].

• 1915.506(b)(2) - Ensure employees are trained to recognize:
  • 1915.506(b)(2)(i) - Systems' discharge and evacuation alarms and the appropriate escape routes; and
  • 1915.506(b)(2)(ii) - Hazards associated with the extinguishing systems and agents including the dangers of disturbing system components and equipment such as piping, cables, linkages, detection devices, activation devices, and alarm devices.

1915.506(c) - Sea and dock trials. During trials, the employer must ensure that all systems shall remain operational.

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for land-side fire protection systems.

Special Requirements: Employer responsibilities, approved, extinguishing systems, emergency alarms, qualified technician/mechanic, inspect, fire extinguishers, test, notify, signs, post, PPE, fire protection systems, references other standards

Scope: This standard provides the requirements for training.

Special Requirements: Training, alarm signals, fire response, written training policy, written standard operation procedures, training programs, hands-on sessions, duties, responsibilities, designated, qualified instructors, records, demonstrate, inspection, fire watch, fire alarm procedures, communication, designated, alert, fire extinguishers, knowledge, drills, exercises, references other standards 

1915.508(a) - The employer must train employees in the applicable requirements of this section: [Reference paragraph (a)(1) - (3)].

1915.508(b) - Employee training. The employer must ensure that all employees are trained on: [Reference paragraph (b)(1) - (2)].

1915.508(c) - Additional training requirements for employees expected to fight incipient stage fires. The employer must ensure that employees expected to fight incipient stage fires are trained on the following: [Reference paragraph (c)(1) - (3)].