English -- Standard for the Control of Gas Hazards on Vessels - Effective Date: 05/24/2018

Abstract

Scope: This standard applies to vessels that carry or burn as fuel, flammable or combustible liquids, flammable compressed gases, flammable cryogenic liquids, chemicals in bulk, or other products capable of creating a hazardous condition. This standard applies to vessels while in the United States, including its territories and possessions, both within and outside of yards for ship construction, ship alteration, ship repair, or shipbreaking. This standard describes the conditions and procedures for determining such conditions required before a space can be entered or before work can be started, continued, or started and continued on any vessel under construction, alteration, or repair, or on any vessel awaiting shipbreaking. This standard applies specifically to those spaces on vessels that are subject to concentrations of combustible, flammable, and toxic liquids, vapors, gases, and chemicals as herein described. This standard is also applicable to those spaces on vessels that might not contain sufficient oxygen to permit safe entry. When requested, the Marine Chemist shall apply this standard to other spaces to ensure and promote safe working conditions. This standard applies to cold work, application or removal of protective coatings, and hot work involving riveting, welding, burning, or similar fire-producing and/or spark-producing operations. This standard applies to land-side confined spaces, located within the boundaries of a waterfront facility, shipyard, or ship repair facility, and related shipyard employment — regardless of geographic location, whether stationary or mobile — including, but not limited to, the following: (1) Underground and aboveground storage tanks (2) Other hollow structures such as tank trucks, railroad tank cars, power plant fuel tanks, storage tanks, dip and laundry tanks, vaults, and tunnels (3) Other spaces that could contain dangerous atmospheres This standard applies to Marine Chemists performing activities related to inspection and certification procedures described in this standard and consulting services connected therewith on board any vessel. This standard does not apply to physical, biological, or radiological hazards of tanks and confined or enclosed spaces on a vessel, in vessel sections, or in the shipyard. For the purposes of this standard, physical hazards do not include fire and explosion hazards.