97-19381. Longshoring and Marine Terminals  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 143 (Friday, July 25, 1997)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 40142-40234]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-19381]
    
    
          
    
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    Part II
    
    
    
    
    
    Department of Labor
    
    
    
    
    
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    Occupational Safety and Health Administration
    
    
    
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    29 CFR Part 1910, et al.
    
    
    
    Longshoring and Marine Terminals; Final Rule
    
    Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 143 / Friday, July 25, 1997 / Rules 
    and Regulations
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
    
    Occupational Safety and Health Administration
    
    29 CFR Parts 1910, 1917, and 1918
    
    [Docket No. S-025]
    RIN 1218-AA56
    
    
    Longshoring and Marine Terminals
    
    AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is 
    revising its Safety and Health Regulations for Longshoring and those 
    parallel sections of its Marine Terminals Standard. These rules address 
    cargo handling and related activities conducted aboard vessels (the 
    Longshoring Standard) and landside operations at marine terminals (the 
    Marine Terminals Standard). The comprehensive revisions to the 
    Longshoring Standard essentially rewrite that standard for the first 
    time since it was adopted in 1971 under Section 6(a) of the 
    Occupational Safety and Health Act, while the amendments being made to 
    the Marine Terminals Standard will provide consistency with the 
    language of the new Longshoring Standard. The changes that OSHA is 
    making to both standards are part of OSHA's continuing efforts to 
    reinvent its workplace regulations to keep them current with evolving 
    work practices and to reduce inconsistencies in regulatory 
    requirements. Although the longshoring and marine terminal rules are 
    ``vertical'' standards that apply only to longshoring and marine 
    terminal activities, OSHA has also made minor changes to some of the 
    general industry provisions referenced within these rules. These 
    changes, which are non-substantive, have been made to conform the 
    general industry requirements to the terminology used in the marine 
    cargo-handling environment.
        This final document contains requirements for the testing and 
    certification of specific types of cargo lifting appliances and 
    associated auxiliary gear and other cargo handling equipment such as 
    conveyors and industrial trucks; access to vessels; entry into 
    hazardous atmospheres; working surfaces; and use of personal protective 
    equipment. Additionally, OSHA addresses specialized longshoring 
    operations such as containerized cargo, logging, and roll-on/roll-off 
    (Ro-Ro) operations.
        The principal hazards this rule addresses are injuries and 
    fatalities associated with cargo lifting gear, transfer of vehicular 
    cargo, manual cargo handling, and exposure to hazardous atmospheres. 
    OSHA also addresses those hazards posed by more modern and 
    sophisticated cargo handling methods, such as intermodalism.
    
    DATES: Effective Dates: This rule becomes effective on January 21, 
    1998. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in 
    the regulations is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as 
    of January 21, 1998.
        Compliance: Start-up dates for specific provisions are set in 
    Secs. 1917.43(f)(3), 1917.71(f)(4), 1918.11(a) (1) and (2), 1918.24(d), 
    (f)(1), and (g), 1918.62 (h)(5)(ii), 1918.65(d)(4) and (g), 
    1918.85(j)(1)(1) and (ii), 1918.86(g), and 1918.98(b)(1). However, 
    affected parties do not have to comply with the information collection 
    requirements in Sec. 1917.25 (g) warranty of fumigated tobacco, 
    Sec. 1917.26(d)(7) labelling of stretcher closets, Sec. 1917.50(i)(2) 
    labelling of cargo handling gear, Sec. 1917.71(f)(4) marking of 
    trailers, Sec. 1918.22(g) labelling gangway hazards, Sec. 1918.74(i)(1) 
    tagging ladders, Sec. 1918.61(b)(2) labelling gear, Sec. 1918.86(g) 
    labelling trailers, and Sec. 1918.94(b)(3) maintenance of air sampling 
    results, until the Department of Labor publishes in the Federal 
    Register the control numbers assigned by the Office of Management and 
    Budget (OMB). Publication of the control numbers notifies the public 
    that OMB has approved these information collection requirements under 
    the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
        Comments: Interested parties may submit comments on the information 
    collection requirements for this standard until September 23, 1997.
    
    ADDRESSES: In compliance with 28 U.S.C. 2112(a), the Agency designates 
    the Associate Solicitor for Occupational Safety and Health, Office of 
    the Solicitor, Room S-4004, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution 
    Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, as the recipient of petitions for 
    review of the standard.
        Comments on the paperwork requirements of this final rule are to be 
    submitted to the Docket Office, Docket No. ICR97-3, U.S. Department of 
    Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 
    20210, telephone (202) 219-7894. Written comments limited to 10 pages 
    or less in length may also be transmitted by facsimile to (202) 219-
    5046.
        Copies of the referenced information collection request are 
    available for inspection and copying in the Docket Office and will be 
    mailed immediately to persons who request copies by telephoning Vivian 
    Allen at (202) 219-8076. For electronic copies of the final Longshoring 
    and Marine Terminals Standards and Information Collection Request, 
    contact OSHA's WebPage on Internet at http://www.osha.gov/ under 
    Standards.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Larry Liberatore, Director of the 
    Office of Maritime Safety Standards, or Paul Rossi, Project Officer, 
    Office of Maritime Safety Standards, Occupational Safety and Health 
    Administration, Room N-3609, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution 
    Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20210, (202) 219-7234.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The principal author of this final rule is 
    Paul Rossi, Directorate of Safety Standards Programs, with editorial 
    assistance from Joseph Daddura, Michael B. Moore and Odet Shaw of the 
    Directorate of Safety Standards Programs and Paul Bolon of the 
    Directorate of Policy; the economic analysis was developed by Paul 
    Bolon and Clarinda Giddings of the Directorate of Policy; and James 
    Estep of the Office of the Solicitor provided legal assistance.
    
    General
    
        The preamble to the final rule on the Longshoring and Marine 
    Terminals Standards discusses the events leading to the final rule, the 
    Summary of the Final Economic Analysis and Regulatory Flexibility 
    Analysis, and the rationale behind the specific provisions set forth in 
    the final Standard. The discussion follows this outline:
    
    I. Background
    II. Pertinent Legal Authority
    III. Review of General Industry Standards for Applicability to 
    Longshoring Operations
    IV. Summary and Explanation of the Final Rule
    V. Other Issues
    VI. Summary of the Final Economic Analysis and Regulatory 
    Flexibility Analysis
    VII. Environmental Impact
    VIII. Recordkeeping and Paperwork Requirements
    IX. State Plan Requirements
    X. Federalism
    XI. Unfunded Mandates
    
    I. Background
    
        Because of the high number and serious nature of accidents 
    occurring to port employees in the United States, Congress, in 1958, 
    amended the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) (33 
    U.S.C. 901 et seq.) to provide a large segment of port-based employees 
    with a safer work environment. The amendments (Pub. L. 85-742, 72 Stat. 
    835)
    
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    significantly strengthened section 41 of the LHWCA (33 U.S.C. 941) by 
    requiring employers covered by that Act to ``furnish, maintain and 
    use'' equipment, and to establish safe working conditions, in 
    accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Labor. Two 
    years later, in 1960, the Labor Standards Bureau (LSB) of the 
    Department of Labor issued the first set of safety and health 
    regulations for longshoring activities as 29 CFR part 9 (25 FR 1565). 
    LSB amended these standards several times between 1960 and 1971. Since 
    1971, there have been no substantive changes to these provisions.
        The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act) (29 U.S.C. 
    650 et seq.), which established the Occupational Safety and Health 
    Administration (OSHA), granted the Secretary of Labor the authority for 
    two years to adopt, under section 6(a) of the Act, ``any established 
    Federal standard'' as an OSHA standard. OSHA adopted the Longshoring 
    Standard, then codified as 29 CFR part 1504, under section 6(a) in 
    1971, and recodified the standard as 29 CFR part 1918.
        The longshoring industry has changed dramatically since 1971. The 
    methods of cargo handling and the equipment associated with those 
    methods have undergone significant modification. Vessels designed 
    specifically for the carriage of intermodal containers, vehicular 
    rolling stock, and even barges, are now the most common types of ships 
    calling at U.S. ports. By contrast, the existing Longshoring Standard 
    was designed largely for activities using methods and equipment that 
    have since been overshadowed or replaced by more modern methods of 
    cargo handling. The final rule will modernize OSHA's regulatory 
    approach to deal with these changes in the industry. However, because 
    some older, more conventional vessel types, equipped with features and 
    aspects addressed in the existing standard, continue to call at U.S. 
    ports, the Agency will retain in this final rule several provisions 
    whose utility, although diminished, continues on a more limited scale.
        On July 5, 1983, OSHA published its final rule for Marine Terminals 
    (48 FR 30886) (Ex. 1-101). OSHA issued the Marine Terminals rule to 
    address the shoreside segment of marine cargo handling operations. 
    Since the Marine Terminals Standard currently addresses equipment and 
    situations (i.e., powered industrial trucks, conveyors, passage between 
    levels and across openings, etc.) that have shipboard counterparts, 
    appropriate provisions from the Marine Terminals Standard were 
    incorporated into this rulemaking for shipboard cargo handling as well. 
    Accordingly, the Agency relied upon background material and data used 
    to support OSHA's Marine Terminals Standard and incorporated the docket 
    (Docket No. S-506) developed in that rulemaking into the record of this 
    rulemaking.
        OSHA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for 
    Longshoring and Marine Terminals on June 2, 1994 (59 FR 28594). As part 
    of the NPRM, OSHA announced three public hearings to be held in 
    Charleston, SC on September 20, 1994; Seattle, WA on October 19, 1994; 
    and in New Orleans, LA on November 15, 1994. Later, OSHA published a 
    notice of correction changing the dates of the hearings and announcing 
    the specific hearing sites. Hearings were held October 4-6, 1994 in 
    Charleston, SC; October 19-21, 1994 in Seattle, WA; and November 15-17, 
    1994 in New Orleans, LA. Administrative Law Judge Stuart A. Levin 
    presided at the hearings. After receipt of all evidence and testimony, 
    the record was closed on May 15, 1995.
        This final rule will provide continuity for the cargo handling 
    industry because it addresses both the more conventional and time-
    proven methods of cargo handling and more modern and innovative 
    approaches. In keeping with OSHA's commitment to clarity, flexibility, 
    and in order to encourage employers to comply with these standards, 
    OSHA has adopted the performance approach except in those cases in 
    which employee safety would be enhanced by more specific requirements.
    
    Longshoring Hazards
    
        Traditionally, the longshore industry, which is classified within 
    Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 449, has been notable in terms 
    of its accident experience. The work environment found in marine cargo 
    handling exposes employees to a greater risk of injury than is true for 
    most other industries. In fact, in 1993, the last calendar year for 
    which full tables of industrial illnesses and accidents are currently 
    available, this industrial sector had one of the highest rates of lost 
    workdays in the nation. The following data, shown in Table A below, 
    came from Bureau of Labor Statistics reports (Exs. 1-109, 1-110, 1-111, 
    1-112, 1-113, 1-154, and 1-155), and are useful in making a comparative 
    assessment:
    
                                        Table A--Rate of Total Lost Workday Cases                                   
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        Total lost workday cases (rate per 100 full time employees)        1989     1990     1991     1992     1993 
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Private sector overall.............................................      4.0      4.1      3.9      3.9      3.8
    Construction.......................................................      6.8      6.7      6.1      5.8      5.5
    SIC 449............................................................      9.1      7.8      8.5      6.1      7.1
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        Thus, serious job-related injuries have continued to occur in the 
    marine cargo handling industry at an unacceptably high rate. Based on 
    this historical injury data, OSHA concludes that regulatory action is 
    necessary to meet its mandate under the Act. The standards being 
    published today, which were developed by OSHA with substantial input 
    from labor and industry representatives from the marine cargo handling 
    industry, have been developed specifically to address the principal 
    causes of these illnesses, injuries, and fatalities.
    
    II. Pertinent Legal Authority
    
        The purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. 
    651 et seq. (``the Act'') is to ``assure so far as possible every 
    working man and woman in the nation safe and healthful working 
    conditions and to preserve our human resources'' (29 U.S.C. 651(b)). To 
    achieve this goal, Congress authorized the Secretary of Labor to 
    promulgate and enforce occupational safety and health standards. (See 
    29 U.S.C. 655(a) (authorizing summary adoption of existing consensus 
    and federal standards within two years of the Act's enactment), 655(b) 
    (authorizing promulgation of standards pursuant to notice and comment), 
    654(b) (requiring employers to comply with OSHA standards).)
        A safety or health standard is a standard ``which requires 
    conditions, or the adoption or use of one or more practices, means, 
    methods, operations, or processes, reasonably necessary or appropriate 
    to provide safe or healthful employment or places of employment.'' 29 
    U.S.C. 652(8).
    
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        A standard is reasonably necessary or appropriate within the 
    meaning of section 652(8) if it substantially reduces or eliminates 
    significant risk, and is economically feasible, technologically 
    feasible, cost effective, consistent with prior Agency action or 
    supported by a reasoned justification for departing from prior Agency 
    actions, supported by substantial evidence, and is better able to 
    effectuate the Act's purposes than any national consensus standard it 
    supersedes. See 58 FR 16612-16616 (March 30, 1993).
        The Supreme Court has noted that a reasonable person would consider 
    a fatality risk of 1/1000 to be a significant risk, and would consider 
    a risk of one in one billion to be insignificant. Industrial Union 
    Department v. American Petroleum Institute, 448 U.S. 607, 646 (1980) 
    (the ``Benzene decision''). So a risk of 1/1000 (10-3) 
    represents the uppermost end of a million-fold range suggested by the 
    Supreme Court, somewhere below which the boundary of acceptable versus 
    unacceptable risk must fall. The Court further stated that ``while the 
    Agency must support its findings that a certain level of risk exists 
    with substantial evidence, we recognize that its determination that a 
    particular level of risk is significant will be based largely on policy 
    considerations.'' See, e.g. International Union, UAW v. Pendergrass, 
    878 F.2d 389 (D.C. Cir. 1989) (formaldehyde standard); Building and 
    Constr. Trades Department, AFL-CIO v. Brock, 838 F.2d 1258, 1265 (D.C. 
    Cir. 1988) (asbestos standard).
        A standard is technologically feasible if the protective measures 
    it requires already exist, can be brought into existence with available 
    technology, or can be created with technology that can reasonably be 
    expected to be developed. American Textile Mfrs. Institute v. OSHA 452 
    U.S. 490, 513 (1981) (``ATMI''), American Iron and Steel Institute v. 
    OSHA, 939 F.2d 975, 980 (D.C. Cir 1991) (''AISI'').
        A standard is economically feasible if industry can absorb or pass 
    on the cost of compliance without threatening its long term 
    profitability or competitive structure. See ATMI, 452 U.S. at 530 n. 
    55; AISI, 939 F.2d at 980.
        A standard is cost effective if the protective measures it requires 
    are the least costly of the available alternatives that achieve the 
    same level of protection. ATMI, 453 U.S. at 514 n. 32; International 
    Union, UAW v. OSHA, 37 F.3d 665, 668 (D.C. Cir. 1994) (``LOTO III'').
        All standards must be highly protective. See 58 FR 16614-16615; 
    LOTO III, 37 F.3d at 668. However, health standards must also meet the 
    ``feasibility mandate'' of section 6(b)(5) of the Act, 29 U.S.C. 
    655(b)(5). Section 6(b)(5) requires OSHA to select ``the most 
    protective standard consistent with feasibility'' that is needed to 
    reduce significant risk when regulating health hazards. ATMI, 452 U.S. 
    at 509.
        Section 6(b)(5) also directs OSHA to base health standards on ``the 
    best available evidence,'' including research, demonstrations, and 
    experiments (29 U.S.C. 655(b)(5)). OSHA shall consider ``in addition to 
    the attainment of the highest degree of health and safety protection * 
    * * the latest scientific data * * * feasibility and experience gained 
    under this and other health and safety laws.'' Id.
        Section 6(b)(7) of the Act authorizes OSHA to include among a 
    standard's requirements labeling, monitoring, medical testing and other 
    information gathering and transmittal provisions (29 U.S.C. 655(b)(7)).
    
    III. Review of General Industry Standards for Applicability to 
    Longshoring Operations
    
        Among the work environments OSHA regulates, the marine cargo 
    handling industry ranks high in terms of the number of hazards that are 
    not adequately addressed by OSHA's general industry regulations (29 CFR 
    part 1910). Longshoring is essentially a transport industry and, as 
    such, is free from some of the hazards found in general industry such 
    as those associated with woodworking machinery, spray painting, power 
    presses, and so on. On the other hand, many hazards that are common in 
    longshoring, such as those posed by falling loads and working on the 
    top of intermodal containers, are less common in other types of 
    workplaces.
        The Longshoring Standards (part 1918) were designed to deal with 
    these and other unique hazards encountered in marine cargo handling. 
    Where the standards in part 1918 did not provide coverage of hazards 
    encountered in longshoring they were supplemented by the applicable 
    General Industry Standards. This final rule updates and revises OSHA's 
    existing Longshoring Standard (29 CFR part 1918) but continues to rely 
    on OSHA's General Industry Standards (29 CFR part 1910) to address a 
    number of hazards and operations that are not unique to longshoring. 
    The applicable standards from part 1910 are cross-referenced in the 
    final rule. Examples of such provisions are the toxic and hazardous 
    substances requirements from subpart Z of 29 CFR part 1910 (with an 
    exception for intact or sealed cargo and the Bloodborne Pathogens 
    Standard), and 29 CFR part 1910 subpart T, which addresses commercial 
    diving operations. In other instances, such as when addressing 
    container and roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) operations, OSHA has developed 
    new regulatory language specifically to address the hazards posed by 
    these specialized operational aspects of modern stevedoring. This 
    approach is similar to the one followed by OSHA in developing its 
    Marine Terminals Standard (part 1917) for shoreside cargo handling 
    promulgated in 1983.
        In many situations, shipside cargo handling (i.e. longshoring) 
    hazards are directly parallel to those encountered in shoreside cargo 
    handling (i.e. marine terminals), such as hazards requiring the use of 
    personal protective equipment and risks associated with the handling of 
    intermodal containers. One of the goals of this rulemaking effort has 
    been to provide consistent coverage of these hazards, regardless of 
    whether the cargo handling is shipside or shoreside. Accordingly, in 
    drafting its revised provisions for longshoring (part 1918), OSHA 
    incorporated similar language into the Marine Terminals Standard (part 
    1917).
    
    IV. Summary and Explanation of the Final Rule
    
        This section discusses the important elements of the final 
    standard, explains the purpose of the individual requirements, and 
    explains differences between the final rule, the proposed rule, and 
    existing standard. Issues raised in the public hearings and in written 
    comments to the standard's docket are presented and summarized. The 
    Agency also presents its discussion of the issues and its reasoning for 
    specific determinations. References in parentheses are to exhibits and 
    transcript \1\ pages in the rulemaking record.
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        \1\ CH--Transcript of the hearings held in Charleston, SC, 
    October 4, 5, 6, 1994.
        SEA--Transcript of the hearings held in Seattle, WA, October 19, 
    20, 21, 1994.
        NO--Transcript of the hearings held in New Orleans, LA, November 
    15, 16, 17, 1994.
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        In developing the final rule the Agency actively worked with the 
    marine cargo handling industry to build a consensus among labor and 
    management with OSHA. This was possible because the marine cargo 
    handling industry is relatively small and well-defined. In addition, a 
    high percentage of employees are represented by labor unions. Employers 
    are also well-organized into employer groups at each port and in each 
    of the four major port regions of the country--East Coast,
    
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    West Coast, Gulf Coast, and Great Lakes and Inland Waterways. Drafts of 
    the 1994 proposal were circulated to key stakeholders, and many issues 
    were resolved before the proposed rule was published. As a result, 
    there was considerable support for the proposed regulation.
        General comments of support such as ``supports OSHA efforts to 
    promote workplace safety'' or ``strongly supports revision'' were 
    expressed by several commenters (Exs. 19, 6-20, 6-21, 6-35, and 6-44). 
    Many commenters submitted statements to the effect that they 
    ``wholeheartedly endorse'' the comments submitted by the National 
    Maritime Safety Association (NMSA) in Ex. 8-20. These commenters, who 
    wished to go on record as concurring with the views expressed by the 
    NMSA in Ex. 8-20 are represented by Exs. 6-6, 6-7, 6-8, 6-9, 6-11, 6-
    12, 6-13, 6-14, 6-15, 6-16, 6-17, 6-27, 6-32, 6-34, 6-35, 6-36, 6-39, 
    6-40, and 6-43. Another group of commenters submitted statements to the 
    effect that they concurred with the Pacific Maritime Association's 
    (PMA's) written comments, which were submitted as Ex. 8-8. These 
    commenters are represented by Exs. 6-7, 6-27, 6-32, 6-34, 6-40, and 6-
    43. Accordingly, throughout this preamble, whenever reference is made 
    to ``Ex. NMSA et al.'', the citation reflects the written comments 
    received from NMSA and those commenters listed above that supported 
    NMSA. The same applies to exhibit ``Ex. PMA et al.'' which refers to 
    PMA's comments and those of the commenters that supported the PMA. This 
    condensed referencing technique streamlines the document.
    
    A. 29 CFR Part 1910--General Industry
    
        In the proposal (59 FR 28594 et seq.), OSHA proposed a number of 
    editorial changes to several provisions of part 1910 (the General 
    Industry Standards being incorporated by reference into the Longshoring 
    Standard) to make the application of the General Industry Standards to 
    the Longshoring and Marine Terminals Standards clearer. OSHA received 
    no substantive comments on the proposed editorial changes to the 
    General Industry Standards. Accordingly, these editorial revisions have 
    been made in the final rule.
        Paragraphs (a) and (b) of Sec. 1910.16, Longshoring and Marine 
    Terminals, have been updated and revised editorially. The definition of 
    a ``marine terminal'' (Sec. 1910.16(b)(4)) has been amended to be 
    consistent with the revised definition in Sec. 1917.2(u). The Marine 
    Terminals Standard preamble, which follows, has a detailed explanation 
    of this definitional change.
    
    B. 29 CFR Part 1917--Safety and Health Regulations for Marine Terminals
    
        1. Non-substantive changes. In the proposal, OSHA proposed numerous 
    revisions to provisions in OSHA's existing Marine Terminals Standard 
    (29 CFR part 1917) that were considered non-substantive. These changes 
    were widely supported by commenters. For the purposes of this final 
    regulation, OSHA has divided these changes into two categories: 
    correction of typographical errors \2\ and changing the phrase ``shall 
    be available at the terminal'' to ``shall be made available for 
    inspection''.\3\ The paragraphs affected by each type of change are 
    identified in the appropriate footnote below.
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        \2\ Sections 1917.13(g); .17(i), (j), (k); .20; .23(b)(1), (d); 
    .27(a)(2); .42(d)(2), (h)(4), (j)(1); .44(a), (i), (o)(3)(i); .45, 
    (f)(4)(iii), (f)(5)(i), (f)(7), (f)(13)(ii), (i)(5), (j)(1)(iii)(D); 
    .48(d)(2); .71(c); .112(a)(1); .118(d)(2)(i), (f)(2); .119(b)(1), 
    (d)(2), (f)(4); .121(b)(3); .156(b)(3)(iii)(D); .157(n).
        \3\ Sections 1917.24(d), 1917.25.(c), 1917.42(b)(4), 
    1917.42(c)(1), 1917.42(d)(1), 1917.42(h)(4), and 1917.42(h)(5).
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        OSHA had proposed deleting the introductory phrase ``the employer 
    shall ensure'' from various requirements to correct technical drafting 
    amendments from the final Marine Terminals Standard published on July 
    5,1983 (48 FR 30886). These paragraphs included: Secs. 1917.18(a), 
    1917.43(e)(1)(i), 1917.44(o)(3)(ii), 1917.44(o)(4), 1917.126(b), 
    1917.152(f)(1), 1917.152(f)(2), and 1917.152(f)(3)(iv).
        However, after the June 2, 1994, publication of the Longshore and 
    Marine Terminals proposal, OSHA compliance staff reported that deletion 
    of this phrase in other standards actions (e.g. 61 FR 19547) had caused 
    difficulty in connection with the employer's obligation to have 
    employees wear personal protective equipment (PPE). Therefore, OSHA is 
    retaining this language in the current part 1917 paragraphs noted 
    above. For the sake of clarity and consistency, the word ``required'' 
    (which is used extensively in parts 1917 and 1918) and the word 
    ``ensure'' shall be synonymous for compliance purposes.
        In keeping with the Agency's efforts to develop regulatory language 
    that is more ``user-friendly'' and easier to follow, the references to 
    part 1910 (OSHA's General Industry Standards) in Sec. 1917.1(a) have 
    been renumbered and placed in alphabetical order.
        2. Substantive changes made in both parts 1917 and 1918. OSHA 
    proposed substantive, identical changes to OSHA's existing part 1917 
    (the Marine Terminals Standard) and part 1918 (the Longshoring 
    Standard) to provide consistency between them. The rationale for these 
    changes to part 1917 can be found in Section IV of this preamble, 
    Summary and Explanation of the Final Rule, at the respective part 1918 
    section discussion. The following table (Table B, Parallel Changes in 
    parts 1917 and 1918) lists the sections or paragraphs changed in part 
    1917, along with the sections or paragraphs in part 1918 in which 
    parallel changes were made:
    
                 Table B--Parallel Changes in Parts 1917 & 1918             
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Part 1918  sections/    
          Part 1917  sections/paragraphs                 paragraphs         
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Sec.  1917.22 (hazardous cargo)...........  Sec.  1918.89               
    Sec.  1917.24(a) (carbon monoxide)........  Sec.  1918.94(a)(1)(ii)     
    Sec.  1917.25(a) (fumigants)..............  Sec.  1918.94(d)            
    Sec.  1917.26(c) (first aid)..............  Sec.  1918.97(c)            
    Sec.  1917.26(d) (stretchers).............  Sec.  1918.97(d)            
    Sec.  1917.27(a)(2) (personnel)...........  Sec.  1918.98(a)(2)         
    Sec.  1917.30 (emergency response)........  Sec.  1918.99               
    Sec.  1917.42(g)(2)(vi) (slings criteria).  Sec.  1918.62(g)(2)(vi)     
    Sec.  1917.45(f)(5) (crane glass).........  Sec.  1918.55(b)(1)         
    Sec.  1917.45(j)(2) (cranes)..............  Sec.  1918.66(c)(2)         
    Sec.  1917.45(j)(9) (riding the load).....  Sec.  1918.85(h)            
    Sec.  1917.50(c)(5) (special gear)........  Sec.  1918.61(f)            
    Sec.  1917.51 (hand tools)................  Sec.  1918.69               
    Sec.  1917.71(f) (vertical lifts-           Sec.  1918.85(f)(1)(i)      
     containers).                                                           
    Sec.  1917.71(b)(6) (autos in containers).  Sec.  1918.85(b)(6)         
    Sec.  1917.73(a)(2) (menhaden)............  Sec.  1918.94(f)(4)         
    Sec.  1917.91(a)(1) (eye protection)......  Sec.  1918.101(a)(1)        
    Sec.  1917.93(b) (head protection)........  Sec.  1918.103(b)           
    Sec.  1917.94(b) (foot protection)........  Sec.  1918.104(b)           
    Sec.  1917.95(b)(2) (PFDs)................  Sec.  1918.105(b)(2)        
    Sec.  1917.124(c)(5),(6) (dockboards).....  Sec.  1918.25(a)(4)         
    Sec.  1917.124(d)(1),(5) (ramps)..........  Sec.  1918.25(b)(5)         
    Sec.  1917.127(a)(1) (sanitation).........  Sec.  1918.95(a)(1)         
    Sec.  1917.151 (machine guarding).........  Sec.  1918.96(e)            
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        3. Substantive changes only in part 1917. OSHA also has made 
    several substantive changes to the Marine Terminals Standard that have 
    no
    
    [[Page 40146]]
    
    parallel in the Longshoring Standard. These changes are discussed in 
    the following paragraphs. In final subpart A, Scope and Definitions of 
    the Marine Terminals Standard, SHA has updated and clarified the scope, 
    applicability, and definitions sections of the Marine Terminals 
    Standard. The Marine Terminals Standard (part 1917) covers all 
    shoreside activities taking place within a marine terminal (48 FR 
    30891) except those that are specifically exempted in 
    Secs. 1917.1(a)(1) and 1917.2(u). It is OSHA's intent that the marine 
    cargo handling standards (part 1917 for shoreside and part 1918 for 
    shipboard) apply to all functions that are associated with the movement 
    of cargo. However, the current marine terminal definition 
    (Sec. 1917.2(u)) includes a geographical as well as functional test to 
    be applied when determining when the Marine Terminals Standard, rather 
    than the General Industry Standards applies. Section 1917.1(a), 
    entitled ``Scope and applicability,'' is worded as follows in OSHA's 
    existing Marine Terminals Standard:
    
    The regulations of this part apply to employment within a marine 
    terminal as defined in Sec. 1917.2(u), including the loading, 
    unloading, movement or other handling of cargo, ship's stores or 
    gear within a marine terminal or into or out of any land carrier, 
    holding or consolidation area, or any other activity within and 
    associated with the overall operation and functions of the terminal, 
    such as the use and routine maintenance of facilities and equipment. 
    (Emphasis added)
    
        The definition of ``marine terminal'' in the existing standard is 
    as follows:
    
    ``Marine terminal'' means wharves, bulkheads, quays, piers, docks 
    and other berthing locations and adjacent storage or contiguous 
    areas and structures associated with the primary movements of cargo 
    or materials from vessel to shore or shore to vessel including 
    structures that are devoted to receiving, handling, holding, 
    consolidation and loading or delivery of waterborne shipments or 
    passengers, including areas devoted to the maintenance of the 
    terminal or equipment. The term does not include production or 
    manufacturing areas having their own docking facilities and located 
    at a marine terminal nor does the term include storage facilities 
    directly associated with those production or manufacturing areas. 
    (Emphasis added)
    
        OSHA received comments to the effect that the relationship of the 
    work being performed to cargo handling operations should determine 
    whether an activity is included within the scope of the Marine 
    Terminals Standard, not the location where the work is being performed. 
    For example, the National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA) stated,
    
    Additional language should be added to allow gear and maintenance 
    shops located off-terminal to fall under the scope of 1917. Even 
    though the same workers perform the same job tasks in both shop 
    locations, the off-terminal shops must [currently] comply with the 
    rules found in 1910. In many cases, the local Port Authority will 
    not allow shops to be located on their terminal so the Stevedore or 
    Marine Terminal operator has no choice but to locate off-terminal. 
    As long as work performed in off-terminal shops is the same as work 
    performed in shops located on-terminal and is primarily in support 
    of Longshoring or Marine Terminal operations, the same rules should 
    apply to both locations. (Ex. 8-20)
    
        OSHA finds merit in this recommendation, and no views to the 
    contrary were presented. There is no geographical limitation to 
    maritime jurisdiction on shore other than the limitation of the Act 
    itself, and it is not OSHA's intent to impose an artificial geographic 
    boundary through the standards-setting process. The controlling test 
    should be whether the operation is associated with the primary movement 
    of cargo. If maintenance of terminal equipment is performed within the 
    limitations of OSHA's marine cargo handling rules, then part 1917 
    applies regardless of where the ``terminal'' gate exists. In the final 
    standard, OSHA has therefore relaxed the language suggesting a strict 
    geographical test. In Sec. 1917.1(a) of the final rule, the first 
    sentence of the term ``marine terminal'' is changed to read: ``Marine 
    Terminal means wharves, bulkheads, quays, piers, docks and other 
    berthing locations and adjacent storage or adjacent areas and 
    structures associated with the primary movement of cargo or materials 
    from vessel to shore or shore to vessel including structures which are 
    devoted to receiving, handling, holding, consolidation and loading or 
    delivery of waterborne shipments or passengers, including areas devoted 
    to the maintenance of the terminal or equipment * * *''. In addition, 
    for purposes of clarity, the phrase, ``having their own docking 
    facilities and located at a marine terminal,'' is deleted in the final 
    rule. This deletion does not change the intended effect of this 
    definition.
        Another marine terminal-related scope issue was previously 
    addressed by OSHA after publication of the final Marine Terminals 
    Standard in 1983. In 1984, OSHA and the National Grain and Feed 
    Association (NGFA) came to a settlement agreement that identified those 
    provisions of the Marine Terminals Standard (part 1917) that are 
    generally applicable and those that are not applicable at marine 
    terminal grain elevators. (For a copy of the agreement, see Ex.1-156.) 
    In the present rulemaking, OSHA has made no substantive changes to 
    those sections of the Marine Terminals Standard that were part of this 
    agreement. For information purposes, OSHA is providing the following 
    excerpt (Table C) from the 1984 agreement that lists the provisions of 
    the Marine Terminals Standard (part 1917) that are generally not 
    applicable to marine terminal grain elevators:
    
                                         Table C--Provisions Generally Inapplicable To Marine Terminal Grain Elevators                                      
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Part 1917 Section                                                                 Subject                                                    
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    .13....................................  Slinging                                                                                                       
    .14....................................  Stacking of Cargo and Pallets                                                                                  
    .15....................................  Coopering                                                                                                      
    .17(c),(d)(1), (f),(h)&(k).............  Railroad Facilities                                                                                            
    .18....................................  Log Handling                                                                                                   
    .22....................................  Hazardous Cargo                                                                                                
    .23....................................  Hazardous Atmospheres and Substances                                                                           
    .41....................................  House Falls                                                                                                    
    .43(g)&(h).............................  Powered Industrial Trucks                                                                                      
    .46....................................  Crane Load and Limit Devices                                                                                   
    .48(b),(c), (d)&(e)....................  Conveyors                                                                                                      
    .49(e)&(g).............................  Spouts, Chutes, Hoppers, Bins and Associated Equipment                                                         
    .71....................................  Terminals Handling Intermodal Containers or Roll On Roll Off Operations                                        
    .73....................................  Terminals Handling Menhaden and Similar Species of Fish                                                        
    .114...................................  Cargo Doors                                                                                                    
    
    [[Page 40147]]
    
                                                                                                                                                            
    .115...................................  Platforms and Skids                                                                                            
    .124...................................  Passage between Levels and across Openings                                                                     
    .153...................................  Spray Painting                                                                                                 
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Proposed Sec. 1917.25(g), which concerned tobacco that has been 
    loaded into containers and then fumigated prior to loading the 
    container onto a vessel, required that the contents of the container be 
    aerated by opening the container doors for a 48-hour period after 
    fumigation and before loading. The proposed requirement also stipulated 
    that the aeration period be extended to 72 hours in cases where the bag 
    liners of the cases in which the tobacco is shipped are made of 
    polyethylene or similar material. The proposal required that employers 
    obtain a warranty from the fumigator stating that the aeration period 
    had been met. This requirement differs from the fumigated tobacco issue 
    addressed in subpart I of part 1918, which applies to cargoes that are 
    break-bulk such as bales or hogsheads (Sec. 1918.94(c)). Tobacco 
    cargoes, both imported and exported, are shipped most typically in 
    bales, in hogsheads, and in intermodal containers. Thus, 
    Sec. 1917.25(g) applies to tobacco that is fumigated while it is in 
    containers but before it is loaded into the vessel.
        In determining the appropriateness of required aeration intervals, 
    OSHA is relying on documents from the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
    and the Tobacco Association of the United States. The studies reported 
    in these documents concluded that intermodal containers loaded with 
    fumigated tobacco required an additional 48 to 72 hours of aeration to 
    be free of hazardous fumigant levels, depending on whether or not the 
    tobacco is within shipping cases having polyethylene or similar bag 
    liners (Exs. 1-70, 1-95).
        Comment was received on proposed Sec. 1917.25(g); commenters asked 
    OSHA to delete the proposed requirement for a 48-hour aeration period 
    for fumigated tobacco that is loaded into containers before those 
    containers are loaded on a vessel (Exs. 6-1, NMSA et al.):
    
    OSHA's attention is directed to document number 1, earlier submitted 
    into evidence by NMSA. This document contains a copy of a letter 
    from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to Soil 
    Chemicals Corporation, permitting containers under fumigation to be 
    transferred onto and off of ships.
        Also in the document is a letter from the California Department 
    of Pesticides regulation accepting this practice.
        NMSA feels that the words ``and prior to loading'' should be 
    deleted from the end of the first sentence. Aeration of fumigated 
    containers aboard ship is a common practice that has been in effect 
    for many years. Continuing this practice will result in a delay in 
    cargo delivery and disrupt vessel sailing schedules. (NO Tr. p.150)
    
        OSHA has determined that the studies and data supplied by the U.S. 
    Department of Agriculture and the Tobacco Association which show that 
    48-and 72-hour aeration periods are necessary to reduce fumigant levels 
    to non-hazardous levels in containers without and with polyethylene 
    lined bags, respectively, are more compelling than the evidence 
    submitted by these commenters. Accordingly, Sec. 1917.25(g) of the 
    final rule remains the same as proposed and requires employers to 
    provide the appropriate aeration period for tobacco that is fumigated 
    in a container prior to loading.
        In Sec. 1917.45(f)(5)(ii), OSHA proposed to require seat belts for 
    the operators of high speed container gantry cranes.\4\ This new 
    proposed requirement would have allowed a 90-day phase-in period for 
    the installation of the seat belts. Comment was received that supported 
    the requirement for seat belts but requested that a 180-day phase-in 
    period be given to allow more time to purchase and install the 
    necessary equipment (Exs. 6-1, 6-16b, 6-31a). The majority of U.S. 
    marine terminals are owned by quasi-governmental organizations (i.e., 
    port authorities). Typically, major capital equipment such as container 
    gantry cranes are owned and maintained by the aforementioned quasi-
    governmental organizations. In order to allow sufficient time to 
    accommodate government budget cycles, OSHA has concluded that a 180-day 
    phase-in period is appropriate and has written Sec. 1917.45(f)(5)(ii) 
    of the final rule accordingly.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \4\ High speed container gantry cranes are those capable of 
    hoist speeds of 360 feet per minute (110 m/min) (without a load) and 
    trolley speeds of 500 feet per minute (152 m/min) or faster.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Paragraph (a)(1) of Sec. 1917.46 of the existing and proposed 
    Marine Terminals Standard, crane load and limit devices, requires all 
    cranes, except those specifically exempted, to be equipped with a load 
    indicating device. OSHA received one comment (Ex. 82) requesting that 
    overhead cranes used in marine terminals be included in the types of 
    cranes exempted from this requirement. This commenter pointed out that 
    overhead cranes are similar to bridge-type container gantry cranes, 
    which are exempted from this requirement, in that the load capacity of 
    the crane is the same regardless of the actual position of the load. In 
    other words, the load capacity of the crane does not depend on a boom 
    that can change radius (and thus the load capacity); it is this factor 
    that makes a load indicating device necessary. OSHA agrees with this 
    commenter, and final rule Sec. 1917.46(a)(1)(viii)(A) specifically 
    exempts overhead cranes from the requirement to have a load indicating 
    device.
    
    C. 29 CFR Part 1918--Safety and Health Regulations for Longshoring
    
    Subpart A--Scope and Definitions
        This subpart updates and clarifies the scope, applicability, and 
    definition sections of the Longshoring Standard.
    
    Section 1918.1  Scope and application
    
        The Longshoring rules apply from the foot of the gangway up to the 
    vessel and address all activities related to cargo handling aboard the 
    vessel. This means that ship-to-shore/shore-to-ship cargo transfer 
    operations using shore-based material handling devices and all lifting 
    device-specific aspects of such transfers will be covered by the Marine 
    Terminals Standard (29 CFR part 1917). When cargo handling is 
    accomplished using ship's cargo gear, the Longshoring Standard (29 CFR 
    part 1918) applies.
        This final rule has been written to stand by itself, i.e., to be a 
    ``vertical standard.'' Vertical standards are those that apply to a 
    specific industry and address the hazards present in that industry. For 
    industries such as longshoring, the vertical standards in part 1918 are 
    intended to provide comprehensive coverage of the hazards in an 
    industry and make it unnecessary for employers in that industry to 
    refer to, or comply with, most other OSHA standards. However, in 
    several areas of coverage, OSHA's General Industry Standards have been 
    incorporated into the Longshoring Standard by reference, and these 29 
    CFR part 1910
    
    [[Page 40148]]
    
    incorporations are listed in paragraph (b) of the final rule's scope 
    and application section. This approach follows the approach taken by 
    OSHA in its other marine cargo handling standard, the Marine Terminals 
    Standard, 29 CFR part 1917 (48 FR 30886). The Agency is incorporating 
    by reference the General Industry Standards (from 29 CFR part 1910) 
    that are needed to supplement the specific marine cargo handling 
    provisions in the Longshoring Standard. The incorporation-by-reference 
    approach is an efficient means of providing coverage for those hazards 
    that are not unique to the marine cargo handling industry. This idea 
    was endorsed by many commenters (Ex. NMSA et al.). For example, in his 
    testimony at the October 20, 1994, Seattle hearing, Mr. Hank Bynaker, 
    manager of environmental safety and health for American President 
    Lines, stated `` . . . I would like to recognize OSHA's efforts to 
    modernize their approach and to support that effort.'' (SEA Tr. p. 295)
        The following 29 CFR part 1910 General Industry Standard provisions 
    will have application to longshoring operations, under Sec. 1918.1:
        (b)(1) Access to employee exposure and medical records. Subpart Z, 
    Sec. 1910.1020;
        (b)(2) Commercial diving operations. Subpart T;
        (b)(3) Electrical. Subpart S when shore-based electrical 
    installations provide power for use aboard vessels;
        (b)(4) Hazard communication. Subpart Z, Sec. 1910.1200;
        (b)(5) Ionizing radiation. Subpart Z, Sec. 1910.1096;
        (b)(6) Noise. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.95;
        (b)(7) Nonionizing radiation. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.97; and
    
        Note: Exposures to nonionizing radiation emissions from 
    commercial vessel radar transmitters are considered hazardous under 
    the following situations: (a) where the radar is transmitting, the 
    scanner is stationary, and the exposure distance is 19 feet (6 m) or 
    less; or (b) where the radar is transmitting, the scanner is 
    rotating, and the exposure distance is 5 feet (1.8 m.) or less.
    
        (b)(8) Respiratory protection. Subpart I, Sec. 1910.134.
        (b)(9) Toxic and hazardous substances. Subpart Z applies to marine 
    cargo handling activities except for the following:
        (A) when a substance or cargo is contained within a sealed, intact 
    means of packaging or containment complying with Department of 
    Transportation or International Maritime Organization requirements; \5\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \5\ The International Maritime Organization publishes the 
    International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code to aid compliance with 
    the international legal requirements of the International Convention 
    for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1960.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (B) Bloodborne pathogens, Sec. 1910.1030;
        (C) Carbon monoxide, Sec. 1910.1000 (See Sec. 1918.94 (a)); and
        (D) Hydrogen sulfide, Sec. 1910.1000 (See Sec. 1918.94 (f)).
        These subparts and sections of OSHA's General Industry Standards 
    are also incorporated into the Marine Terminals Standard 
    (Sec. 1917.1(a)(2)) by reference along with several other part 1910 
    sections that have application only in a marine terminal. Incorporating 
    the same General Industry Standards into the Longshoring and Marine 
    Terminals Standards will make both of OSHA's marine cargo handling 
    rules similar with respect to these issues, an approach that has long 
    been advocated by the marine cargo handling industry and is supported 
    by this record.
        OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) does not 
    apply to marine cargo handling operations. OSHA will continue its past 
    policy of applying the first aid requirements of Secs. 1917.26 and 
    1918.97. In a letter dated July 31, 1992, to the National Maritime 
    Safety Association, OSHA addressed the coverage of the Bloodborne 
    Pathogen Standard to the marine cargo handling industry. It states, in 
    pertinent part, as follows:
    
    * * * the bloodborne pathogen standard primarily applies to general 
    industry establishments and not the cargo handling industry that 
    N.M.S.A. represents. (Ex. 6-158).
    
    Bloodborne pathogens are most commonly encountered in the cargo-
    handling environment during a first aid response when an injured 
    employee is bleeding. Under these circumstances, first aid, which 
    encompasses universal precautions (procedures for handling human blood 
    and certain human body fluids in a manner that prevents the 
    transmission of infection), must be followed by first aid responders. 
    For further guidance, particularly for small employers, OSHA has 
    included a non-mandatory appendix, Appendix V, titled Basic Elements of 
    a First Aid Training Program.
        In addition, as was proposed, OSHA is exempting from subpart Z all 
    sealed, intact packages or containers that meet the Department of 
    Transportation (DOT) or International Maritime Organization (IMO) 
    requirements. OSHA's existing Longshoring Standard contains no such 
    exemption, although the existing Marine Terminals Standard 
    (Sec. 1917.1(a)(2)(ii)) does. Packages and containers that are sealed 
    present no exposure hazards to marine cargo handling employees, 
    provided that such containment remains intact. In order for packages 
    and containers to qualify for the exemption in Sec. 1918.1(b)(9)(B), 
    they must meet DOT or IMO requirements. This will ensure that exempted 
    packages are properly packaged, and thus highly unlikely to expose 
    workers to toxic or hazardous substances. Including the exemption for 
    intact packages and containers in the final Longshoring Standard will 
    thus make that standard consistent with the Marine Terminals Standard.
        OSHA also proposed to incorporate various other provisions of the 
    General Industry Standards into the Longshoring and Marine Terminals 
    Standards. These included subpart P of 29 CFR part 1910, which covers 
    hand and portable tools, 29 CFR 1910.120(q), which addresses emergency 
    response to hazardous substance releases, and subpart O of 29 CFR part 
    1910, which covers machine guarding. At the time of the proposal, OSHA 
    had made an initial determination that these general industry 
    provisions provided more comprehensive coverage than the corresponding 
    provisions of the Longshoring and Marine Terminals Standards. However, 
    commenters did not support the incorporation of these general industry 
    provisions, as discussed in detail below.
        To ensure safe practices in the use of hand tools, in 
    Sec. 1918.1(b)(5), OSHA proposed deleting the current longshoring 
    requirements for hand tools, Sec. 1918.72, titled ``Tools,'' and 
    replacing this section with the more comprehensive requirements of 
    subpart P of 29 CFR part 1910, titled Hand and Portable Powered Tools 
    and Other Hand Held Equipment. OSHA also proposed to incorporate the 
    same general industry section into the Marine Terminals Standard 
    (proposed Sec. 1917.1(a)(2)(vii)). This approach was not supported by 
    rulemaking participants, however. For example, the Pacific Maritime 
    Association in their comments asserted that:
    
        About the only hand tools used by longshoremen aboard vessels 
    are hammer-hatchets, chain saws, hand saws, hydraulic wire cutters 
    and manual wrenches. There is no need for OSHA to require the 
    adoption of 1910 Subpart P that includes hand tools never used 
    aboard vessels (Ex. 8-8).
    
        This position was also voiced by several respondents (Ex. NMSA et 
    al.). In addition, OSHA has re-examined its compliance history for 
    marine cargo handling found in its Integrated Management Information 
    System (which contains computerized data on all OSHA compliance 
    inspection data,
    
    [[Page 40149]]
    
    dating back to 1972). While citations were found for the provisions 
    addressing the hazards associated with hand and portable power tools 
    found in Parts 1917 and 1918, no such citations were found for Part 
    1910. After considering these comments and in light of the Agency's own 
    enforcement data, OSHA has determined that the hand tool provisions in 
    the Agency's existing Marine Terminals and Longshoring Standards do 
    address the hand tool hazards present in marine cargo handling 
    operations more effectively than would be the case if subpart P of the 
    General Industry Standards were incorporated by reference. Accordingly, 
    the final rule does not incorporate these general industry 
    requirements.
        OSHA proposed to include from the General Industry Standards a 
    paragraph from Subpart H, Hazardous waste operations and emergency 
    response, Sec. 1910.120(q), to address the issue of appropriate 
    coverage of emergency response to hazardous incidents. This paragraph, 
    essentially, requires employers to develop and implement an emergency 
    response plan to handle anticipated toxic substance emergencies prior 
    to the commencement of emergency response operations. If employers 
    decide to evacuate their employees from the danger area when an 
    emergency occurs and do not permit their employees to assist in 
    handling the emergency, they are exempt from the requirements of this 
    paragraph if they have provided an emergency action plan and met other 
    requirements in accordance with Sec. 1910.38(a).
        The existing longshore and marine terminals regulations address the 
    issue of responding to hazardous cargo spills in Sec. 1917.22 (marine 
    terminals) and Sec. 1918.86 (longshoring). In general, these sections 
    require the employer to remove employees from the area that the cargo 
    has been spilled in, to determine the hazard involved, and to instruct 
    employees in proper clean-up procedures.
        Many commenters felt that adding this general industry provision 
    duplicated the existing marine terminal and longshoring regulations 
    discussed in the last paragraph (Exs. 6-29a, 6-39, NMSA et al.).
        Mr. Richard Buonocore, Director of Safety for Matson Terminals, 
    Incorporated and Matson Navigation Company, Incorporated, and Shore 
    Side Operations, stated at the Seattle hearings:
    
        I also direct the Committee's attention to proposed 1918.89(a) 
    and (c). These sections would repeat in the marine terminals rules 
    existing sections 1917.22(a) and (c) from the longshoring rules. 
    We're still with preparation for receiving hazard cargo and for 
    responding to hazard cargo spills.
        We believe these proposals, both of which deal with hazard 
    materials, awareness, and responses to hazard material incidents, 
    are unnecessary because these subjects are adequately and 
    appropriately addressed by other existing provisions.
        Emergency response plans were addressed in 1910.38(a), preparing 
    for receipt of hazard cargos and dealing with spills are addressed 
    in 1918.86(a) and (c).
        Hazard communications issues are addressed in 1918.90, 
    particularly subpart (h), as well as in the general OSHA hazard 
    communication standard of 29 CFR 1910.1200.
        Ventilation risks for particular hazard commodities are 
    addressed by 1918.93.
        Perhaps most importantly in this regard is DOT's HAZMAT employee 
    training rules, 49 CFR 172.204, which was alluded to by John Pavelko 
    but not by citation number, requiring training on hazard material, 
    risk, and emergency response.
        Under the DOT rules, all employees, including longshore 
    personnel working with hazardous materials and transportation must 
    be given awareness and safety training and must know how to 
    recognize potential dangers and how to take appropriate actions to 
    protect their personal safety in the event of a hazardous release 
    (SEA Tr. pp. 218-219).
    
        Mr. John Pavelko, the Pacific Maritime Association Coast Director 
    for Training and Accident Prevention testified to the issue that the 
    marine cargo handling industry does not do hazardous material clean-up:
    
    Again, the PMA members on the West Coast have an agreement that if 
    there is an emergency, the emergency will be responded to by a 
    professional vendor. Longshoremen will not be called to respond to 
    any emergency.
        Under the HAZWOPER, the HAZWOPER, as you know, was designed for 
    hazardous waste generators. It was for big time corporations that 
    generate a lot of hazardous waste. The maritime industry just kind 
    of got sucked into this thing by that one little sentence in there 
    that says if there's going to be an emergency, then you've got to 
    have a plan.
        Then if you don't respond to an emergency, then you've got to 
    refer to, what was it, 1910.38. So all of our members fall under 
    1910.38 and not under the HAZWOPER, but yet when a compliance 
    officer, on several--I shouldn't say several--on at least two or 
    three occasions when compliance officers have come to the 
    waterfront, they try to cite our employers under the HAZWOPER.
        We're saying, it's not us, it doesn't apply, and there's back 
    and forth, back and forth, and this is another issue that causes a 
    lot of problems for employers. (SEA Tr. pp. 189-190)
    
        Mr. Ron Signorino, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Universal 
    Maritime Service Corporation, testified in the New Orleans hearings:
    
    The HAZWOPER rule was written by OSHA in response to a mandate by 
    Congress to have rules in place, whereby employees responding to an 
    emergency situation could be protected from the hazards that are 
    associated with that response.
        Now, the position of the National Maritime Safety Association 
    has been traditionally that when employees employed by members of 
    NMSA are aware of the spill that those employees be directed to 
    evacuate any area in a spill, so that a professional team can come 
    in and respond to that emergency, the professional teams are outside 
    contractors who have no affiliation with the work.
        Typically, they're specialists in performing these clean-ups of 
    these hazard emergency responses.
        Then, as a consequence, the provisions of HAZWOPER, rightly 
    should not apply to employees who have, in fact, no exposure (NO Tr. 
    p. 202).
    
        OSHA agrees with the commenters that the HAZWOPER regulations are 
    for those employers and employees that are in the business of cleaning 
    up spills of hazardous chemicals and hazardous waste generators. 
    However, if a marine cargo handling employer decides to respond to an 
    emergency that is beyond the scope of the Emergency Action Plan 
    developed by the employer in accordance with the final rule 
    (Secs. 1917.30 and 1918.100), that employer ceases to be acting in a 
    ``marine cargo handling'' capacity and the appropriate sections of 
    OSHA's General Industry Standards (e.g., 29 CFR 1910.120(q), HAZWOPER) 
    would apply. This is reflective of the application of 
    Sec. 1910.120(q)(1) which reads in relevant part:
    
    Employers who will evacuate their employees from the danger area 
    when an emergency occurs, and who do not permit any of their 
    employees to assist in handling the emergency, are exempt from the 
    requirements of this paragraph if they provide an emergency action 
    plan in accordance with Sec. 1910.38(a) of this part.
    
        In the final rule, OSHA has decided to address these hazards by 
    adding a new section to each of the Longshoring and Marine Terminals 
    Standards. These new sections, which are identical, will alleviate the 
    duplication and confusion that would be caused by the proposed cross-
    referencing of paragraphs from the Hazardous Waste Operations and 
    Emergency Response Standard, Sec. 1910.120(q), and from the Emergency 
    Action Plans Standard Sec. 1910.38(a). These new sections, which are 
    codified in subpart B, Marine Terminal Operations (Sec. 1917.30), and 
    subpart I, General Working Conditions (Sec. 1918.100), require marine 
    terminal and longshoring employers, respectively, to develop a written 
    (if there are 10 or fewer employees, oral
    
    [[Page 40150]]
    
    communication of the emergency action plan is acceptable) emergency 
    action plan to handle anticipated emergencies of all types, including 
    those involving fires and toxic substances, before the commencement of 
    emergency response operations. These sections identify the basic 
    elements of an emergency action plan (escape route planning, 
    accountability, employer contacts); an alarm system; evacuation 
    procedures; and training requirements. OSHA believes that, as a 
    practical matter, the emergency action plan can be adequately 
    communicated to a small group of employees of 10 or fewer when the 
    requirements of the plan are orally explained; a written plan is 
    therefore unnecessary in this circumstance.
        OSHA proposed to protect marine cargo handling employees from the 
    hazards of fixed machines by referencing the comprehensive list of 
    machine guarding provisions contained in OSHA's General Industry 
    Machine Guarding Standards (29 CFR 1910 subpart O) into the scope of 
    both the Marine Terminals and Longshoring Standards.
        The existing regulations address machine guarding in different 
    ways. In the Longshoring Standard, machine guarding is addressed in 
    several areas such as cargo winches (``When moving parts of winches or 
    other deck machinery present a hazard, they shall be guarded,'' 
    Sec. 1918.53(a)(1)) and in powered conveyors (``All conveyor and 
    trimmer drives which create a hazard shall be adequately guarded,'' 
    Sec. 1918.69(c)). In the Marine Terminals Standard, the existing 
    regulations on machine guarding center around the ``danger zone'' 
    concept. A ``danger zone'' is defined in the Marine Terminals Standard 
    as any place in or about a machine or piece of equipment where an 
    employee may be struck by or caught between moving parts, caught 
    between moving and stationary objects or parts of the machine, caught 
    between the material and a moving part of the machine, burned by hot 
    surfaces or exposed to electric shock. The danger zone performance 
    approach to machine guarding provides coverage of all hazards within 
    the danger zone without the need to address each hazard separately. 
    This approach also requires employers to use their judgment about which 
    machine parts or areas at or near a machine do in fact expose employees 
    to workplace hazards.
        Several commenters noted that the existing danger zone concept used 
    in the Marine Terminals Standard provided the necessary employee 
    protection and that the proposed machine guarding provisions were 
    unnecessary (Exs. 6-29a, 6-31a, 6-35). Other commenters favored the 
    danger zone approach and stated that the machine guarding provisions in 
    the General Industry Standards were voluminous and addressed several 
    types of machinery that were not found in marine cargo handling 
    operations (Ex. NMSA et al.).
        Mr. Signorino addressed this issue during the hearings in New 
    Orleans, testifying as part of a panel representing the National 
    Maritime Safety Association:
    
    We adopt the approach that was originated by OSHA, implemented by 
    that agency in the promulgation of the 1917 standards; and, in the 
    space of time since the promulgation of those standards, has borne 
    significance in terms of lack of accident experience, in terms of 
    moving parts of machinery. That concept is, of course, the dangers 
    [zone] (NO Tr. p. 413).
    
        OSHA agrees with the above comments and testimony and in the final 
    rule has decided that the same danger zone approach to machine guarding 
    hazards pioneered in the Marine Terminals Standard (Secs. 917.2(g) and 
    1917.151) will provide appropriate protection from machine guarding 
    hazards in marine cargo handling operations regardless of location, 
    i.e., in both marine terminal and longshoring operations. In addition, 
    using the danger zone concept will allow employers some compliance 
    flexibility. For example, although an unguarded nip point near an 
    employee's work station will usually present a significant caught-in 
    hazard, a nip point located 10 feet above the working surface is far 
    less likely to present such a hazard.
        Accordingly, the final rule does not incorporate subpart O of the 
    General Industry Standards into the scope of the Marine Terminals and 
    Longshoring Standards as proposed. Instead the final rule retains the 
    existing machine guarding protections provided by Sec. 1917.151 of the 
    Marine Terminals Standard and brings these provisions into the final 
    Longshoring Standard as Sec. 1918.96(e). (Guidance on a wide range of 
    machine guarding techniques and background information may be found in 
    the OSHA pamphlet ``Concepts and Techniques of Machine Guarding'' (OSHA 
    3067-1992) or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 
    publication ``American National Standard for Machine Tools'' (ANSI 
    Bll.l9-1990).)
        In keeping with the Agency's efforts to develop regulatory language 
    that is easier to follow, the references to part 1910, OSHA's General 
    Industry Standards in Sec. 1918.1(b) have been renumbered and placed in 
    alphabetical order.
    
    Section 1918.2  Definitions
    
        Final rule Sec. 1918.2 carries over many definitions from the 
    proposed and existing Longshoring Standards because those definitions 
    are still relevant and are used in the final rule. However, some new 
    definitions and modifications to existing definitions were proposed and 
    have been added or made to reflect changes in current custom and 
    practice in the longshore industry.
        The existing rule's references to ``Federal maritime jurisdiction'' 
    and ``navigable waters'' in the definitions of ``employee'' in 
    Sec. 1918.2 paragraph (e) and ``employer'' in paragraph (f) were not 
    included in the proposal. The existing rules were originally 
    promulgated under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act 
    (33 U.S.C. 941), whose jurisdiction was limited to navigable waters. 
    The promulgation of the OSH Act, which applies to private sector 
    employment in covered workplaces, no longer uses navigable waters to 
    establish jurisdiction. The final rule does not include these 
    references.
        New definitions or definitions that OSHA has revised substantially 
    in the proposal or final are described below.
        The definition of ``danger zone'' in the final rule is taken from 
    OSHA's existing Marine Terminals Standard, as discussed above. This 
    definition exists in the existing Marine Terminals Standard and is 
    being added to the final Longshore Standard. OSHA finds it appropriate 
    to include identical definitions of this term in the Marine Terminals 
    and Longshoring Standards because various kinds of equipment that pose 
    similar hazards to employees are present in both marine cargo handling 
    environments.
        OSHA proposed a new definition for ``designated person,'' which 
    received considerable support (Ex. NMSA et al., Ex. 6-22). This term 
    has been incorporated in the final rule, and is defined to mean a 
    person who has a special skill in a particular area and has been 
    assigned by the employer to do a specific task in that area. Examples 
    of the use of this term in the final Longshoring Standard are: 
    Sec. 1918.51(b) which requires that a designated person inspect a 
    vessel's cargo gear before use and at intervals during use; and 
    Sec. 1918.55(c)(7) which requires that a designated person supervise 
    tandem lifting operations.
        The definitions for ``enclosed space'' and ``fumigant'' in the 
    final are essentially unchanged from those proposed in the Longshore 
    Standard. In
    
    [[Page 40151]]
    
    addition, these definitions are essentially identical to those found in 
    the Marine Terminals Standard.
        A definition for ``fall hazard'' has been added to the final rule 
    in Sec. 1918.2. According to the final rule, a fall hazard exists when 
    employees are working within 3 feet of the unprotected edge of a work 
    surface that is 8 or more feet above the adjoining surface and 12 
    inches or more horizontally from the adjacent surface, or when weather 
    conditions are such as to impair the vision or footing of employees 
    working on top of containers. This definition was proposed as a 
    footnote to the container top fall protection section; however, because 
    it has application in several other sections of the Longshoring 
    Standard (Secs. 1918.32, 1918.85, and 1918.87), it has been placed in 
    the definitions section. The definition makes it clear that it is the 
    unprotected edge that poses a fall hazard and not necessarily the 
    entire work surface (except in bad weather or when ice, grease etc. is 
    present so the entire surface may be slippery). Additionally, any gap 
    of 12 inches (.31 m) or more on a horizontal surface formed by 
    containers is considered an unprotected edge and would constitute a 
    fall hazard under this definition. OSHA believes that any work within 3 
    feet (.92 m) of an unprotected edge constitutes a hazard (Ex. 1-139), 
    providing that the second essential element of this definition exists, 
    i.e. that the vertical distance is such as to constitute a fall hazard. 
    In proposed Sec. 1918.85(j), the Agency defined the fall height trigger 
    at 10 or more feet above the adjoining surface. The final rule, 
    however, sets the vertical height for fall hazards at 8 or more feet 
    above the adjoining surface; this fall height is consistent with the 
    fall height established in the final rule for non-containerized cargo 
    (see Sec. 1918.32(b)). The final trigger height of 8 feet is identical 
    to the existing requirement for fall protection found in 
    Sec. 1918.32(b). OSHA believes that this height was originally adapted 
    from an industry practice that pre-dated containerization. At that 
    time, cargo was usually palletized into a standard 4 foot high pallet. 
    It became an industry practice that whenever pallets were stacked two 
    or more, the top working surface would be considered a fall hazard, 
    thus requiring nets or other equivalent protection.
        The definition of ``Hazardous cargo, materials, substance or 
    atmosphere'' in the final longshore rule has been expanded to reflect 
    the Marine Terminal Standard's definition of hazardous cargo. This 
    definition goes beyond the existing part 1918 definition by including 
    references to subpart Z of part 1910 and oxygen-deficient atmospheres.
        The definition for ``intermodal container,'' which remains 
    unchanged from the definition in the proposal, reflects a combination 
    of definitions found both in the International Labor Organization (ILO) 
    Code of Practice for Safety and Health in Dock Work (Ex.1-135) and the 
    definition found in the International Standards Organization (ISO) 
    Standard 830, Freight Containers-Terminology (Ex.1-134). The definition 
    in the final rule more accurately describes an intermodal container 
    than the definition that is in the existing rule. This updated 
    definition is also in the Marine Terminals Standard at Sec. 1917.2.
        The definitions of ``dockboards'' and ``ramps,'' found in the 
    existing Marine Terminals Standard, have been brought into the 
    Longshoring Standard with minor editorial modifications.
        The extensive list of definitions that were included in 
    Sec. 1918.3(r) of the existing Longshoring Standard that specifically 
    refers to existing Sec. 1918.13, ``Certification of shore-based 
    material handling devices,'' has been deleted in the final rule. These 
    definitions are no longer needed in the Longshoring Standard because 
    part 1917, the Marine Terminals Standard, now contains OSHA's 
    regulations for the certification of shore-based material handling 
    devices.
        The proposed definition for ``vessel's cargo handling gear'' had 
    been modified by adding language to reflect cargo gear included under 
    the ILO Convention 152. The final definition gives examples of the 
    kinds of cargo handling gear that are included in this newer definition 
    to reflect comments received that requested a more descriptive 
    definition (Ex. 6-22).
        For the sake of clarity and consistency, the word ``required'' 
    (which is used extensively in parts 1917 and 1918) and the word 
    ``ensure'' shall be synonymous for compliance purposes.
    Subpart B--Gear Certification
    
    Section 1918.11  Gear Certification
    
        In OSHA's current Longshoring Standard, subpart B includes 
    requirements for vessels' cargo gear certification, the certification 
    of shore-based material handling equipment, and some provisions for 
    gangways. The final rule's requirements for the certification of shore-
    based material handling equipment and for gangways are essentially 
    unchanged from those in the current Longshoring Standard, although they 
    have been moved from this subpart to the Marine Terminals Standard and 
    to subpart C of the Longshoring Standard, respectively, as explained 
    below. The final rule's requirements relating specifically to vessels' 
    cargo gear certification, entitled ``Gear Certification,'' have been 
    streamlined and are now consolidated in subpart B of the Longshoring 
    Standard. The gangway requirements in subparts B and C of OSHA's 
    existing Longshoring Standard have, in the final rule, been moved to 
    subpart C ``Gangways and Other Means of Access'' (Sec. 1918.21). 
    Furthermore, existing Secs. 1918.13 through 1918.15, which covered 
    shore-based material handling devices and container cranes, have been 
    removed from part 1918 because shore-based handling devices are 
    currently covered exclusively under part 1917, the Marine Terminals 
    Standard. In the existing definitions section, Sec. 1918.3(r)(5) (i) to 
    (vi) listed material handling devices that were exempted from the 
    certification requirements of existing Sec. 1918.13. Section 1918.13 
    required that shore-based material handling devices be certified in 
    accordance with part 1919, OSHA's gear certification regulations. As 
    mentioned above, these requirements are now found in part 1917, the 
    Marine Terminals Standard. Material handling devices are now exempted 
    from certification only if they are listed in Sec. 1917.50(h). Huletts, 
    bridge cranes, ore and taconite loading facilities, and bulk coal 
    loading facilities, which were exempted from certification under 
    existing Sec. 1918.3, are not exempted under existing and final 
    Sec. 1917.50.
        Some commenters (Exs. 6-16a and NMSA et al.) urged OSHA to move the 
    remaining regulations from subpart B of the Longshoring Standard to 
    subpart F of that standard, ``Vessels's Cargo Handling Gear,'' on the 
    grounds that doing so would consolidate all vessel cargo handling gear 
    requirements into one section (Ex. 8-20). OSHA disagrees with this 
    position because subpart B's vessel cargo gear certification 
    requirements are procedural in nature, have international significance, 
    and apply to all lifting appliances aboard the vessel, such as 
    elevators and material handling equipment. In contrast, subpart F 
    primarily addresses the specific operational requirements for cranes 
    and derricks. Accordingly, the final rule continues to address vessel 
    cargo gear certification in subpart B.
        Section 1918.11 of the final rule, entitled ``Gear certification,'' 
    requires employers to ensure that the vessel has a current and valid 
    cargo gear register and certificates that are in accord with the 
    recommendations of the International Labor Organization (ILO) 
    Convention No. 152 as these pertain to
    
    [[Page 40152]]
    
    the testing and examination of cargo gear (paragraph (a)). Vessels 
    holding a valid Certificate of Inspection from the U.S. Coast Guard 
    (USCG) or public vessels are deemed to meet the requirements of 
    paragraph (a). Paragraphs (c) and (d) of Sec. 1918.11 specify the 
    competencies that persons and organizations making entries and issuing 
    the certificates required by paragraph (a) of this section must have, 
    both with regard to U.S. vessels not holding a valid USCG Certificate 
    of Inspection and vessels under foreign registry.
        These requirements of the final rule are essentially unchanged from 
    the corresponding provisions of the proposal. However, by requiring 
    that vessel cargo gear be certificated in accordance with ILO 152 
    rather than ILO 32, OSHA is effecting a change from the Agency's 
    existing Longshoring Standard.
        Since 1960, safety and health regulations designed to protect U.S. 
    dockworkers (with particular regard to vessels' cargo handling gear) 
    have relied upon the documentary proofs of tests and examinations 
    mandated by ILO 32 (Ex. 1-34). In Article 9 of that Convention, units 
    and articles comprising ships' cargo handling gear are specified and 
    assigned an annual/quadrennial schedule of tests/examinations that must 
    be attended and attested to by individuals judged to be ``competent'' 
    by the national authorities of the vessel's registry. Although not a 
    signatory to that Convention, the United States has conformed to this 
    Convention via regulations promulgated by: (1) the U.S. Coast Guard, 
    regarding inspected U.S. flag vessels; and (2) OSHA, regarding foreign 
    flag vessels (existing Sec. 1918.12). The Coast Guard has promulgated 
    cargo gear regulations that exceed those found in ILO 32, namely those 
    codified at 46 CFR part 91, that promote safe and unencumbered 
    operations for U.S. flag vessels trading at foreign ports. On foreign 
    flag vessels trading at U.S. ports, however, OSHA has sole 
    responsibility for regulating and enforcing rules that address the 
    cargo gear U.S. longshore workers use.
        Under ILO 32, proof load testing \6\ was only required initially 
    before gear was put into service. After that initial test, such gear 
    received various degrees of visual scrutiny, supplemented occasionally 
    by nondestructive testing, e.g., a hammer test. Components such as 
    derricks, goosenecks, mast bands, derrick bands and any other difficult 
    to disassemble fixed gear, were to be ``thoroughly examined'' every 4 
    years and ``inspected'' every 12 months. Other hoisting machinery, such 
    as cranes, winches, blocks, shackles, and any other accessory gear, was 
    to be ``thoroughly examined'' every 12 months.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \6\ Proof load testing, as used here, means lifting a known 
    weight that is in excess of the safe working load (SWL) of the 
    lifting appliance being tested.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        ILO 152, adopted June 25, 1979, requires that proof load testing be 
    conducted at least every 5 years, and applies to all ships' lifting 
    appliances. Within Article 3 of ILO 152, the term ``lifting appliance'' 
    means:
    
        Lifting appliance covers all stationary or mobile cargo-handling 
    appliances used on shore or on board ship for suspending, raising or 
    lowering loads or moving from one position to another while 
    suspended or supported (Ex. 1-5, p. 2).
    
        Thus, because the final rule requires compliance with ILO 152 
    instead of ILO 32, it expands testing and certification requirements 
    for cargo handling equipment on board vessels. Such testing and 
    certification, which was formerly restricted to specific assemblies and 
    components (i.e., derricks, cranes, winches, etc.) will now include all 
    ``lifting appliances'' as defined by the newer ILO Convention. This 
    includes forklifts and other powered equipment used to handle cargo 
    that might be carried by a Ro-Ro vessel, and elevators found on Ro-Ro 
    vessels used to move cargo (including vehicles) from one deck level to 
    another, in addition to the vessel's cranes and derricks. Under final 
    rule Sec. 1918.11, all of this equipment is required to be: tested and 
    thoroughly examined initially before being put into use; retested and 
    thoroughly examined every 5 years; and thoroughly examined every 12 
    months.
        In 1993, OSHA received a letter from Sea-Land Service, Inc. 
    requesting that OSHA interpret the current regulations to allow the 
    lifting of two empty 40 foot ISO freight containers that are vertically 
    coupled using semi-automatic twist locks (Ex. 1-161). OSHA's response 
    allowed the practice under the existing regulations, provided that 
    certain additional requirements were met (Ex. 1-160). However, the 
    existing regulations, which reference Convention 32, did not require 
    the certification of the ``lifting appliance,'' i.e., the top container 
    and the semi-automatic twist locks.
        In the preamble to the proposed rule, the Agency discussed 
    differences between Convention 32 and Convention 152, including the 
    requirement in the latter convention to certify lifting appliances. 
    OSHA stated that, under Convention 152, when a container was used to 
    lift another container, the top container would fall within the 
    definition of ``lifting appliance'':
    
        In those situations where one container is used to lift another 
    container, using twist locks, then the upper container and twist 
    locks become, in effect, a lifting appliance and must be certified 
    as such. Page 28602.
    
        In response to this proposed interpretation of Article 3, paragraph 
    (e) of ILO Convention 152, OSHA received comments only from the 
    International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU) (Exs. 19, 
    6-19, and 78). Although these comments favored the proposed 
    interpretation and requested the Agency to include it as a requirement 
    in the regulatory text, they included no specific information regarding 
    lifting containers vertically coupled. Furthermore, while Sea-Land 
    Services, Inc. submitted a detailed six page comment (Ex. 1-6) 
    addressing a number of the proposed changes to the Marine Terminals and 
    Longshoring Standards, it did not address this issue. In addition, OSHA 
    received a late, post-hearing submission from the International 
    Longshoremen's Association (ILA) that indicated a serious problem with 
    this type of lift, citing several incidents at U.S. ports where 
    failures occurred (L-90a). While this letter cannot be the basis of 
    rulemaking at this time since it is not part of the record, it has made 
    OSHA aware of safety concerns that may need to be addressed by the 
    Agency. The record contains a dearth of information regarding safety 
    considerations associated with double container lifts, as well as 
    feasibility information regarding certificating containers and twist 
    locks as ``lifting appliances''. In light of this lack of information, 
    OSHA has decided to reserve judgment on this issue, pending further 
    study.
        In the near future, OSHA will reopen the record on this narrow 
    issue and publish a notice requesting specific information regarding 
    whether or not OSHA should allow the practice of lifting vertically 
    coupled containers, and, if so, under what circumstances. The notice 
    will request information regarding the lifting of one container by 
    another container using twist locks, including data on the following 
    issues:
        Have the bottoms of intermodal containers been designed and tested 
    for the purposes of ``lifting''?
        Have the twist locks been designed and tested for ``lifting''of 
    containers?
        What information do the manufacturers of containers and twist locks 
    have regarding the use of their products as lifting appliances?
        Do any international bodies currently certify containers and twist 
    locks as ``lifting appliances''?
    
    [[Page 40153]]
    
        Is there any scientific data that addresses maintenance testing and 
    ``life'' of the components used for lifting purposes?
        Has the impact of adverse weather conditions been evaluated in both 
    design and operational concerns with regard to double container lifts?
        What precautions can be taken to assure that the containers being 
    lifted are empty?
        What precautions can be taken to assure that the twist locks are 
    all locked properly when the lifting occurs?
        What precautions can be taken to assure that employees are not 
    exposed to the hazard of a falling container?
        What precautions can be taken to assure that defective or damaged 
    containers should not be used to hoist other containers?
        To what extent are lifts of vertically coupled containers currently 
    being conducted and by whom?
        How many containers and twist locks would have to be certificated 
    for use as lifting appliances?
        What would it cost to certificate the upper containers and twist 
    locks for use as lifting appliances?
        In vessel sharing agreements, is it feasible for upper containers 
    and twist locks to be used as lifting appliances to be certificated?
        What are the productivity gains, if any, associated with the 
    lifting of vertically coupled containers?
        What information, including anecdotal information is available on 
    incidents involving vertically coupled containers that have fallen and 
    hurt or killed employees or caused ``near-misses''?
        Several commenters (Exs. NMSA et al., NO Tr. pp. 388-393, 638-644) 
    asked that OSHA continue to recognize and allow vessel's cargo gear on 
    vessels whose cargo gear registers are in accordance with ILO 32 but 
    not ILO 152:
    
    
    * * * Refusal by stevedores to work vessels of nations that have not 
    ratified ILO 152 will result in loss of business for the stevedore 
    and terminal operator and can possible [sic] damage U.S. and foreign 
    trade agreements. Until such nations of the world have ratified ILO 
    152, those still a signatory to ILO 32 should be recognized and 
    accepted (Ex. 8-20, p. 4).
    
    
        During the three public hearings held for this rulemaking, OSHA 
    questioned witnesses about the difficulty posed by provisions requiring 
    vessel's cargo gear to comply with the pertinent parts of ILO 152 ( SEA 
    Tr. pp. 276-278 and 333; NO Tr. pp. 388-394, 454-455, 638-642, and 
    712). Several commenters (NO Tr. pp. 638-642, 1391, and 1158) expressed 
    concern that if OSHA requires vessel's cargo gear to meet ILO 152, 
    vessels with cargo gear that does not comply will go to other countries 
    to load and unload cargo that will then be brought into the United 
    States by truck and rail, thereby having an adverse economic impact on 
    the U.S. marine cargo handling industry. The two other countries that 
    were of primary concern were Mexico and Canada. However, during the 
    public hearings, it was pointed out by one witness that Mexico has 
    ratified ILO 152 and Canada is expected to adopt the basics of ILO 152 
    in the near future (NO Tr. p. 627). (Also see the discussion in the 
    section that follows, ``International Aspects.'')
        OSHA recognizes that some vessels may need a longer phase-in period 
    to comply with the ILO 152 cargo gear requirements. In addition, OSHA 
    recognizes that the stevedore, who is the employer, does not own or 
    have control of the vessels' cargo gear and thus must depend on the 
    owner to accomplish the change before the stevedore can determine that 
    the register is current and valid. Testimony by Mr. Mike Compton, Chair 
    of the Safety Panel of the International Cargo Handling and 
    Coordination Association (ICHCA), addressed the phase-in periods 
    granted by the United Kingdom, for the ILO 152 cargo gear requirements. 
    Mr. Compton stated:
    
    
    * * * there were two lead-in periods given. For the change from a 
    quadrennial to an annual thorough examination on derricks, there was 
    one year given as a lead-in period.
        The way in which this worked was that all of our member ports 
    told their shipping company customers that this was going to happen 
    in a year's time, and that in a year's time they would legally not 
    be able to handle their derricks unless there was a thorough 
    examination and record of it in the register within the last 12 
    months, and there was no problem with that. That ship owner had a 
    year to see that was done.
        With regard to the testing, which is now a new requirement of 
    testing every five years, we gave a four-year lead-in time to that, 
    which is more than enough time for a shipowner to ensure that the 
    testing required was carried out.
        Again, the member ports told their shipping company customers, 
    who also heard about it in the course of their own trade 
    associations, made appropriate requirements, arrangements, and there 
    was no problem with that either (NO Tr. pp. 630-640).
    
    
        OSHA finds Mr. Compton's recommendations persuasive and consistent 
    with the goals of current International Trade Agreements.
        Therefore, effective a year from the publication date of the final 
    rule (Sec. 1918.11(a)(1)), all lifting appliances and all loose gear 
    are required to have had a thorough examination that is duly recorded 
    in a cargo gear register in accordance with ILO 152. Effective four 
    years from the publication date of the final rule (Sec. 1918.11(a)(2)), 
    all lifting appliances and all loose gear must have been tested (or 
    retested) with the results duly recorded in a cargo gear register in 
    accordance with ILO 152. At that time, vessels that do not have a cargo 
    gear register that is properly filled out and up to date will be 
    violating this regulation if the vessel's lifting appliances are used. 
    However, in such cases, properly certified shore-based equipment may be 
    used to load and unload the vessel.
        A new paragraph, (a)(3), has been added to address these interim 
    periods (up to one year for thorough examinations and up to four years 
    for testing), vessels with cargo gear registers that are in accordance 
    with ILO 32 will continue to be acceptable during these interim 
    periods.
        Several witnesses during the public hearings expressed concern that 
    the cargo gear register forms required by ILO 152 were not readily 
    available and that even if such forms were available, employers would 
    have difficulty in reading and understanding them (SEA Tr. 277-278, NO 
    Tr. pp. 651-655). In Appendix I of the proposed rule, OSHA provided a 
    sample cargo gear register that came from the International Labor 
    Organization's maritime office and conforms with ILO 152 requirements 
    (See also Ex. 58). The sample register is in English and includes 
    definitions and instructions on how to conduct the required inspections 
    and/or tests and how to fill out the forms. Non-mandatory Appendix I, 
    as proposed, is included in this final rule.
        The International Cargo Gear Bureau, Inc. (Ex. 6-22), pointed out 
    that although ILO 152 requires that proof load testing be done ``at 
    least every five years,'' proof testing is often done and is required 
    by some countries to be done every four years or even more frequently. 
    The same commenter went on to say that this discrepancy should be 
    clarified because four-year proof load testing is required in current 
    Secs. 1917.50(c) and current 1918.61(h). In addition, this commenter 
    wrote:
    
    
        If it is the intention of USDL/OSHA to adopt the five (5) year 
    proof load testing cycle for shipboard cargo handling gear within 
    the jurisdiction of USDL/OSHA, the justification for such relaxation 
    of proof load testing requirements should be explained by USDL/OSHA 
    considering the ``lost workdays'' statistics and statements on page 
    28595 of the June 2 Federal Register * * * (Ex. 6-22, p.4).
    
        In the final rule, OSHA is not changing either the requirement at
    
    [[Page 40154]]
    
    current Sec. 1917.50(c), which mandates a quadrennial proof load 
    testing requirement for shore based material handling devices, or the 
    requirement at current Sec. 1918.61(h), which requires such testing for 
    special stevedore gear. Instead, by requiring foreign vessels using 
    ship's gear while working in the United States to comply with ILO 152, 
    OSHA is providing greater protection to employees than is currently 
    required, because compliance with ILO 152 requires inspection and 
    testing of all lifting appliances, not just cranes and derricks, and 
    requires retesting at least every five years. Thus, the final rule's 
    vessel cargo gear certification requirements substantially increase 
    employee protections.
        One commenter wrote that OSHA should clarify in the rule what is 
    meant by ``vessel's cargo handling gear'' because of the expanded 
    requirements under ILO 152 (Ex. 6-22). OSHA modified the definition of 
    ``vessel's cargo handling gear'' in the proposal to ``include all 
    stationary or mobile cargo handling appliances * * *. `` and the final 
    rule includes the same definition. OSHA has included a cross-reference 
    to that definition in Sec. 1918.11.
        It should be noted that 29 CFR part 1919, provides procedures and 
    standards governing accreditation of persons by OSHA for the purpose of 
    certificating vessel's cargo gear and shore-based material handling 
    devices, and the manner in which such certification shall be performed. 
    Categories of competency have been established based on the equipment 
    that they have been accredited to inspect. For example, a ``full 
    function vessel'' accreditation would mean that the person or agency 
    has been recognized as competent to inspect and certify all of a 
    vessel's cargo handling equipment. Similarly, a ``loose gear and wire 
    rope'' accreditation requires the showing of a different inspection 
    competency. The inspection requirements of this subpart involve both of 
    these categories.
        With regard to these inspection requirements, several commenters 
    wrote that paragraph Sec. 1918.11(c) should be clarified by adding the 
    term ``full function vessels'' to identify the type of accreditation 
    that persons competent to make entries in the registers and issue 
    certificates must have. (Exs. NMSA et al., 6-16a). OSHA agrees with 
    these commenters and has made the change in the final rule in both 
    paragraphs Sec. 1918.11(c) and (d). The words ``or loose gear and wire 
    rope testing'' have also been added to identify those accredited 
    agencies that can issue certificates for loose gear and wire rope that 
    are part of the cargo gear register.
        One commenter (Ex. 6-5) noted that OSHA's ``proposed rules are 
    significantly more stringent than the existing Coast Guard 
    regulations.'' The U.S. Coast Guard has rules covering marine terminals 
    that handle bulk flammable liquids and gases. However, all employees 
    engaged in longshoring operations, whether on U.S. flag or foreign flag 
    vessels, are covered by OSHA's part 1918 regulations. These regulations 
    cover forklifts and other powered industrial equipment. During this 
    rulemaking, OSHA coordinated with, and received support from the 
    Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (Ex. 6-44). OSHA believes that its 
    final rule will provide longshoring and marine terminal employees with 
    effective protection from the hazards of marine cargo handling.
        The preamble section titled ``International Aspects,'' which was in 
    the proposal, is repeated in this preamble to the final rule to explain 
    why OSHA is retaining the provision (at Sec. 1918.11(a)) that allows 
    foreign flag vessels to comply with ILO gear provisions instead of 
    requiring them to comply with U.S. standards. This issue was brought 
    out in written comments and during the hearings (Ex. 6-22, NO Tr. pp. 
    454-455, pp. 650-651).
        International Aspects:
        As with all Federal agencies whose regulations influence 
    international trade, OSHA has developed this final rule in light of 
    international considerations. Through both law and policy, the United 
    States has decided that standards-related activities should not, if 
    possible, be a barrier to trade. The Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 
    U.S.C. 2501 et seq.) addresses technical barriers to trade regarding 
    federal regulation. Section 2532 of this Act states the following:
    
        Section 2532. Federal standards-related activities.
        No Federal Agency may engage in any standards related activity 
    that creates unnecessary obstacles to the foreign commerce of the 
    United States, * * *.
        (1) Nondiscriminatory treatment. * * *
        (2) Use of international standards. (A) In general, * * * each 
    Federal agency, in developing standards, shall take into 
    consideration International standards and shall, if appropriate, 
    base the standards on International standards.
    
        Additionally, and consonant with this country's position on 
    barriers to international trade, the United States is a signatory to 
    the Multilateral Convention on the Facilitation of International 
    Maritime Traffic (1965) (Ex. 1-3). As a contracting government, the 
    United States has agreed to:
    
    * * * Undertake to cooperate in securing the highest practicable 
    degree of uniformity in formalities, documentary requirements and 
    procedures in all matters in which such uniformity will facilitate 
    and improve international maritime traffic and keep to a minimum any 
    alteration's informalities, documentary requirements and procedures 
    necessary to meet special requirements of a domestic nature. 
    (Article 3)
    
        Mindful of these international aspects, OSHA sought to formulate an 
    acceptable approach to the vessel's cargo handling gear issue, and to 
    other issues. The Agency requested the Department of State (Ex. 1-7) to 
    present OSHA's approach to all foreign nations whose vessels may enter 
    U.S. ports. This exercise was conducted in the hope of identifying 
    acceptance. Reports back from responding foreign nations (Ex. 1-6) 
    indicated overwhelming support for the Agency's approach to these 
    issues. Most of the nations responding, although stipulating that they 
    had not yet ratified the more recent ILO Convention, suggested that 
    their national laws recently ratified were at least as strong, and 
    sometimes more stringent, than ILO 152. Thus, OSHA is confident that 
    the cargo gear certification requirements of the final rule are 
    consistent with those of ILO Convention 152 and national laws and 
    practices of most other countries.
    Subpart C--Gangways and Other Means of Access
        In final rule subpart C, OSHA has organized requirements by subject 
    matter and enhanced the uniformity of shoreside and shipboard 
    requirements.
        Subpart C is titled ``Means of Access'' in the existing and 
    proposed Longshoring Standard. It contains requirements that employers 
    must meet before allowing employees to board a vessel. Several 
    commenters suggested that the title be changed to ``Gangways and Other 
    Means of Access'' to better describe the contents of this subpart (Ex. 
    6-16a, NMSA et al.). These same commenters also recommended that this 
    subpart be rearranged so that each section, such as Gangways, Jacob's 
    ladders, etc., contains only the specific requirements that apply to 
    the subject matter of that section. OSHA agrees with the recommended 
    changes to the title and grouping of subjects in this subpart and has 
    generally rearranged it accordingly.
        The provisions of final Sec. 1918.21 ``General requirements,'' are 
    taken from the existing and proposed Longshoring Standards, with 
    editorial changes made for clarity. In final Sec. 1918.21(a), which 
    requires that the means of access to the vessel not be located under 
    suspended
    
    [[Page 40155]]
    
    loads to the extent possible, the words ``or others'' have been added 
    after the word ``employees''. OSHA believes that suspended loads should 
    not pass over a vessel's means of access, regardless of whose employees 
    would be exposed to the hazards of overhead loads. While OSHA 
    recognizes that the stevedoring employer may not have control over all 
    employees (or users of the gangway), employers do have control over the 
    movement of suspended loads and thus have the means to comply with this 
    provision.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.21(b) stipulates that substantial steps and a 
    minimum of one handrail be provided between the bulwark and deck when 
    the upper end of the means of access rests or is flush with the top of 
    the bulwark. This provision is unchanged from the corresponding 
    provision of the proposal.
        To eliminate the ambiguity of the current rule, which required that 
    means of access be ``adequately'' illuminated, final paragraph 
    1918.21(c) references Sec. 1918.92 which requires specific illumination 
    levels. In addition, the final rule has a footnote that gives the 
    candlepower requirement found in Sec. 1918.92, to make it readily 
    available in this section.
        The title of Sec. 1918.22, currently ``Gangways and other means of 
    access,'' is being changed to ``Gangways'' in the final rule. The word 
    ``gangways,'' as defined in Sec. 1918.2, includes accommodation 
    ladders, brows, etc. This section also joins two similar sections of 
    OSHA's current Longshoring rules (Sec. 1918.11--titled ``Gangways'' and 
    Sec. 1918.21--titled ``Gangways and other means of access''). The final 
    rule's Sec. 1918.22, therefore, eliminates the need for employers and 
    employees to look in different subparts for information on gangways.
        Following the format of the current Longshoring Standard, gangway 
    dimensions and characteristics are set out in paragraphs (a) and (b). 
    Using a combination of specification language with performance-based 
    alternatives, the final rule provides the flexibility needed in 
    adapting to vessels built according to international guidelines. The 
    final rule allows rails to be made of materials other than those 
    specified in the current rule, if the material is at least equivalent 
    in strength to those listed. Paragraphs 1918.22 (a) and (b) are 
    essentially unchanged from the proposal.
        Paragraph (c), which requires that the gangway be trimmed at all 
    times, carries over language from the current rule, plus the term 
    ``trimmed,'' a word that is also found in the Joint Maritime Safety 
    Code of the New York Shipping Association/International Longshoremen's 
    Association (NYSA/ILA Safety Code) (Ex. 1-2). This paragraph is 
    designed to ensure, despite changing conditions caused by tides, cargo 
    operations, etc., that the gangway and its components are fully useable 
    at all times.
        Final rule paragraphs (d), (f), (h), and (j) are essentially 
    identical to the corresponding provisions of the current and proposed 
    rules. They address fixed flat-tread accommodation ladders, handrails 
    on walkways, and prohibitions against obstructions (paragraphs (d), 
    (f), and (h), respectively), while paragraph (j) states that vessels 
    inspected and certified by the USCG are deemed to meet the requirements 
    of this section. Paragraphs (e), (g), and (i) have been editorially 
    modified for clarity to address problems of interpretation associated 
    with these provisions of the existing standard. Proposed paragraph (e) 
    of the final rule has been revised to require a safety net or suitable 
    protection when the gangway overhangs the water in a way that poses a 
    danger of employees falling between the ship and the dock. The purpose 
    of the net is to prevent an employee from falling to a lower level. 
    This is consistent with ILO's ``Safety and Health in Dock Work'' (Ex. 
    1-138). Final rule paragraph (g) requires gangways to be kept clear of 
    supporting bridles and other obstructions but allows that, in 
    situations where gangway supporting bridles cannot be moved because of 
    the design, the employer is to mark the hazard to alert employees using 
    such a gangway. Paragraph Sec. 1918.21(i) has been added to the final 
    rule to address the hazard associated with slippery handrails and 
    walking surfaces on gangways. Several commenters suggested the use of 
    more performance-oriented language (Exs. 6-31, 8-20, NMSA et al.) than 
    the proposal. OSHA agrees and has included the language suggested by 
    the commenters in the final rule, which has been renumbered as 
    Sec. 1918.22(i).
        Final rule Sec. 1918.23, titled ``Jacob's ladders,'' carries over 
    language from the current rule. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section 
    contain criteria for rope ladders, also known as ``Jacob's ladders''. 
    In keeping with the previously mentioned public comments regarding 
    rearranging this subpart, two paragraphs, proposed as Sec. 1918.23 (e) 
    and (f), that address Jacob's ladders have been moved to become final 
    rule Sec. 1918.23 (c) and (d). Final paragraph (c) addresses the 
    potential for the lower rungs of a Jacob's ladder to be crushed between 
    the barge and another structure by requiring that a spacer or 
    equivalent means be used to prevent this from occurring. Final rule 
    paragraph 1918.23(d) requires that a net or equivalent protection be 
    provided if there is a space between the vessel, barge, or other 
    structure when using a Jacob's ladder; this provision is designed to 
    prevent an employee from falling into the water or from being crushed 
    between the barge and other structure. Such rope ladders are often 
    provided by the vessel when more traditional means of access cannot be 
    used. Nevertheless, the employer (who is often a contractor rendering a 
    service to the vessel) must comply with the provisions of this section 
    before employees are permitted to use Jacob's ladders.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.24 is a new section titled ``Fixed and 
    portable ladders.'' This section was moved from proposed Sec. 1918.25 
    ``Ladders,'' which included requirements for both fixed and portable 
    ladders. For streamlining purposes, the final rule combines the 
    requirements for portable ladders contained in the current Longshoring 
    Standard with similar requirements contained in Sec. 1917.119 
    ``Portable ladders.''
        Generally, final Sec. 1918.24 includes much of the current 
    Longshoring Standard's language for ladders. Paragraph 1918.24(a) 
    requires that a minimum of one ladder be provided for each gang working 
    in a hatch and that an effective means of gaining a handhold be 
    provided at or near the head of vertical fixed ladders. Paragraph (b) 
    requires employers to identify ladders that are visibly unsafe and 
    prohibit their use. Paragraph 1918.24(c) requires that portable 
    straight ladders be sufficiently long to extend a minimum of 3 feet 
    above the upper landing surface and be secured against slipping.
        For fixed ladders, OSHA proposed to change the clearance required 
    behind the ladder rungs from four inches (.11 m) to six inches (.16 m) 
    on vessels built after December 5, 1981,\7\ in order to be consistent 
    with the recommendations of the ILO's Guide to Safety and Health in 
    Dock Work (Ex. 1-129). In addition, OSHA's existing Longshoring 
    Standard allows that where a fixed ladder has inadequate clearance, a 
    suitable portable ladder could be used in its place, and the final rule 
    continues to allow this practice. Two commenters addressed the issue of 
    clearance. One commenter suggested that OSHA did not give adequate 
    compliance time to vessel owners on this issue and stated that the
    
    [[Page 40156]]
    
    six-inch (.16 m) requirement should apply to vessels only after a 
    phase-in period or should apply only to vessels contracted for after 
    the effective date of the final regulations (Ex. 6-5). The New York 
    Shipping Association (NYSA) commented that using a permanent ladder 
    with a four-inch (.11 m) clearance would be safer than using portable 
    ladders (Ex. 6-16a). Although OSHA agrees with the NYSA comments 
    overall, the Agency believes that a six-inch (.16 m) clearance is 
    important to employee safety and OSHA also seeks to encourage 
    conformance with the international guidelines. To address these 
    commenters' concerns, however, OSHA is providing for a phase-in period 
    before the six inch (.16 m) clearance requirement becomes effective. 
    OSHA believes that this phase-in period will provide adequate time for 
    the international shipbuilding community to include this requirement in 
    its shipbuilding design criteria. On those vessels built on or after 
    four years after the date of the publication of the final rule, fixed 
    ladders must have six inches (.16 m) of clearance or more, or another 
    means of access must be used. In the interim period, four inches (.11 
    m) of clearance is acceptable.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \7\ This is the date when ILO Convention 152, Occupational 
    Safety and Health in Dock Work, was put into effect.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Provisions have been added to the final rule at paragraph (g) that 
    reference ANSI standards for manufactured portable ladders. New 
    provisions for ladder maintenance and usage similar to those found in 
    the current Marine Terminals Standard have been added to the final 
    Longshoring Standard in paragraph (i).
        Final paragraphs (c) and (e) of Sec. 1918.24 recognize that, as an 
    alternative to securing the ladder, an employee(s) may hold a portable 
    ladder in place while another employee is climbing. The final phrase 
    reads ``positively secured or held against shifting or slipping while 
    in use'' and is consistent with the PMA-ILWU Safety Code, Rule 1506 
    (Ex. 1-145).
        In addition, to clarify final paragraph (e), where the employer can 
    show that employees can safely use the cargo itself to climb in and out 
    of the hold (often called ``safe cargo steps''), a straight ladder is 
    not necessary.
        Paragraph (f) of the final rule sets out the requirements for rung 
    strength, spacing, and positioning, and establishes the widths between 
    side rails required for ladders of various heights.
        As mentioned above, paragraph (g) establishes standards for 
    manufactured portable ladders by cross-referencing the appropriate ANSI 
    requirements for portable wood ladders, portable metal ladders, and 
    portable reinforced plastic ladders.
        In paragraph (h) of the final rule, minimum requirements are set 
    forth for job-made portable ladders. These requirements address 
    between-rung distances, strength requirements, and width between side 
    rail requirements.
        The requirements in final rule paragraph (i) cover maintenance and 
    inspection requirements for portable ladders. They identify the kinds 
    of defects that require employers to take ladders out of service, 
    either by tagging the ladder or removing it from the vessel. In 
    addition, paragraph (i)(2) states that ladders must be inspected for 
    defects before each day's use and after any event that could damage the 
    ladder.
        Paragraph (j), which includes provisions addressing ladder usage, 
    acknowledges that while some ladders may not have slip-resistant bases, 
    they can be positively secured against shifting or slipping while in 
    use (paragraph (j)(2)). The language of this paragraph allows 
    ``holding'' as an alternative to ``lashing'' to be consistent with 
    paragraphs (c) and (e) of this section. Other provisions of paragraph 
    (j) prohibit the use of single-rail ladders, the use of ladders as 
    guys, braces, or skids, or as platforms, runways, or scaffolds. Other 
    safety procedures and prohibitions are also included in this paragraph.
        Final Sec. 1918.25, which addresses bridge plates and ramps used to 
    span the gap between the vessel and another vessel or the dock, 
    combines the current language of the Longshoring Standard's provisions 
    with the terms that apply to similar shoreside equipment (see 
    Sec. 1917.124). In the proposal, OSHA would have required sideboards 
    that are at least six inches (.16 m) high. OSHA also proposed to 
    require the same six inch (.16 m) sideboards for dockboards and ramps 
    in the Marine Terminals Standard, Sec. 1917.124(c)(5) and (d)(1). The 
    six-inch height is the same as that for ``bull rails'' that were in 
    place on the effective date of the Marine Terminals Standard 
    (Sec. 1917.112). Bull rails, frequently railroad ties, are placed 
    around the edge of the dock of a marine terminal and are used to 
    prevent equipment from falling into the water. Based on the height 
    requirement for bull rails in the Marine Terminals Standard, OSHA 
    believed that six inch sideboards would prevent vehicles and equipment 
    from accidentally falling off the edge of a bridge plate or ramp.
        Several commenters expressed reservations about the six-inch 
    sideboard requirement on the grounds that it was too high or was 
    unnecessary (Exs. 6-16a, 6-29a, 6-31a, 6-36, 80, SEA Tr. pp. 171-172, 
    242-243, 385-389, 422-423, NO Tr. pp. 158-160, 164, 384-386). These 
    commenters felt that six-inch sideboards on dockboards would create a 
    tripping hazard, would interfere with forklift operations, or would 
    fail to provide additional safety benefit. Other commenters (Exs. 6-
    29a, 6-36) suggested OSHA use ANSI Standard MH14.1 as a guide; that 
    ANSI standard recommends a sideboard height of two and three-quarters 
    of an inch. Others stated their preference that performance language 
    and grandfathering of existing ramps would be appropriate (NO Tr. pp. 
    386, 432).
        John Faulk of NMSA, at the public hearings in New Orleans, stated 
    that bridged distances rarely exceed several inches in the industry (NO 
    Tr. p.158). In addition, he said that there are thousands of ramps and 
    bridge plates in the industry that would not meet the 6-inch height 
    requirement and would thus require retrofitting with sideboards and 
    noted further that there are no accident data to justify such a 
    modification. In its post hearing comment, NMSA estimated that there 
    were 35,000 ramps and bridge plates that would require modification 
    under the proposal (Ex.80). NMSA estimated that it would cost $36 
    million to retrofit each of these ramps and bridge plates with 
    sideboards.
        After a thorough review of the record, OSHA concludes that six 
    inches is an appropriate height for ``bull rails,'' but not for 
    sideboards. As commenters noted, sideboards of that height could cause 
    a tripping hazard and interfere with safe operations.
        OSHA has reviewed the ANSI standard (MH14.1) and OSHA's proposed 
    standard on Walking/Working Surfaces and Protective Equipment (Fall 
    Protection Systems) (29 CFR 1910 subpart C) (55 FR 13360). In 
    accordance with the ANSI standard and OSHA's proposal, when the space 
    to be spanned is less than three feet (.91 m), no sideboard is 
    necessary, because the space is not large enough to allow machinery 
    such as a powered industrial truck to fall through. However, OSHA 
    believes that sideboards, or some alternative, are necessary on 
    dockboards and bridge plates spanning a gap greater than three feet. 
    OSHA believes that three feet (.91 m) is a large enough opening to 
    allow equipment to fall to a lower level, injuring the driver. In the 
    final rule, OSHA has decided to use performance language similar to 
    that in the proposed rule for Walking and Working Surfaces and 
    Protective Equipment (Fall Protection Systems) (29 CFR 1910 subpart C) 
    (55 FR 13360); thus, the final rule stipulates only that bridge and car 
    plates be designed to
    
    [[Page 40157]]
    
    prevent vehicles from running off the edge (paragraph 1918.25(a)(4)) 
    and that portable ramps be similarly designed (paragraph 
    1918.25(b)(5)). In addition, footnotes provide specification and 
    compliance guidance on sideboard heights when the gap to be bridged is 
    greater than 36 inches.
        Paragraph (b) addresses portable ramps used afloat. Except for the 
    requirement for sideboards, the final language remains the same as that 
    proposed.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.26, Access to barges and river towboats, was 
    numbered Sec. 1918.23 in the proposal. This section has been treated 
    separately in the final regulation because some barge operations, 
    particularly those conducted in the Mississippi River system (see 
    definition at Sec. 1918.2), are unique.
        Final rule paragraph (a) sets out criteria for ramps used to gain 
    vehicular access to or between barges. Of primary importance is that 
    such ramps be of sufficient strength for the intended load. Although 
    the railings required by Sec. 1918.25(b)(2) are not required on these 
    vehicular ramps, as stated in paragraph (a), the ramps must be equipped 
    with sideboards that will prevent vehicles from falling off the edge. 
    Except for the railing requirement, ramps used for vehicle access to or 
    between barges must meet all of the requirements of Sec. 1918.25.
        Final rule paragraph 1918.26(b) remains the same as proposed; it 
    addresses employee passage to and from certain floating craft. Under 
    favorable conditions, it is sometimes possible to pass to and from such 
    vessels without the aid of any additional means of access. In 
    unfavorable conditions, however, this paragraph sets forth the 
    provisions required for safe passage. These range from a straight 
    ladder to a Jacob's ladder or other safe means of access. Of 
    significance is the exception that recognizes the practical 
    difficulties that may be encountered on the Mississippi River system in 
    providing traditional access. Historically (Ex. 1-98), this exception 
    is based on tidal and current conditions on the Mississippi system.
        Final rule paragraph (c) addresses the situation where a barge or 
    raft is being worked alongside a larger vessel. Unless other safe means 
    of access is provided, paragraph (c) requires a maximum of two Jacob's 
    ladders for any single barge or raft being worked. This is consistent 
    with the requirement in Sec. 1918.24(a) that requires no more than two 
    access ladders in a hatch. In final paragraph (c), the term ``gang'' is 
    used to refer to a group of longshore workers assigned to a particular 
    hold, deck, etc. on a ship to load or discharge cargo. The use of this 
    term is consistent with its use elsewhere in this final rule.
        Final rule paragraph (d) mandates that barges on which longshoring 
    operations are taking place must be secured to the vessel, wharf, or 
    dolphins. The purpose of this provision is to prevent workers from 
    falling into the water while handling cargo.
    Subpart D--Working Surfaces
        Subpart D, Working Surfaces, addresses the hazards associated with 
    slips, trips, and falls that are common causes of injuries in the 
    marine cargo handling industry.
        OSHA clearly understands that many hazards addressed by this and 
    other subparts represent working environments and physical 
    characteristics that are encountered much less frequently now than when 
    the Longshoring Standards were last revised. This primarily is a result 
    of the evolution of handling cargo in intermodal containers rather than 
    as break bulk. However, OSHA believes those conventional break-bulk 
    cargo handling methods, together with the more traditional vessel 
    characteristics, such as a yard and stay cargo handling gear and 
    hatches covered by hatch boards, are still encountered at U.S. ports. 
    In the proposal, OSHA requested comment from the public on the issue of 
    obsolete regulations, primarily those that addressed methods of cargo 
    handling that are no longer used. OSHA also received testimony on this 
    issue (SEA Tr. pp. 133-134).
        It has been pointed out to OSHA, particularly at the West Coast 
    public hearing, that ex-Soviet bloc vessels that were once not allowed 
    to enter some United States ports, due to security reasons, are now 
    allowed to enter. Some of these vessels have cargo handling gear and 
    hatch coverings that had virtually disappeared from ports in the United 
    States. In the final rule, OSHA is retaining many provisions that might 
    otherwise have been considered obsolete because they still have 
    application to these vessels. To illustrate, Sec. 1918.31(d) prohibits 
    the placing of poorly fitting hatch covers and hatch beams that would 
    constitute a work surface. As a practical matter, seeing vessels at 
    U.S. ports fitted out with hatch beams is rare. However, such 
    situations do still arise.
        Section 1918.31, ``Hatch coverings,'' (paragraphs (a), (b), (c), 
    (d), and (e)) retains the same requirements as the current and proposed 
    regulation, except that some editorial changes have been made for 
    clarity.
        Paragraph 1918.32, ``Stowed cargo and temporary landing surfaces,'' 
    addresses surfaces used temporarily to load cargo, fall hazards posed 
    by the edges of hatch sections or by stowed cargo, and fall hazards 
    posed by gangs working on different levels of the hatch (paragraphs 
    (a), (b), and (c), respectively). Paragraph (a) specifies that 
    temporary surfaces used to land a load be of sufficient size and 
    strength to allow employees to work safely, that edges of hatch 
    sections or of stowed cargo be guarded by a safety net or equivalently 
    protective means, and that employees working in the same hatch but at 
    different levels be protected from falling by safety nets. The 
    requirements in this paragraph are essentially identical to those in 
    the existing rule and have only been modified minimally for clarity.
        Final rule paragraph 1918.32(b) has been revised to address changes 
    that have occurred in technology and work practices since OSHA's 
    original Longshoring Standard was adopted. This paragraph does not 
    apply to employees working on top of intermodal containers, whether 
    above or below deck, because such work is now covered by Section 
    1918.85(j), ``Fall protection'' (for a more detailed discussion of this 
    issue, see the preamble to Sec. 1918.85(j), below). Instead, section 
    1918.32 applies when employees are working non-containerized cargo in 
    the hold and are exposed to falls of more than eight feet (2.4 m); it 
    requires that the edge of the working surface be guarded by a safety 
    net or that other means of fall protection (such as guardrails or fall 
    arrest systems) be used to prevent employee injury. This fall distance 
    of 8 feet comes from the original Longshoring safety rules promulgated 
    under the Longshoremen and Harborworker's Compensation Act (33 U.S.C. 
    901) in 1960 and is reflected in the existing rule. Rule 1016 of the 
    Pacific Coast Marine Safety Code (PCMSC) (Ex. 1-145) is very similar to 
    this paragraph, although the OSHA provision has been written to reflect 
    a more performance-oriented approach. In addition, instead of 
    specifying the precise fall distance, distance to the edge, and so 
    forth that triggers fall protection in individual provisions, OSHA has 
    defined the term ``fall hazard'' in the Definitions section 
    (Sec. 1918.2). A discussion of the definition of ``fall hazard'' can be 
    found in subpart A.
        It is essential that employees satisfy the intent of this provision 
    and do not merely appear to comply with it. Many times, particularly 
    when safety nets have been rigged, they have been allowed to become 
    very slack, and have
    
    [[Page 40158]]
    
    even in some cases been secured only at their top ends. The improper 
    rigging of safety nets compromises or even removes the protection 
    provided to falling employees.
        This paragraph has also been revised to distinguish between the 
    purpose and use of vertical safety nets, which rise at right angles at 
    the perimeter of a work surface to prevent employees from falling, and 
    trapeze nets, which are designed to be placed horizontally below a 
    raised work surface to prevent falling employees from striking the 
    surface below.
        OSHA proposed to require that the safety nets specified in this 
    section meet the requirements of ANSI A10.11, ``Personnel and Debris 
    Nets.'' One commenter wrote:
    
        Rigging and testing nets under ANSI regs in maritime conditions 
    may not be possible such as providing outriggers for horizontal 
    distance. This regulation was written for long-term construction 
    projects where nets can be rigged, tested and left in place. (Ex 6-
    36).
    
        Commenters also pointed out that ships often supply the safety nets 
    and that requiring a foreign vessel to provide a net that meets ANSI 
    specifications may be difficult. Other commenters also opposed 
    including the reference to the ANSI standard (Exs. 6-16a, 6-29a, 6-36, 
    8-8, 8-20). After considering the international implications of this 
    provision as proposed, OSHA agrees with these commenters and has 
    deleted the reference to ANSI A10.11 in the final rule. In its place, 
    OSHA has added performance language suggested by the National Maritime 
    Safety Association--``Safety nets shall be maintained in good condition 
    and be of adequate strength for the purpose intended'' (Ex. 8-20).
        The language in Sec. 1918.32(c), which requires that gangs working 
    at different levels of the same hatch be protected by nets from falling 
    themselves or from being crushed by falling cargo, is unchanged from 
    the proposed provision. However, because this paragraph, like paragraph 
    (b), requires the use of safety nets, OSHA has included identical 
    performance language in this paragraph, i.e. that ``Safety nets shall 
    be maintained in good condition and be of adequate strength for the 
    purpose intended.''
        Final Sec. 1918.33, titled ``Deck loads,'' addresses the safe 
    performance of work on or around deck loads; it has been carried over 
    from the current rule and the proposal and is unchanged in the final 
    rule. It requires that employees be prohibited from passing over or 
    around deck loads except where safe passage exists (paragraph (a)). 
    This requirement is designed to protect employees from falling or being 
    crushed by falling cargo. Paragraph (b) of the final rule requires 
    employees giving signals to crane operators to have safe passage if 
    they walk over deck loads from rail to coaming; absent such safe 
    passage, this provision prohibits these employees from walking over 
    deck loads. In situations where it is necessary for the employees 
    giving signals to stand or walk at the outboard or inboard edge of a 
    deck load having less than 24 inches (.61 m) of bulwark, rail, coaming, 
    or other protection, those employees must be provided with fall 
    protection equivalent to that provided by a safe passageway, i.e. with 
    a guardrail, personal fall protection system, or other equally 
    effective means.
        Some commenters (Ex. NMSA et al.) recommended that OSHA not include 
    this section in the final rule because, in their opinion, it is 
    redundant with provisions in Sec. 1918.32 and Sec. 1918.91. However, 
    OSHA does not agree with these commenters, because Sec. 1918.32 
    addresses working below deck and section 1918.91 addresses 
    housekeeping. Mr. Douglas Getchell, a member of the Pacific Coast 
    Marine Safety Code Committee, International Longshoremen's and 
    Warehousemen's Union, agrees with OSHA on this point; at the hearing, 
    he testified that Sec. 1918.32 and Sec. 1918.91 only ``peripherally 
    apply'' to conditions found when working deck loads. He stated that, 
    since Sec. 1918.33 is more specific to the subject, it should not be 
    deleted (NO Tr. pp.246-250).
        Final rule Sec. 1918.34, ``Other decks,'' includes requirements to 
    protect longshore workers from being injured while working on other 
    decks, e.g. skeleton decks, mechano decks. Paragraph (a) prohibits the 
    working of cargo on any deck that was not designed to support a load of 
    the weight being worked, and paragraph (b) requires that grated decks 
    be properly placed, supported, maintained, and designed to support 
    employees; grated decks that do not meet this requirement may not be 
    used to work cargo. OSHA proposed to change the title of this section 
    of the existing rule, which is ``Skeleton decks,'' to ``Other decks'' 
    and received support from commenters to make this change (Ex. 8-20, 
    NMSA et al.). Accordingly, the final rule section is titled ``Other 
    decks.''
        Final rule Secs. 1918.35 and 1918.36 address hazards longshore 
    workers face when conducting operations around open weather deck 
    hatchways or when weather deck rails are removed to conduct cargo 
    operations. Vessels calling at U.S. ports are of varied designs and 
    capabilities. Some vessels have coamings, which are the vertical 
    structures that surround the hatch opening on a ship, that are much 
    higher than the section 1918.35's minimum acceptable range (36 to 42 
    inches (.91 to 1.07 meters)), while other vessels may have no hatch 
    coamings but have flush decks or decks with a short sill. Decks of the 
    latter two types pose substantial fall hazards to longshore workers. 
    Sections 1918.35 and 1918.36 require that, when employees work around 
    the perimeter of open hatchways that are not protected to a height of 
    24 inches (.61 m) on vessels with low or no hatch coamings, appropriate 
    guarding, such as that provided by taut lines or barricades, must be 
    provided to a height of 36 to 42 inches (.91 to 1.07 m) on all but the 
    working side of the hatch (Sec. 1918.35). Weather deck rails must be 
    kept in place except when cargo is being worked, and they must be 
    replaced after cargo operations are finished (Sec. 1918.36). These 
    provisions were widely supported (Ex. NMSA et al.), and these sections 
    are unchanged from the proposal.
        Final Sec. 1918.37, ``Barges,'' addresses the fall hazards 
    associated with working on the decks of lighters and barges. Final 
    paragraph (a) prohibits the use of marginal (less than three feet (.91 
    m) wide) deck space along the sides of covered lighters or barges on 
    all such vessels having coamings more than five feet (1.5 m) high but 
    allows an employer to provide, instead, a taut handline or a 
    serviceable grab rail. Two commenters (Exs. 6-18, 6-42) asked OSHA to 
    allow existing barges to be ``grandfathered'' from compliance with 
    Sec. 1918.37(a) on the grounds that ``Many barges currently in service 
    do not meet the three-foot standard [the width for walkways]. Rather 
    the walkways on these barges are only 18-24 inches in width'' (Ex. 6-
    18). OSHA is not providing such an exemption in the final rule because 
    this requirement has been in place since the 1960's, and it allows 
    considerable compliance flexibility, e.g. the use of a taut handline or 
    a serviceable grab rail in lieu of a 3-foot wide walkway. This 
    requirement is essentially identical to that proposed.
        Final rule paragraph (b) prohibits working or walking on barge 
    decks that have not been visually inspected to ensure that they are 
    structurally sound and have been maintained properly. The visual check 
    of such decks must be done before loading operations begin. If during 
    discharge operations an unsafe surface is discovered, work must be 
    stopped until protective measures are taken (such as bridging the 
    unsafe surface with steel plate or barricading a deck section deemed 
    unsafe). This provision is essentially unchanged from
    
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    the corresponding provision in the proposal.
        Proposed Sec. 1918.38, titled ``Log rafts,'' which was a new 
    section in the proposal, has been moved to subpart H, ``Handling 
    Cargo'' in the final rule. It has been combined with Sec. 1918.88, 
    ``Log operations,'' so that all requirements dealing with handling logs 
    from the water are in the same section, as suggested by several 
    commenters (Exs. 78, PMA et al., SEA Tr. p. 397, pp. 410-411). A 
    discussion of log rafts is found below in subpart H.
    Subpart E--Opening and Closing Hatches
        Final subpart E, titled ``Opening and Closing Hatches,'' remains 
    very similar to the corresponding subpart of OSHA's current Longshoring 
    Standard. This subpart addresses the hazards presented to employees by 
    the opening and closing of covers designed to protect cargo from the 
    elements. The principal hazards include employees falling into the hold 
    while removing or replacing hatch covers and hatch beams and employees 
    being struck by covers and beams as these articles are moved. The 
    proposed language received widespread support from commenters (Exs. 
    NMSA et al., PMA et al) and are thus essentially unchanged in the final 
    rule. OSHA is retaining sections in subpart E that address methods of 
    covering hatches, such as with hatch boards, even though these methods 
    have largely been replaced by more modern or automated methods or 
    equipment. In both written comments and testimony, participants stated 
    that vessels that require these older methods of covering hatches are 
    still worked in U.S. ports and thus that OSHA should retain these 
    requirements in the final rule (Ex. 8-20; SEA Tr. pp. 134-135).
        Final rule Sec. 1918.41, ``Coaming clearances,'' addresses the fall 
    hazards associated with such clearances. Paragraph (a) addresses 
    weather deck clearances and requires that when a smooth-sided deck load 
    more than 5 feet high is stowed within three feet (.91 m) of the hatch 
    coaming, and the coaming height is less than 24 inches (.61 m), a taut 
    handline must be provided along the side of the deckload so that 
    employees are able safely to remove or replace hatch beams and covers. 
    This provision is essentially identical both to the corresponding 
    provision of the existing standard and the proposed rule; it is also 
    similar to requirements in the NYSA/ILA Joint Maritime Safety Code--
    part C/Rule 38 (Ex. 1-2) and the PCMSC--Rule 1007 (Ex. 1-145).
        Final rule paragraph (b) is titled ``Intermediate decks.'' 
    Paragraph (b)(1) requires that a three-foot (.91 m) clear work area be 
    provided for intermediate deck hatchways before employees remove or 
    replace these hatch beams or covers when a fall hazard exists. 
    Paragraph (b)(1) also states an exception where the 3-foot clearance is 
    not required when no fall hazard exists; for example, such a clearance 
    is not necessary on the covered portion of a partially open hatch or 
    when the lower deck has been filled to hatch beam height with cargo 
    that itself provides a safe working surface. Paragraph (b)(2) 
    specifically recognizes that a fitted grating can be considered part of 
    the actual deck or working space if it is in good condition and is 
    properly spaced within the 3-foot area. In addition, OSHA has dropped 
    the reference to ``banana'' gratings found in the Agency's current 
    longshoring regulation because it is an obsolete term.
        Final rule paragraph (c) addresses the hazard of falling where, 
    because of wing-space structures or spare parts storage, coaming 
    clearance is reduced below the required 3-foot clearance. It requires 
    employers to provide grab rails or taut hand lines in such cases.
        Final paragraph (d) states that this section (Sec. 1918.41) does 
    not apply where the opening and closing of hatches is accomplished by 
    mechanical means that eliminate the need for employees to place or 
    remove individual sections manually. However, whenever a three-foot 
    clearance does not exist, means shall be taken to adequately secure 
    cargo that is stowed within three feet (.91 m) of the edge of the hatch 
    to prevent cargo from falling into the hold.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.42, ``Hatch beam and pontoon bridles,'' is 
    carried over in its entirety from OSHA's current longshore rules, 
    although some editorial changes have been made for clarity. Provisions 
    in this section address the hazards of handling hatch beams and 
    pontoons, such as falling into the hatch or being struck by these 
    removable items. Equivalent rules can be found in section two of the 
    PCMSC (Ex. 1-145) and parts C and O of the NYSA/ILA Joint Maritime 
    Safety Code (Ex. 1-2).
        Paragraph (a) of final rule Sec. 1918.42 requires that hatch beams 
    and pontoon bridles be long enough to fit their attachment points 
    easily, be strong enough to lift the load safely, and be properly 
    maintained. Paragraph (b) requires that bridles for lifting hatch beams 
    be equipped with attachment devices, such as toggles, that cannot 
    become accidentally dislodged. It also prohibits the use of hooks other 
    than those specified in paragraph (b) unless such hooks are hooked into 
    the standing part of the bridle.
        Paragraph (c) requires that bridles used for lifting pontoons and 
    plugs have the number of legs required by the design of the pontoon or 
    plug and that all legs be used. Any legs that are not used must be hung 
    on the hook or ring to prevent them from swinging free.
        Paragraph (d) requires that at least two legs be fitted with a 
    fiber rope lanyard that is a minimum of 8 feet long, is in good 
    condition, and has a bridle end that is made of chain or wire. The 
    purpose of all of the requirements in Sec. 1918.42 is to ensure proper 
    manual guidance of the lift.
        Final Sec. 1918.43, ``Handling hatch beams and covers,'' has also 
    generally been carried over from OSHA's existing longshore rules, with 
    some editorial changes made for clarity. Provisions in this section 
    address the hazards associated with the handling and stowing of hatch 
    boards, hatch beams, and pontoons; examples include employees or hatch 
    covers falling into the hatch or employees being struck by improperly 
    stowed items. Similar requirements are found in Section X of the PCMSC 
    (Ex. 1-145), part O of the NYSA/ILA code (Ex. 1-2), and ILO Convention 
    152.
        Paragraph (a)(1) requires that hatch covers or pontoons stowed on 
    the weather deck adjacent to hatches must be positioned in stable piles 
    that are a minimum of 3 feet from hatch coamings. An exception to this 
    requirement is permitted in the situation where hatch covers or 
    pontoons are spread one high between the coaming and bulwark on the 
    working side of the hatch and there is no space between them (providing 
    that the coaming is at least 24 inches high). Paragraph (a)(1) also 
    prohibits hatch covers and pontoons from being stacked higher than the 
    coaming or bulwark on the working side of the hatch.
        Paragraph (a)(2) prohibits hatch boards or other covers that have 
    been removed from the hatch beams in a section of the hatch that has 
    been partially opened for the purpose of being worked, cleaned, or used 
    for other operations from being stowed on those covers or boards in the 
    hatch that have been left in place. This provision applies to seagoing 
    vessels only.
        Final rule paragraph (b) stipulates that hatch beams be laid on 
    their sides or be stood on their edges and be lashed together except in 
    cases where the hatch beams have flanges: (1) Whose width is at least 
    50 percent of the height of the web and (2) that rest flat on the deck 
    when the hatch beam is stood upright.
    
    [[Page 40160]]
    
        Paragraph (c) addresses the potential dislodgement of strongbacks, 
    hatch covers, or pontoons. It requires that, when such items are placed 
    on the weather deck, they be placed so as not to obstruct clear fore-
    and-aft and coaming-to-bulwark passage and be lashed or otherwise 
    secured. In addition, this paragraph requires that dunnage or other 
    suitable material be positioned under each tier of strongbacks or hatch 
    covers to prevent them from slipping; this provision applies only when 
    such items are stowed on steel decks.
        In paragraph (d), the final rule requires employers to take 
    precautions designed to protect workers from falling hatch covers and 
    strongbacks. It stipulates that hatch covers and strongbacks unshipped 
    in an intermediate deck be placed a minimum of 3 feet from the coaming 
    or be removed to another deck altogether, except that strongbacks may 
    be placed a minimum of 6 inches from the coaming if they have been 
    secured so that they cannot tip over or be dragged into the lower 
    compartment.
        To prevent accidental displacement, paragraph (e) requires that any 
    hatch beam or pontoon left next to an open hatch section being worked 
    must be locked or otherwise secured. In addition, unless portable, 
    manually handled hatch covers (including those that have been bound 
    together to form a single larger cover) have been securely lashed, they 
    must be removed from sections being worked and adjacent sections.
        Paragraph (f)(1) of the final rule mandates that the roller hatch 
    beam at the edge of the open section of the hatch be lashed or pinned 
    back to prevent it from being dislodged and falling through the open 
    hatch. Similarly, paragraph (f)(2) requires that rolling, sectional, or 
    telescoping hatch covers on barges that open in the fore and aft 
    direction be secured against movement when they are in the open 
    position, and paragraph (g) requires similar precautions for hinged or 
    folding hatch covers when in the upright position (except in cases 
    where the design of the system precludes unintentional movement).
        Paragraph (h) prohibits the opening or closing of hatches while 
    workers are in the square of the hatch below. This prohibition is 
    necessary to prevent hatch beams or covers from dislodging and falling 
    on the employees working on the lower level.
        In the final rule, paragraph (i), which was a newly proposed 
    provision, addresses the hazards of unsecured materials. Lashing wires, 
    rods, and twist locks are often left on top of a hatch cover after the 
    cargo has been discharged. These items can fall from the covers when 
    the covers are being moved and injure employees, and this provision 
    thus requires that all such materials be removed from the hatch cover 
    or be secured before the hatch cover is removed. The words ``or secured 
    to prevent them from falling off the cover'' has been added to the 
    proposed language to recognize that, in addition to removing such 
    materials, employers can achieve the required protection by securing 
    these items to the hatch cover.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.43(j) requires that hatch covers or night 
    tents be used to cover hatches, and that any covering that only 
    partially covers a hatch, such as alternating hatch covers or dunnage 
    strips, may not be covered by a tarpaulin. The reason for this 
    prohibition is that employees could fall through the tarpaulin and 
    partial covering. However, paragraph (i) allows an exception: 
    tarpaulins may be used to cover an open or only partially covered hatch 
    if they are used to reduce dust during bulk cargo loading and if 
    positive means, such as barricades with placards, have been taken to 
    ensure that employees do not walk on the tarpaulin. Verbal warnings, 
    instructions or placards alone will not satisfy this provision. The 
    exception has been added to the final rule, although the rest of this 
    provision is similar to a paragraph in OSHA's existing Longshore 
    Standard.
    Subpart F--Vessel's Cargo Handling Gear
        Subpart F applies to all gear and equipment used in cargo handling 
    that is the property of the vessel. Examples of such equipment include 
    cranes, derricks, specialized bridles, winches, wire rope, and 
    shackles. This subpart addresses the hazards associated with that gear, 
    such as using faulty gear, overloading or improperly rigging cargo 
    gear, or the improper operation of cargo gear, which can result in 
    serious injury or death (Ex. 1-103.).
        Mr. Ronald Signorino, the Director of Health, Safety and Regulatory 
    Affairs for Universal Maritime Services, described the diminishing 
    amount of break-bulk cargo being handled with conventional cargo gear 
    since the advent of containerized cargo (Ex. 6-35). He stated that 
    traditional cargo handling expertise had become a ``lost art'' and 
    therefore recommended that language be included in the final rule 
    addressing the proper rigging and operating of conventional cargo gear. 
    He reasoned that, since some cargo is still handled by conventional 
    methods, including recommendations addressing the correct spotting of 
    cargo handling gear would provide employees unfamiliar with such gear 
    with guidance on its safe operation. Mr. Signorino noted that 
    improperly spotted conventional cargo handling gear can fail, which 
    causes the gear and cargo to fall and can lead to serious injury. OSHA 
    agrees and has added this information in non-mandatory Appendix III.
        Section 1918.51 contains general requirements that apply to all 
    cargo handling equipment that is permanently attached to a vessel. 
    Final rule paragraph (a) remains essentially the same as proposed and 
    stipulates that the safe working load of the gear, whether marked on 
    the lifting appliance itself or specified in the required certificates/
    gear register, may not be exceeded. It also specifies that any 
    limitations imposed by the authority responsible for certificating the 
    gear be followed.
        Final rule paragraph (b) requires that each component of ship's 
    cargo handling gear be inspected by the employer (or his or her 
    designee) before every use and at appropriate intervals during use. 
    This paragraph clarifies the corresponding requirement in OSHA's 
    existing Longshore Standard by making clear that the employer has an 
    obligation to do a visual inspection. One commenter, the International 
    Cargo Gear Bureau, Inc. (ICGB), pointed out that the proposed paragraph 
    would have limited the designees to ``representatives of the 
    employer,'' which was not OSHA's intent (Ex. 6-22). OSHA has revised 
    the language of the final rule to say, ``designated person.''
        Referring to the same paragraph, Sec. 1918.51(b), another 
    commenter, the National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA), suggested 
    that OSHA add the words ``and when necessary'' before the words ``at 
    intervals during use'' (Ex. NMSA et al.). However, OSHA disagrees with 
    this comment because the Agency believes that, during use, events could 
    occur or conditions arise that would suggest to a prudent operator that 
    an unscheduled visual inspection may be necessary. OSHA agrees with 
    NMSA that the inspection intervals required by the final rule should be 
    qualified but believes that the word ``appropriate'' captures the 
    desired meaning better than the suggested word ``necessary.'' The final 
    rule reflects this determination.
        In final paragraph (c), employers are required to determine the 
    load ratings of all wire ropes and rope slings presented in the 
    vessel's wire rope certificate and to observe these ratings when using 
    this gear.
    
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        Final rule paragraph (d) provides criteria for splicing wire rope 
    and for wire rope configuration characteristics and is essentially 
    unchanged from the corresponding paragraph of the proposal. It 
    addresses eye splices, requirements for wire rope used in lifting, 
    natural and synthetic fiber rope slings, and chains. Additionally, this 
    paragraph brings the Longshore regulations for wire rope into 
    conformity with the same criteria as those in OSHA's rules for 
    shoreside marine cargo handling equipment (Sec. 1917.42) and thus 
    reflects OSHA's effort to maintain consistency between parts 1917 and 
    1918 and to enhance employee safety.
        Final rule Secs. 1918.52, 1918.53, and 1918.54 all address the 
    subject of rigging and operating vessel's cargo handling gear. The 
    requirements of these sections are essentially the same as those 
    parallel provisions found in the existing and proposed rules, although 
    some language modifications have been made to enhance clarity.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.52, ``Specific requirements,'' contains 
    provisions addressing preventers, stoppers, falls, heel blocks, coaming 
    rollers, and cargo hooks. Paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) mandate that 
    preventers have sufficient strength to achieve their purpose and be 
    properly secured to the head of the boom (unless, for cast fittings, 
    the strength of the fitting exceeds the strength of all lines secured 
    to it (paragraph (a)(1)) and that wire rope clips and knots not be used 
    to form eyes in or join preventer guys (paragraph (a)(2)).
        Paragraphs (b) (1), (2), and (3) contain requirements for the 
    condition, configuration, strength, and securing of chain topping lift 
    stoppers. These requirements are essentially unchanged from the 
    parallel provisions of the proposal. OSHA solicited comment in the 
    proposal regarding whether or not to delete Sec. 1918.52(b) as 
    obsolete. This paragraph addresses the use of chain topping lift 
    stoppers and clamp type stoppers that are used manually to lower and 
    raise the boom. This method of topping the boom is a potentially 
    dangerous operation and has been largely replaced by the use of 
    electric topping lift winches that do not require the use of stoppers. 
    As noted earlier, however, vessels continue to call on U.S. ports 
    equipped with this older equipment. Such vessels will need to be 
    addressed by Sec. 1918.52(b), as noted in the comments (Ex. NMSA et 
    al.). OSHA agrees and has accordingly left this requirement in the 
    final rule.
        Paragraph (c) specifies requirements for the securing, conditions 
    of use, formation of, and winding of the fall on the drum. Again, no 
    comments were received on these provisions, which are essentially 
    unchanged from those proposed. These provisions are designed to ensure 
    that winch falls do not slip, break, or release while cargo is being 
    lifted.
        Heel blocks are covered by the requirements of paragraph (d). 
    Paragraph (d)(1) requires that a preventer or equally effective means 
    be used to hold the block in the event of heel block attachment 
    failure. In paragraph (d)(2), OSHA requires that, in cases where the 
    heel block is not so rigged as to prevent its falling when not under 
    strain, the heel block must be secured, except where the heel block is 
    at least 10 feet above the deck at its lowest point.
        Paragraph (e) of the final rule requires portable coaming rollers 
    to be secured by wire preventers, while paragraph (f) specifies that 
    cargo hooks be as close to the junctions of falls as the assembly 
    permits, but in all cases within 2 feet of the assembly. Paragraph (f) 
    applies only to vessels and operations where fall angles greater than 
    120 degrees occur.
        Cargo winches are covered in Sec. 1918.53 of the final rule. 
    Paragraph (a) stipulates that the moving parts of winches or other deck 
    machinery be guarded to prevent employees from being caught in or 
    between moving parts. According to paragraph (b), winches may not be 
    used if control levers operate either with excessive play or friction; 
    paragraph (c) prohibits the use of double gear winches or other winches 
    equipped with a clutch unless a positive locking mechanism to lock the 
    gear shift is provided. When the gears on a two-gear winch are being 
    changed, paragraph (d) prohibits any load on the winch other than the 
    fall and cargo hook assembly.
        Paragraph (e) requires that any defect or malfunction that has the 
    potential to affect safety be reported immediately to the officer in 
    charge and that the winch in question not be used until the defect or 
    malfunction has been corrected. The proposal added the following 
    language to this paragraph: ``* * * and the winch shall not be used 
    until the defect or malfunction is corrected.'' This addition was 
    supported by the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union 
    (Ex. 19). In addition, several comments were received regarding the 
    phrase ``Any defect or malfunction of winches that affects safety * * 
    *.'' These commenters stated that the language was too broad and that 
    the less specific language in OSHA's existing standard should be 
    retained instead (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et al.). Other commenters 
    agreed with the proposed language, however (Ex. 19, NO Tr. pp. 250-
    251). OSHA finds NMSA's and PMA's arguments unconvincing because the 
    Agency believes that employers will benefit from the more specific 
    requirement. However, the final language has been modified for clarity 
    to say ``Any defect or malfunction of winches that could endanger 
    employees * * *''.
        Paragraph (f) requires that temporary seats or shelters for winch 
    drivers not be used if they create a hazard to the operator or other 
    employees (e.g. a ``plywood roof'' that obstructs the view of the 
    operator). In addition, paragraph (g) prohibits winch drivers from 
    using control extension levers that have not been provided by the 
    employer or the ship (except for short handles on wheel-type controls). 
    If used, such levers must be of adequate strength and be securely 
    fastened. Any extension lever that tends to fall under its own weight 
    must be counterbalanced, according to paragraph (h).
        In paragraph (i) of the final rule, OSHA requires that winch brakes 
    be monitored during use, and that those that are not able to hold the 
    load be removed from service. As proposed, this requirement mandates 
    that winches be monitored during operation. One commenter suggested 
    that the phrase ``monitored for performance'' be more fully explained 
    in the final rule (Ex. 6-46). In response, OSHA notes that the 
    requirements in Sec. 1918.53 are directed to the employer of the 
    employees who operate the winches to load and unload cargo. If, during 
    operation, it is observed that the winch brakes do not prevent the 
    cargo gear from lowering or slipping while under a load, the winch must 
    be removed from service. To provide the specifics requested by this 
    commenter, the language of paragraph (i) now reads as follows: ``(i) 
    Winch brakes shall be monitored during use. If winch brakes are unable 
    to hold the load, the winch shall be removed from service.''
        The requirement at paragraph (j) states that winches may not be 
    used if one or more control points are not operating properly, and 
    further specifies that employees are not permitted to tamper with or 
    adjust the winch controls. Both of these requirements are designed to 
    ensure the safety of hoisting and lowering operations performed with a 
    winch.
        To ensure that unattended winch controls are not tampered with or 
    adjusted, paragraph (k) requires that the control levers of unattended 
    winches be placed in the neutral position and that the power be shut 
    off or the control lever be locked. As proposed, a
    
    [[Page 40162]]
    
    feasibility exception that is included in OSHA's existing Longshore 
    Standard has been deleted because it was based on a winch design 
    feature that is no longer in use today because of technological 
    improvements.
        Section 1918.54, entitled ``Rigging gear,'' addresses the hazards 
    associated with the unsafe practice of rigging guys or preventers so 
    that they chafe against other guys, preventers, or stays. Such chafing 
    can cause the vessel's cargo gear to fail because the chafing can cause 
    the wires to separate, leading to possible serious injury or death as 
    the gear and cargo fall down on the deck or into the hold. Several 
    commenters supported the inclusion of this paragraph in the final rule 
    (Ex. NMSA et al.).
        Paragraph (a) requires each guy or preventer to be placed in a 
    manner that prevents it from contacting any other guy, preventer, or 
    stay, and paragraph (b) requires that guys be placed to produce the 
    least amount of stress without allowing the boom to jackknife. Boom 
    placement is addressed in paragraph (c), which states that the head of 
    the midship boom must be spotted no further outboard of the coaming 
    than is required to control the load. Preventers are covered in 
    paragraph (d). Paragraph (d)(1) requires that these devices be secured 
    to suitable fittings (other than those to which the guys are secured) 
    and be as nearly parallel to the guys as the fittings permit. Except 
    when the cleat is also a chock and the hauling part is led through the 
    chock opening, the lead of preventers must be designed so that the 
    direction of the line pull of the preventer is as parallel as possible 
    to the surface on which the cleat is mounted (paragraph (d)(2)). 
    Paragraph (d)(3) requires that guys and associated preventers be 
    adjusted so that the load is shared as equally as possible when 
    burtoning operations are underway. An exception is allowed where guys 
    are designed and intended only for trimming purposes and the preventer 
    is used in lieu of the guy; in such cases, the guy may be left slack.
        Cargo falls are covered by paragraph (e), which stipulates that 
    cargo falls under load are not permitted to chafe against any standing 
    or other running rigging. A Note to this requirement stresses that, for 
    the purposes of this paragraph, rigging is not to be construed to mean 
    hatch coamings or other parts of the vessel.
        In paragraph (f)(1) of the final rule, employers are required to 
    secure the bull wire to the gypsy head by shackle or equivalent method 
    where the bull wire is taken to the gypsy head for lowering or topping 
    the boom. Fiber rope may not be used to comply with this provision. 
    Paragraph (f)(2) states that, when it is not possible to secure the 
    bull wire to the gypsy head or when the topping lift is taken to the 
    gypsy head, at least five turns of the wire must be used.
        When deck loads are higher than the rail and the clearance between 
    the edge of the load and the inside of the bulwark or rail is less than 
    12 inches, paragraph (g) requires employers to provide a pendant or 
    other alternate device to permit trimming of the gear without its going 
    over the side. The provisions in section 1918.54 are essentially 
    unchanged from the parallel requirements in the proposal.
        Final Sec. 1918.55, titled ``Cranes,'' covers deck cranes 
    permanently attached to a vessel. OSHA's existing rule only addresses 
    the hazards associated with the swing radius of the crane. The final 
    rule's requirements, on the other hand, provide more comprehensive 
    coverage of the hazards encountered in the use of ship's cranes. In 
    addition, these requirements closely parallel similar shoreside 
    requirements in part 1917 and in other OSHA crane standards.
        In Sec. 1918.55(a), OSHA prohibits the use of cranes that develop a 
    visible or known defect affecting safe operation. In addition, proposed 
    paragraph (b)(1) required that the operator's station be well 
    maintained, with good visibility provided through the cab's glass. 
    Comments were received (Ex. NMSA et al., PMA et al.) recommending that 
    OSHA reword the language of this provision of the existing Longshore 
    Standard for the sake of clarity. Other commenters pointed out that the 
    proposed wording of this provision was similar to language found in the 
    Pacific Coast Marine Safety Code (although the code requires 
    replacement of cracked or broken glass) (Ex. 19). In response to the 
    comments received, OSHA has revised the language in this paragraph to 
    read as follows: ``Cranes with missing, broken, cracked, scratched, or 
    dirty glass (or equivalent) that impairs operator visibility shall not 
    be used.'' The same language has been used in Sec. 1917.45(f)(5), 
    addressing the same issue in relation to cranes used in marine 
    terminals.
        Paragraph (b)(2) mandates that clothing, tools and equipment be 
    stored in a manner that does not restrict access to or operation of the 
    crane or interfere with the operator's view.
        According to paragraph (c), areas that are within the swing radius 
    of the body of revolving cranes and are accessible to employees must be 
    guarded during cargo operations to prevent an employee from being 
    caught between the body of the crane and any fixed structure, or 
    between parts of the crane. In proposed paragraph Sec. 1918.55(c)(1), 
    OSHA addressed the danger of employees being caught between shipboard 
    gantry cranes and fixed structures on deck along the travel path of the 
    crane, such as would occur on a LASH (Lighter Aboard Ship) vessel or a 
    self-contained container ship. (Ex. 1-103, cases 26 and 27). OSHA 
    received both comment and testimony on this proposed language. The 
    commenters pointed out that there are means other than physical 
    guarding to protect employees in this situation, such as using a 
    proximity device to shut down crane travel if an employee is in danger 
    of being caught between the crane and a structure on the vessel (Ex. 
    NMSA et al., NO Tr. p. 396). OSHA agrees with these commenters and has 
    added the words ``or other effective means shall be taken'' to 
    paragraph (c)(1) of the final rule. Also, a note has been added for 
    clarification that says; ``Verbal warnings to employees to avoid the 
    dangerous area do not meet this requirement.''
        An issue discussed at length during the public hearings was the 
    bypassing of limit switches during cargo operations. Most cranes, both 
    shore-based and shipboard, are equipped with limit switches. Limit 
    switches are designed to prevent the crane and boom from damage by 
    deactivating the crane when certain limits are exceeded. Limit switches 
    can prevent the crane from the following hazards: boom collapse, 
    unwanted contact with the vessel or other structure, exceeding the safe 
    working load, or dropping a container. Another example of a limit 
    switch is the anti-two-blocking device. The calibration of limit 
    switches always incorporates a specific margin of safety.
        In the proposal, OSHA did not allow the bypassing of limit switches 
    during cargo operations. The National Maritime Safety Association, in 
    their written comments, asked that OSHA allow limit switches to be 
    bypassed, but only after an officer of the vessel has been notified, 
    and only where a designated person directs the operation (Ex. NMSA et 
    al.). During the public hearings in Seattle, members of the 
    International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU) Longshore 
    Coast Safety Committee testified that limit switches should not be 
    bypassed except in certain situations, such as an emergency. They 
    expressed concern that bypassing limit switches could put stresses on 
    cranes for which they were not designed, resulting in a dangerous 
    situation. The ILWU also stated that this issue had been considered by 
    the Joint Co-Safety Committee, which consists of
    
    [[Page 40163]]
    
    members from labor and management, and that Committee had determined 
    that cranes with a load should never be put in a bypass mode (SEA Tr. 
    pp. 106-113).
        Further, a member of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) 
    testified at the Seattle hearings that because of the discussions 
    between the PMA and the ILWU, Rule 277 of the Pacific Coast Marine 
    Safety Code had been adopted:
    
        Bypass keys where ships' cranes equipped with limit switches, 
    shall not be left in the override locks. That * * * [is], the keys 
    were not to be maintained in the override locking position.
        That was the result of the discussion. There was never unanimous 
    agreement on if bypass switches could be turned on for special moves 
    or special types of operations (SEA Tr. p. 158).
    
        During the Seattle hearings, further testimony on the issue of 
    bypassing limit switches was given by Don Lawson, principal surveyor 
    with Marine Surveyors and Consultants, Inc., a company accredited by 
    the Department of Labor under part 1919 to inspect and certify vessel 
    and shore-based cargo handling gear. Mr. Lawson stated:
    
        The purpose of the limit switch is:
        [First] to prevent stresses on the structure, particularly the 
    boom, when the maximum radius is reached, and if the safe working 
    load was on the hook at the time, to go below the safety switch, the 
    lower limit safety switch, would be an overstressed situation.
        The second reason for a limit switch is preventing physical 
    damage, physical contact with structures around the crane, and this 
    is where there's been a lot of problems over the years.
        A limit switch should never be bypassed for cargo operations. I 
    agree with the scenario of a life and limb situation or an emergency 
    situation where there might be property damage and that there should 
    be somebody technically-oriented to carry that out.
        In the hundred or so incidents we've been involved with, most 
    the times the jib, when the limit switch is bypassed, is set down on 
    the crutch or the foundation for another crane on the vessel, which 
    is on the same platform, or it's the rail of the platform.
        The operator's view of these areas is limited because the 
    structure of the jib is quite large and does obstruct the side view 
    * * *.
        In all cases, if there's been contact with ship structure, the 
    limit switch had been bypassed.
        Another statement that came out yesterday is there's a lack of 
    design or a problem with design of vessels and that you must bypass 
    the limit switch in order to get to certain reaches of a hatch. 
    That's not true.
        The newer generation loggers have long midships hatches. Usually 
    the middle hatches, and the two and three or three and four hatches 
    are long, but they're served by cranes on both sides of the hatch.
        If you look at a shadow plan of the radius of the cranes, you'll 
    see that they're concentric circles in the center of the hatch, but 
    in the trunks the forward crane will not reach the after trunk and 
    vice versa (SEA Tr. pp. 278-289).
    
        Further testimony given by an ILWU container crane operator 
    addressed bypassing the limit switches on the container spreader bar. 
    These switches are designed to prevent the corner twist locks from 
    unlocking when handling a container. Citing snow as an example, he 
    stated:
    
    * * * I don't believe that we should use a bypass because we have 
    snow jamming the sensors and the corners of the spreader. What we 
    should be doing, of course, and what we normally do is lower the 
    spreader and have somebody clean out the snow (SEA Tr. p. 111).
    
    Another dock worker testified that the spreader corner locks can be 
    bypassed to speed up an operation. Instead of having to wait for the 
    limit switches to activate and release the locks, bypassing them allows 
    for a faster operation. However, this same witness testified that this 
    practice can also lead to a spreader releasing a container 
    inadvertently while in the air (SEA Tr. pp. 306-307).
        One employer, Captain John McNeil, Vice-President of Operations, 
    Marine Terminals Corporation, testified that there are occasions where 
    the limit switches on a container crane can be an operations problem.
    
    * * * The upper limit on container cranes is usually set by a limit 
    switch, to six feet under the boom to permit normal, safe 
    operations.
        When we have an especially high vessel that comes into that 
    threshold one or two feet, it is a common practice, is it not, to 
    shut off the bypass or to raise the bypass limits to be able to work 
    that extra tier of containers? (SEA Tr. p. 285).
    
    Additionally, Captain McNeil noted that limit switches are sometimes 
    bypassed, prior to cargo handling operations, when a vessel has two 
    cranes at the same hatch that can be operated together (married) or 
    separately (SEA Tr. pp. 286-288).
        Post hearing comments submitted by the ILWU repeated their position 
    against bypassing limit switches and included suggested language for 
    the final rule. They also stated that similar language should be 
    included in the Marine Terminals Standard, as part of Sec. 1917.45, 
    Cranes and derricks (Ex. 78).
        After a thorough review of all the comments and testimony, OSHA 
    remains unconvinced that limit switches can be safely bypassed during 
    cargo operations and continues this prohibition in the final rule. 
    However, OSHA recognizes that, in addition to emergencies, there are 
    certain non-cargo handling operations that occur that necessitate the 
    bypassing of limit switches but have no adverse impact on worker 
    safety. OSHA has identified three specific situations where such bypass 
    systems may be activated: during an emergency, while performing repairs 
    or when stowing cranes or derricks. To provide additional safeguards, 
    any time a bypass system is used, it must be done under the direction 
    of an officer of the vessel. Paragraph (c)(2) of the final rule has 
    been revised accordingly.
        The provisions of paragraph (c)(2) are also being carried over to 
    shore-based cranes in the final rule on marine terminals. However, OSHA 
    recognizes, in one unique, shore-based situation, where the limit 
    switches of cranes can be readjusted without an adverse impact on 
    worker safety. Specifically, when a container ship with an unusually 
    high deck load causes the upper limit switches to activate before the 
    top tier of containers can be worked, then the limit switches can be 
    safely readjusted if the margin of safety provides enough extra height 
    to allow readjustment. While readjustment may be allowable under these 
    narrow circumstances, bypassing the limit switch is not. To provide 
    additional safeguards, readjusting limit switches may only be done 
    under the direction of a crane mechanic. Therefore, OSHA has also 
    included language regarding adjustments of limit switches in 
    Sec. 1917.45(g)(11).
        Final rule Sec. 1918.55(c)(3) requires a minimum of three full 
    turns of wire rope to remain on ungrooved drums and at least two turns 
    on grooved drums under all operating conditions; this is a precaution 
    against slippage of the rope.
        Paragraph (c)(4) requires that crane brakes must be monitored 
    during use. This requirement is essentially unchanged since the 
    proposal. (See discussion about brakes in Sec. 1918.53(i), above.)
        Paragraphs (c)(5) and (c)(6) address crane control levers and 
    cranes with power down capability. Both of these provisions, which are 
    standard safe operating procedures for cranes, are unchanged since the 
    proposal.
        Under paragraph (c)(7), when two or more cranes are used together 
    to hoist a load, a designated person must direct the operation and 
    instruct personnel in safe positioning and rigging. The designated 
    person must also direct the movement of the crane. No changes have been 
    made to this requirement since the proposal, and no comments on this 
    provision were received.
        Paragraph (d), which applies to cranes that are unattended between 
    work periods, states that Sec. 1918.66(b)(4) (i) through (v) applies to 
    such cranes.
    
    [[Page 40164]]
    
    Subpart G--Cargo Handling Gear and Equipment Other Than Ship's Gear
        Subpart G, Cargo Handling Gear and Equipment Other than Ship's 
    Gear, applies to all cargo handling gear used in cargo operations that 
    is not part of the vessel (i.e. ship's gear). Some examples of the type 
    of gear addressed in this subpart include: container handling lifting 
    frames and certain multi-point engagement bridles, gear room 
    constructed spreader bars for heavy lift cargo, special lifting devices 
    for unique pieces of cargo, and bar pallet bridles. Except as noted 
    below, commenters generally supported these provisions as proposed 
    (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et al.).
        Final rule Sec. 1918.61 covers a wide range of subjects relating to 
    gear inspection (examples: safe working loads, weight markings, 
    certification, special gear). Paragraph (a) requires that all gear and 
    equipment provided by the employer and brought aboard a vessel must be 
    inspected before and, when appropriate, during its use by a designated 
    person to assess its condition. If found to be unsafe, such gear cannot 
    be used until it has been made safe. This paragraph is similar to the 
    corresponding provision of the existing regulation, except that the 
    term ``designated person'' has replaced the term ``authorized 
    representative'' in the final rule. This change is consistent with the 
    decision discussed in subpart A, Scope and definitions, regarding the 
    use of the term ``designated person.''
        Final rule paragraph (b)(1) is the same as the parallel requirement 
    in the current and proposed longshore rules and requires that the Safe 
    Working Load (SWL) of gear not be exceeded. Final rule paragraph (b)(2) 
    was a new provision in the proposal. This paragraph requires the 
    marking of the safe working load (SWL) on all cargo handling gear with 
    a SWL of more than five short tons (4.5 metric tons). This practice is 
    consistent with current recognized industry practice (Ex. 1-151). In 
    the proposal, OSHA stated that most gear in use is already marked with 
    the SWL, and no comments to the contrary were received.
        Final rule paragraph (c) requires that any article of stevedoring 
    gear weighing more than 2,000 pounds (.91 metric tons) must have its 
    weight marked plainly on the article before being hoisted by the ship's 
    gear. It is important to consider the weight of such articles when 
    evaluating safe working loads of the vessel's cargo gear because the 
    weight of the gear must be added to the weight of the load being lifted 
    to figure out the actual load, which together cannot exceed the SWL of 
    the vessel's cargo gear.
        Final paragraphs (d) and (e) address certification and 
    certification procedures. These provisions parallel those found in the 
    shoreside Marine Terminal rules (Sec. 1917.50(a) and (b)(1)). Paragraph 
    (d) requires certification of any special gear listed in paragraphs 
    (f)(1) or (g) of this section. Paragraph (e) requires that this 
    certification be done by a party accredited by OSHA under 29 CFR 1919. 
    Final rule paragraph (d) has been corrected to include a reference to 
    paragraph Sec. 1918.61(g), which addresses the initial proof-load 
    testing of intermodal container spreaders. The reference to paragraph 
    Sec. 1918.61(g) was mistakenly omitted in the proposal.
        Paragraph (f), entitled ``Special gear,'' addresses special 
    stevedoring gear, which is material handling gear fabricated of 
    components that are not common, off-the-shelf items. Common, off-the-
    shelf gear would include hooks, shackles, and other items that have 
    already been tested by the manufacturer. Examples of special 
    stevedoring gear include gear room-constructed spreader bars for heavy 
    lift cargo, special lifting devices for unique pieces of cargo, or bar 
    pallet bridles that have some components that are not marketed or 
    purchased with a specific cargo handling use in mind.
        OSHA's existing Longshoring Standard requires initial testing for 
    new special stevedoring gear, but does not require the tests to be 
    conducted by an OSHA accredited agency (see Sec. 1918.61(b) of that 
    rule). The existing Marine Terminals Standard also requires initial 
    testing for new special stevedoring gear. These tests, however, must be 
    conducted by an OSHA accredited agency (see Sec. 1917.50(c)(5)).
        In the proposal, OSHA distinguished between heavy lifting gear 
    (gear with a SWL over five short tons) and lighter gear. Heavy gear 
    tends to be more complex in design and fabrication, more difficult to 
    inspect and test, and presents a greater employee exposure hazard upon 
    failure. Lighter gear, which is far more extensive and commonly 
    associated with palletized/break bulk operations, is less complex in 
    design and fabrication, less difficult to inspect and test, and 
    presents a reduced employee exposure hazard upon failure. Based on 
    these distinctions, OSHA proposed testing by an accredited agency for 
    the heavy gear with proof load testing specifications ranging from 25% 
    to 10% in excess of the SWL. For the lighter gear, OSHA proposed that 
    testing be conducted by a qualified employee (in lieu of third party 
    certification) to a specification of 25% in excess of the SWL.
        Final paragraph (f)(1) requires special gear provided by the 
    employer, the strength of which depends on special gear components and 
    that additionally has a Safe Working Load of more than five short tons 
    (4.5 metric tons) to be tested and inspected prior to initial use as a 
    unit. Paragraph (f)(2), which is a provision similar to the 
    corresponding provision of OSHA's existing Longshoring Standard, 
    requires that special stevedoring gear with a SWL of five short tons or 
    less continue to be inspected and tested prior to initial use as a unit 
    by either an accredited agency or by a designated person. All tests 
    required by this paragraph must be in accordance with Table A shown in 
    paragraph (f).
        Paragraph Sec. 1918.61(g) of the final rule requires that all 
    intermodal container spreaders provided by the stevedore for hoisting 
    afloat (aboard a vessel) shall be similarly inspected, tested, and 
    certified. This provision also requires any spreader that is damaged in 
    a way that requires structural repair to be inspected and retested 
    after the repair is performed and before the spreader is returned to 
    service. It should be noted that intermodal container spreaders that 
    are part of ship's gear are required to be inspected and tested as part 
    of the vessel's cargo gear under ILO Convention 152 (see subpart B, 
    Gear certification).
        Paragraph (h) requires that all cargo handling gear covered by this 
    section having a SWL greater than five short tons be proof-load tested 
    every four years according to Table A found in paragraph (f) or 
    paragraph (g) of this section, as applicable. This proof-load test may 
    be conducted by an agency accredited by the U.S. Department of Labor 
    under 29 CFR part 1919 or by a designated person.
        Final paragraph (i) requires that certificates and inspection 
    records generated by the tests required by this section be made 
    available for inspection. These include the certificates issued by 
    accredited agencies as well as inspection and test records produced by 
    designated persons while testing the equipment. Additionally included 
    is any initial test records required by the existing standard for the 
    purposes of the periodic testing provisions of paragraph (h) of this 
    section.
        Several issues related to Sec. 1918.61 arose during rulemaking; 
    these can be categorized as follows:
        (1) There are no OSHA-accredited agencies in or near some ports, 
    some commenters said, especially small ports,
    
    [[Page 40165]]
    
    which would increase costs and burden, perhaps especially for some 
    small employers;
        (2) Several commenters contended that requiring OSHA accredited 
    agencies to provide certification for fabricated equipment repeats the 
    current function of steel fabricators;
        (3) Some break-bulk stevedores noted that a great deal of equipment 
    would have to be certified or inspected every four years.
        In their view, the Agency has underestimated the costs of 
    certification and four-year equipment testing. In addition, they argued 
    that the Agency did not demonstrate how the proposed testing provisions 
    will significantly reduce the risk of using special gear and spreaders 
    and that the Agency has not shown that these requirements are 
    reasonable and necessary. Each of these points is addressed in turn.
        In response to a comment questioning the availability of the OSHA 
    accredited agencies required to conduct the tests specified in this 
    section (SEA Tr. p. 484), OSHA notes that there are currently 130 OSHA 
    accredited agencies in the United States and that they are located in 
    all of the major port areas, including the Great Lakes and the Inland 
    Waterways. Mr. Donald Lawson, with Marine Surveyors and Consultants, 
    also testified that there were 5 to 10 companies that could do the 
    required testing in the Seattle and Portland, Oregon area alone (SEA 
    Tr. p. 278).
        Several commenters questioned whether OSHA had provided information 
    or data that showed that the proposed revisions to these requirements 
    would reduce employee risk in this industry. The record clearly 
    demonstrates, on a national level, that gear failures frequently occur. 
    Data in the IMIS database indicate a record of injuries and fatalities 
    due to gear failures (Ex. 1-103, cases 108, 116, 124). OSHA thus 
    concludes that these requirements, which are designed to prevent gear 
    failure, are necessary to employee protection.
        In addition, OSHA received several comments and testimony 
    suggesting that only a prototype or sample of special stevedoring gear 
    needed to be proof load tested, instead of testing every single piece 
    of gear, as proposed (Exs. 8-8, 8-20, SEA Tr. pp. 164-169, NO Tr. pp. 
    209-211). For example, Mr. Don Lawson, principal surveyor with Marine 
    Surveyors and Consultants, testified:
    
        I agree with the fact that a prototype can be developed with 
    sufficient engineering and tested, but once production starts there 
    need to be controls in workmanship and quality control and quality 
    assurance and in the material * * * . They'll look for things, such 
    as traceability and materials, for production controls, and for 
    quality assurance * * *. Beyond that, the next step would be to make 
    periodic visits to spot check workmanship, and then to carry out 
    testing on 10 out of 100 or one out of 200 units (SEA Tr. pp 282-
    283).
    
        After careful consideration, OSHA agrees with Mr. Lawson's concern 
    for quality assurance and reproducibility of specifications in unique 
    shop-built stevedoring gear. Unlike the quality control mechanisms 
    built into a manufacturing process that mass-produces items, OSHA 
    believes that shop built items are more subject to variations in 
    fabrication. These items, therefore, shall be individually tested 
    according to this section.
        Several commenters criticized the Agency's estimate of the costs 
    that employers must incur to meet the revised standards for gear 
    testing (SEA Tr. pp. 154, 236-250, 399, and 570). Some of these 
    commenters are representatives of stevedores who perform specialized 
    longshoring operations, such as logging and wood pulp, almost entirely 
    on vessels. Since these employers primarily use special gear located 
    aboard vessels, their gear has not previously been required to be 
    tested, as marine terminal equipment has. Those employers who are 
    involved primarily in container transport are not as affected by the 
    final standard as stevedores engaged in break-bulk operations. Although 
    some commenters expressed concern over the potential costs of these 
    provisions, others agreed with OSHA that they were economically 
    feasible for affected firms, as demonstrated by the comments of Mr. 
    John Faulk, testifying on behalf of NMSA:
    
        NMSA agrees with the approach by OSHA for 1917.50(c) and 
    1918.61(d) concerning certification of special stevedoring gear is 
    practical, economically feasible and will provide adequate 
    safeguards* * *. Except for the recommendations submitted by NMSA in 
    their written comments * * * NMSA fully endorses OSHA's proposed 
    language on the other provisions found in this subpart (NO Tr. p. 
    153).
    
        The Agency has revised its cost estimates and its estimation of the 
    impact on particular employers for this final rule (see SectionVI, 
    Summary of the Final Economic Analysis and Regulatory Flexibility 
    Analysis).
        OSHA has included a table entitled ``Cargo Gear Testing 
    Requirements'' in a non-mandatory appendix (Appendix IV). A form of 
    this table was originally recommended by the National Maritime Safety 
    Association and the Pacific Maritime Association (Exs. 8-8, 8-20) for 
    inclusion in the standard as a compliance tool. Besides the performance 
    and frequency requirements, OSHA has added the proof load testing 
    specifications from Table A of Sec. 1918.61(f) to the table in Appendix 
    IV so that it summarizes all of the testing gear requirements of this 
    section. OSHA believes that this tabular information will enhance the 
    clarity of the provisions and thus promote compliance.
        For consistency, these same changes are being made to the parallel 
    provisions of the Marine Terminals Standard (Sec. 1917.50 (c)).
        Final rule Sec. 1918.62, titled ``Miscellaneous auxiliary gear,'' 
    covers all miscellaneous gear provided by the stevedore that is not 
    part of ship's gear. The hazards addressed by this section are those 
    generally associated with an employee being struck by falling objects, 
    e.g. dunnage, gear or cargo, when the gear fails. These provisions of 
    the final rule parallel the same requirements for miscellaneous gear 
    found in the shoreside cargo handling standards at Sec. 1917.42.
        Several modifications have been made to the existing rule to 
    reflect the changes that have occurred in modern marine cargo handling 
    methods. For example, the replacement criteria for wire rope are more 
    stringent than those in the current regulation (see Sec. 1918.62(a)(4) 
    of the final rule), and the prohibition against using new parts made of 
    wrought iron now accords with the prohibition in ILO Convention 152 
    (see Sec. 1918.62(a)(5)(ii) of the final rule). Additionally, the final 
    rule consolidates a number of closely related provisions formerly 
    scattered throughout the rules into this one section; again, this is 
    consistent with the format of the corresponding section in part 1917. 
    Several commenters supported these provisions as proposed (Ex. NMSA et 
    al.).
        Paragraph (a)(1) mandates that, after the completion of each use, 
    loose gear be placed in a manner that will avoid damage to the gear. In 
    addition, this provision states that loose gear must be inspected after 
    each use and be repaired before reuse if found to be defective.
        Section 1918.62(a)(2) prohibits the use of defective gear and 
    requires that distorted hooks, shackles or other similar gear be 
    discarded to prevent its reuse. Several commenters suggested that OSHA 
    clarify the meaning of the word ``defective'' (Exs. 19, 6-31a, 8-8, and 
    8-20), and the final rule now explains that those defects falling 
    within the definition of ``defective'' as used by the manufacturer of 
    the particular gear are addressed by this provision of the final rule. 
    In addition, when manufacturers' specifications are
    
    [[Page 40166]]
    
    not available to determine whether gear is defective, the employer must 
    use the appropriate paragraphs of this section to make these 
    determinations.
        Paragraph (b) covers wire rope and slings that are not part of 
    ship's gear. Employers are required by paragraph (b)(1) to follow the 
    manufacturer's recommended ratings for wire rope and wire rope slings 
    and to have such ratings available for inspection. In cases where the 
    manufacturer is not able to supply the rating, employers must use the 
    wire rope and wire rope sling tables found in Appendix II of this rule.
        OSHA, in the proposal and the final rule, has included a 
    comprehensive collection of tables, in Appendix II, that are to be used 
    when manufacturers' specifications or gear certificates are not 
    immediately available at the worksite for safe working load assessment. 
    These tables are primarily based on American Society of Mechanical 
    Engineers Standard (ASME) B30.9-1990 (Slings) (Ex. 1-148) and on 
    requirements applying to wire rope clips and shackles currently 
    contained in the Agency's rules for marine terminals.
        Several commenters urged OSHA to make the use of these tables non-
    mandatory (Exs. 8-8, 8-20); these commenters noted that the proposed 
    appendix containing these tables was non-mandatory and argued that the 
    terminology used in the provision of the regulatory text referring to 
    these tables should also be nonmandatory. In response, OSHA notes that 
    the corresponding tables in OSHA's existing Longshore rule are referred 
    to in mandatory language, and after careful consideration, has 
    concluded that reliance on these tables is mandatory when certificates 
    or manufacturers' use recommendations are not available. Consequently, 
    OSHA has decided to change the status of Appendix II from non-mandatory 
    to mandatory. This position was supported by several commenters (Exs. 
    19, 78, 6-49, 6-50,
    6-51, 6-52, 6-53, 6-54, and 6-55 ). According to final rule paragraph 
    (b)(2), wire rope having a safety factor of less than 5 may be used 
    only in accordance with the limitations specified in paragraphs 
    (b)(2)(i) through (iii). Wire rope or wire rope slings having any of 
    the defects specified in paragraph (b)(3)(i) through (vi) may not be 
    used for fear of failure.
        Paragraphs (b)(4) through (b)(9) address covering or blunting of 
    the ends of strands in splices, the use of wire rope clips to form 
    eyes, the securing of wire rope, and eye splices. These provisions are 
    essentially unchanged from the parallel provisions in the existing rule 
    and in the proposal and are considered standard industry practice.
        Paragraph (c) of the final rule contains similar provisions that 
    apply to natural fiber rope and natural fiber rope slings used aboard 
    ship, and paragraph (d) addresses the same hazards as they apply to 
    synthetic rope and synthetic rope slings. The load ratings found in the 
    various tables in Appendix II are to be used for ropes and slings of 
    all types, as identified on the appropriate table.
        In Sec. 1918.62(e), those defects that are sufficient to require 
    the removal from service of natural or synthetic ropes are identified; 
    these defects include abnormal or excessive wear, cut or broken fibers, 
    rotting, and other structural defects that could cause the rope to fail 
    under load. Paragraph (f) requires, where practicable, that properly 
    fitted thimbles be used in cases where the rope is secured permanently 
    to a ring, shackle, or other attachment. These provisions are also 
    essentially unchanged both from the corresponding provisions of the 
    existing rule and the proposed rule.
        Paragraph (g) of the final rule, titled ``Synthetic web slings,'' 
    prescribes the conditions of use, causes for removal from service, and 
    other requirements governing synthetic sling use. Paragraph (g)(1) 
    prohibits the use of slings and nets composed of more than one piece of 
    synthetic webbing and used as a single unit to hoist loads greater than 
    the loaded capacity of the sling itself. In paragraph (g)(2), those 
    defects that require the sling to be removed from service are 
    specified; examples of such defects are acid or caustic burns, snags or 
    punctures, and signs of excessive wear or damage. Paragraph (g)(3) 
    prohibits the return to service of defective synthetic slings unless 
    they have been repaired by a sling manufacturer or an entity with 
    equivalent competence and additionally pass two proof tests. 
    Manufacturers' use recommendations are required to be followed by 
    paragraph (g)(4), and paragraph (g)(5) of the final rule mandates that 
    fittings have a breaking strength that is at least equal to that of the 
    sling to which the fittings are attached. These requirements, which 
    were not specifically addressed by commenters, are essentially 
    unchanged from the parallel requirements of the proposed rule and the 
    Agency's Marine Terminals Standard. Their inclusion in the final rule 
    thus achieves consistency in synthetic sling requirements in OSHA's 
    marine cargo handling rules.
        Paragraph (h) is titled ``Chains and chain slings used for 
    hoisting.'' Employers are required by paragraph (h)(1) to observe 
    manufacturers' ratings for safe working loads when wrought iron or 
    alloy steel chains and slings are used and additionally must have such 
    ratings available. When such ratings are not available, Table 4A of 
    Appendix II must be relied on for this information (for alloy steel 
    chains and chain slings only). Paragraph (h)(2) specifically prohibits 
    the use of coil steel chain or of other types of chain not recommended 
    for slinging or hoisting by the manufacturer. The provisions of 
    paragraph (h)(3) address the inspection of sling chains, specify the 
    conditions that require removal of the chain from service, and 
    stipulate that the inspection of chains used for slinging and hoisting 
    may be performed only by designated persons.
        Stringent requirements governing the repair of chains used for 
    hoisting are included in paragraph (h)(4), and paragraph (h)(5) 
    requires any wrought iron chains continually used for hoisting to be 
    annealed or normalized at intervals not to exceed every 6 months. 
    Following ILO recommendation 160 (Ex. 1-8), OSHA proposed to add 
    language to this section to prohibit the use of wrought iron (which is 
    considerably less elastic than steel and thus is more prone to fail) in 
    new parts of lifting appliances or loose gear (Sec. 1918.62(h)(5)(ii)). 
    Although wrought iron is rarely seen on vessels that are trading today, 
    such gear may still be in use on some vessels, and OSHA has therefore 
    included this provision in the final rule.
        Paragraphs (h) (6), (7), and (8) prohibit the use of kinked or 
    knotted chains, require hooks, rings, links, and other attachments to 
    have rated capacities at least equal to those of the chains to which 
    they are affixed, and mandate that chain slings be marked with their 
    size, grade, and rated capacity, respectively. Shackles are covered in 
    paragraph (i)(1), which requires that the manufacturers' safe working 
    load, if known, not be exceeded; where this information is not 
    available, employers are required to follow Table 5 of Appendix II. 
    Paragraph (i)(2) mandates that all screw pin shackles provided by the 
    employer and used aloft (except in cargo hook assemblies) have pins 
    that are positively secured.
        Hooks other than hand hooks are required by paragraph (j)(1) to be 
    used in conformance with the manufacturers' safe working load and to be 
    tested in accordance with paragraphs (a), (c), and (d) of Sec. 1919.31 
    unless manufacturers' test certificates are available for such hooks. 
    Paragraphs (j) (2), (3), (4) and (5) specify the conditions of use 
    pertaining to hooks (other than hand hooks). These
    
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    requirements are essentially unchanged from those proposed.
        Pallets are covered by the requirements of paragraph (k). Paragraph 
    (k)(1) specifies that pallets be made and maintained so that they will 
    support the loads being handled and requires that the fastenings of 
    reusable pallets that are used to hoist loads consist of bolts and 
    nuts, drive screws, threaded nails, or equivalently strong fastenings. 
    Provisions addressing the hoisting of reusable pallets, bridles for 
    handling flush end or box-type pallets, and the stacking of pallets, as 
    well as a prohibition against the reuse of single-use pallets, are 
    found in paragraphs (k) (2), (3), (4), (5), and (6).
        Section 1918.63, titled ``Chutes, gravity conveyors, and rollers,'' 
    and Sec. 1918.64, titled ``Powered conveyors,'' contain requirements 
    for the safe use of chutes, rollers and both gravity and mechanically 
    powered conveyors. These sections are unchanged from the corresponding 
    provisions of the proposal; in addition, these rules parallel the 
    requirements covering similar equipment in the Marine Terminals 
    Standard (see Secs. 1917.48 and 1917.49). After this final rule is 
    effective, there will thus be no regulatory inconsistencies with such 
    equipment, which often physically originates on shore and extends onto 
    the ship.
        The principal hazards associated with the use of chutes, rollers, 
    and gravity and mechanically powered conveyors are caught in, struck 
    by, and crushing injuries and engulfment (e.g. by moving grain). 
    Accordingly, the provisions in Secs. 1918.63 and 1918.64 require, among 
    other things, that this equipment be strong enough to handle the loads 
    imposed, be equipped when necessary with sideboards, be free of 
    splinters and sharp edges, have emergency stop controls (powered 
    conveyors), have their pinch points guarded, be equipped with 
    mechanisms to warn of conveyor startup, and be equipped with overload 
    devices, guards, and other safety devices when necessary. For clarity, 
    the lockout/tagout language has been amended to limit the conditions 
    when power may be restored during the servicing of equipment.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.65 covers the use of all mechanically powered 
    vehicles brought aboard vessels. Included in this category of equipment 
    are all industrial trucks and all bulk cargo moving vehicles. These 
    vehicles are also used in the shoreside aspect of marine cargo 
    handling, and the hazards are essentially the same in both ``sides'' of 
    cargo handling operations. The changes to this section of the final 
    Longshoring Standard parallel those requirements found in Sec. 1917.43, 
    the corresponding section of the Marine Terminals Standard.
        The requirements in final rule Sec. 1918.65, ``Mechanically powered 
    vehicles aboard vessels,'' are essentially unchanged from those 
    proposed. Paragraph (a) states that this section applies to all types 
    of powered vehicles used aboard ship to hand equipment or material. 
    Paragraph (b)(1) requires any modification that could affect the 
    capacity or safe operation of a vehicle to be done only with the 
    manufacturers' prior written approval and/or that of a registered 
    professional engineer experienced with the equipment. This requirement 
    is necessary to ensure that operators of these vehicles, and other 
    workers in the vicinity, are not injured in an accident involving an 
    overloaded, poorly balanced, or otherwise unsafe vehicle.
        Paragraphs (b) (2) and (3) require that vehicles be used within 
    their rated capacities, and that the total weight of the lift made by 
    two or more trucks working in unison not exceed the combined safe 
    lifting capacity of the trucks used, respectively.
        Final rule paragraph (c) addresses guards for fork lift trucks. The 
    first provision requires all such trucks to be fitted with securely 
    attached overhead guards that are designed to protect the operator from 
    falling loads. Paragraph (c)(2) prohibits the use of overhead guards 
    that obstruct the operator's view and stipulates that any opening in 
    the top of the guard not exceed 6 inches in width or length (or be 
    sized to prevent the smallest unit of cargo being handled from falling 
    through the guard). Paragraphs (c) (3), (4), and (5) require overhead 
    guards to be built so that: failure of the mast tilt mechanism will not 
    displace the guard; the guard is large enough to extend over the 
    operator during all operations; and that guards not be removed except 
    when the presence of the guard would prevent entry into the work space 
    (and then only if the operator is not exposed to overhead obstructions 
    in the space). Paragraph (c)(6) requires fork lifts to be fitted with 
    vertical backrest extensions if necessary to prevent the load from 
    hitting the mast; the extension must provide such protection even if 
    the mast is at maximum backward tilt.
        Guards applicable to crawler-type, rider-operated cargo moving 
    vehicles are covered by paragraph (d); at paragraph (d)(1), the final 
    rule requires such vehicles to be equipped with an operator's guard 
    that is built to protect the seated operator from contact with an 
    overhead projection. Paragraph (d)(2) mandates that guards and their 
    attachment points be sufficiently strong to withstand a load that is 
    equal to the drawbar pull of the machine and that is applied 
    horizontally at the operator's shoulder level; and paragraph (d)(3) 
    states that guards are not required when the vehicle is used in 
    situations that pose no threat to the seated operator of being hit by 
    an overhead projection.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.65(d)(4) contains a requirement for rollover 
    protection on bulk cargo moving vehicles (such as the type used to trim 
    and position bulk cargo in underdeck spaces). Such protection is 
    required on similar pieces of equipment used in construction industry 
    settings, where the hazard posed by turnover also exists. Comments 
    received supported this requirement for both shoreside and shipside 
    equipment; however, these same commenters requested a phase-in period 
    of two years because of the large number of machines that would need to 
    be retrofitted (Exs. 19, 6-29, 6-31a, 8-8, NMSA et al.). In addition, 
    testimony indicated that OSHA provided a similar phase-in period to the 
    construction industry for rollover protection. (SEA Tr. p. 175) To 
    provide sufficient time to retrofit the large number of vehicles in the 
    industry and to be consistent with past OSHA policy, the final rule 
    provides for a two-year phase-in period in this paragraph.
        In addition, OSHA sought comment in the proposal on the need for 
    rollover protection on bulk cargo moving vehicles used shoreside, i.e. 
    in the marine terminal environment. As noted above, several commenters 
    supported the addition of this protective measure to the Marine 
    Terminals Standard (Exs. NMSA et al., 19). To achieve consistency 
    between the rollover protection requirements in the Marine Terminals 
    and Longshoring rules, OSHA has provided for a similar two year phase-
    in period in Sec. 1917.43(f).
        Paragraph (e) of the final rule covers approved trucks. Several 
    commenters pointed out that parts 1917 and 1918 use different 
    terminology to refer to the same type of equipment (Ex. 8-8, NMSA et 
    al.). In part 1917, the term ``approved power-operated industrial 
    truck'' is used, while the longshoring rules uses the term ``approved 
    power-operated vehicle'' (see Sec. 1918.65(e)). Accordingly, OSHA has 
    changed the term used in the final Longshoring Standard to ``approved 
    power-operated industrial truck'' to be consistent with the language in 
    part 1917 as well as OSHA's proposed ``Powered Industrial Truck 
    Operator Training'' (61 FR 3092). As defined in paragraph (e)(1) of the 
    final rule, an approved power-operated
    
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    industrial truck is one listed as approved by a nationally recognized 
    testing laboratory. Paragraph (e)(2) requires such trucks to bear a 
    label or other indication that the truck is so approved. Paragraph 
    (e)(3) states that, in hazardous atmospheres, only approved trucks may 
    be used.
        Maintenance requirements for mechanically powered vehicles are 
    addressed in paragraph (f), which requires, at paragraph (f)(1), that 
    such vehicles be maintained in safe working order, not have their 
    safety devices removed, and not be operated with any defect, e.g. a 
    fuel system leak, that could affect safe operation. Requirements 
    pertaining to braking systems, replacement parts, and repairs to the 
    fuel and ignition system are covered in paragraphs (f) (2), (3), and 
    (4). Batteries must be disconnected and/or stored energy discharged 
    before repairs can be made to the primary electrical system of 
    mechanically powered vehicles (see paragraph (f)(5)). Paragraph (f)(6) 
    stipulates that only designated persons may perform maintenance and 
    repair on these vehicles.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.65(g) remains as proposed. This paragraph 
    requires that vehicles purchased after the effective date of the final 
    rule be equipped with parking brakes. This provision received support, 
    since nearly all pieces of newly manufactured equipment today have 
    parking brakes and the value of such brakes in preventing accidents is 
    widely recognized (NMSA et al.).
        Paragraph (h) covers the operation of mechanically powered 
    vehicles. Paragraph (h)(1) states that only stable and properly 
    positioned loads that are within the rated capacity of the vehicle may 
    be handled, and paragraphs (h) (2) and (3) require the drivers of these 
    vehicles to ascend and descend grades slowly and to travel with the 
    load trailing in those cases where the load obstructs the operator's 
    forward view. Steering knobs are prohibited by paragraph (h)(4) except 
    where the vehicle has power steering, and paragraph (h)(5) requires 
    that a mechanism to alert the operator that the load has been engaged 
    be provided if the vehicle is one that has a cargo lifting device with 
    a means of engagement that is hidden from the operator's view. 
    Paragraph (h)(6) prohibits any load on a mechanically powered vehicle 
    from being suspended or swung over any employee; this provision is 
    necessary to ensure that employees are protected from cargo falling 
    from overhead loads. Paragraphs (h) (7), (8), (9), and (10) cover safe 
    working surfaces, load engaging means, guarding of the edges of open 
    deck barges and covered lighters, and precautions to be taken when 
    employees ride on mechanically powered vehicles. Paragraph (h)(11) sets 
    out the conditions under which employees may be elevated by fork lift 
    trucks and includes specifications that must be met by platforms used 
    for this purpose.
        With the few exceptions noted above, OSHA received no comments on 
    the proposed requirements in Sec. 1918.65. These requirements, which 
    pertain to mechanically powered vehicles used aboard ship, are 
    essentially unchanged since the proposal.
        Section 1918.66 of the final rule covers all cranes and derricks 
    that are not part of a vessel's permanent cargo handling gear but are 
    placed aboard a vessel temporarily to conduct cargo operations, as 
    stipulated in paragraph (a). Examples of such equipment are mobile and 
    crawler type cranes that are positioned on barges and used to load and 
    discharge cargo. In developing this section of the final Longshoring 
    Standard, OSHA relied on the corresponding provisions for cranes and 
    derricks found in Sec. 1917.45 of the Marine Terminals Standard. Once 
    this final rule is effective, these provisions will thus be consistent 
    for both aspects of the marine cargo handling industry.
        Paragraph (a)(1) requires all such cranes and derricks to be 
    certificated in accordance with OSHA's gear certification requirements 
    (29 CFR part 1919), and paragraph (a)(2) requires the weight of any 
    crane hoisted aboard a vessel to be posted on the crane. Requirements 
    for rating charts, rated loads, exceptions to designated working loads, 
    radius indicators, and operators' stations for cranes and derricks 
    brought aboard vessels are shown in paragraphs (a) (3) through (7) of 
    the final rule. Paragraphs (a) (8) through (12) contain provisions 
    addressing counterweights or ballast, outriggers, exhaust gases, 
    electrical equipment, and fire extinguishers associated with these 
    cranes and derricks. Requirements specifying the amount of rope that 
    must remain on the drum, how wire rope must be secured, and a 
    prohibition against the use of fiber rope fastenings in hoisting 
    operations involving these cranes and derricks are contained in 
    paragraph (a)(13), while paragraph (a)(14) addresses brakes. Crane and 
    derrick operating controls are required to be clearly marked by 
    paragraph (a)(15), and paragraphs (a) (16) through (18) cover boom 
    stops, foot pedals, and access to footwalks, cab platforms, the cab, 
    and any portion of the superstructure of cranes and derricks brought on 
    board for cargo handling purposes.
        Operating precautions and requirements for cranes and derricks of 
    this type are detailed in paragraph (b) of the final rule, entitled, 
    ``Operations.'' The provisions in this paragraph cover the use of two 
    or more cranes together, the guarding of the crane's swing radius, 
    prohibitions against the use of equipment that could exert side loading 
    stresses on the crane or derrick boom or the use of a crane or derrick 
    that has a visible or known defect that could affect safety, and steps 
    to be taken if a crane or derrick is to be left unattended (see 
    paragraphs (b) (1) through (4)).
        Paragraph (c) sets out a number of protections for employees being 
    hoisted (including the use of anti-two-blocking devices on all cranes 
    and derricks used to hoist personnel). For example, paragraph (c)(1) 
    states that no employee may be hoisted by the load hoisting apparatus 
    of a crane or derrick unless a platform having the characteristics 
    specified in paragraphs (c)(1) (i) through (vii) is used. Final rule 
    paragraph (c)(2) requires that the hoisting mechanism of cranes and 
    derricks being used to hoist personnel operate in the power up and 
    power down mode. This requirement is being brought into the Longshoring 
    Standard from the Marine Terminals Standard (Sec. 1917.45(j)(2)) to 
    provide parallel safeguards in both aspects of marine cargo handling 
    operations.
        Proposed paragraph (c)(3) required that cranes used to lift 
    personnel be equipped with an anti-two-blocking device, a device which 
    prevents the hoist block from coming into contact with the head block 
    of the boom. Such ``two-blocking''' can occur when the operator is not 
    paying attention to how high the hoist block is in relation to the head 
    of the boom. After contact, continued hoisting of the block can cause 
    the block to separate or break from the load line, causing the hoist 
    block and load to fall. OSHA has determined that this requirement is 
    necessary to prevent serious injury or death to employees being lifted 
    by a crane; in 1988, the Agency adopted such a requirement for cranes 
    used to hoist personnel in the construction industry 
    (Sec. 1926.550(g)(3)(ii)(C), 53 FR 29139). Although OSHA's 1983 Marine 
    Terminals Standard did not contain such a requirement, and 
    inadvertently omitted this requirement in the proposal, the Agency has 
    rectified this oversight in the final rule (see Sec. 1917.45(j)(9)).
        There were many issues related to anti-two-blocking devices that 
    were raised by participants in the rulemaking, including whether OSHA 
    has any data on risk or accidents relating to these devices; whether it 
    is technologically
    
    [[Page 40169]]
    
    feasible to retrofit all maritime cranes with anti-two-blocking 
    devices; and whether this requirement is truly necessary for safety in 
    the marine cargo handling operations.
        In response, OSHA notes the following. First, this issue primarily 
    concerns mobile cranes, because most, if not all, container gantry 
    cranes and portal gantry cranes are already equipped with anti-two-
    blocking devices. Mobile cranes are common on the Gulf Coast, but some 
    are used at smaller ports on the East and West Coasts as well. In Gulf 
    ports, very few ships that have containers that are stacked more than 
    one or two high visit non-gantry crane facilities. Containers stacked 
    only to this height are easily accessed with ladders, and this is the 
    usual method of working them instead of using cranes to hoist the 
    employees.
        Several commenters noted that employees are rarely hoisted in this 
    industry by non-container gantry cranes (e.g. mobile and crawler 
    cranes) and that cranes used in longshoring have very long booms, 
    unlike those in the construction industry, which greatly reduces the 
    potential for two-block accidents in longshoring (NO Tr. pp. 165, 171, 
    172). The hoisting of employees by container gantry cranes is allowed 
    when the spreader platform meets the requirements of Sec. 1917.45(j) 
    and the crane is not hoisting a load. Commenters also said that some 
    stevedores employ rented cranes that may not have anti-two-blocking 
    devices on them and that it may be impossible to retrofit some existing 
    cranes with anti-two-blocking devices (NO Tr. pp. 17, 398). Also, 
    ship's gear is often relied on for some specialized longshoring 
    operations, and in this situation the stevedore has no control over 
    whether or not the ship's gear has this safety device. One commenter 
    stated that very few ships had anti-two-blocking devices on their 
    cranes (NO Tr. p. 399).
        Industry commenters who opposed the requirement for anti-two-
    blocking devices did not do so primarily on economic grounds, although 
    they noted that installing an anti-two-blocking device was a 
    significant expense. Anti-two-blocking devices were estimated to cost 
    from $3,000 to $13,000 each (NO Tr. pp. 368, 708).
        One commenter, who had purchased a new crane with an anti-two-
    blocking device, reported that it was necessary to disconnect the 
    safety device because it was not possible to perform ``duty-cycle'' 
    work of transporting lengths of steel. The company reported that it 
    virtually never lifted personnel by crane (NO Tr. p. 708). Another 
    commenter also testified that ANSI requires all cranes purchased after 
    January 1, 1991, to be equipped with anti-two-blocking devices (NO Tr. 
    p. 710). Several commenters questioned whether the anti-two-blocking 
    requirement was necessary because there was a lack of accident data and 
    its intended use would be so infrequent (Ex. 6-29a, NO Tr. pp. 164, 
    171).
        Mr. James Pritchett, owner of Crane Inspection Services, an OSHA 
    accredited agency, testified in New Orleans:
    
        One of the main reasons I came to the meeting that deals with 
    regulations on cranes, I was delighted to read into the regulations 
    that OSHA was considering anti-two-blocking on maritime cranes. 
    Generally speaking, that is the rule for general . . . industry.
        I think a man is a man regardless of what location he's working 
    in. I think he's important in construction, general industry, 
    longshoring, or maritime the anti-two-blocking device is a safety 
    device; it's not intended for an operational device.
        Also, it can be deactivated for duty cycle work. Its real intent 
    is to be used for, or I should say, it really comes into play very 
    importantly in a man lift situation (NO Tr. pp. 733-735).
    
        As noted by several commenters, the purchase and installation of 
    anti-two-blocking devices can be avoided through work practices and 
    administrative approaches-- cranes other than container gantry cranes 
    are presently rarely used for lifting personnel (NO Tr. p. 171). On the 
    other hand, where the need or frequency for lifting personnel is great, 
    anti-two-blocking devices will offer greater protection for employees. 
    In addition, OSHA is aware that mobile cranes equipped with anti-two-
    blocking devices are frequently rented to stevedore companies at East 
    Coast marine terminals. The Agency concludes that the use of anti-two-
    blocking devices is necessary and feasible in marine cargo handling 
    operations and requires their use in final Sec. 1917.45(j)(9) and 
    Sec. 1918.66(c)(3).
        In consideration of the above and consistent with past OSHA 
    policies, the Agency believes the hoisting of employees by a crane to 
    be an inherently dangerous practice that should only be conducted under 
    very controlled circumstances. The common use of personnel platforms to 
    transport employees by container gantry cranes, however, effectively 
    controls these hazards. Nonetheless, in the case of cranes other than 
    container gantry cranes, this practice should be avoided when other 
    methods are feasible and present less of a hazard. OSHA therefore 
    requires that all the provisions of Sec. 1918.66(c) be met before 
    employees may be hoisted by the load or hoisting apparatus of a crane 
    or derrick, including the use of an anti-two-blocking device.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.66(d) addresses routine inspections of cranes 
    and derricks that are not part of vessel's gear. Paragraphs (d)(1) and 
    (d)(2) require that designated persons inspect each crane and derrick 
    before each day of use and that such persons thoroughly inspect all 
    functional components and accessible features of each crane or derrick 
    at monthly intervals. Paragraph (d)(3) stipulates that defects found 
    during such inspections that could potentially pose a safety hazard to 
    employees be corrected before the equipment is used. In addition, this 
    provision states that such repairs may only be performed by designated 
    persons. Employees are required by paragraph (d)(4) to maintain records 
    of monthly inspections for 6 months, either in or on the crane or 
    derrick or at the terminal.
        Protective devices are addressed by paragraph 1918.66(e). Paragraph 
    (e)(1) states that moving parts, such as chains, gears, and sprockets, 
    that could pose a hazard to employees during operations must be 
    guarded, and paragraph (e)(2) requires that crane hooks be secured to 
    prevent inadvertent disengagement of the load.
        Paragraph 1918.66(f) addresses load indicating devices (LID's). To 
    help prevent the overloading of cranes, LID's are currently required in 
    both Sec. 1918.74(a)(9) and Sec. 1917.46. OSHA, however, had proposed 
    not to carry over the requirements for LID's for vessel mounted cranes. 
    Usually such devices rely upon boom radiuses (outreach) as an important 
    factor in arriving at a load indication. When a crane is used aboard a 
    ship, however, the LID's do not produce the same level of accuracy as 
    for land-based cranes due to the motion of the vessel when a load is 
    imposed. OSHA sought comment on alternative means to prevent the 
    overloading of cranes used afloat. No comment was received. However, 
    OSHA did receive comment supporting the continued requirement for LID's 
    on cranes aboard a barge or vessel (Ex.6-2). OSHA is aware of the 
    current practice of derating the capacity of the crane to account for 
    waterborne conditions. This practice remains an acceptable method of 
    preventing the overloading of waterborne cranes. Considering this and 
    since the record supports the existing requirements, OSHA has decided 
    to retain the language (as corrected) found in the current 
    Sec. 1918.74(a)(9) and has codified this at Sec. 1918.66(f). Parallel
    
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    language has been included in final Sec. 1917.46(a)(1)(ii).
        Final Sec. 1918.67 remains as proposed and carries over the 
    requirements found in the current Sec. 1918.75. These provisions 
    require communication between the stevedore (i.e. the employer) and the 
    officer in charge of the vessel whenever internal combustion or 
    electrically powered tools, equipment or vehicles are brought aboard, 
    and whenever the ship's power is needed for operating the employer's 
    electrical tools or equipment.
        Final Sec. 1918.68 remains as proposed and provides for the 
    effective grounding of all portable electrical equipment, such as saws, 
    drills, grinders, etc., through a separate equipment conductor that 
    either runs with or encloses both circuit conductors. This represents a 
    clarification of the current rule. Double-insulated tools and battery-
    operated tools are excluded from the requirements.
        OSHA proposed to delete the regulations under the current section 
    titled ``Tools,'' (Sec. 1918.72), in the belief that the current OSHA 
    General Industry Standards, subpart P, titled ``Hand and Portable 
    Powered Tools and Other Hand-Held Equipment'' comprehensively addressed 
    the subject of portable tools. Comments and testimony were received 
    that supported the existing requirements for tools and in the final, 
    OSHA has kept the existing Longshoring Standard's requirements. (See 
    discussion regarding tools in the preamble of subpart A.)
    Subpart H--Handling Cargo
        Subpart H of the final rule is titled ``Handling cargo.'' This 
    subpart specifically covers the actual shipboard cargo handling 
    process. The sections that comprise this subpart (Secs. 1918.81-89) 
    address the hazards encountered by longshore workers while loading and 
    unloading cargo. The primary hazard is being struck by the cargo, 
    whether it is palletized, containerized, roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro), or 
    otherwise packed or packaged. OSHA is retaining in this final rule 
    those provisions found within subpart H of the Agency's current 
    Longshoring Standard; carrying over applicable regulatory language from 
    the Agency's rules for the shoreside segment of marine cargo handling 
    (part 1917, the Marine Terminals Standard); and adding new requirements 
    to address the hazards associated with the newer methods of handling 
    cargo. For the most part, OSHA received widespread support for the 
    changes that have been made to this subpart of the final rule (Exs. 
    NMSA et al., PMA et al.).
        Final Secs. 1918.81 through 1918.84 address those hazards common to 
    the handling of break bulk (or general) cargo. Paragraph (a) of section 
    1918.81, ``Slinging,'' requires drafts to be safely slung before 
    hoisting and any loose dunnage or debris to be removed to protect 
    employees handling the draft. Other provisions in this section address 
    cargo handling bridles, methods of slinging to prevent sliders, the 
    safe use of case hooks, the hoisting of bales, the safe handling of 
    unitized loads, manual guidance of loads, observation of the draft 
    during hoisting, and provisions prohibiting the lifting of loads over 
    employees or employees riding the hook or load. Proper slinging, 
    building, bulling and stowing of drafts of cargo are essential to 
    prevent cargo from coming loose from the draft and falling on or 
    tipping over onto employees. These requirements are essentially 
    unchanged since the proposal, and OSHA received no comments 
    specifically addressing these provisions.
        Section 1918.82, ``Building drafts,'' contains a requirement (in 
    paragraph (a)) that drafts be built in a manner that prevents cargo 
    from falling from the draft, or that means be taken to ensure the same 
    result. In addition, paragraph (b) stipulates that buckets and tubs 
    used to handle bulk or frozen cargo not be loaded above the height of 
    their rims; this provision is necessary to ensure that pieces do not 
    fall on employees below.
        The tiering and breaking down of stowed cargo is covered in 
    Sec. 1918.83. Paragraph (a) requires the securing of cargo in ship's 
    hold if such cargo could present a hazard to employees working in the 
    hold. Precautions must be taken, as required by paragraph (b), in 
    breaking stowed cargo; this provision is intended to prevent such cargo 
    from falling on employees. Paragraph (c) of the final rule requires 
    employers to check employees trimming bulk cargo into and out of the 
    hold. This provision also requires employees working alone in a tank or 
    compartment to be checked at frequent intervals to ensure that the 
    employee is safe.
        The bulling (dragging) of cargo is addressed in Sec. 1918.84 of the 
    final rule. Provisions in this section cover precautions to be taken 
    during bulling, the safe use of snatch blocks, the securing of beam 
    frame clamps, and a prohibition against the use of falls led from cargo 
    booms of vessels to move scows, lighters, or railcars.
        The final regulatory text of Secs. 1918.81 through 1918.84 remains 
    the same as the proposed text of these sections. In addition, OSHA 
    received no comments specifically related to these requirements.
        Section 1918.85, titled ``Containerized cargo operations,'' 
    contains requirements addressing this modern method of cargo handling. 
    This section applies to containerized cargo operations of any form (see 
    definition of ``intermodal container'' at Sec. 1918.2). These 
    paragraphs track OSHA's current Longshoring Standard (part 1918), and 
    the shoreside requirements found in OSHA's current Marine Terminals 
    Standard (part 1917).
        Section 1918.85(a) requires that each intermodal container must be 
    marked with its gross, net, and tare (empty) weights. This paragraph of 
    the final rule remains the same as the corresponding proposed 
    paragraph.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.85(b) (1) through (5) address the 
    determination of the weight of intermodal containers to be hoisted. The 
    proposed provisions largely reflect the current rules in both the 
    Longshoring and Marine Terminals Standards.
        Paragraph Sec. 1918.85(b)(6), allows closed dry van containers 
    loaded with vehicles to be brought aboard vessels under certain 
    conditions without first being weighed on a scale. The proposal added 
    paragraph (b)(6) to this section to be consistent with OSHA Instruction 
    STD 2.2, dated July 3, 1989 (Ex. 1-114). Those employers who choose not 
    to comply with these conditions must weigh the container before 
    loading. The same language is found in the Marine Terminals Standard at 
    29 CFR 1917.71(b)(6).
        Paragraph (c) provides that no container(s) shall be hoisted if 
    their gross weight exceeds either the weight marked in accordance with 
    paragraph (a)(3) of this section or the capacity of the crane or other 
    lifting appliance being used. Paragraphs (d) and (e) cover container 
    inspection and precautions to be followed when containers are 
    suspended. The requirements in paragraphs (a) through (e) are 
    essentially unchanged from those in the proposal.
        Paragraph 1918.85(f) addresses the lifting of intermodal 
    containers. It requires that containers be handled using lifting 
    fittings or other arrangements specified in paragraphs (f) (1) through 
    (3) of this section unless the container is so damaged as to make 
    special handling necessary. Paragraph (f)(1)(i) specifies that the 
    hoisting of loaded containers 20 or more feet in length be done as 
    follows: When hoisted by the top fittings, the lifting forces are 
    applied vertically from a minimum of four fittings. Lifts that are less 
    than vertical are permitted only when the container is an International 
    Standards
    
    [[Page 40171]]
    
    Organization (ISO) \8\ ``closed box container,'' the condition of the 
    box is sound, the speed of hoisting and lowering is moderated, the lift 
    angle is 80 to 90 degrees, the distance between lifting beam and load 
    is at least 8 feet 2.4 inches (2.5 meters), and the length of the 
    spreader beam is at least 16.3 feet (5 meters) for a 20-ft container 
    and 36.4 feet (11 meters) for a 40-ft container. If these 
    specifications are met, the final rule thus allows non-vertical lifts 
    in limited situations. In contrast, proposed paragraph (f)(1)(i) would 
    have required that loaded containers, when lifted from the container's 
    top corner fittings, only be performed with a purely vertical force. 
    The proposed language is identical to the practice spelled out in the 
    ISO guidelines for handling containers as well as with several other 
    standards or recommendations (Exs. 1-13, 1-115, 1-116, 1-117).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \8\ The ISO is a worldwide federation of national standards 
    bodies whose mission is to promote the development of international 
    standards to reduce technical barriers to trade. The ISO standards 
    are consensus documents and represent voluntary guidelines.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Currently, OSHA's Marine Terminals Standard's requirement for 
    lifting containers allows non-vertical lifts under specified 
    circumstances, i.e. it states that ``when hoisting by the top fittings, 
    the lifting forces shall be applied vertically from at least four (4) 
    such fittings or by means which will safely do so without damage to the 
    container, and using the lifting fittings provided'' 
    (Sec. 1917.71(f)(1)(i)). The Agency's current Longshoring Standard also 
    allows non-vertical lifts, i.e. it states: ``All hoisting of containers 
    shall be by means which will safely do so without probable damage to 
    the container, and using the lifting fittings provided'' 
    (1917.71(f)(1)(i)). A commenter noted that a decision of an 
    Administrative Law Judge of the Occupational Safety and Health Review 
    Commission (OSHRC) has held that these current OSHA rules allow any 
    lift that has an angle greater than 60 degrees. (Continental 
    Stevedoring and Terminals, Inc., 15 BNA OSHC 1966 (ALJ, No. 91-475, 
    1992) at CH Tr. p.157).
        Ports or facilities that rely mainly on container gantry cranes 
    generally do not perform non-vertical lifting of containers. Non-
    vertical lifting of containers is generally performed by mobile cranes, 
    portal gantry cranes or by vessel's gear. A non-vertical lift is made 
    by connecting four wires (or chain legs) either directly to the crane's 
    hook or to a spreader bar hung from the crane. A spreader bar is a 
    simple steel beam with two lengths of chain or cable on either end and 
    a hook or other fitting on the chain legs to attach to the corner 
    fittings of a container. Spreader bars are made shorter than the 
    container, both for ease of maneuvering in tight lifts and to avoid 
    snagging containers and ship parts or rigging. The longer the spreader 
    bar, the more nearly vertical the lift on the container.
        A box spreader can also be used to lift a container vertically 
    using a single wire crane. A box spreader is essentially the same 
    device that a container gantry crane uses to lift containers. However, 
    a box spreader is both heavier and costlier than a simple spreader bar. 
    In addition, box spreaders may introduce additional safety risks for 
    longshoremen working on container tops. For example, the use of box 
    spreaders requires additional maneuvering to position and secure the 
    spreader to the container thus increasing employee exposure to falls 
    (See, for example Montz at NO Tr. p. 101).
        Mr. Vincent Grey appeared as an expert witness for OSHA in this 
    proceeding. Mr. Grey has served as chair of the ISO Technical Committee 
    3874, Freight Containers, and is a recognized international expert on 
    this mode of cargo handling. In addition to testifying on container 
    lifting at the public hearings he also submitted written comments to 
    the docket (Exs. 1-31,
    6-28, 49, and 50). Mr. Grey supported the Agency's proposed requirement 
    permitting only vertical lifting of containers (NO Tr. p. 70). 
    According to Grey, containers are designed and have been tested only 
    for purely vertical lifts. In addition, he explained that no one, 
    including the ISO technical standards committee, has ever conducted a 
    study or evaluation on the impact that non-vertical lifting would have 
    on the containers (NO Tr. p. 70). He noted that any deviation from 
    verticality adds compressive forces along the top rail and tension 
    across the bottom of the container and that such forces could cause a 
    container to fail, either crumpling across the top or ripping open 
    along the bottom, with contents and container possibly falling on 
    employees underneath (NO Tr. p. 74). Mr. Grey concluded that since 
    containers were designed only for vertical lifts, non-vertical lifts 
    reach beyond the margin of safety built into the containers (NO Tr. p. 
    72).
        At the hearings during questioning, however, Grey admitted that he 
    had never witnessed a container failure due to non-vertical lifting 
    (Id. p. 79). He also admitted that non-vertical lifts are common around 
    the world in smaller ports and less advanced countries that do not use 
    container gantry cranes and that spreader bars of less than container 
    length have been used for lifting containers around the world for more 
    than 30 years (Id. pp. 83-84). When lifting is done without gantry 
    cranes, Grey said, it is quicker and more efficient to employ spreader 
    beams and perform non-vertical lifts.
        A number of commenters opposed the proposed requirement. For 
    example, John Faulk, representing NMSA, stated that there are no data 
    on container failures caused by non-vertical lifts (NO Tr. p. 157). 
    Instead, container failures are caused by overloading, improper 
    packing, shifting loads, and defects in container construction, 
    according to Mr. Faulk's testimony.
        Hal Draper of the West Gulf Maritime Association agreed with Mr. 
    Faulk's comments and noted that OSHA had not produced data indicating 
    that accidents were occurring as a result of non-vertical lifts (NO Tr. 
    p. 223). He also pointed out that the stevedore has no control over 
    stowage, and that containers are frequently stowed in such a way that a 
    non-vertical lift is required to unload a container or move it to gain 
    access to other break bulk cargo. Mr. Draper also listed several 
    situations in which it is not feasible to move a container with a 
    vertical lift, such as: In midstream cargo operations; when 
    inexperienced crane operators cannot handle the gear well; when the 
    weight of a box spreader beam for a vertical lift is 7,500 pounds and 
    may make the lift exceed the crane's capacity; when a container on a 
    box spreader beam with cones would damage other cargo or containers 
    when lowered; and when the gear necessary for a vertical lift increases 
    the fall hazard for longshore employees because of the additional 
    exposure to falls by employees needed to position the spreader. He also 
    stated that simple bar spreaders work well for non-vertical lifts 
    because they are light--a 36-foot long bar for lifting a 40-foot 
    container weighs 3,000 pounds and provides 8 to 10 feet of head 
    clearance for employees atop the container. Mr. Draper recommended that 
    OSHA allow non-vertical lifts to be made between 80 and 90 degrees to 
    the horizontal.
        Other members of industry supported these comments. For example, 
    Jim Heikkinen of Transocean Terminal Operators, Inc. stated that his 
    firm had used spreader bars for many years without incident and that 
    changing to a box spreader bar would increase both the weight of the 
    gear and the risk posed to employees working containers (NO Tr. p. 
    679). Leo Naekel of Jore Marine Services reported that there were some 
    lifts on barges that could not feasibly be made with a purely vertical 
    lift (SEA Tr.
    
    [[Page 40172]]
    
    pp. 273-276), and Doug Stearns of Jones Washington Stevedoring Company 
    stated that his firm sometimes had to use the ship's gear to move break 
    bulk cargo (SEA Tr. p. 390). He also noted that the stevedore cannot 
    require ships to carry a box spreader bar to make a pure vertical lift 
    and that the weight of a box spreader beam can also be a problem. In 
    addition, Mr. Stearns reported that he had never seen a container fail 
    with a spreader beam but had seen many drop from box spreader beams. 
    Mr. Stearn also questioned the Agency's estimates of the cost involved 
    in changing to gear capable of vertical lifting.
        Two commenters, however, supported the proposed prohibition of non-
    vertical lifts. For example, Douglas Getchell of the ILWU stated that 
    non-vertical lifts should only be allowed when vertical lifts are 
    technically infeasible; in his opinion, the alleged economic 
    infeasibility of making vertical lifts in some situations should not be 
    sufficient reason to allow such lifts (SEA Tr. p. 90). Arguing along 
    the same lines, Albert Cernadas of the International Longshoremen's 
    Association urged OSHA only to permit vertical lifts, with non-vertical 
    lifts allowed only when there is no alternative (NO Tr. pp. 470-472). 
    These same unions in the post hearing comment period, however, 
    supported studying the risk consequences of a limited non-vertical 
    lift. They agreed that there was a need to examine and scientifically 
    to identify any conditions where a less than vertical lift could be 
    permitted that would not place excessive stress on the containers and 
    therefore not place workers at increased risk.
        Several commenters pointed out that there are times when containers 
    are stowed in the wings of the hold of a break bulk vessel, which makes 
    a true vertical lift impossible (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et al., 6-10, 6-
    16a, 6-28a, 6-29a). In such cases, the container must first be moved 
    below the hatch and must sometimes be dragged by attaching cables or 
    chains to the corners of one end of the container to pull it along the 
    deck. The cumulative effect of these ``dragging'' movements is to 
    increase the potential for container failure, and the increased wear 
    and tear on the container presents a greater hazard of container 
    failure than would a non-vertical lift.
        After the public hearings, NMSA asked Mr. Grey to conduct an 
    engineering study to determine whether OSHA should permit a minor 
    departure from the 90 degree lift or prohibit non-vertical lifts in all 
    circumstances. NMSA was joined in supporting the need for this study, 
    in order to help resolve this controversy, by the ILA and ILWU. The 
    study was designed to determine, through the use of mathematical 
    models, the transverse and longitudinal stresses placed upon a 
    container being hoisted from the four corner castings at the extreme of 
    a minus 10 deg. tolerance to verticality. The analysis of these 
    compressive forces on these ``containers'' were then compared to the 
    safe limits found in the ISO specifications.
        In the introduction to the study, Grey explains the 1961 origin of 
    the ISO vertical lift specification from his perspective as an active 
    member of the technical committee. He indicated that the committee 
    ``ordained that containers over 10 feet be lifted vertically when being 
    picked up by their top corner fittings'' for several reasons (Ex. 80, 
    p.2). The world was about to experience the explosion of the growth of 
    containerization on the major trade routes. There was no industrial 
    experience in handling containers, which were modified trailers from 
    the highway trailer manufacturing industry. Partially out of concern 
    for the uncertainties of the durability of the containers over their 
    life cycles and partially as a matter of engineering convenience, the 
    committee never considered the impact of the absolute verticality 
    requirement on those facilities that only occasionally had to handle 
    containers. Grey expressed ISO's main concern as follows:
    
        The ISO was essentially aimed at instituting an efficient way to 
    move the world's international foreign trade tonnage and at the same 
    time minimize labor cost and freight claims. Hence, the ISO 
    committee's highest priority was to concentrate on handling the 
    boxes in a fully automated system. (Id.)
    
        As indicated above, no study has ever been conducted by the ISO or 
    anyone else to establish criteria for acceptable tolerances to absolute 
    verticality until Grey's study.
        Based on the results of his study, Mr. Grey recommended that, under 
    certain controlled conditions, lifts that were nearly but not totally 
    vertical would be a practical and acceptable safety practice (Ex. 80, 
    p.12). His analysis indicated that lifts that were no more than a ten 
    degree deflection from vertical would not subject a container to undue 
    stress that could compromise the structural integrity of the container 
    (Id.). The ILA, ILWU, and NMSA, who collectively represent the 
    principal interested parties in this rulemaking, supported Mr. Grey's 
    findings, and this group stated its support in a joint post-hearing 
    submission (Ex. 85). Mr. Grey's study thus corroborated earlier 
    testimony presented by Hal Draper of the West Gulf Maritime Association 
    that showed that 80-degree lifts added little additional force across 
    either the top or bottom of containers (Ex. 6-29).
        A prohibition on non-vertical lifts would primarily affect smaller 
    ports, smaller employers, and ports that handle a mixture of break bulk 
    cargo and containers, such as the Gulf Coast. Simple spreader bars have 
    been widely used for 30 years to lift containers. Spreader bars are 
    relatively light, simply constructed, and allow faster (less costly) 
    container lifting than would box spreader beams. Box spreader beams, 
    which would be required to provide a true vertical lift at each corner 
    fitting, are heavier, costlier, and are infeasible to use in some 
    situations.
        After careful consideration of the Grey study and the relevant 
    record evidence, and in light of the unanimous support of the major 
    cargo handling stakeholders, the Agency has concluded that worker 
    safety is not compromised, indeed, is not even affected, by accepting 
    any lift that is 10 degrees within vertical to be a vertical lift for 
    the purposes of paragraph (f). In addition, OSHA believes that this 
    revision will also enhance enforcement efforts as well as voluntary 
    compliance by eliminating the confusion and ambiguity that currently 
    exists. The final standard thus allows containers to be lifted at an 
    angle of 80 to 90 degrees providing the following conditions are also 
    met: the container being lifted is an ISO ``closed box container'' 
    (other types of containers such as flat racks and open top containers 
    must be picked up vertically); the condition of the box is sound, and 
    the speed of hoisting and lowering is moderated when heavily laden 
    containers are involved. OSHA considers a heavily laden container to be 
    one that is loaded to within 20 percent of its rated capacity. To lift 
    at an 80 degree angle, the distance between the lifting beam and the 
    load must be at least 8 feet and 2.4 inches (2.5 m), the length of the 
    spreader beam must be at least 16.3 feet (5 m) for a 20-foot container 
    and at least 36.4 feet (11 m) for a 40-foot container. This final 
    language has been codified at Sec. 1918.85(f)(1)(i) and is also being 
    included in Sec. 1917.71(f).
        Paragraphs (f)(1) (ii), (iii), and (iv) contain requirements for 
    hoisting from the bottom fittings, lifting containers by fork lift 
    truck, and using other means of hoisting. Paragraphs (f)(2) (i) and 
    (ii) establish requirements for intermodal container spreaders that 
    employ lanyards and for the design and use of spreader twist lock 
    systems.
    
    [[Page 40173]]
    
        In final rule paragraph (g), the Agency requires that a safe means 
    of access and egress be provided to each employee who, due to the 
    nature of the work, must work on the top of stowed containers--both 
    above and below the deck. In practice, most employees gain such access 
    by riding aboard safety platforms installed on container crane lifting 
    frames. Such means are permissible when the lift is conducted in a 
    manner consistent with design requirements found in the shoreside rules 
    (Sec. 1917.45(j)). This provision remains unchanged from the proposal.
        Paragraph (h) applies on vessels using any loaded intermodal 
    container spreader. It prohibits employees from riding a spreader with 
    a load attached. This provision is also unchanged from the proposal. A 
    similar prohibition for the shoreside aspect of marine cargo handling 
    (marine terminals) is included in this rulemaking (see 
    Sec. 1917.45(j)(9)).
        When safer methods are available, such as safety platforms 
    installed on the container crane lifting frame, OSHA requires in 
    paragraph (i) that portable ladders not be used to gain access to the 
    tops of containers that are stowed more than two high. This paragraph 
    of the final rule is unchanged from the corresponding provision of the 
    proposal.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.85(j) covers the hazard of falls from the tops 
    of intermodal containers. In the proposed standard, the Agency would 
    have required, to the extent feasible, the use of ``positive container 
    securing devices'' after June 2, 1997, to eliminate work on top of 
    containers. Employees who worked at facilities without container gantry 
    cranes would have been required to wear personal fall protection 
    equipment when working on top of containers except where this was not 
    feasible. When fall protection systems were not feasible, employers 
    would have had to alert employees to the hazard and instruct employees 
    in minimizing the hazard. In a footnote to this provision in the 
    proposed standard, a fall hazard was defined to exist when employees 
    worked within three feet of the edge of a container that was 10 feet or 
    more above the adjoining (lower) or next lower surface. In addition, an 
    opening of 12 or more inches between containers constituted a fall 
    hazard when there was a drop of 10 feet or more.
        OSHA's current Longshoring and Marine Terminals Standards do not 
    contain a specific container-top safety provision. However, the Agency 
    has been concerned about falls from the tops of containers for many 
    years and has cited employers for such hazards under the General Duty 
    Clause (Section 5(a)(1)) of the Act and under Sec. 1918.32(b) of OSHA's 
    Longshoring rules (Ex. 1-139). This provision states, in the context of 
    stowed cargo and temporary landing platforms:
    
        When the edge of a hatch section or stowed cargo more than 8 
    feet high is so exposed that it presents a danger of an employee 
    falling, the edge shall be guarded by a safety net of adequate 
    strength to prevent injury to a falling employee, or by other equal 
    means of protection under the existing circumstances.
    
        Although some employers questioned the applicability of 
    Sec. 1918.32(b) to container operations, a ruling by an administrative 
    law judge established that that provision did indeed have application 
    to container top on-deck exposures. The Agency's policy on this issue 
    was spelled out in an instruction to its field staff (C.P.L. 2-1.17), 
    issued in 1982 (Ex. 1-49). In that instruction, OSHA determined that 
    Sec. 1918.32(b) applied to containers but stated that there were 
    situations where it would not be feasible to abate the container fall 
    hazard. The directive instructed OSHA compliance officers to address 
    the infeasibility issues in the following manner:
    
        A violation [of Sec. 1918.32(b)] shall not be issued; however, 
    OSHA should recommend and encourage the employer to work toward a 
    solution and assist the employer in every way possible to effect a 
    means of protection by advice, consultation and dissemination of 
    information obtained during other inspections.
    
        The Agency has issued few citations for the lack of fall protection 
    on container tops. The marine cargo handling industry has sought a 
    specific fall protection standard in this rulemaking, one that will be 
    uniformly enforced to provide employees with needed protection against 
    falls.
        Falls from the tops of containers have resulted in a number of 
    serious occupational injuries and fatalities (Exs. 1-18, 1-19, 1-20, 1-
    21, 1-22, 1-23,
    1-24, 1-43, 1-67, 1-68, 1-100, and 1-108). Before the Longshoring and 
    Marine Terminals proposal was published, the Agency contracted for and 
    received a report on container top safety from Dr. A. J. Scardino (Ex. 
    139). Dr. Scardino is a registered professional engineer who is a 
    nationally recognized expert in risk management and hazard 
    identification. He has prepared several technical documents for OSHA, 
    and has served as an expert witness in OSHA rulemaking and enforcement 
    proceedings.
        OSHA hired Dr. Scardino to conduct a representative study of the 
    conditions, practices, procedures and hazards associated with 
    containerized cargo handling. In his study, Dr. Scardino concluded, 
    ``Work which requires employees to go aloft on container tops should be 
    eliminated (to the extent feasible) through the use of engineering 
    controls and work practices.'' (Id. p. 7). The proposed requirements 
    for container top fall protection reflected many of Mr. Scardino's 
    recommendations.
    
    Fall Protection
    
        Background. Fall hazards from containers have long been recognized 
    by the stevedoring industry as both extremely dangerous and difficult 
    to prevent. As early as 1968, U.S. terminal operators recognized the 
    need to improve container top safety. That year Matson Terminals, Inc. 
    developed the first system of container top fall protection (Ex. 1-53). 
    In that system, Matson provided a D-ring fixture to be installed in the 
    roof of its containers. Employees working aloft were provided with a 
    safety belt and lanyard to secure to the D-ring. For a number of 
    reasons, use of the system proved difficult, and it is not used today. 
    Since then, numerous systems of fall protection have been developed, 
    usually employing an anchorage point located either on a basket lowered 
    by a crane, or on cables anchored to containers. In 1970, the Coast 
    Labor Relations Committee of the ILWU raised the issue of working on 
    containers with OSHA's predecessor agency, the Bureau of Labor 
    Standards. In their letter of August 24, 1970 (Ex. 1-50), the Coast 
    Committee asserted:
    
        Consider if you will the dangers attendant to working atop 
    containers. They are not equipped with skidproof surfaces, there are 
    no protective railings, and there are no requirements that safety 
    belts be provided. In dry warm weather such work is dangerous 
    enough, but the dangers are critically compounded when workers must 
    labor atop these during windy and wet weather. At the very least, 
    BLS regulations ought to provide that * * * safety belts be 
    [required] for men working aloft.
    
        As the containerized transport revolution progressed during the 
    1970's and into the 1980's, exposure to fall hazards on containers 
    increased proportionately. Container use multiplied rapidly and ships 
    were designed and built exclusively for the transport of containers. 
    These ships eventually would carry several thousand containers, 
    stacking them below decks and higher and higher on top of the deck. It 
    became necessary to secure containers to each other to prevent 
    unintentional movement during transit. To achieve this stability, 
    stacking cones were developed that
    
    [[Page 40174]]
    
    workers placed in the corner castings of the container (an operation 
    called ``coning'') while the containers were being loaded on the ship. 
    This often required employees to work on top of the containers. The 
    containers were further secured by installing bridging connectors 
    across the corners of the top row of containers and lashing them 
    diagonally to the deck with wire cables. Bridging and lashing 
    operations also required working on top of containers. When the 
    containers were unloaded from the ship, workers removed stacking cones 
    from the corner castings of the container (called ``deconing'') while 
    working on top of containers.
        Virtually all of the original stacking cones were replaced in the 
    early 1970's by twist locks, which eliminated the need for some lashing 
    but still required workers to climb on top of the containers to place 
    or remove the twist locks. Today twist locks are the most commonly used 
    fitting for securing freight containers onboard vessels (Ex. 1-140). 
    Newer semi-automatic twist locks (SATLs) were developed in the mid 
    1980's. The use of SATLs is now currently employed by most of the large 
    shipping lines throughout the world and the United States. In fact, 
    OSHA estimates that over 50 percent of ships calling in U.S. ports are 
    already utilizing SATLs. (Ex. 2).
        The use of SATLs avoids accidents and saves money. Unlike 
    conventional twist locks, which must be inserted by workers on top of 
    the container and manually locked, semi-automatic twist locks are 
    inserted into the bottom of the container by workers standing on the 
    dock; these devices lock automatically when placed on another 
    container. Both SATLs and conventional twist locks can be unlocked by 
    workers standing on the deck of the ship using an actuator pole, 
    although on some container ships the stacks are so high that the pole 
    is unable to reach the top container's corner from the deck.
        When unloading using conventional twist locks, the upper container 
    is first removed, leaving the twist locks on the top of the lower 
    container. Workers must remove conventional twist locks from the top of 
    that container before the spreader can attach to the corner castings. 
    In contrast to conventional twist locks, SATLs are designed to remain 
    attached to the bottom of the container being unloaded. SATLs are then 
    removed by workers standing on the dock. Because workers do not need to 
    be on top of the containers, the use of SATLs, therefore, eliminates 
    worker exposure to fall hazards during this operation.
        The use of SATLs also enhances productivity and reduces lashing 
    costs (Ex. 1-140, p. 76; Ex. 1-141). A time-and-motion study that 
    compares the performance of conventional twist locks to that of SATLs 
    indicates an increase in productivity in the range of 25 to 29 percent. 
    This translates to a 11.1 percent overall reduction in stevedoring 
    costs (Ex. 1-141, pp. 4, 5; Ex. 2).
        Another advance in securing containers in transit that eliminates 
    the need for workers to go on top of containers is the development of 
    above deck cell guides aboard vessels. Cell guides are rigid, 
    structural members that form cells where containers are stowed. These 
    cell guides allow for the ready placement of containers in a manner 
    that prevents movement in transit. Although cell guides in the hold are 
    common in container ships, above deck cell guides are far less common, 
    constituting only 2 percent (Ex. 2, pp. 2-19) of container ships 
    calling at U.S. ports.
        In addition, OSHA is aware of the existence of positive container 
    securing devices other than those discussed above, such as the SeaLand 
    framing system (Ex. 1-57). The final rule uses the term ``positive 
    container securing devices'' in the regulatory text. OSHA believes that 
    this term is broad enough to allow for the SeaLand framing system and 
    other innovative technological improvement.
        While the use of SATLs is the most widespread method of positively 
    securing containers that eliminates the fall hazard, OSHA is aware of 
    certain problems, such as removing jammed SATLs and non-standardized 
    locking systems on SATLs, that have been encountered with their 
    application, use and design (Exs. 1-140, 1-142, 1-143,
    1-144).
        While container securing devices were undergoing rapid development, 
    ports and shippers on the East and West Coasts were replacing older 
    derricks and cranes that lifted cargo with a single wire with container 
    gantry cranes that vertically lift from four points--one at each 
    corner. In a container gantry crane, the crane operator is positioned 
    directly above the load and moves with it--offering a much better view 
    of the work. Today's container gantry cranes move along the pier on 
    rails and employ automated box spreaders that automatically grip the 
    container's four top corner fittings to lift it. The container is then 
    raised vertically, carried horizontally to the dock (if unloading), and 
    then set on a flat-bed truck trailer or similar vehicle. SATLs can then 
    be removed before the container is finally lowered onto the truck's 
    bed. The entire cycle for a container may take as little as a minute. 
    In the container industry, cycle time for loading and unloading 
    containers is critical.
        For smaller ports, and especially ports on the Gulf Coast, that 
    still must handle cargo in the more traditional ``break bulk'' mode, 
    SATLs have not eliminated the need to go aloft (i.e. for employees to 
    work on top of the containers). When containers are raised and lowered 
    with a traditional single-wire crane typical of this part of the 
    industry, the cargo sways and, in addition, the operator is in a cab on 
    the dock and has a poor view of the loading process on deck. Without 
    workers on the top of containers to steady and guide a container with 
    cones in its bottom corners, the cones may damage lower containers, and 
    such damage was reported by many commenters to the record. Having 
    workers on the top of containers to guide the container also speeds the 
    moving operations when using these types of cranes. Typically, when 
    single-wire cranes are used to move containers, the crane will have a 
    spreader bar almost as long as the container with two cables with hooks 
    at either end that are manually inserted into containers' corner 
    fittings. This typically brings a worker near the edge of the 
    container. In this part of the industry, SATLs cannot eliminate the 
    need for workers to go on the top of containers.
        Negotiations between marine cargo employers and unions have in some 
    instances resulted in added safety practices for container top work. 
    For example, the Longshore Division members of the International 
    Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime 
    Association (PMA), agreed upon a package of 25 work rules that were 
    specifically designed to enhance safety at container terminals, 
    including container top safety.
        Internationally, a number of national and multi-national 
    organizations have acted on the problem of container top safety. The 
    International Labor Organization, in its Code of Practice for Safety 
    and Health in Dockwork (Ex. 1-130), specifically requires that:
    
        A person gaining access to the top of a container should be 
    adequately protected against the danger of falling where appropriate 
    by wearing a suitable safety harness properly tethered, or by other 
    effective means, whilst on the container.
    
    In its Directions for Safety in Dockwork, the National Swedish Board of 
    Occupational Safety and Health (Ex. 1-131) provides, in part, that 
    ``Work on top of a container is only permissible if
    
    [[Page 40175]]
    
    measures have been taken to prevent falling down.'' In the port of 
    Hamburg, Germany, a ``lash basket'' designed by a dockworker (Ex. 1-45) 
    rides underneath the container spreader and moves between container 
    stows. Here, the dockworker remains in this one person basket while 
    performing his work, thus minimizing container top exposures. In the 
    port of Bremerhaven, a specially designed ``rigger box,'' which is 
    similar in configuration to some U.S. container cage designs, provides 
    an anchorage for fall protection systems for dockworkers who work on 
    top of containers (Ex. 1-52).
        Several significant issues on container top fall protection arose 
    during the rulemaking:
        1. At what height, when working on top of containers, was there 
    significant risk to employees? At or below 8 feet? At 10 feet? And what 
    accident or injury data were available that supported a determination 
    of a fall hazard?
        2. When was fall protection technologically or economically 
    feasible, whether from container gantry cranes or single-wire cranes?
        3. Was fall protection economically feasible on containers? Was 
    fall protection only economically feasible above 10 feet (for two-high 
    stacks and higher)?
        Determining the appropriate fall height was the most important 
    issue in the rulemaking and received the most attention from 
    stakeholders.
        Comments by the National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA) and the 
    Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) were representative of employer 
    positions. Both PMA and NMSA supported the Agency's proposed 
    requirement to engineer out employees' work on top of containers 
    whenever feasible. Industry also supported the proposed requirement for 
    fall protection only above the first level of containers (PMA et al. 
    and NMSA et al.). Several smaller longshoring employers who use non-
    gantry cranes for lifting--where the proposed standard would have 
    required personal fall protection--noted that in some cases the fall 
    protection systems would themselves introduce additional tripping or 
    snagging hazards for employees atop containers (CH Tr. pp. 22, 84, SEA 
    Tr. p. 71, NO Tr. p. 223).
        Although industry commenters asserted that relatively few 
    fatalities had been caused by falls from containers, OSHA presented 
    numerous instances of fatalities and injuries resulting from such falls 
    over the past 20 years (Exs. 1-18, 1-19, 1-20, 1-21, 1-22, 1-23, 1-24, 
    1-43, 1-67, 1-68, 1-100, and 1-108). Labor unions consistently 
    advocated the necessity of fall protection while working atop any 
    container (Exs. 19, 78, 1-150, NO Tr. pp. 467-470).
        In its comments and public testimony NIOSH (Ex 81, NO Tr. pp. 499-
    503) concluded that falls from a one-high container (8 feet or more) 
    posed a significant risk of injury or death to an employee. NIOSH 
    introduced a study of falls that showed injuries and deaths occurring 
    from heights as low as 6 or even 4 feet, although none of these 
    incidents were caused by falls from containers. NIOSH representatives 
    recommended that fall protection be provided on one-high containers 
    (Ex. 81, NO Tr. p. 500).
        Subsequent to the hearing, the major marine cargo handling 
    stakeholders (NMSA, ILA and ILWU) participated in joint discussions in 
    an attempt to resolve their divergent positions as articulated during 
    the hearings. These exercises proved successful as evidenced by a post-
    hearing submission (Ex. 85). The stakeholders resolved a number of 
    issues, particularly with regard to container top safety. They agreed 
    that fall protection is necessary when employees work on any container 
    top of 8 feet or higher. In addition, they recognized the existence of 
    situations when the use of fall protection presents a greater hazard 
    than not using fall protection; they concurred on the definition of 
    ``Fall hazard''; and they pointed out the need for flexibility in twist 
    lock design.
        In the final rule, OSHA is requiring that workers who must work 
    atop containers be protected by fall protection in accordance with 
    paragraph (k) when they are exposed to a fall hazard. NIOSH data 
    demonstrating the risk of death or serious injury from falls as low as 
    six feet are convincing and consistent with the injury and fatality 
    reports from the Agency's IMIS data and concern for employee risk 
    voiced by union presentations. Accordingly, the Agency has concluded 
    that working even on the first level of containers poses a significant 
    risk to employees.
        Proposed paragraph (j)(1) contained a definition for ``fall 
    hazard'' in a footnote. However, because ``fall hazard'' has 
    application in other sections of the final longshore rule 
    (Secs. 1918.32(b) and 1918.85 (j), (k), and (l)), the definition of 
    fall hazard is now included in Sec. 1918.2, the ``Definitions'' section 
    of the final rule. According to this definition, fall hazards (absent 
    weather considerations) exist only within 3 feet (.92 m) of the 
    container's edge (i.e., whenever the container top constitutes the 
    employees work surface). As described in Dr. Scardino's findings, under 
    no circumstances should the employee's center of gravity (the hips) be 
    within 3 feet (.92m) of the unprotected edge of the container without 
    fall protection (Ex. 1-139, p.3). This definition makes it clear that 
    it is the unprotected edge where the hazard exists, and not necessarily 
    the entire work surface. Additionally, any gap of 12 inches (.31 m) or 
    more on a horizontal surface formed by containers is considered an 
    unprotected edge, and a fall hazard would thus exist under this 
    definition. (For further discussion of the gap issue see 51 FR 42685 
    and 53 FR 48186).
        With regard to the feasibility of fall protection in cargo handling 
    operations, many commenters supported the Agency's preference for 
    engineering controls, such as SATLs, that would eliminate fall hazards, 
    over the use of fall protection systems. Engineering controls cannot, 
    however, completely remove the need to work on top of containers; 
    operations such as lashing and installing bridging still require 
    personnel to work on top of containers. However, for routine loading 
    and unloading, SATLs remove employees from working on top of containers 
    when gantry cranes are in use. Although SATLs and cell guides have 
    imposed significant costs on the shipping and/or longshoring industry, 
    the record clearly indicates that productivity gains have considerably 
    offset the cost (see Section VI, Summary of the Final Economic Analysis 
    and Regulatory Flexibility Analysis).
        Where containers are lifted with cranes other than gantry cranes, 
    SATLs have not eliminated the need for employees to routinely work on 
    top of containers. The industry presented examples of container top 
    loading and unloading operations from non-gantry crane ports for which 
    fall protection was not possible or potentially more hazardous. In New 
    Orleans, Mr. John Faulk, representing NMSA testified,
    
        This leads to the * * * issue of container top fall protection 
    feasibility. On page 28614 of the Preamble, OSHA recognizes the fact 
    that there may be particular instances when fall protection may not 
    be feasible. Examples of situations where the use of fall protection 
    systems may prove infeasible are found in Appendix 3 of the 1918 
    proposal, but only two examples are listed.
        NMSA recommends that the words ``stair step stows'' and ``valley 
    stows'', as well as ``barges,'' as a type of vessel, be added to 
    Example 2. A third example stating: ``When hoisting containers with 
    single point suspension container handling gear''; and, a fourth 
    example, stating: ``While attaching and detaching fall protection 
    systems'' should also be added (No Tr. p. 167).
    
        Dr. Scardino, in response to a question about providing fall 
    protection during break bulk operations said:
    
    
    [[Page 40176]]
    
    
        * * * there are some circumstances, again, in order to have fall 
    protection, you have to have some place to tie off * * * . When they 
    have a single attachment for a boom crane, a truck crane, working 
    shore side, the top of the container, all four corner castings, are 
    occupied with the pendant lines, and they have to be physically 
    removed. There is no place for the individual to tie off. And for 
    the system to be effective * * * [it must] be attached to something.
        So in some break bulk situations, unfortunately, there's no 
    place to tie the individual off to, other than not to do the 
    operation at all (SEA Tr. p. 81).
    
        The Agency agrees with these findings and the final rule recognizes 
    that fall protection may not be feasible in all cases where work atop 
    containers is performed.
        The phase-in period. In view of the recent technological 
    improvements in positive container securing devices indicated above, 
    OSHA finds that many work operations, notably coning and deconing, that 
    expose workers to container top fall hazards can now be eliminated. As 
    noted above, SATLs have proven to be particularly effective when 
    container gantry cranes are utilized (Ex. 1-140). In fact, the use of 
    these devices (e.g., SATLs) in these circumstances can, in most 
    instances, eliminate the need for workers to go on top of containers. 
    In light of this, two years after the date of publication of this rule, 
    Sec. 1918.85(j)(1) will prohibit the performance of coning and deconing 
    on top of containers being worked by a container gantry crane. OSHA has 
    estimated that more than 50 percent of ships calling at U.S. ports 
    already utilize SATLs (Ex. 2). Since it is OSHA's policy to allow a 
    reasonable time to come into compliance with engineering controls in 
    the final standard, the Agency is allowing two years for the 
    implementation of positive container securing devices.
        OSHA recognizes that positive container securing devices will not 
    entirely eliminate the need for workers to go on the top of containers. 
    Certain container placement or securing tasks, in addition to coning or 
    deconing, must still be performed. In these situations (e.g., securing 
    bridge clamps or releasing jammed twist locks), a comprehensive fall 
    protection program must be implemented.
        Where cranes other than container gantry cranes are used to handle 
    containers, OSHA recognizes that the use of SATLs may not be feasible. 
    The precise placement capabilities of a container gantry crane are far 
    superior to other lifting devices, thus facilitating the use of SATLs. 
    This enhanced capability is due to the four point suspension system of 
    the container gantry crane, which provides greater stability and 
    control of the container being handled, enabling the crane operator to 
    place the container without assistance. Container operations where the 
    spreader is suspended from a single point, on the other hand, have far 
    less stability and control and typically require the assistance of 
    other employees in the placement of containers. Such employees may be 
    exposed to fall hazards. Further, as discussed above, even if SATLs are 
    feasible when other than gantry cranes are being utilized, their use 
    may not substantially reduce the need for employees to work on 
    container tops in the handling of containers. (This is unlike the 
    situation with container gantry cranes, where the use of positive 
    container securing devices, e.g., SATLs, virtually eliminates the need 
    to work on top of the containers.) Therefore, OSHA is not requiring the 
    use of positive container securing devices when containers are being 
    handled by other than container gantry cranes.
        With regard to the feasibility of fall protection, OSHA recognizes 
    that, in this industry, there may be particular instances when fall 
    protection may not be feasible. An example of a circumstance where fall 
    protection may not be feasible is the placement of an overheight 
    container on a chimney stow using gear that requires the manual release 
    of hooks. In these types of situations, the standard requires the 
    employer to:
        1. Make a determination that an employee will be exposed to a fall 
    hazard but that the use of fall protection is not feasible or would 
    create a greater hazard;
        2. Alert the exposed employee about the hazards involved; and
        3. Instruct the exposed employee how to best minimize the hazard.
        OSHA emphasizes that such situations are not common and that when 
    they do occur, the burden is on the employer to fully comply with these 
    requirements before the employee performs the work. In fact, the 
    Scardino study indicated that a ``specific set of circumstances could 
    not be framed'' where fall protection might not be feasible (Ex. 1-139, 
    p. 1). Claims of infeasibility of fall protection will be closely 
    scrutinized by the Agency in its enforcement of the final rule.
        As was proposed, the final standard in Sec. 1918.85(k) establishes 
    the technical requirements for container top fall protection systems 
    (See Sec. 1918.2). Most of the requirements in this paragraph are basic 
    to any occupationally related fall protection system. They address the 
    design, selection, care and proper use of personal fall protection 
    equipment. These elements include an anchorage, connectors, a body 
    harness, lanyards, and deceleration devices. For further information 
    regarding fall protection systems see Sec. 1910.66 and Sec. 1926.502.
        In addition, Sec. 1918.85(k)(7) and (10) have been specially 
    crafted for the container top situation. Paragraph (k)(7) addresses the 
    situation where a container gantry crane, or its extension, is being 
    used as the anchorage point for the fall protection system in use. 
    Under these circumstances, the crane must be placed in the slow speed 
    mode and equipped with a remote shut-off switch that is in the control 
    of the tied off employee. In addition, an indicator must be within 
    sight to inform the employee when the remote shut-off switch is 
    operational (CH Tr. p. 28, SEA Tr. pp. 289-290). As proposed, this 
    paragraph included language requiring that all crane functions be 
    stopped by a remote shut-off switch. It was pointed out during the 
    hearings that this could lead to an unsafe condition (e.g. rendering 
    the crane inoperable when it was needed for an emergency rescue) (SEA 
    Tr. p. 113). OSHA agrees with this position and the final language has 
    been amended to limit the operation of the remote shut-off switch 
    effects to the trolley, gantry, and hoist functions (i.e. those 
    functions that directly affect the employee on top of the container) of 
    the crane.
        OSHA has used the term ``designated person'' throughout this 
    rulemaking (see definitions--Sec. 1918.2) to identify a person who has 
    a special skill in a particular area to do safety-related functions. 
    Regarding container top fall protection systems, a ``designated 
    person'' could do the daily inspections required in Secs. 1918.85(k)(2) 
    and (11). In the proposed rule, however, OSHA believed that the 
    complexity of systems design decisions as required by 
    Secs. 1918.85(k)(6) and (8) should be made by a registered professional 
    engineer. While one commenter contended that, based on his experience, 
    engineering certification in this area was not readily available (NO 
    Tr. p. 574), the record also contains a post hearing submission that 
    includes a list of such engineers (Ex. 84). OSHA now recognizes that 
    these specialized engineering skills may not be readily available in 
    some locations. Consistent with other OSHA standards, the final rule 
    provides flexibility by allowing the certification of equipment by a 
    ``qualified person.'' A footnote in paragraph (k)(6) defines what is 
    meant by the term ``qualified person'' for the purpose of this 
    paragraph. To be considered qualified, a person must have a recognized 
    degree or professional
    
    [[Page 40177]]
    
    certificate and extensive knowledge and experience in the subject 
    field, and must be capable of design, analysis, evaluation and 
    specifications in the subject work, project, or product.
        OSHA also recognizes that manufactured fall protection components 
    are extensively tested and certified by qualified persons working for 
    the manufacturer (probably registered professional engineers). In 
    complying with paragraph (k)(8), the employer may rely on these 
    manufacturers' certifications with respect to unmodified equipment that 
    is being used according to manufacturers' recommendations. Job-made 
    components, on the other hand, must be tested and certified by a 
    qualified person.
        As noted above, the other fall protection requirement unique to 
    longshoring operations in the final rule is paragraph (k)(10). This 
    paragraph addresses the situation where the employee is transported by 
    a device, such as a safety cage, attached to a container gantry crane 
    spreader. Such a device is required to have a secondary means of 
    attachment to the spreader besides the primary attachment mechanism 
    (usually a hydraulic twist lock mechanism) to prevent accidental 
    disengagement (See NMSA et al.). However, OSHA is aware of a system 
    used by the Massachusetts Port Authority which employs a mechanical 
    device that does not allow the automated box spreader to release the 
    safety cage unless deliberate action is taken by employees using the 
    cage. The device mechanically prevents two of the spreader's twist 
    locks that are on opposite corners from disengaging the cage. In order 
    for the crane operator to release the cage from the spreader, the 
    personnel in the cage must first lift a lever that allows the two twist 
    locks to disengage. The crane operator can not override this back-up 
    system, and the spreader's hydraulic system also can not override it. 
    The only way to override the system would be to disassemble it. This 
    device, although not technically a secondary means of attachment, meets 
    the intent of the proposed regulation. Therefore, the final regulation 
    has been modified to allow this device by changing the wording from the 
    proposed ``secondary means of attachment engaged'' to read a 
    ``secondary means to prevent accidental disengagement and the secondary 
    means shall be engaged''.
        Final Sec. 1918.85(k)(13), which requires the employer to establish 
    a procedure that addresses the safe retrieval of an employee in the 
    event of a fall, is carried over from the proposal. This provision 
    received wide support from commenters (Ex. NMSA et al).
        Final Sec. 1918.85(l) provides for fall protection in container 
    operations that require employees to work along unguarded edges (other 
    than on container tops). In these situations, fall protection meeting 
    the requirements of paragraph (k) of this section must be provided 
    where the fall distance is greater than eight feet (2.4 m). This 
    primarily addresses work operations such as lashing, locking and 
    unlocking twist locks from surfaces other than container tops, or 
    signaling to direct the placement of containers. This is consistent 
    with OSHA's approach in this rulemaking to fall distances in 
    Secs. 1918.32(b), 1918.85(j), (k), and (l). (See definition of ``fall 
    hazard'' at Sec. 1918.2.)
        Final Sec. 1918.86, titled ``Roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) operations,'' 
    which was a new section in the proposal, addresses operations aboard 
    Ro-Ro vessels. The emergence of Ro-Ro vessels is a recent development 
    and is not addressed in the current rules. Along with container 
    operations, this new section has provisions that address advances in 
    modern technology in the marine cargo handling industry. The cargo 
    generally can be driven on or off the vessel by way of ramps and moved 
    within the vessel by way of ramps and/or elevators. Traffic patterns 
    can vary greatly in these vessels. Some Ro-Ro vessels carry intermodal 
    containers both on deck and below. Examples of such vessels are car 
    carriers, which simplify the import and export automobile trades, and 
    stern or side port combination carriers, which provide water carriage 
    for wheel mounted and containerized cargo. Commonly such vessels are 
    fitted with ramps that extend to the dock or wharf, and are fitted with 
    internal ramps and/or cargo elevators (lifts). In this manner, cargo is 
    either driven through the vessel from deck to deck until reaching its 
    final stowage location, or hoisted by cargo elevator to its proper deck 
    and then driven to its final stowage location. Once positioned in its 
    stowage location, the wheeled cargo is lashed to securing fittings 
    provided on the deck. In such operations, lashing personnel are exposed 
    to being struck by vehicular traffic. In addition, other employees 
    involved with loading or unloading wheeled cargo, both drivers and 
    pedestrians, are exposed to traffic hazards. This section addresses the 
    hazards attributable to this process, in which employees and vehicles 
    are in closely confined and marginally illuminated space.
        In Sec. 1918.86(a), OSHA proposed that an organized system of 
    traffic control be established and maintained at each entrance and exit 
    ramp. The highest concentration of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in 
    Ro-Ro operations, and thus the area where substantial accident 
    potential is most pronounced, is the area on and around ship-to-shore 
    access ramps. Ramps inside the vessel, although generally not as 
    congested as ship-to-shore access lanes, must also be addressed by the 
    traffic control system if they experience a periodic traffic flow that 
    warrants such control. These provisions, as proposed, received wide 
    support and remain identical in the final (Exs. 6-19, NMSA et al., PMA 
    et al., SEA Tr. pp. 455-458).
        Final paragraph (b), which remains as proposed, addresses the 
    hazard of exceeding the capacity of the ramp used to transfer cargo. 
    Ramps must be plainly marked with their load capacity and these 
    capacities must not be exceeded (Ex. 1-5).
        Paragraph (c) provides protection for employees that use the ship's 
    ramp for access. OSHA proposed that a physical separation be provided 
    to separate the lanes of travel for pedestrians and vehicles. When the 
    design of the ramp prevents physical separation of pedestrians from 
    vehicles, OSHA proposed that a signaler direct traffic and not allow 
    concurrent use. Much of the comment and testimony on this paragraph 
    addressed the issue of the requirement of a signaler and the 
    prohibition of concurrent use (Exs. 6-16a, 71, NMSA et al., PMA et al., 
    SEA Tr. pp. 207, 244). One view presented at the hearings asserted 
    that, if there were no physical separation on the ramp, simultaneous 
    use of the ramp by vehicles and pedestrians (longshore workers 
    returning to the ship to unload vehicles) can only be achieved by 
    posting a signaler at each stern and side port ramp (Ex. 19). Others 
    maintained that this end can be achieved in many different ways and 
    suggested that performance language would be more appropriate (NMSA et 
    al., PMA et al.). OSHA, in the final regulation, requires a physical 
    separation when pedestrians and vehicles are using the ramps 
    simultaneously. Examples of physical separation are railings, 
    stanchions with wire, rope, or other material separating vehicle and 
    pedestrian traffic. Lines painted on the ramp or plastic cones do not 
    meet the intent of the regulation. When physical separation is not 
    possible, a positive means shall be established to prevent simultaneous 
    use of the ramp by vehicles and pedestrians. Examples of positive means 
    include a person controlling the use of the ramp or a signal system. 
    Verbal instructions and training alone are not sufficient.
    
    [[Page 40178]]
    
    The proposed regulation has been modified in the final rule to reflect 
    these changes.
        Final paragraphs (d), (e), and (f), addressing ramp maintenance, 
    hazardous routes and air brake connections, respectively, received 
    support and remain the same as the proposal (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et 
    al.). These provisions recognize the unique features of modern Ro-Ro 
    vessel ramp design that allow for multiple access destinations.
        Final paragraph (g) requires that flat bed and low boy trailers be 
    marked with their cargo capacity and not be overloaded. Comment and 
    testimony was received that addressed the problems with marking the 
    cargo capacity on equipment that may be old, retrofitted, or modified:
    
        The point being that there's a lot of old equipment out there 
    that has been patched up. Various features of the chassis has [sic] 
    been changed so that there's no manufacturer out there that would 
    come in and say yes, that's my vehicle or my chassis and I sold it 
    to you 10 years ago and it was rated at this capacity, and yes, it's 
    this capacity now.
        So you're not going to get a manufacturer to do it because they 
    have no idea what you've done to that chassis, so it's kind of left 
    up to the employer by the owner of that chassis. (SEA Tr. p. 414.)
    
        Similar arguments were received in both testimony and comment 
    recommending that OSHA exempt existing equipment from this requirement, 
    having it only apply to new equipment purchased after the effective 
    date of the final rule (Exs. 78, NMSA et al.). On the other hand, Doug 
    Getchell of the ILWU recommended that OSHA require these markings on 
    existing equipment as well.
    
        There's some very durable equipment out there you're talking 
    about that could be in play for a long, long time to come.
        I believe that our position is that all of the equipment should 
    be adequately proof-load tested before it's put back into use again. 
    (SEA Tr. p. 105.)
    
        After careful consideration, OSHA believes that ``grandfathering'' 
    of this requirement is inappropriate. In the absence of such a marking, 
    the capacity of the flat bed or low boy trailer would not be known. 
    These trailers are used to transport break-bulk cargo into the holds of 
    RO-RO ships, often down steep ramps. Overloaded trailers would 
    constitute a serious hazard to employees. However, since the record 
    indicates that much unmarked equipment is presently in use, the final 
    rule allows the period of one year from the publication date of this 
    standard for compliance with this provision. The similar provision in 
    Sec. 1917.71(f)(4) will also have a delayed effective date.
        Paragraphs (h), (i), (j), (k) and (l), addressing cargo weights, 
    tractors, safe speeds, ventilation, and securing cargo, respectively, 
    received general support and remain in the final as proposed (Exs. NMSA 
    et al., PMA et al.). In addition, ventilation issues regarding Carbon 
    Monoxide (CO) are discussed at length in subpart I, below.
        Proposed paragraph (m) required high visibility vests or equivalent 
    protection for authorized personnel working in Roll-on roll-off 
    operations. This is similar to an existing requirement in the Marine 
    Terminals Standard, Sec. 1917.71(e), which specifies that employees 
    working in the immediate area of container handling equipment or in the 
    terminal's traffic lanes must wear high visibility vests, decals, 
    reflectors or equivalent protection.
        Several issues arose in the rulemaking in regard to the requirement 
    for wearing high visibility vests: (1) Whether the Agency had any data 
    or analysis that indicated that there was significant risk in wearing 
    only reflective decals on hard hats; (2) whether replacing hard hat 
    decals with high visibility vests will substantially reduce that risk; 
    and (3) whether the Agency had largely underestimated the cost of 
    providing high visibility vests. They argued that since the true cost 
    was much higher than Agency estimates, and the attendant risk reduction 
    had not been demonstrated, the Agency had failed to show that the vests 
    are reasonably necessary for worker protection.
        Regarding the lack of data issue, OSHA believes that the record 
    clearly indicates several fatalities that may have been prevented if 
    the employee had been wearing high visibility vests (Ex. 1-78, 1-89, 
    and 1-103).
        Regarding the second issue, some commenters argued that a 
    reflective decal or decals placed on the employee's hard hat would be 
    equivalent to the protection afforded by a vest (Exs. 6-29a, NMSA et 
    al., NO Tr. pp. 154-156, 459.) Several other industry representatives 
    reported difficulty in getting workers to wear vests without discarding 
    them each day (NO Tr. p. 211). Employers from the Gulf and West Coasts 
    reported that for much of the year vests added to the discomfort of 
    working in the heat which was an additional reason why employees did 
    not wear them (NO Tr. pp. 155, 212). Other commenters noted that vests 
    in cold climes often disappeared under coats. For example, a 
    representative from NMSA gave this testimony:
    
        If the vest was visible, of course. The more visibility the 
    better it is * * * but in some cases the vest is covered up by an 
    outer garment, in cold weather conditions or foul weather, and it's 
    not visible anyway. The hard hats are still being worn by the man 
    with the reflective devices. The more high visibility you could 
    provide, of course, the better it is for everybody. We don't want to 
    be limited to just the vest (NO Tr. P. 356).
    
        In addition, commenters reported that for some operations, such as 
    lashing containers, the vests themselves had snagged on ladders or gear 
    thus causing accidents (NO Tr. pp. 683 and 690). As a consequence, 
    several stevedores who currently supply vests do not require employees 
    to wear them while performing container lashing work. OSHA notes that 
    these paragraphs do not require the wearing of high visibility vests 
    during the lashing of containers.
        NIOSH supported a requirement that employees wear reflective 
    material on both their vests and hard hats:
    
        The portion of the body that's covered by a hard hat that is 
    visible from a distance is considerably smaller than the portion of 
    the body covered by some sort of an outer garment, be it a vest or a 
    coat or what not * * *. I would strongly encourage that reflective 
    material on hard hats be in addition to some of the material on the 
    trunk of the body. (NO Tr. p. 500.)
    
        Further testimony on the issue came from a representative from the 
    ILWU:
    
        We've submitted comments, or support the notion, that 
    particularly during daylight hours, the vest is far more visible 
    than the hard hat. In terms of the amount of square inches, if you 
    will, [the vest] is significantly greater than that provided by a 
    hard hat * * *. Would you agree that the visibility of an individual 
    with a vest and a hard hat during daylight hours is greater than 
    with an individual with just a hard hat? (NO Tr. p. 355.)
    
        In addition, although there are no existing U.S. Government or 
    national consensus standards specific to longshoring on the amount of 
    high visibility material required on safety clothing, international 
    standards do exist. The British/European standard (BS EN 471:1994) 
    prescribes minimum amounts of fluorescent and retro reflective material 
    for high-visibility clothing (Ex. 71).
        With regard to the equivalent protection issue, OSHA's current 
    position was discussed in the preamble to the proposed standard. The 
    Agency indicated that the reflective area of a decal on a hard hat is 
    substantially smaller than that of a vest, and has no protective value 
    if the worker is not wearing the hard hat. In fact, hard hats are not 
    required for all work areas in marine terminals and vessels unless 
    there is an overhead hazard (NO Tr. pp.
    
    [[Page 40179]]
    
    353-354). Furthermore, the reflective value of decals on hard hats is 
    lost when the employee bends over which occurs during the lashing or 
    unlashing of automobiles. In contrast, the reflective value of a high 
    visibility vest is not only far greater but is not lost even during 
    lashing or unlashing operations. Based on its enforcement experience, 
    the Agency is aware that high visibility vests are available in various 
    sizes (and many types are adjustable) including ones that are large 
    enough to wear over cold weather apparel. OSHA's position regarding 
    decals remains unchanged from the proposal.
        With regard to the final issue, numerous employers and their 
    representatives said that the Agency had grossly underestimated the 
    costs of supplying vests in the preliminary regulatory impact analysis. 
    They argued that reflective vests would have to be replaced every time 
    they were required and that the costs would be excessive (Exs. NMSA et 
    al., 80, NO Tr. p. 557). For example, Paul Robinson of Crowley American 
    Transport said that his company, which requires all employees to wear 
    vests, had spent $57,000 in the past year for vests. OSHA acknowledges 
    that some employers have a significant problem controlling the issuance 
    of vests. However, the Agency sees little difference between this 
    equipment and other personal protective equipment, such as hard hats, 
    which the industry has been able to control. In the preamble to the 
    proposed standard the Agency had estimated that 75 percent of the 
    employees in the industry would require a new vest only once a year. 
    The Agency has revised its estimate for supplying high visibility vests 
    to the industry (see Section VI, Summary of the Final Economic Analysis 
    and Regulatory Flexibility Analysis later in this preamble).
        The Agency has concluded that wearing high visibility vests 
    significantly reduces the probability of injury when working on RO/RO 
    vessels or container handling ashore because it makes the worker much 
    more visible in a busy, congested operation that involves working 
    around fast-moving vehicles. Final paragraph (m), therefore, requires 
    that only authorized persons be permitted on any deck while loading or 
    discharging operations are being conducted and such persons shall be 
    equipped with high visibility vests or equivalent protection. In 
    addition, a footnote has been added indicating that decals on hard hats 
    will not be considered equivalent protection for the purposes of this 
    paragraph. However, OSHA will accept high visibility equipment meeting 
    the European standards as providing protection that is equivalent to 
    that required by paragraph (m). A note has been added with the minimum 
    requirements of high visibility and retroreflective material in square 
    inches and square meters. The parallel provision in the Marine 
    Terminals Standard will be revised accordingly in final 
    Sec. 1917.71(e).
        Proposed paragraph (n) provided signaling requirements when 
    vehicles were being maneuvered into stowage positions when other 
    personnel are in the adjacent vicinity. OSHA received several comments 
    on this issue suggesting that a performance-based requirement, one 
    stating the goals to be achieved, would be more appropriate than the 
    specifications contained in the proposed provision (NMSA et al. and PMA 
    et al.). Since the objective of this provision is to prevent vehicles 
    being driven into stowage positions from striking employees who are 
    lashing these vehicles into place, and since the proposed requirement 
    allowed employees only one way to achieve this goal, i.e. under the 
    direction of a signaller, OSHA has developed a more performance 
    oriented requirement for the final rule to provide both protection and 
    enhanced flexibility. In the final standard, this provision reads as 
    follows:
    
        Vehicle stowage positioning. Drivers shall not drive vehicles, 
    either forward or backward, while any personnel are in positions 
    where they could be struck.
    
        Section 1918.87, ``Ship's cargo elevators,'' sets out requirements 
    for the use of shipboard elevators (lifts) that are most common on many 
    different Ro-Ro and combination carrier vessel designs. In approaching 
    the issue of elevator usage, OSHA remained mindful of foreign vessel 
    prerogatives. The provisions of the final rule are protective of U.S. 
    longshore workers, but are not expected to have an impact on any other 
    nation's vessel designs.
        Final paragraphs (a), (b) and (d), addressing safe working load, 
    load distribution, and open deck barricades respectively, received 
    support and they remain essentially the same as the proposal (NMSA et 
    al., PMA et al.).
        Proposed paragraph (c), however, would have allowed the vehicle 
    driver to ride the cargo elevator when that driver's vehicle was being 
    lifted on the elevator. Several commenters wanted the language to be 
    changed to allow persons other than the driver to ride the elevator 
    with the load (NMSA et al., PMA et al.). The driver is allowed on the 
    elevator to make sure the brakes are applied to prevent the cargo from 
    rolling. However, allowing other personnel to ride the elevator 
    presents an unnecessary danger if a fall hazard, as defined in 
    Sec. 1918.2, is present. If riding the elevator does not present a fall 
    hazard, however, the record does not support the proposed restriction. 
    Therefore, OSHA has modified this paragraph to prohibit personnel from 
    traveling on the elevator if fall hazards are present.
        Section 1918.88, ``Log operations,'' is also an entirely new 
    section addressing the hazards associated with loading logs from the 
    water into a vessel. This is a particularly hazardous operation both 
    because of the location where it occurs (on the water) and the nature 
    of the cargo. Logs loaded from the water have usually been in the water 
    for a long time, causing them to absorb water. The extra water adds to 
    their weight and loosens the bark, making the log surface very unsure 
    and slippery. In response to comments, the provisions in proposed 
    Sec. 1918.38, ``Log rafts,'' which was proposed in subpart D (Walking/
    Working Surfaces), are being moved to this subpart and renumbered 
    Sec. 1918.88(h) (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et al.).
        Commenters argued that proposed paragraph (a), ``Working in 
    holds,'' could be incorrectly interpreted to mean that employees would 
    be required to leave the hold of the vessel whenever and wherever logs 
    are being loaded. This language has been clarified to require that 
    employees need to remain clear of areas where they may be struck by 
    logs. This suggested language received widespread support (Exs. 35, 78, 
    NMSA et al., PMA et al.).
        Final paragraph (b) requires that employees working on log booms 
    wear personal flotation devices in accordance with Sec. 1918.105(b)(2). 
    This requirement is in the current regulation, but was not in the 
    proposal. During the hearings, testimony was given supporting the 
    retention of language of the current standard which requires the 
    wearing of personal flotation devices when working on log booms and 
    such language is in the final regulation (NO Tr. pp. 447-449).
        Final paragraph (c) requires the employer to ensure that each 
    employee wears appropriate footwear to climb or walk on logs. Such 
    footwear typically is spiked, also known as ``caulked'' shoes. Such 
    specialized footwear may be styled like a sandal that attaches to 
    existing footwear, and is specifically designed for working logs. 
    Comment was received suggesting that OSHA should not determine who 
    would provide this item of personal protective equipment (PPE) (Exs. 
    NMSA et al.). OSHA has a standing policy regarding the provision
    
    [[Page 40180]]
    
    of PPE. See subpart J for a discussion on this issue. OSHA has 
    interpreted its general PPE standards to require employers to provide 
    and to pay for specialized PPE required by the company for the worker 
    to do his or her job safely and in compliance with OSHA standards. OSHA 
    considers special footwear needed for walking on logs to be such 
    equipment. The final remains essentially the same as the proposal, with 
    the term ``caulked sandals'' added as an example of such special 
    footwear.
        Paragraphs (d), (e), and (f), addressing lifelines, Jacob's ladders 
    and life-rings, received support and remain the same in the final as 
    proposed.
        Final paragraph (g) requires that a rescue boat be available when 
    employees are working on log rafts or booms. Commenters presented two 
    positions on this issue. One commenter urged OSHA to require that the 
    rescue boat be powered, citing the hazard of employees falling into the 
    water while loading logs from the water and being carried away by the 
    river current. Requiring that the rescue boat be powered would allow an 
    employee who falls into the water to be rescued quickly, in the opinion 
    of this commenter (Ex. 19). An opposing view was expressed by other 
    commenters, who argued that the fact that other lifesaving equipment, 
    such as the life-ring required to be available by paragraph (f), was 
    already required and the fact that a non-powered boat was often all 
    that was necessary, made any requirement for a powered rescue boat to 
    stand by while employees were loading logs excessive (Ex. 37, SEA Tr. 
    pp. 412-413).
        The final rule adopts a performance approach and requires that 
    rescue boats that are ``capable of effecting immediate rescue'' be 
    available during logging operations. The employer must thus decide, 
    based on local conditions, what type of rescue boat is appropriate to 
    the immediate circumstances. For example, when currents are fast enough 
    to carry an employee away, the final rule would require employers to 
    make a powered rescue boat available. It should be noted that OSHA's 
    enforcement policy regarding drowning hazards incorporates guidelines 
    developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Exs. 1-159 and 1-160). 
    These guidelines require a powered rescue boat to be available whenever 
    the waters are rough or swift or where manually-operated boats are not 
    practicable. In addition, OSHA requires that anti-drowning measures be 
    taken in scuba diving at a trigger current of one knot 
    (Sec. 1910.424(b)(3)). In light of these discussions and to assist 
    employers in complying with these rescue provisions, the final rule 
    specifies in a note that powered rescue boats are required when the 
    current exceeds one knot.
        As discussed in the beginning of this section, proposed 
    Sec. 1918.38 has been moved to this subpart and has been renumbered 
    Sec. 1918.88(h) (1), (2) and (3). Although paragraph (2) in the 
    proposal required walking sticks on the ``off-shore side of the 
    vessel,'' commenters pointed out that logs can be worked on both sides 
    of the vessel. (Exs. 36, 78). OSHA has amended the proposal 
    accordingly, requiring in the final that walking sticks ``* * * extend 
    along the entire length of all rafts on the sides of the vessel being 
    worked * * *''
        Proposed Sec. 1918.89, addressing the handling of hazardous cargo, 
    was carried over from the existing Longshore Standard (Sec. 1918.86). 
    OSHA requested comment from the public asking if the requirements in 
    proposed paragraphs (a) and (c) were unduly repetitious. Commenters 
    indicated that these requirements were, indeed, redundant and, were 
    therefore unnecessary (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et al.). OSHA agrees that 
    these requirements are already addressed in the Hazard Communication 
    and the Emergency Response requirements found in subpart A and subpart 
    I, respectively, and has removed these provisions from Sec. 1918.89 in 
    the final rule. The text of proposed paragraph (b), which required that 
    hazardous cargo be secured to prevent spillage, now becomes the 
    entirety of the text of final Sec. 1918.89. For consistency, these 
    changes are reflected in part 1917 (Sec. 1917.22).
    Subpart I--General Working Conditions
        Subpart I, General Working Conditions, contains provisions that 
    address: dangerous atmospheres; lifesaving equipment such as first aid 
    kits and life rings; hazard communication; sanitation; qualifications 
    of machinery operators and training of supervisors; illumination; and 
    housekeeping. These provisions, as proposed, received widespread 
    support from commenters (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et al.) and are 
    essentially unchanged in the final rule, except as discussed below.
        Section 1918.90 ``Hazard communication'' is a cross reference to 
    the Scope and Application section of the final rule. It requires, by 
    reference, compliance with OSHA's general industry hazard communication 
    standard, Sec. 1910.1200. Consistent with the President's Initiative to 
    reduce the size of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), OSHA has 
    decided simply to cross-reference the Hazard Communication Standard in 
    the Scope section as one of the part 1910 provisions applicable to 
    longshoring, instead of incorporating that entire standard into this 
    rule. OSHA is using this same incorporation by reference approach in 
    the Marine Terminals Standard (part 1917). This strategy results in a 
    net savings of approximately 50 pages in the CFR.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.91 addresses housekeeping requirements, e.g. 
    slippery surfaces, protruding nails, and so on, and remains essentially 
    the same as the proposed section, with one exception. As stated in the 
    proposal, OSHA considers lashing gear used with containers, roll-on/
    roll-off cargo, and, in particular, automobiles, to be ``equipment,'' 
    and, in the final rule, lashing gear is specifically referred to in 
    paragraph (a). These housekeeping provisions are necessary to maintain 
    a safe work area and reduce accidents to employees handling cargo.
        Final rule Sec. 1918.92 provides illumination requirements for 
    cargo handling work aboard vessels and remains the same as the 
    corresponding section of the proposal. These illumination requirements 
    are consistent with those in the current Marine Terminals rule (see 
    Sec. 1917.123). They specify illumination levels in walking, working, 
    and climbing areas; methods of measurement; arrangement of light 
    sources; requirements for portable lights; and prohibition of the use 
    of matches of open flame lights. Both part 1917 and part 1918 require a 
    minimum of five foot-candles (54 lux) of illumination during cargo 
    operations.
        Final Sec. 1918.93 requires protection from atmospheric hazards 
    that are not addressed specifically in other sections of part 1918. A 
    list of those sections is included in paragraph (a) for ease of 
    reference. This section establishes requirements for the determination 
    of the hazard, testing for the hazard when ventilation is being 
    applied, and procedures for entry into hazardous atmospheres. In 
    addition, the hazards associated with emergency entry and asbestos 
    spills are also addressed. This section remains essentially the same as 
    the parallel section of the proposal. The types of atmospheric hazards 
    likely to be encountered by shipboard employees are much the same as 
    those found in shoreside operations. Consequently, this section of the 
    final rule contains provisions that are essentially identical to those 
    found in the Marine Terminals Standard (see Sec. 1917.23). This 
    approach will provide consistent requirements that appropriately 
    address both aspects of marine cargo transport operations.
    
    [[Page 40181]]
    
        Section 1918.94 of the final rule, ``Ventilation and atmospheric 
    conditions,'' provides ventilation and other requirements for specific 
    atmospheric workplace conditions that are found in longshoring 
    operations, such as excessive concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), 
    atmospheric contamination by fumigated grains, tobacco, and other 
    fumigated cargoes, and toxic atmospheres generated by menhaden and 
    similar species of fish.
        Paragraph (a) addresses the hazards associated with shipboard 
    exposures to carbon monoxide. The buildup of unhealthy levels of carbon 
    monoxide is of particular concern in breakbulk and Ro-Ro vessel 
    operations. In the former, forklifts are used in the hold; in the 
    latter, almost any type of vehicle can be operated either to perform 
    material handling or because the vehicle itself is the cargo (i.e. 
    vehicles being transported on Ro-Ro ships).
        Carbon monoxide is a flammable, colorless, practically odorless 
    gas. Most occupational exposures to this ubiquitous substance are the 
    result of the incomplete combustion of organic material (HSDB 1990; 
    Gosselin, Smith, and Hodge 1984, p. III-94).
        OSHA's current limits for carbon monoxide in marine terminals and 
    longshoring are 50 ppm as an 8-hour TWA and, in enclosed spaces, a 100 
    ppm ceiling, i.e. the maximum allowable exposure at any given point in 
    time. The ACGIH has a TLV -TWA (8-hour) of 25 ppm for carbon 
    monoxide, and NIOSH (1973d/Ex. 1-237) recommends an 8-hour TWA limit of 
    35 ppm and a 200-ppm ceiling for CO. OSHA proposed to establish 
    permissible exposure limits (PELs) of 35 ppm (8-hour TWA) and 200 ppm 
    (5 min STEL) in outdoor, non-enclosed spaces in the marine cargo 
    handling environment, and to retain the 100 ppm ceiling for CO in 
    enclosed spaces in marine terminals and longshoring operations.
        In addition to the 50 ppm TWA in Subpart Z of part 1910, OSHA's 
    Longshoring and Marine Terminals Standards have long had a 100 ppm 
    ceiling for CO in enclosed spaces. OSHA received several comments and 
    considerable testimony concerning the proposed 100 ppm ceiling (Exs. 
    PMA et al., 71, 77, 80). The Pacific Maritime Association also 
    recommended a short-term exposure limit of 200 ppm measured during a 
    five minute period for Ro-Ro and automobile-carrying ships (enclosed 
    spaces). This recommended STEL paralleled OSHA's proposed requirement 
    for a CO limit for outdoor, non-enclosed spaces (SEA Tr. pp. 189-190.)
        Mr. Rob Dieda, Safety Director for Stevedoring Services of 
    America's California operations, supported the PMA position and added 
    that:
    
        Preliminary inquiries indicate that drivers will not exceed the 
    8-hour time weight average, however, foremen, superintendents and 
    clerks may be overexposed, depending on the ventilation of the ship 
    being worked.
        SSA's other jobs rarely last more than one shift, with 6-hour 
    shifts being normal. Most operations utilize unit breaks for 
    approximately 20 minutes, once or twice a shift, depending on the 
    shift length, where all employees exit the vessel.
        We average 12 vessels per month, so employees are not exposed 
    daily. (SEA Tr. p. 300.)
    
        Mr. John Fling, Safety Specialist for Red Shield Service Company 
    testified:
    
        During our testing, the measurements were taken in the breathing 
    zone of the individuals and in the proximity of the foremen and 
    clerks. We received periodically what I call spikes because of their 
    duration. We would get spikes well over 100. I got one spike even 
    over 200.
        Now I call these spikes, because * * * of the duration * * * 
    they would quickly go up, peak out, and then immediately start 
    falling off. Things influencing these spikes was [sic] the 
    ventilation on the ship, the type of car being discharged, the 
    number of cars being discharged.
        Each time that meter went over 100 parts per million we were 
    technically in violation; we were supposed to evacuate the ship at 
    that point, according to the rule. However, because of the way the 
    level falls off, before we could even start the evacuation, we were 
    back below 100.
        The time weighted averages on all of these vessels has never 
    exceeded 50 parts per million over the eight hour period. As a 
    matter of fact, we're still well within the 35 parts per million 
    within an eight hour period.
        So our recommendation, from a standpoint of compliance, would be 
    to adopt the 35 parts per million TWA and use the 200 parts per 
    million either as an STEL or even as a ceiling. (SEA Tr. pp. 508-
    509.)
    
        Mr. Fling also submitted written testimony that included actual 
    carbon monoxide readings from several Ro-Ro vessels that showed a few 
    readings above 200 ppm. It also showed that the reading taken 
    immediately (within one minute) after these high peak readings was 
    below 100 ppm and that subsequent readings well below 100 ppm. Eight-
    hour exposure levels were all well below 35 ppm (Ex. 72).
        The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 
    testified at the hearings in New Orleans on the health effects of 
    carbon monoxide. Mr. Larry Reed, Assistant Director for Policy 
    Development, Division of Standards Development and Technology Transfer, 
    said that, although NIOSH supported a 100 ppm ceiling as being more 
    protective, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) for carbon 
    monoxide is 35 ppm as an eight-hour time weighted average, with a 
    ceiling limit of 200 ppm. The OSHA panel asked if NIOSH had data on 
    CO's health effects that could support a five-minute short-term 
    exposure limit (STEL) of 100 ppm for carbon monoxide (NO Tr. p. 619). 
    NIOSH replied in post hearing comments that it could not support a 
    five-minute STEL of 100 ppm because such a limit would allow peak 
    concentrations of CO to exceed the ceiling of 200 ppm and that the 
    adverse health effects of exposure at that ceiling have clearly been 
    demonstrated in research. NIOSH reiterated its support for a ceiling of 
    200 ppm (Ex. 81).
        Occupational fatalities and disabling illnesses still appear on the 
    waterfront due to high levels of (CO) accumulating in cargo spaces. In 
    1980, 11 longshoremen working a vessel in Miami, Florida, were 
    hospitalized after being overcome by carbon monoxide fumes (Ex. 1-76). 
    Another incident involving carbon monoxide occurred in 1985, in Puerto 
    Rico, where 12 longshoremen were overcome while working in the hold of 
    a vessel where a propane-powered fork lift was being used (Ex. 1-77). 
    In another incident in Miami, which occurred in 1988, 2 crewmembers 
    were killed and 14 others hospitalized due to carbon monoxide poisoning 
    that was caused by a gas-powered water pump that was being used to 
    remove water from the hold of a vessel (Ex.1-81).
        In 1989, OSHA promulgated a new air contaminant standard for 
    general industry, updating the permissible exposure limits (PELs) found 
    in subpart Z of part 1910. (OSHA later proposed a similar air 
    contaminants standard for maritime and construction employment, but 
    withdrew it after the court decision on the part 1910 PELs.) Included 
    in the list of updated exposure limits in subpart Z were carbon 
    monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). When the general 
    industry standard was vacated and remanded by the U. S. Court of 
    Appeals in the PELs decision (AFL-CIO v. OSHA, 965 F.2d 962 (11th Cir. 
    1992), the previous PELs continued in effect, and they still apply to 
    general industry and maritime, including longshoring and marine 
    terminals. The current PEL for CO is 50 ppm as an 8-hour time-weighted 
    average (50 ppm TWA), and the ceiling for H2S is 20 ppm TWA. 
    (On H2S, see discussion of Sec. 1917.94(f) below.)
        In issuing this final rule on cargo-handling operations, OSHA has 
    reviewed the record and has decided to retain the current 50 ppm TWA 
    for CO for both marine terminals and
    
    [[Page 40182]]
    
    longshoring, which is consistent with the TWA for general industry in 
    subpart Z of part 1910. The Agency believes that it is unnecessary at 
    this time to lower the TWA below the general industry level because the 
    unique aspects of exposure to CO in marine cargo handling operations 
    are addressed by the ceiling for CO exposure in enclosed spaces, as is 
    discussed more fully below. In future rulemakings, OSHA intends to 
    review many of the PELs in subpart Z and determine whether there is a 
    need to lower them. Any rulemaking action to reduce the TWA for CO or 
    H2S will address exposures to those substances in all 
    workplaces covered by subpart Z, including longshoring and marine 
    terminal operations.
        In addition to continuing the 50 ppm TWA, the record of this 
    rulemaking strongly supports the continued need for a 100 ppm ceiling 
    for CO in enclosed spaces, with the limited exception of a 200 ppm 
    ceiling for Ro/Ro operations. In longshoring and marine terminals, 
    employees regularly enter and work in enclosed spaces. Exposure can 
    rise much more quickly to IDLH levels in enclosed spaces, and escape 
    from these spaces can be difficult. In these sectors, there is thus a 
    higher potential for concentrations to rise to IDLH levels of CO. The 
    100 ppm ceiling for enclosed spaces in the final rule is intended to 
    serve as a trigger level, to enable employees to exit the enclosed 
    spaces before CO concentrations reach hazardous levels. This is 
    particularly important because of two factors that are closely 
    interrelated: First, employees working in enclosed spaces may need more 
    time to exit those spaces because of their location and configuration 
    aboard a vessel; and second, CO generated into an enclosed space can 
    rapidly accumulate to unsafe levels. Thus, by requiring employees to 
    exit enclosed spaces when the CO level reaches 100 ppm, the standard 
    takes these factors into account to assure that the employees will not 
    be exposed to hazardous concentrations of CO in the spaces.
        With regard to the 200 ppm exception, uncontroverted testimony in 
    the record indicated that a 100-ppm ceiling level was not feasible for 
    Ro-Ro operations even though Ro-Ro vessels are designed with extensive 
    ventilation capabilities. As indicated above, these commenters pointed 
    out that, although levels of CO do spike to 100 ppm, they almost 
    immediately fall below this level, with subsequent levels well below. 
    In addition, from an operational standpoint spikes may occur upon 
    starting the vehicles for unloading. Typically, employees are within 
    the vehicles and are in the process of exiting the vessel. If a CO 
    alarm were to go off under these circumstances, it appears unreasonable 
    to require the employees to stop the vehicles and evacuate the vessel 
    on foot, thereby increasing their exposure (See also PMA et al.). This 
    type of exposure contrasts sharply with non-Ro-Ro operations, such as 
    working in the hold of a vessel using gasoline powered industrial 
    trucks. Here the CO build up is gradual, does not dissipate rapidly and 
    the evacuation is usually by vertical ladder and more physically 
    demanding. Based on this evidence, OSHA is setting a 200 ppm ceiling 
    limit for occupational exposure during work on those vessels. The 
    Agency notes that although this exception is based on feasibility 
    considerations, it does meet the NIOSH recommendations for a ceiling 
    based on health considerations.
        In the near future, OSHA intends to review and revise many of the 
    permissible exposure limits currently in subpart Z of Part 1910, most 
    of which are applicable to both general industry and longshoring 
    employment. If the health evidence supports lower limits for CO than 
    are contained in either the current General Industry Standard or the 
    Longshoring Standard, the Agency will propose the necessary changes for 
    both standards.
        Traditionally, in the marine cargo handling industry, carbon 
    monoxide (CO) is the most common hazardous atmosphere that is tested 
    for because of the use of cargo handling equipment that is powered by 
    gasoline, diesel fuel, and propane, in spaces on a vessel that have a 
    tendency to accumulate CO (tween decks, holds, lockers). Testing for 
    carbon monoxide is generally done by a foreman, superintendent, or 
    safety person. Most testing is done using hand-held instruments that 
    give an almost immediate reading of CO in parts per million (ppm). 
    Several persons testified at the hearings in Seattle about current 
    industry practice with regard to carbon monoxide testing. Mr. John 
    Fling, Safety Specialist, Red Shield Service Company, said:
    
        Jones Oregon Stevedoring Company does a large number of auto 
    ships each year. We use a carbon monoxide dosey [dosimeter] tube to 
    measure the amount of carbon monoxide that the foremen are exposed 
    to. This gives us an average reading for the shift.
        To get a better picture of what was happening on a time period, 
    we ran concurrently tests using a digital readout carbon monoxide 
    meter. The meter was calibrated both before and after the tests.
        During our testing, the measurements were taken in the breathing 
    zone of the individuals and in the proximity of the foremen and 
    clerks * * * (SEA Tr. pp. 508-509.)
    
        The current OSHA regulation uses the term TWA, time weighted 
    average, and requires that the TWA for CO not exceed 50 ppm averaged 
    over an eight hour period. In marine cargo handling, however, a TWA 
    usually will not accurately reflect an employee's exposure to air 
    contaminants such as CO. Marine cargo handling exposes employees to 
    workplace conditions that can change dramatically from minute to 
    minute. Longshore workers work on many different vessels from day to 
    day. The vessels are often under a foreign flag and not under the 
    control of the employer, and the employee's work locations and weather 
    conditions are always changing. For example, work can take place in a 
    hold, which is an enclosed space, and then change to a frozen cargo 
    locker, which is a confined space, within a short time. Changing 
    weather conditions can cause carbon monoxide either to dissipate 
    quickly (in windy conditions) or settle and build up (during the summer 
    when the air is stagnant). These work conditions contrast sharply with 
    those in manufacturing, for example, where the workplace is in the same 
    location day after day, the employer has control over the physical 
    worksite, and weather is not a factor. For these reasons, the cargo 
    handling industry uses direct reading instruments, which provide 
    immediate feedback on CO levels. The measurements are area rather than 
    personal measurements. When the peak level is reached, workers must be 
    removed from the work area. To ensure that CO levels remain safe over 
    the course of the work shift, the rule requires ``that tests of the 
    carbon monoxide content of the atmosphere are made with such frequency 
    as to ensure that concentrations do not exceed allowable limits.'' 
    Since the requirement for the retention of logs is addressed in subpart 
    Z (Access to employee exposure and medical records, Sec. 1910.1020), 
    the proposed requirement for maintaining the logs under 
    Sec. 1918.94(a)(2) has been deleted from the final rule to avoid 
    duplication (See Sec. 1918.1). In final Sec. 1917.24(a) and 
    Sec. 1918.94(a)(ii), OSHA uses the term ``eight hour average area 
    level.''
        The remainder of the paragraph on carbon monoxide addresses the 
    vessel's mechanical ventilation and the use of portable blowers. These 
    requirements are essentially unchanged from the proposal, except that 
    the formula for calculating an eight hour time weighted average has 
    been removed from the final regulation because it is appropriate for
    
    [[Page 40183]]
    
    personal monitoring and not for area monitoring 
    (Sec. 1918.94(a)(1)(i)(B)).
        In final Sec. 1918.94(b), OSHA addresses the hazards associated 
    with handling grain treated with fumigants. This section requires, 
    before handling bulk grain in any vessel compartment in which employees 
    are or may be present, that the employer determine whether grain to be 
    loaded or discharged aboard a vessel has been fumigated. If such 
    treatment has been carried out, the employer must determine, by means 
    of tests, that the atmosphere in the compartment is not hazardous to 
    the health or safety of employees. These tests must be conducted by a 
    designated person with the knowledge and experience to measure such 
    atmospheres and prescribe the appropriate protective equipment, if 
    necessary. In many cases, such a person will be a certified industrial 
    hygienist or a Marine Chemist (certified by the National Fire 
    Protection Association). This section also requires that, if the 
    atmosphere in a compartment reaches the level specified as hazardous 
    either by the fumigant manufacturer (as indicated by the Material 
    Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) required by 29 CFR 1910.1200) or by Subpart Z 
    of 29 CFR 1910.1000, all employees must be removed from the compartment 
    and may not re-enter until tests demonstrate that it is safe to do so. 
    The requirements in final Sec. 1918.94(b) remain essentially unchanged 
    from the parallel requirements of the proposal.
        Final Sec. 1918.94(c) includes OSHA's requirements for handling 
    cargoes of fumigated tobacco. Tobacco cargoes, both imported and 
    exported, are shipped most typically in bales, in hogsheads, and in 
    intermodal containers. The requirements in Sec. 1918.94(c) apply when 
    cargoes are break-bulk, i.e. are being transported in piece lots of 
    bales or in hogsheads. When such cargoes are containerized, employee 
    exposure is addressed in the Marine Terminals Standard, 
    Sec. 1917.25(g). Comment was received requesting that OSHA clarify 
    whether this section applied exclusively to break-bulk cargo (Ex. NMSA 
    et al.). In response to this comment, OSHA has added the word ``break-
    bulk'' to this provision of the final rule. Paragraph (c) prohibits the 
    employer from loading tobacco until the carrier has provided a written 
    certification stating whether or not the tobacco has been fumigated. 
    This requirement is necessary because tobacco is often fumigated with 
    toxic substances, in which case the cargo must be aerated for a 
    specified number of hours before it is safe to handle.
        Final Sec. 1918.94(d) addresses other fumigated cargoes. It 
    requires employers to determine that the concentration of fumigants are 
    below those specified either by the fumigant manufacturer (as indicated 
    by the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) required by Sec. 29 CFR 
    1910.1200) or by subpart Z of 29 CFR 1910.1000 as hazardous before such 
    cargo was either loaded or discharged. The proposed provision would 
    only have applied to the loading of such cargo. OSHA received the 
    following comment on this provision:
    
        In recent years the ILWU has been receiving and discharging 
    cargo that has been fumigated in foreign ports (e.g. the discharge 
    of logs from New Zealand and Chile that have been fumigated with 
    methyl bromide). (Ex. 78.)
    
        This commenter requested that the word ``discharge'' be added to 
    Sec. 1918.94(d) to address the fact that some cargo continues to be 
    hazardous even at the time of discharge from the vessel. Testimony 
    provided during the public hearings (NO Tr. p. 381) supported this 
    change. OSHA agrees that the added language will provide additional 
    protection and has accordingly amended the language of this provision 
    in the final rule.
        Final paragraph Sec. 1918.94(e) addresses the use of personal 
    protective equipment (PPE) to protect against exposures to 
    concentrations of grain dust. It requires the use of such PPE when 
    employees are exposed to grain dust concentrations that are above those 
    allowed by subpart Z of 29 CFR 1910.1000. This provision is essentially 
    unchanged from that proposed.
        Final Sec. 1918.94(f) addresses longshoring operations aboard 
    vessels engaged in the menhaden trade (or trade in similar species of 
    fish). Menhaden is a term that refers to several species of trash fish. 
    Menhaden is used to produce, among other products, fertilizer, pet food 
    and fish oil (See 46 FR 4213.) In the form of cargo handled at 
    specialized menhaden marine terminals, menhaden presents a health 
    hazard to longshore workers because it decomposes, generating hydrogen 
    sulfide (H2S). As recently as 1987, a hydrogen sulfide 
    incident aboard a menhaden vessel led to serious injury and a fatality 
    (Ex. 1-80). This section of the final rule does not apply to vessels 
    that are using refrigerated holds for the storage of all cargo, because 
    refrigeration prevents the menhaden from decomposing.
        This section requires that, before employees enter a hold that 
    contains menhaden, the hold be tested for hydrogen sulfide and oxygen 
    deficiency. These tests must be performed by designated supervisory 
    personnel. The maximum allowable atmospheric concentrations of hydrogen 
    sulfide, as measured by direct reading instruments is a 20 ppm ceiling. 
    The oxygen level must not be less than 19.5%. Unless these atmospheric 
    levels are met, employees are not permitted to enter the hold. The 
    corresponding provisions of the Marine Terminals Standard appear at 
    Sec. 1917.73(a)(2).
        OSHA's current limit for hydrogen sulfide in Marine Terminals is a 
    20 ppm ceiling; this limit applies, along with other provisions, in 
    menhaden tanks (Sec. 1917.73); the Agency's current Longshoring 
    Standard is silent with regard to both H2S and menhaden. The 
    General Industry Standard (which applies to marine terminals and 
    longshoring through subpart Z of Part 1910) is a 20 ppm ceiling.
        OSHA proposed an 8-hour TWA of 10 ppm in Longshoring and Marine 
    Terminals and a STEL of 15 ppm for menhaden operations. It should be 
    noted that this rulemaking only addresses the appropriate level of 
    H2S in compartments, holds, and enclosed spaces and does not 
    apply to other circumstances in longshoring operations and marine 
    terminals.
        As discussed earlier, OSHA intends to review and revise many of the 
    permissible exposure limits currently in subpart Z of Part 1910, most 
    of which are applicable to both general industry and longshoring 
    employment. As a result, OSHA has decided not to change the permissible 
    exposure limits for H2S in longshoring or marine terminal 
    operations at this time. The 20 ppm ceiling currently in the part 1910 
    subpart Z standards will continue to apply; for consistency between 
    shipboard and shoreside cargo handling operations, OSHA is retaining 
    the existing 20 ppm ceiling contained in the Marine Terminals Standard 
    (Sec. 1917.73(a)(2)) and making it applicable to longshoring as well 
    (Sec. 1918.94(f)). If the health evidence ultimately supports lower 
    limits for H2S than are contained in either the current 
    general industry standard or the longshoring standard, the Agency will 
    propose the necessary changes for both standards.
        Final Sec. 1918.94(f) requires that atmospheric testing be 
    conducted prior to entry, and during work operations to ensure safe 
    levels of both H2S and oxygen, that the tests must be 
    conducted by designated personnel, and that employees may not enter a 
    hold unless safe atmospheric levels of both H2S and oxygen 
    are present.
    
    [[Page 40184]]
    
        Final Sec. 1918.95, titled ``Sanitation,'' contains requirements 
    necessary to maintain sanitary conditions. These provisions, for the 
    most part, are consistent with the current regulations for shoreside 
    cargo handling (Sec. 1917.127). They address washing and toilet 
    facilities, drinking water, eating areas, and garbage and overboard 
    discharges.
        OSHA received considerable comment and testimony objecting to the 
    inclusion of tables in the proposal specifying the number of required 
    toilet facilities (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et al., 6-31a, SEA Tr. p. 107, 
    NO Tr. pp. 160-161, 361-365, 387, 559-562). The Agency does not believe 
    that the tables are necessary, and has decided, instead, to use the 
    more performance-oriented language of the current Marine Terminal 
    Standards. This change also has the added benefit of achieving 
    uniformity between the two aspects of marine cargo handling operations.
        Longshoring work is normally done next to a marine terminal. If the 
    marine terminal's sanitation facilities are available for longshore 
    employees, this would constitute compliance with Sec. 1918.95. Section 
    1917.127, which covers sanitation at marine terminals, is essentially 
    identical to Sec. 1918.95. The remainder of Sec. 1918.95 is essentially 
    unchanged from the corresponding provisions of the proposal.
        Final Sec. 1918.96, titled ``Maintenance and repair work in the 
    vicinity of longshoring operations,'' addresses work (such as ship's 
    maintenance and repair) performed while marine cargo handling 
    operations are being done. In such circumstances, employees may be 
    exposed to hazards not found in longshore operations (such as excessive 
    light or heat from hot work or over spray from abrasive blasting or 
    spray painting). In OSHA's current Longshoring Standard, the parallel 
    provisions (Sec. 1918.95) contain requirements to account for the 
    hazards that can be anticipated when maintenance and repair work are 
    undertaken concurrently with cargo handling. These requirements were 
    proposed as Sec. 1918.95, and only minor changes have been made to 
    improve clarity.
        Sections 1918.96(a) through (d) remain the same as proposed. These 
    requirements prohibit the conduct of longshoring operations in 
    situations where the noise associated with maintenance or repair work 
    is such as to interfere with the ability to communicate warnings or 
    instructions (paragraph (a)); prohibit longshoring operations in the 
    hold or on deck if work is being performed overhead that could expose 
    longshore employees to falling objects (paragraph (b)); prohibit 
    longshoring operations in conditions that could expose longshoring 
    employees to damaging light rays, hot metal, or sparks from hot work 
    operations being conducted in the vicinity (paragraph (c)); and 
    prohibit longshoring operations in the immediate vicinity of abrasive 
    blasting or spray painting operations to protect longshore workers from 
    exposure to the hazards associated with these operations (paragraph 
    (d)).
        OSHA also proposed in Sec. 1918.96(e) to prohibit cargo handling 
    operations where employees are exposed to electromagnetic (nonionizing) 
    radiation emitted from the radio and radar equipment on the vessel or 
    from radio and television towers that are close to marine cargo 
    handling facilities. OSHA issued a Hazard Information Bulletin on 
    September 5, 1990, concerning a nonionizing radiation incident caused 
    by radio transmitting towers that were near a cargo handling facility. 
    The radio frequency emissions were aimed in the direction of the cargo 
    handling operation and the radiation caused longshore workers touching 
    the crane wires and hooks to be burned. This situation was corrected by 
    having the transmissions directed away from the cargo handling area. 
    Two commenters asked OSHA to delete this paragraph from the final rule, 
    contending that nonionizing radiation has not been a problem in the 
    longshoring industry (Exs. 6-1, 6-16a). Other commenters agreed that 
    this paragraph should be deleted because it is duplicated by 
    regulations found in Sec. 1918.1(b)(7) (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et al.), 
    which incorporates by reference OSHA's General Industry Standard for 
    nonionizing radiation, Sec. 1910.97. In addition, comment and testimony 
    brought to OSHA's attention two articles, one by the United Kingdom's 
    Health and Safety Executive and the other from the Canadian Coast 
    Guard, that specifically addressed nonionizing radiation emitted by 
    vessel radar (Exs. 22 and 77, SEA Tr. pp. 235-236, NO Tr. pp. 660-662). 
    In summary, these studies suggested that nonionizing emissions from 
    vessel radar are not harmful, even in a worst case scenario, where the 
    radar is transmitting and the scanner is stationary at a distance of 19 
    feet (6 m). If the scanner is transmitting while rotating, the safe 
    distance is 5 feet (1.8 m). OSHA agrees that proposed Sec. 1918.96(e) 
    is somewhat duplicative because of the incorporation by reference of 
    Sec. 1910.97 in the ``Scope'' of this standard. However, the proposed 
    provisions were also not as protective as the General Industry 
    provisions. The proposed provision has therefore not been included in 
    the final rule. Nevertheless, although OSHA believes that nonionizing 
    radiation is not generally a hazard during marine cargo operations, the 
    OSHA Hazard Information Bulletin, discussed above, illustrates that 
    problems can occur. Accordingly, OSHA has added a ``Note'' to 
    Sec. 1918.1(b)(7) that addresses the proximity hazards of vessel radar 
    emissions.
        OSHA is adding a new paragraph, Sec. 1918.96(e), to the final rule 
    that addresses machine guarding (including the control of hazardous 
    energy sources -lockout/tagout). It requires guarding of danger zones 
    on machines and equipment used by employees and further stipulates that 
    the power supply to machines be turned off, locked out, and tagged out 
    during repair, adjustment, or servicing work on such machines. This 
    provision is written in performance-oriented language and is similar to 
    Sec. 1917.151. In addition, this provision of the final rule relies on 
    the ``danger zone'' concept used in part 1917 and carried forward in 
    final part 1918 (Sec. 1918.2). For additional discussion of the danger 
    zone concept, see the ``Other Issues'' and ``Scope and application'' 
    sections of this preamble.
        Final Sec. 1918.97 sets out requirements for first aid and 
    lifesaving facilities, and parallels closely the same provisions of 
    OSHA's rule for the shoreside aspect of marine cargo handling 
    (Sec. 1917.26). Paragraph (a) states that employers must direct their 
    employees to report work-related injuries to the employer, regardless 
    of the severity of the injury. This requirement is essential to ensure 
    that hazards causing injury to employees are identified and controlled. 
    Paragraph (b) requires that a first aid kit be available on or near 
    each vessel being worked and that at least one person trained in first 
    aid be available to provide first aid during cargo handling operations. 
    This requirement is designed to ensure that first aid can be provided 
    quickly if needed. For the benefit of small employers, OSHA is 
    including a non-mandatory Appendix V, which contains a list of the 
    basic elements of a first aid training program that incorporates 
    generally accepted guidelines for, among other aspects of a first aid 
    program, the handling of potentially infectious body fluids (i.e. 
    ``universal precautions''). Providing such compliance assistance 
    materials is consistent with the intent of recently enacted small 
    business legislation (e.g. the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 
    Fairness Act of 1996).
    
    [[Page 40185]]
    
        In final paragraph (c), the requirements for first aid kits are 
    specified. OSHA proposed to require that the contents of the first aid 
    kit(s) be chosen by a physician who, in consultation with the employer, 
    would customize the first aid kit to fit the hazards to be encountered. 
    OSHA received considerable comment suggesting that the requirement that 
    a physician customize the first aid kit was unnecessary and burdensome 
    (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et al., 6-1, 6-16a, 6-29a, 6-30, 6-31a, 6-36, CH 
    Tr. p.160). After careful consideration of the comments received, OSHA 
    has modified the final rule's approach to the use and selection of 
    first aid kits to recognize that a person who is certified in first aid 
    and familiar with the hazards found in marine cargo handling operations 
    is qualified to select and restock a first aid kit. Accordingly, OSHA 
    has revised Sec. 1918.97(c) so that it reads:
    
        * * * The contents of each kit shall be determined by a person 
    certified in first aid and cognizant of the hazards found in marine 
    cargo handling operations. The contents shall be checked at 
    intervals that allow prompt replacement of expended items.
    
        OSHA believes that allowing first-aid trained individuals rather 
    than requiring physicians to stock the kit will provide employers with 
    greater flexibility while maintaining employee protections unchanged. 
    OSHA notes that small employers may seek guidance from ANSI guidelines 
    on this issue--ANSI Z308.1-1978, ``minimum requirements for industrial 
    unit-type first aid kits''. These guidelines are currently being 
    updated.
        Final Sec. 1918.97(d) addresses specific requirements for the 
    strength, design characteristics, and positioning of emergency 
    stretchers (Stokes baskets). Two commenters stated that the provision 
    of Stokes baskets is the responsibility of the vessel and should not be 
    required in part 1918 (Exs. 6-16, 6-31). In response to these 
    commenters, OSHA notes that these provisions have always been a part of 
    the Agency's longshoring requirements and are also a part of the marine 
    terminal requirements. Generally, the Stokes basket(s) is attached to 
    the shoreside crane in a marine terminal. However, since longshoring 
    operations can also take place in the middle of a river or at a 
    facility that is considered a production facility rather than a marine 
    terminal, Stokes baskets are also required in the final Longshoring 
    Standard. Another commenter stated that only trained and qualified 
    personnel should move an injured person (Ex. 6-30). OSHA strongly 
    agrees with that position, but notes that Stokes baskets are 
    specifically designed to lift an injured person securely, vertically if 
    necessary. This may be needed if the injured person has fallen into a 
    narrow space, such as between a column of containers and the hold of a 
    ship. OSHA believes that a Stokes basket is necessary equipment that 
    should be available for trained personnel to use. As with first aid 
    kits and sanitation requirements, if a Stokes basket is available to 
    longshore workers shoreside in accordance with part 1917, this will 
    satisfy the parallel requirement in part 1918. Sections 1917.26 (c) and 
    (d) of OSHA's marine terminal regulations are being revised in the 
    present rulemaking to mirror the final Longshoring Standard's 
    requirements for first aid kits and emergency stretchers.
        Final paragraph (e) addresses life-rings and requires that a 
    sufficient number of Coast Guard-approved rings be available to rescue 
    personnel who have fallen into the water. Means of communication are 
    required by paragraph (f) of the final rule to be readily available to 
    obtain emergency and other sources of aid when necessary.
        Final Sec. 1918.98 sets out requirements for the qualifications of 
    machinery operators (i.e. crane or winch operators, industrial truck 
    drivers, conveyor operators, etc.) and training requirements for 
    supervisory personnel (i.e. gang supervisors, stevedore 
    superintendents, etc.) in accident prevention. These same provisions 
    can be found in the Marine Terminals Standard (Sec. 1917.27). Paragraph 
    (a) only permits workers to operate a crane, winch, or other power-
    operated cargo handling apparatus or any power-operated vehicle or give 
    signals to the operator of any hoisting apparatus if the employer has 
    determined that they are competent, through training or experience; 
    that they know the signs, notices, and operating instructions of the 
    equipment; and that they are familiar with the signal code being used. 
    The only exception to this rule is that employees who are being trained 
    and supervised by a designated person may operate such machinery or 
    give signals to operators during their training.
        At paragraph (a)(2), the final rule provides that employees with 
    defective eyesight or hearing that has not been corrected are not 
    permitted to operate certain equipment (i.e., cranes, winches, other 
    power-operated cargo handling apparatus, or power-operated vehicles). 
    In addition, employees suffering medical ailments that may suddenly 
    incapacitate them are not permitted to operate such equipment. This 
    provision includes heart disease and epilepsy as examples of medical 
    ailments that could, in some cases, be suddenly incapacitating. OSHA 
    stresses, however, that nothing in this provision requires employers to 
    exclude from operating machinery all employees who have heart disease 
    or epilepsy or a history of such conditions. Rather, OSHA intends that 
    employees with medical ailments, such as heart disease and epilepsy, 
    should be excluded from operating the specified machine only if their 
    particular medical condition poses a high probability that they could 
    become suddenly incapacitated and only if there is no reasonable 
    accommodation that would eliminate or reduce the risk of direct threat 
    of harm to the employee or others.
        For purposes of this standard, OSHA defines ``suddenly 
    incapacitating'' medical ailments as those that pose a direct threat of 
    substantial harm to the health or safety of the employee or others that 
    cannot be eliminated or reduced by some form of reasonable 
    accommodation. Direct threat refers to those risks that are 
    significant, specific, and imminent or current. In addition, direct 
    threat is limited to those situations in which there is a high 
    probability that substantial harm might occur. This provision does not 
    apply to medical ailments, including heart disease and epilepsy, that 
    pose a speculative or remote risk of harm. Likewise, this provision is 
    not intended to include medical ailments that pose only a slightly 
    increased risk of harm.
        In determining whether there is a direct threat to the health or 
    safety of the employee or others, the employer should identify the 
    specific risk posed by the employee as well as the particular aspect of 
    the ailment that would pose a direct threat. There are certain factors 
    the employer should consider when determining whether the employee 
    poses the type of direct threat anticipated by this provision:
        1. The duration of the risk;
        2. The nature and severity of the potential harm;
        3. The likelihood that the potential harm will occur; and
        4. The imminence of the potential harm.
        The determination of the seriousness and imminence of the potential 
    harm must also be based on the employee's current medical condition and 
    the employee's current ability to perform the job. The determination is 
    not to be based on mere speculation or predictions of the employee's 
    future medical condition or ability to perform the job at some future 
    date.
    
    [[Page 40186]]
    
        Determinations of whether an employee poses a direct threat of 
    substantial harm must be made on a case-by-case basis. The 
    determination must be based on the best available objective data or 
    other factual evidence and/or medical analyses regarding the particular 
    employee. The determination must be based upon reasonable medical 
    judgment that relies on current medical knowledge and not generalized 
    or out-of-date assumptions about the risks that are assumed to be 
    associated with certain disabilities. It is not proper to base 
    determinations on mere speculation, subjective perceptions, irrational 
    fear, patronizing attitudes, or stereotypes. Relevant evidence, for 
    example, may include input from the employee; the employee's experience 
    in previous similar positions; and opinions of physician, 
    rehabilitation counselors, or physical therapists who have expertise in 
    the medical ailment in question and/or direct knowledge of the 
    employee.
        Where the employer does determine that the employee's medical 
    ailment poses a significant risk of substantial harm, the employer must 
    also consider whether reasonable accommodations are available that 
    would eliminate or reduce the risk so that it is below the level of 
    direct threat.
        OSHA has noted in the standard in both Sec. 1917.27(a)(2) (marine 
    terminals) and Sec. 1918.98(a)(2) (longshoring) that it has defined 
    OSHA suddenly incapacitating medical ailments consistent with the 
    Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. 12101 (1990). 
    Therefore, employers who act in accordance with the employment 
    provisions (Title I) of the ADA (42 U.S.C. 12111-12117), the 
    regulations implementing Title I (29 CFR part 1630), and the Technical 
    Assistance Manual for Title I issued by the Equal Employment 
    Opportunity Commission (Publication number: EEOC--M1A), will be 
    considered as being in compliance with this paragraph.
        Paragraph 1918.98(b) addresses supervisory accident prevention 
    proficiency and requires immediate supervisors of cargo handling 
    operations that involve more than 5 persons to complete a course in 
    accident prevention within 2 years after the publication of this 
    standard. Employees who are newly assigned to supervisory duties after 
    that date must receive such training within 90 days of being assigned 
    to those duties. The content of the accident prevention course must be 
    relevant to the particular work operations being supervised by the 
    supervisor. The final rule's criteria for the content of the accident 
    prevention course are performance-based and allow for the instruction 
    to be tailored to the particular operation(s). The recommended topics 
    included as a footnote are considered rudimentary to most shipboard 
    cargo handling operations. Throughout the public hearings, testimony 
    was presented concerning the training done in the marine cargo handling 
    industry and its effectiveness. The supervisory training phase-in 
    periods in the final Longshoring Standard are the same as those in the 
    Marine Terminals Standard (two years after the promulgation of the 
    final rule and after that date 90 days after supervisory assignment. 
    The provisions in Sec. 1918.98(b) received widespread support (NMSA et 
    al.).
        Section 1918.99 of the final rule is entitled, ``Retention of DOT 
    markings, placards and labels.'' This section concerns the removal of 
    Department of Transportation-required labels and placards on packages, 
    freight containers, rail freight cars, motor vehicles, or transport 
    vehicles of hazardous materials (see 49 CFR parts 171 through 180). 
    Paragraphs (a) and (b) requires employers who receive packages, 
    containers, or vehicles labeled in accordance with these DOT 
    requirements to retain those markings, labels, and placards until the 
    package, container, or vehicle has been cleaned or purged so that it 
    presents no hazard to employees. Paragraph (c) requires employers to 
    maintain markings, placards, and labels in a manner that ensures that 
    they will remain visible, and paragraph (d) states that non-bulk 
    packages that will not be re-shipped will be considered to satisfy 
    these provisions if the label or other acceptable marking is attached 
    to the package as required by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 
    CFR 1910.1200). The provisions in this section of the final rule that 
    are required by DOT's Hazardous Materials Regulations, were published 
    by OSHA in the Federal Register (59 FR 36700, July 19, 1994). Similar 
    language has been included in the Marine Terminals Standard (see 
    Sec. 1917.29).
        The regulatory text of final Sec. 1918.100, ``Emergency action 
    plans,'' which was discussed in the Summary and Explanation for subpart 
    A, is included here. It stipulates that this section applies to all 
    action plans required by a particular OSHA standard, and contains 
    requirements covering the elements of the action plan, alarm systems, 
    the evacuation of employees in emergencies, and the training of persons 
    to assist in evacuation of employees. These requirements parallel those 
    for emergency action plans in OSHA's general industry standards.
    Subpart J--Personal Protective Equipment
        This subpart is based upon the requirements for personal protective 
    equipment (PPE) found in the shoreside requirements for marine cargo 
    handling (Secs. 1917.91 through 1917.95). The hazards addressed by this 
    subpart are those that can cause physical injury to the eyes, 
    respiratory system, head, feet, or other body parts of employees. The 
    subpart also addresses protection from the hazard of drowning 
    associated with working around or above water. The use of the personal 
    protective equipment required in this subpart can reduce or eliminate 
    physical injury to employees caused by exposure to certain maritime 
    workplace hazards. This subpart received widespread support, as 
    evidenced by a number of comments (Exs. NMSA et al., PMA et al.).
        OSHA has updated references to the American National Standards 
    Institute (ANSI) standards incorporated by reference in this subpart. 
    The ANSI standards for eye protection, head protection and foot 
    protection referenced were the most current editions of those standards 
    available at the time this subpart was published. OSHA believes that 
    the more current editions of the ANSI standards can be adopted by 
    reference in the final rule for both the Marine Terminals Standards and 
    the Longshoring Standard without substantively changing the OSHA 
    regulations.
        With this rulemaking, OSHA is consistently applying previous 
    guidelines for determining when employers would be expected to pay for 
    PPE and when employees would be expected to pay.
        On October 18, 1994, OSHA issued a memorandum to its field offices 
    which stated as follows:
    
        OSHA has interpreted its general PPE standard, as well as 
    specific standards, to require employers to provide and to pay for 
    personal protective equipment required by the company for the worker 
    to do his or her job safely and in compliance with OSHA standards. 
    Where equipment is very personal in nature and is usable by workers 
    off the job, the matter of payment may be left to labor-management 
    negotiations. Examples of PPE that would not normally be used away 
    from the worksite include, but are not limited to: welding glasses, 
    wire mesh gloves, respirators, hard hats, specialty glasses and 
    goggles (designed for laser or ultraviolet radiation protection), 
    specialty foot protection (such as metatarsal shoes and linemen's 
    shoes with built in gaffs), face shields and rubber gloves, blankets 
    and cover-ups and hot sticks and other live-line
    
    [[Page 40187]]
    
    tools used by power generation workers. Examples of PPE that is 
    personal in nature and often used away from the worksite include 
    non-specialty safety glasses, safety shoes, and cold-weather outer 
    wear of the type worn by construction workers. However, shoes or 
    outer wear subject to contamination by carcinogens or other toxic or 
    hazardous substances which cannot be safely worn off-site must be 
    paid for by the employer. Failure of the employer to pay for PPE 
    that is not personal and not used away from the job is a violation 
    and shall be cited. (Ex. 1-157.)
    
        Although the equipment used in marine cargo handling operations 
    often differs from that mentioned in the October 18 memorandum, the 
    same policy considerations apply in the Longshore and Marine Terminals 
    Standard PPE context. Therefore, OSHA will apply the above-stated 
    policy when determining whether the employer is required to pay for a 
    particular kind of PPE.
        In Sec. 1918.101, Eye protection, OSHA maintains the language from 
    the proposal. This section requires that employers provide employees 
    with eye protection that meets the requirements of the American 
    National Standards Institute, ANSI Z-87.1-1989, ``Practice for 
    Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection.'' The section 
    also requires that employees use the equipment and that it be cleaned 
    and disinfected before issuance to another employee. In addition, for 
    employees wearing corrective spectacles, paragraph (a)(2) states that 
    the required eye protection equipment must be capable of being worn 
    over the spectacles, unless prescription-ground safety lenses that 
    provide equivalent protection are substituted.
        In Sec. 1918.102, Respiratory protection, OSHA incorporates by 
    reference the OSHA General Industry Standard for respiratory protection 
    found in 29 CFR 1910.134 by referencing Sec. 1918.1(b)(12) of the 
    Longshoring Standard. Section 1918.1(b)(12) refers to 29 CFR 1910.134. 
    On November 11, 1994, OSHA published a proposed rule that would revise 
    the respiratory protection rules (59 FR 58884). When this standard is 
    published as a final rule, it will apply, by reference, to both the 
    Marine Terminals and Longshoring Standards (Sec. 1917.1(a)(2)(x) and 
    Sec. 1918.1(b)(8)).
        Final Sec. 1918.103, Head protection, is unchanged from the 
    proposal. This section provides that employers require employees who 
    are exposed to hazards associated with direct head impact or electric 
    shock or burns to the head wear head protection. Such head protection 
    must meet the requirements of the American National Standards 
    Institute, ANSI Z-89.1-1986, ``Personnel Protection-Protective Headwear 
    for Industrial Workers-Requirements.'' The section also requires that 
    employees use the equipment and that it be cleaned and disinfected 
    before issuance to another employee.
        Final Sec. 1918.104, foot protection, is also unchanged from the 
    proposal. This section requires that employers provide employees 
    exposed to puncture or impact hazards associated with the foot with 
    safety footwear meeting the requirements of the American National 
    Standards Institute, ANSI Z-41-1991, ``American National Standard for 
    Personal Protection-Protective Footwear.'' The section also requires 
    that employees use the equipment provided.
        In final Sec. 1918.105, other protective measures, OSHA is 
    mandating a general approach that requires the employer to provide and 
    ensure the proper use of any additional personal protective equipment 
    that may be necessary to protect other parts of an employee's body. 
    Paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) are unchanged from the proposal. These 
    paragraphs require the employer to provide and require the wearing of 
    any additional special personal protective equipment that may be 
    necessary to protect employees from recognized hazards in the 
    workplace. It also requires that such equipment be cleaned and 
    disinfected before reissuance to other employees.
        Paragraph (b) of Sec. 1918.105 addresses the use of personal 
    flotation devices (PFDs). The employer is required to provide for and 
    ensure the wearing of PFDs by all employees whose work may expose them 
    to falls into water. This paragraph received several comments. For 
    example, one witness at the Seattle hearing stated:
        We question paragraph * * * [1918.105(b)(1)], which requires 
    personal flotation equipment to be worn when working on the deck of 
    a barge. Almost all of our barges are outfitted with a safety fence 
    consisting of stanchions and two courses of wire rope; that the 
    vessel is alongside the dock and there is not a chance for a person 
    to fall between the barge and the dock, and have proper means of 
    access through a ladder or a gangway with handrails is provided and 
    there is a safety fence on the barge, this proposed safety 
    regulation appears to be superfluous * * * My concern was * * * that 
    * * * it would be viewed as a rule that if you're working on the 
    deck of a barge, you must wear an PFD regardless of if there is a 
    proper safety fence. (SEA Tr. pp. 622-623.)
    
        Another commenter argued that the current regulation, which 
    requires the wearing of PFD's when working on log booms and barges on 
    the Mississippi River, was sufficient and should be retained (Ex. 6-
    16a). Other commenters argued that OSHA should modify these 
    requirements by deleting proposed paragraphs (b)(1)(i) through 
    (b)(1)(iv) of Sec. 1918.105, which specified situations where PFDs had 
    to be worn (Exs. 8-8, NMSA, et al.). These commenters believed that the 
    performance language of Sec. 1918.105(b)(1) adequately addressed 
    employee safety and allowed flexibility in the means of compliance. 
    OSHA agrees that paragraph (b)(1) adequately addresses safety concerns 
    and has modified the language of the final rule accordingly. OSHA 
    believes that the specification language contained in the proposal 
    would limit worker protection by not including non-specified situations 
    where PFDs are needed.
        An area of concern that was not addressed directly in the proposal 
    relates to the wearing of PFDs while working on log rafts. During 
    questioning by OSHA at the Seattle hearing, one witness agreed that 
    PFDs should be specifically required for employees engaged in logging 
    operations (SEA Trans. pp. 447-449). OSHA believes that the wearing of 
    PFDs is essential in logging operations because of the continuous 
    exposure to water when working on rafts, and has added this requirement 
    in Sec. 1918.88, ``Log operations''.
        As discussed above, paragraph (b) sets requirements for PFDs. Some 
    of the language in the final rule has been editorially revised to 
    reflect the language used in the U.S. Coast Guard's standard for 
    approved lifesaving equipment (46 CFR part 160). OSHA's existing 
    Sec. 1915.154(a) specifies that the above-cited U.S. Coast Guard 
    requirements for this equipment shall be followed. The OSHA final rule 
    provides clarification on what constitutes an acceptable PFD and uses 
    terminology that is consistent with current U.S. Coast Guard 
    requirements.
        Final paragraph (b)(3) addresses the inspection of PFDs for dry 
    rot, chemical damage, or other defects (such as tears, punctures, 
    missing or nonfunctioning components) that affect their strength and 
    buoyancy. Final paragraph (b)(3) also includes the proposed language to 
    the effect that all personal flotation devices must be maintained in a 
    safe and serviceable condition.
    
    Appendices
    
        There are five appendices that follow the regulatory text of this 
    rulemaking. Appendix I, which is non-mandatory, titled ``Cargo Gear 
    Register and Certificates,'' is a sample cargo gear register and 
    certificates that are in the international standard form that complies 
    with ILO Convention number 152, as required by subpart B.
    
    [[Page 40188]]
    
        Appendix II, which is mandatory, titled ``Tables for Selected 
    Miscellaneous Auxiliary Gear,'' contains tables that are to be used 
    when manufacturers' specifications or gear certificates are not 
    immediately available at the worksite for determining the Safe Working 
    Load for various synthetic and wire ropes slings, chain slings, and 
    shackles; allowable chain link wear; and the minimum number and spacing 
    of wire rope clips.
        Appendix III, which is non-mandatory, titled ``Conventional Cargo 
    Gear,'' provides guidance to employers and employees on how to 
    correctly rig conventional ship's gear (two cargo derricks with married 
    falls).
        Appendix IV, which is non-mandatory, titled ``Summary Chart for 
    Testing Special Stevedoring Gear,'' provides all the requirements found 
    in Sec. 1917.50(c)(5) and Sec. 1918.61 for testing special cargo gear 
    and container spreaders in one chart.
        Appendix V, which is non-mandatory, titled ``Basic Elements of a 
    First Aid Training Program,'' outlines the basic elements of a first 
    aid program, including universal precautions to prevent the spread of 
    bloodborne diseases.
    
    V. Other Issues
    
        1. OSHA raised as an issue the possible harmful effects of diesel 
    exhaust on marine cargo handling employees, especially those employees 
    who work Ro-Ro vessels where exposure to such exhaust is probably the 
    greatest. In response to questions raised during the hearings, NIOSH 
    provided the following data in a post hearing submission:
    
        Recent animal studies in rats and mice confirm an association 
    between the induction of cancer and exposure to whole diesel 
    exhaust. The lung is the primary site identified with carcinogenic 
    or tumorigenic responses following inhalation exposures. Limited 
    epidemiologic evidence suggests an association between occupational 
    exposure to diesel engine emissions and lung cancer. The consistency 
    of these toxicologic and epidemiologic findings suggests that a 
    potential occupational carcinogenic hazard exists in human exposure 
    to diesel exhaust. (Ex. 81.)
    
        Although studies have been conducted concerning the effects of 
    diesel exhaust by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) in 
    the mining industry, no specific studies relating to the longshoring 
    industry had been completed when OSHA published this final rule. Diesel 
    exhaust particulates, which have been identified by OSHA as a priority 
    for further study by the Priority Planning Process, may be the subject 
    of a future rulemaking, during which OSHA anticipates the availability 
    of more conclusive scientific data. Consequently, OSHA has decided to 
    defer any regulatory action on this issue in this rulemaking.
        2. Prior to the proposal, OSHA learned of accidents reported in 
    West Coast ports that were associated with picking up the chassis and 
    fifth wheel \9\ along with the container (due to the failure of the 
    container and chassis to separate during a loading operation). However, 
    OSHA did not have information regarding: (1) the frequency of 
    occurrence of such accidents, (2) the availability, effectiveness, and 
    feasibility of devices which would shut the crane down once the device 
    detects the fifth wheel being raised off the ground, and (3) the 
    existence of other ways to eliminate the problem (such as better 
    ``monitoring'' of the chassis twist locks under the hook through 
    training and work practices, or requiring the driver to get out of the 
    cab until the container is lifted clear of the chassis). Due to this 
    lack of information, OSHA raised this issue in the proposal.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \9\ A fifth wheel is a unique power unit designed primarily for 
    moving and spotting trailers in truck, rail, and marine terminals. 
    Other names for a fifth wheel are: yard hustler; jockey truck; yard 
    goat; and UTR (utility tractor). Most fifth wheels are not designed 
    or equipped for public highway or street use.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        In response, OSHA received one comment from a manufacturer of 
    safety devices that prevent the inadvertent lifting of the fifth wheel 
    with the container. These devices shut down the container gantry crane 
    when they detect the uneven balance to the load that occurs when a 
    fifth wheel is lifted. The experience of this commenter suggests that 
    administrative work practices are not fully effective (Ex. 6-3).
        This issue received very little attention during the hearings and 
    public comment period. However, OSHA believes that the wider use of 
    SATLs will help to prevent accidents caused by the inadvertent lifting 
    of the chassis and container together. When SATLs are being used, as 
    explained earlier, the longshore workers remain on the quay to place 
    the SATLs on the bottom of the container after it is lifted only a foot 
    or two off the chassis. In contrast, when manual twist locks are in 
    use, they are inserted on the ship; lifts of the container from the 
    chassis in this situation are usually much quicker and much higher, 
    since the crane operator does not have to stop after a foot or two to 
    allow the SATLs to be inserted. Although a lift of this magnitude is 
    enough to allow the fifth wheel to disengage and depart, the lift would 
    not be a substantial lift of twenty to fifty feet, but a limited lift 
    of only a few feet. With a two foot lift, even if the chassis does not 
    disengage from the container, the injury potential would be greatly 
    reduced. Because this rulemaking will increase the use of SATLs in this 
    industry, OSHA has decided not to take any further regulatory action on 
    the fifth wheel hoisting issue at this time. It is OSHA's intention to 
    monitor the frequency of this operation further and engage in joint 
    studies with the assistance of the Maritime Advisory Committee for 
    Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH) to assess the need to address 
    such accidents in the future.
        3. Specific questions were raised in the proposal to elicit 
    information OSHA believed would be helpful in determining appropriate 
    elements for comprehensive occupational safety and health (COSH) 
    programs in the marine cargo handling industry. Although this is an 
    industry that, historically, has been in the forefront in the 
    development of safety and health programs (particularly safety training 
    programs), several commenters argued that OSHA should not promulgate 
    rules governing COSH programs (Ex. NMSA et al.). The employee 
    participation element of such programs was also discussed at length at 
    the Seattle hearing (SEA Tr. pp. 435-436). Several responders (Exs. 6-
    5, 6-20, 6-23, and 6-25) opted not to comment at this time but stated 
    that they would reserve comment until a future rulemaking specifically 
    on this subject. OSHA will continue to review all available information 
    in determining the need for and contents of the proposed requirements 
    for safety and health programs in this industry.
        4. In the proposal, OSHA sought information on hazards related to 
    the increased usage of newly developed Flexible Intermediate Bulk 
    Containers (FIBC's) used to handle bulk chemicals. Although several 
    commenters (Ex. NMSA et al.) acknowledged the increased use of FIBCs, 
    their experience with this type of container did not uncover any unique 
    hazards that had not already been addressed in the Longshoring 
    Standard. In addition, Mr. Signorino of Universal Maritime Service 
    Corporation, pointed out that the Department of Transportation, 
    Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) already has 
    regulations (59 FR 38040) that address the safe transport of hazardous 
    materials in such containers (Ex. 6-35). OSHA has thus concluded that 
    the Agency does not need to pursue regulatory action at this time.
        5. OSHA issued a standard for the control of hazardous energy 
    sources (lockout/tagout) that applies to general
    
    [[Page 40189]]
    
    industry employment (29 CFR 1910.147 (54 FR 36645)). This standard 
    addresses practices and procedures that are necessary to disable 
    machinery or equipment and to prevent the release of potentially 
    hazardous energy while maintenance and servicing activities are being 
    done. The standard requires that lockout be used for equipment designed 
    with a lockout capacity, and allows tags to be used to ``tag out'' 
    equipment that was not designed to be locked out. Marine terminal 
    activities involve work operations (e.g. container repair shops and 
    warehouses) where lockout/tagout hazards are present and are similar in 
    nature to those posed by General Industry repair shop and warehouse 
    operations. Many commenters (Exs. 6-35, 6-16c) contended that the 
    current Marine Terminals Standard contains requirements (most broadly 
    applied in Sec. 1917.151(b)(7)) for lockout/tagout that are more 
    protective than those in the General Industry Standard, and that these 
    requirements should be applied to longshoring operations.
        For the most part, repairs to shipboard equipment are normally 
    accomplished by the crew of the vessel and are only infrequently 
    performed by longshore workers. However, to provide protection in those 
    instances where longshore workers may do repairs that would require the 
    locking out of equipment, and to assure regulatory consistency with 
    marine cargo handling operations, OSHA is including the same lockout/
    tagout provisions of Sec. 1917.151(b)(7) in the Longshoring Standards 
    (codified at Sec. 1918.96(e)).
        6. As indicated earlier, OSHA contracted with a safety expert, A.J. 
    Scardino, to conduct a study of the fall hazards associated with the 
    cargo handling of intermodal containers. In his study, he recommended:
    
        * * * that the location of the fixed anchorage point in relation 
    to the working surface shall be located ``above'' the head of the 
    employee. Every effort should be made to assure that the attachment 
    point for the system is located no lower than the vertical height 
    position of the harness ``D'' ring. According to ``Humanscale 7a'', 
    for the 50th percentile male, this would be 1.4 meters (55.4 
    inches). (Ex. 1-139.)
    
    He further recommended that:
    
        The use of systems that are at foot level, thereby creating a 
    tripping hazard, should be discouraged. If these systems are to be 
    used, then, the components that make up the system should be of a high 
    visibility color. (Ex. 1-139.)
    
        The final container top fall protection provisions are crafted in 
    performance-oriented language to promote innovation and flexibility in 
    providing fall protection. The key performance tests that a fall 
    protection system must meet are that it (1) be rigged to reduce free-
    fall distance so that the employee will not contact any lower level 
    stowage or vessel structure; and (2) be designed so that the fall will 
    not produce an arresting force on an employee that exceeds 1800 pounds 
    (8kN) ( See Sec. 1918.85(k) (3) and (4)).
        Although elevated anchorage points are important considerations in 
    the design of fall protection systems, these provisions of the final 
    rule focus on the performance criteria for such systems rather than 
    their specific design aspects. Consequently, OSHA has determined that 
    it would not be appropriate to include this single design consideration 
    in the final rule.
    
    VI. Summary of the Final Economic Analysis and Regulatory 
    Flexibility Analysis
    
        As required by Executive Order 12866, OSHA has prepared an economic 
    analysis of the final standards for longshoring and marine terminals. 
    Neither standard is a ``significant'' rule under that Executive Order 
    nor a ``major'' rule under the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 
    Fairness Act. In addition, as required by the Regulatory Flexibility 
    Act of 1980 (as amended in 1996), the Agency has assessed the potential 
    impacts of these two marine cargo-handling rules on small entities and 
    has determined that they will not have a significant economic impact on 
    a substantial number of small entities. Because this standard does not 
    impose annual costs of $100 million or more, will not significantly 
    affect small governments, and is not a significant federal 
    intergovernmental mandate, the Agency has no obligations to conduct 
    analyses of these rules under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
        This section of the Preamble presents a summary of the Economic 
    Analysis and the screening analysis for small-business impacts. The 
    entire analysis has been placed in the rulemaking docket for the two 
    final standards.
        The purpose of this Final Economic Analysis is to:
         Describe the need for a revision of the existing standards 
    for longshoring and marine terminals;
         Identify the establishments, industries, and employees 
    potentially affected by the standard;
         Estimate the costs, benefits, economic impacts and small 
    business impacts of the standard on affected firms;
         Assess the technological and economic feasibility of the 
    standard for affected establishments, industries, and small businesses;
         Evaluate potential non-regulatory approaches to control 
    the pertinent risks to workers in the affected industries; and
         Describe alternatives adopted in the final standard that 
    are designed to reduce the impact of the standard on small firms while 
    meeting the objectives of the OH Act
        These standards affect employers and employees in many industries. 
    The Marine Cargo Handling industry, classified as SIC 4491 in the 
    Standard Industrial Classification Manual, is the industry most 
    directly affected. SIC 4491 is composed of both stevedores and marine 
    terminal operators, both businesses that are exclusively engaged in 
    marine cargo handling. Marine cargo handling activities in other 
    industries are also impacted: for example, manufacturers who load or 
    unload raw materials or finished products from vessels and electric 
    utilities than unload coal from barges also fall within the scope of 
    the revised final standards.
    
    A. Evaluation of Risks and Estimation of Benefits
    
        The transport of marine cargo has changed significantly since 
    OSHA's Longshoring Standard was adopted in the early 1970s and even 
    since the Marine Terminals Standard was revised in the early 1980s. 
    Low-cost transport of cargo by standardized intermodal containers 
    (referred to simply as containers hereafter) has become the dominant 
    mode of shipping manufactured goods. To transport vehicles, specialized 
    ``roll on/roll off'' vessels have been developed. Freighters have 
    therefore been designed with efficient container transfer and ease of 
    intermodal movement as the dominant criteria. Shipment by intermodal 
    container has replaced shipment of ``break bulk'' cargo which came in 
    many sizes and modes. As a result, cargo handling has become a more 
    capital intensive and mechanized industry in the past 20 years. For 
    example, although the weight of transported cargo (U.S. exports and 
    imports) has remained roughly constant between 1980 and 1990, the 
    amount shipped via intermodal containers has more than doubled. Over 
    the same period, employment in SIC 4491 has declined from about 88,000 
    to 55,000.
        The change in the technology of cargo transport has altered the 
    risks that employees face on the docks and aboard ships. Although 
    mechanization has reduced injuries due to overexertion and lifting, new 
    risks have arisen, such as falls from containers stacked as high
    
    [[Page 40190]]
    
    as 60 feet and being struck by forklifts or ``fifth wheeler'' tractor 
    trailers moving containers.
        Because the final standard requires longshore employers to load and 
    unload containers secured to each other with positive container 
    securing devices, e.g., semi-automatic twist locks, where feasible, the 
    shipping industry is also potentially affected, since ship owners must 
    purchase these container connectors. The standards' effect on the U.S. 
    shipping industry and international trade (and foreign shippers) is 
    discussed below.
        The Bureau of Labor Statistics 1992 injury rate for SIC 449 
    (Service Incidental to Water Transportation) was 14.0 for every 100 FTE 
    workers, based on a 2000 hour work-year, compared with 8.9 for all of 
    private industry (''Occupational Injuries and Illnesses: Counts, Rates, 
    and Characteristics, 1992,'' published May 1995). The lost workday and 
    non-lost workday injury rates per 100 FTE workers in SIC 449 were each 
    7.0. The median number of lost workdays due to injury in SIC 449 was 15 
    per case as compared to 6 for all of the manufacturing sector. For SIC 
    4491, the average number of lost workdays was 38.9 lost workdays per 
    lost workday injury. These statistics clearly indicate that marine 
    cargo handling continues to be a highly hazardous industry.
        An estimated 7,593 injuries and 18 fatalities occur annually during 
    all marine cargo handling activities. The final Longshoring and Marine 
    Terminals Standards are expected to result in the prevention of 1,262 
    injuries and 3 fatalities, annually. Many additional fatalities and 
    injuries would be prevented if employers were in full compliance with 
    requirements that have been in place in the Agency's Longshoring and 
    Marine Terminals standards for years and that have been retained in 
    these final standards. In particular, the Agency believes that an 
    additional one to three fatalities may be avoided each year when all 
    affected establishments comply with OSHA's requirements for engineering 
    controls and fall protection on intermodal containers. However, because 
    the Agency's existing Longshoring standard has been interpreted as 
    requiring fall protection at heights over eight feet (see Preamble of 
    the proposed rule, 59 FR 28611, June 2, 1994), the Agency did not claim 
    the benefits or estimate the costs potentially associated with the 
    final rules' clarified requirements for fall protection on containers 
    in this final economic analysis. In the affected industries, confusion 
    over OSHA's existing container top fall protection requirements and 
    their interpretation and non-uniform enforcement have resulted in 
    currently low compliance levels for fall protection on containers.
        The deaths and injuries estimated to be prevented by this revised 
    standard are in addition to those that would be prevented by full 
    compliance with OSHA's existing marine-cargo handling rules. OSHA 
    estimates that, of the injuries potentially averted by the revised 
    standards under the revised rules, about 800 are lost workday cases. 
    Since a lost workday injury results in almost 40 missed days of work, 
    on average, in SIC 4491, the 800 lost workday cases amount to a savings 
    of more than 30,000 lost workdays annually. The potential economic 
    savings of these avoided injuries alone is approximately $7 million 
    annually. Thus the final standards for Longshoring and Marine Terminals 
    are clearly needed to reduce the continuing significant risk of falls 
    and other hazards posed to marine cargo handling workers employed in 
    these industries.
    
    B. Affected Industries, Establishments, and Employees
    
        The requirements of the final standards apply to all establishments 
    that perform marine cargo handling. Affected industries include the 
    marine cargo handling industry itself (classified in the 1987 Standard 
    Industrial Classification manual as SIC 4491), which includes both 
    marine terminal operators and stevedores, as well as any other 
    industries and establishments that handle marine cargoes, such as 
    electric utilities that unload coal from barges or grain elevators that 
    load grain onto barges. The Agency estimates that there are 3,700 
    establishments affected by both the Longshoring Standard and the Marine 
    Terminals Standard. Table 1 shows how these establishments are 
    distributed across affected industries for both standards. Based on 
    employment data from the Table 1 Bureau of the Census and OSHA 
    inspection data, 93,427 workers are estimated to be affected by the 
    Longshoring and Marine Terminals standards, about 73,000 of whom are 
    employed in establishments classified in SIC 4491.
    
    Table 1.--Number of Establishments Affected by the Final Longshoring and
                     Marine Terminals Standards, by Industry                
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Number of  
                            Industry                          establishments
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SIC 4491--Marine Cargo Handling.........................          746   
    Manufacturing...........................................        1,660   
    Transportation, Communications, and Electric, Gas and                   
     Sanitary Services......................................          662   
    Wholesale Trade.........................................          273   
    Other SICs \1\..........................................          359   
                                                             ---------------
    Total...................................................        3,700   
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Source: U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA, Office of Regulatory Analysis,  
      based on Centaur [I, Chapter 2].                                      
    \1\ Other SICs include SIC 13 (Oil and Gas Extraction), SIC 15 (Building
      Construction sectors under SIC 44 (Water Transportation) other than   
      SIC 4491.                                                             
    
    C. The Final Standards and Their Estimated Costs
    
        The Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis identified 21 provisions 
    of the proposed rules that were likely to generate costs of compliance 
    for employers. In response to comments and public testimony by 
    stakeholders during the rulemaking, the Agency revised several 
    provisions in the final standards that will affect estimated costs. 
    Better information acquired from the industry during the rulemaking has 
    also resulted in revisions of the costs estimated for particular 
    provisions.
        The most significant change to the final rule since the proposed 
    standard for longshoring was issued has been made in the requirement 
    for fall protection when working on top of any intermodal container. 
    The proposed standard would have required fall protection when the fall 
    height was 10 feet or more (containers are usually less than 10 feet 
    tall); the final rule, however, requires such protection when a fall 
    hazard exists at a height of 8 feet. Because the Agency has required 
    fall protection for workers on containers for years (see paragraph 
    1918.32(b) of the existing Longshoring Standard) this provision of the 
    final rule does not impose new costs on the regulated community.
        Changes to three provisions that were proposed have resulted in the 
    elimination of the costs that were projected to be associated with 
    these provisions. In the final standard, the Agency has substituted 
    performance language for the specification language proposed for the 
    selection and maintenance of first aid kits and for the provision of 
    the proper number of
    
    [[Page 40191]]
    
    sanitary facilities. Comments in the record indicated that the industry 
    was currently providing adequate facilities in these two areas, and 
    thus that detailed specifications were not necessary. The final 
    standard also does not require that fall protection systems be 
    certified by a registered professional engineer; employers may rely on 
    the guarantee/certification generally provided by manufacturers of this 
    personal protective equipment instead. These three provisions in the 
    final standard are estimated to impose no new costs for employers, and 
    the Agency believes that the changes made to the final rule have not 
    reduced employee protections.
        The proposal would have permitted containers to be lifted only by a 
    purely vertical lift from at least four top fittings. In the final 
    standard, non-vertical lifts are allowed as long as the lift angle is 
    at least 80 degrees and other protective conditions are met. This 
    change will allow employers with non-gantry container cranes to avoid 
    the purchase of box spreader beams and maintain greater productivity 
    with the simpler spreader bars generally in use. Again, OSHA believes, 
    and the record supports, that this change will not diminish employee 
    protection.
        In the final standard, regulations for special stevedoring gear 
    remain similar to those in the proposal. The Agency has revised its 
    estimate of the cost imposed on the regulated community to test gear 
    every four years, based on comments in the record.
        Anti-two-blocking devices are required by the final rule on all 
    cranes used to lift personnel. This provision is unchanged from the 
    proposal; however, the Agency inadvertently overlooked the costs 
    potentially associated with this provision at the time of the proposal. 
    Lifting personnel by cranes other than container-handling gantry cranes 
    is reported to be infrequent in the cargo handling industry, and the 
    impact of these provisions is likely to be felt only by employers in 
    the South Florida and Gulf areas. The cost estimate for anti-two-
    blocking devices is included in Table 2 below, which provides the 
    estimated annual cost of provisions in the proposed and final standard.
    
       Table 2.--Estimated Annual Costs of FInal Longshoring Standard, by   
                            Provision (1993 Dollars)                        
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Annualized                  
                                                  costs*        Annualized  
                                               projected by       costs*    
                     Source                         the        estimated by 
                                                preliminary      the final  
                                                regulatory       economic   
                                                 analysis      analysis ($) 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Workplace Analysis......................          68,959         183,890
    General Training:                                                       
        Supervisor Time.....................          67,370          67,370
        Instruction.........................          95,779          95,779
    Subpart C:                                                              
        6'' sideboards: dockboards/ramps....         151,940         139,955
        2-3/4 inch sideboards (final stnd)..                                
    Subpart G:                                                              
        4-yr. testing of special gear.......          37,583         704,300
        Lockout/tagout: powered conveyors...           2,684           2,684
        Anti-two blocks.....................               0          21,300
    Subpart H:                                                              
        Vertical lifts......................         156,412          11,360
        Certification: fall protection......          95,565               0
        Secondary safety cage attachments...           2,249           2,249
        Marking RO-RO ramps.................           1,911           1,911
        Marking flat bed/low boy trailers...           2,811           2,811
        High visibility vests...............         266,260       1,275,799
        Separation of vehicles/pedestrians                                  
         on RO-RO ramps.....................          87,801          87,801
        Logging: rescue boats...............               0           3,550
        Training:                                                           
            Supervisor Time.................          14,768          14,768
            Instructor......................           3,815           3,815
        Rescue boats........................               0           3,557
    Subpart I:                                                              
        Sanitation..........................           1,560               0
        First aid kits......................         646,143               0
        Accident prevention training........         107,710         107,710
        Stretchers..........................          52,240          52,540
    Subpart J:                                                              
        Personal flotation devices..........         151,405         151,405
                                             -------------------------------
          Total.............................      $2,014,965      $2,934,554
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Source: U.S. Department of Labor OSHA, based on Kearney/Centaur         
      [1.Chapter 4].                                                        
    *Annualized over 10 years using a 7% interest rate.                     
    
        In logging operations, powered rescue boats are required by the 
    final standard when the situation warrants it. The proposed standard 
    only required that rescue boats be ``immediately available'' rather 
    than capable of ``immediate rescue.'' This provision of the final rule 
    will therefore impose higher costs on the regulated community than the 
    simpler provision proposed, and the Final Economic Analysis takes 
    account of this new cost.
        The Agency has revised its cost estimates for some provisions since 
    the PRIA. Based on comments received from stakeholders on the estimated 
    costs of providing high-visibility vests for employees engaged in 
    container and roll
    
    [[Page 40192]]
    
    on/roll off operations, the Agency has substantially revised the costs 
    estimated for this provision. In addition, the Agency has increased its 
    estimate of the amount of time necessary for establishments to analyze 
    and adjust to the impact of the new standards on their workplaces. 
    Finally, the proposed standard would have required six-inch sideboards 
    for bridge plates and ramps; in the final standard, sideboards must be 
    at least 2\3/4\ inches when the distance spanned is 3 feet or greater. 
    Because the final provision is consistent with current industry 
    practice, the Agency has revised the estimated costs for this provision 
    downward.
        The final Longshoring Standard is estimated to impose costs on 
    employers of $2.9 million annually, in 1993 dollars, to comply with all 
    of the final rule's provisions, and the Marine Terminals Standard is 
    estimated to cost about $0.2 million annually. Table 2 provides a 
    comparison of the estimated costs of the proposed and the final 
    Longshoring Standard. The estimated costs to marine terminals, which 
    are little changed since the proposal, are presented in Table 3. The 
    total costs of the final standards are estimated at about $3.1 million 
    annually. Nearly all of these costs are due to the Longshoring standard 
    and are associated with compliance efforts by establishments in SIC 
    4491, which includes marine terminal operators and stevedores.
    
       Table 3.--Estimated Annual Costs of Final Marine Terminals Standard  
                                 (1993 Dollars)                             
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Annualized
                                                                     cost*  
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Workplace Analysis..........................................     91,945 
    General Training:                                                       
        Supervisor Time.........................................     25,288 
        Instructor..............................................     23,955 
    Seatbelts...................................................     17,537 
                                                                 -----------
          Total.................................................   $158,725 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Source: U.S. Department of Labor OSHA, based on Kearney/Centaur Report  
      to ORA, Reference 1 in Economic Analysis, Chapter 4.                  
    *Annualized over 10 years using a 7% interest rate.                     
    
    D. Technological Feasibility, Economic Impacts, and Economic 
    Feasibility
    
        All of the requirements of the final standards can be met using 
    currently available equipment, facilities, tests, inspections, 
    supplies, and work practices. OSHA's analysis of the technological 
    requirements of each provision indicates that none of the final 
    provisions will create any problem of supply or availability of 
    equipment, facilities, or personnel. Thus the Agency concludes that the 
    standards are technologically feasible for employers in these 
    industries.
        In the rulemaking, questions were raised about the technological 
    feasibility of providing fall protection on top of intermodal 
    containers.\10\ However, the final standard exempts employers from 
    providing fall protection when it is impossible to do so or when doing 
    so would create a greater hazard. Some commenters questioned whether it 
    was technologically feasible to install anti-two-blocking devices on 
    shore-based cranes. However, industry experts testified that it was 
    possible to do so and further that, when cranes are not lifting 
    personnel, the anti-two-blocking device can be turned off or by-passed 
    for duty cycle work. For one type of shore-based crane, those with two 
    hoist blocks, the addition of anti-two-blocking devices were said to 
    make the crane more difficult to operate. The Agency has concluded that 
    the anti-two-blocking devices can be turned off when these cranes are 
    doing duty-cycle work (the devices must only work when hoisting 
    personnel). In any event, there are alternative means for personnel to 
    reach elevated work areas. Other commenters noted that when positioning 
    containers in some vessels, it was not possible to perform absolutely 
    vertical lifts in some situations. The Agency agreed with this view, 
    and the final rule allows non-vertical lifts of containers under 
    certain circumstances.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
         \10\For an analysis of comments received and Agency responses, 
    see the Summary and Explanation, above.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        The total annual revenues and profits of longshoring operations are 
    estimated to be approximately $7.8 billion and $388.9 million, 
    respectively. The estimated costs of compliance with the final 
    Longshoring and Marine Terminals Standards are $3.1 million annually. 
    Since these costs will mainly be generated by compliance efforts by 
    stevedores and marine terminal operators, and since the compliance 
    costs of marine terminals will be passed on to stevedores, the Agency 
    has concluded that the best measure of the standards' economic impact 
    is to compare costs of compliance with the revenues and profits of 
    longshoring operations. Thus, the annual costs of compliance with the 
    final rule represent less than 0.04 percent of the revenues and 0.8 
    percent of the profits of establishments in the longshoring industry. 
    Costs of this magnitude are unlikely to threaten the viability even of 
    marginal firms.
        Current practices in the marine cargo handling industry (SIC 4491) 
    indicate that the requirements of the final standards can be met 
    without significant hardship. Many employers already comply with the 
    final rule's requirements, as the record indicates.
        Compliance with the requirements of the final Longshoring and 
    Marine Terminals Standards is not expected to produce any significant 
    adverse economic impacts. The costs of these rules are expected to 
    impose only a minimal burden on affected establishments and will be 
    more than offset by the economic benefits of avoided deaths and 
    injuries. Taken alone, the estimated compliance costs would represent 
    an average increase in the cost of shipping a loaded container in or 
    out of U.S. ports of less than 50 cents; the current cost of shipping 
    such a container from the U.S. to Europe now averages about $3000 
    (about $150 for stevedoring services). On the whole, the costs of 
    marine cargo handling operations for society would decrease as a result 
    of the final rules, because fewer accidents mean less lost time and 
    wages and fewer medical and legal resources spent on cargo shipping and 
    handling. The estimated benefits anticipated from the final standards 
    include unquantified reductions in pain and suffering, plus estimated 
    economic savings of more than $7 million annually from reducing lost 
    workdays due to injuries. The Agency therefore has determined that the 
    final Longshoring and Marine Terminal Standards are economically 
    feasible for establishments in the affected industries.
    
    E. Screening Analysis to Identify Small-Business Impacts and 
    Certification of No Significant Impact
    
        Pursuant to the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended in 
    1996, OSHA has assessed the impact of the revised standards on small 
    entities in the marine cargo handling industry, using the Small 
    Business Administration (SBA) size standard for SIC 4491. SBA has 
    defined a small business in SIC 4491 as one with annual revenues of 
    $18.5 million or less (61 FR 3291). OSHA estimates that this 
    corresponds to 90% of all establishments in SIC 4491. As noted earlier, 
    the costs of compliance amount to less than 0.04 percent of sales in 
    the marine cargo handling industry. Because the magnitude of these 
    compliance costs is so small, and because the final rules reflect 
    practices that are currently being followed by many employers 
    throughout the marine cargo handling industry, the Agency certifies 
    that these final rules will not have a significant impact on a 
    substantial number of small entities.
    
    [[Page 40193]]
    
        Several provisions in the final standards have been written or 
    revised in order to avoid imposing unnecessary burden on small 
    businesses while still remaining consistent with OSHA's mandate to 
    protect employee safety. For example, when establishments do not have 
    container gantry cranes, as is the case for many smaller establishments 
    that service freighters with mixed cargoes, the final Longshoring 
    standard does not require the use of positive container securing 
    devices, although doing so was considered by the Agency. In addition, 
    establishments that use shore-based, single wire cranes for handling 
    containers are allowed under the final rule to lift containers with 
    non-vertical lifts, provided that they conform to other handling 
    conditions designed to protect marine cargo handling employees. These 
    firms also will not have to purchase box spreader beams and can 
    continue to use their simpler spreader beams, a change to the standard 
    that will enhance container top safety as well as productivity. In 
    addition, in the final standard all existing special stevedoring gear 
    with a capacity greater than 5 short tons will only have to be tested 
    every four years and an employer's designated person will be allowed to 
    perform the testing (rather than an OSHA accredited agency). Finally, 
    employers will not be required by the final rules to have a 
    professional engineer certify the adequacy of fall protection systems 
    but can instead rely on a qualified person. All of the above provisions 
    provide regulatory relief to smaller as well as larger employers, and 
    all are consistent with the mandate of the OSH Act.
    
    F. Non-Regulatory Alternatives
    
        The Agency considered relying on the incentives created by workers' 
    compensation programs and the threat of private tort suits to reduce 
    the number of fatalities and injuries to workers in the affected 
    industries. The Agency determined, however, that government regulation 
    is needed because of the significant risk of job-related injury or 
    death that continues to exist in these industries. Private markets fail 
    to provide sufficient safety and health resources due to the 
    externalization of part of the social cost of worker injuries and 
    deaths. The longshore workers' compensation system does not offer an 
    adequate remedy because premiums to employers do not reflect specific 
    workplace risk, and liability claims are restricted by statutes that 
    prevent employees from suing their employers. The Agency is also aware 
    that in some cases union and employer agreements include many of the 
    provisions that are contained in the final standards. However, a large 
    fraction of the affected employees are not subject to these agreements. 
    Further, these agreements are neither consistent nor comprehensive, and 
    they do not provide an enforceable framework for workplace safety. 
    Accordingly, bargaining between employers and employees cannot be 
    relied on to achieve an adequately protective solution.
    
    G. Impact Upon International Trade
    
        OSHA has determined that compliance with the final Longshoring and 
    Marine Terminals Standards will not have a significant impact upon 
    international trade. The compliance costs of the standards are minimal 
    and are not expected to affect prices of exports or imports or 
    international competitiveness. To the extent that compliance with the 
    final rules increases cargo handling efficiency and reduces the number 
    of injuries and fatalities associated with these operations, shipping 
    costs may be reduced and international trade encouraged.
        The requirement for engineering controls where feasible for ships 
    to load or discharge containers ( e.g. semi-automatic twist locks or 
    cell guides) will not affect shippers' costs or, therefore, 
    international trade. Wherever possible most shippers have already 
    converted to the use of these engineering controls since there are 
    clear cost advantages to doing so. Approximately 75 percent of foreign-
    owned vessels that call at U.S. ports use these engineering controls 
    already. Not all ships will convert to using these engineering controls 
    since these are only required where container lifting is done with 
    container gantry cranes and some marine terminals and longshoring work 
    is still performed with single-wire cranes or forklifts.
    
    VII. Environmental Impact
    
        The final Longshoring and Marine Terminals Standards have been 
    reviewed in accordance with the requirements of the National 
    Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the 
    regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) (40 CFR Part 
    1500), and DOL NEPA Procedures (29 CFR Part 11). No significant 
    negative impact is foreseen on air, water or soil quality, plant or 
    animal life, the use of land or sea, or other aspects of the 
    environment as a result of these standards.
    
    VIII. Recordkeeping and Paperwork Requirements
    
        The Agency has estimated the paperwork burden of the Longshoring 
    and Marine Terminal Standards under the guidelines of the Paperwork 
    Reduction Act of 1995. Under that Act, burden is defined as the total 
    time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, 
    maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a 
    Federal Agency. The Agency has concluded that the following elements of 
    these two standards potentially could create a paperwork burden for the 
    affected industries:
    
    1917.25(g) warranty of fumigated tobacco 1917.26(d)(7) labelling of 
    stretcher closets 1917.50(i)(2) labelling of cargo handling gear 
    1917.71(f)(4) marking of trailers 1918.22(g) labelling gangway 
    hazards 1918.74(i)(1) tagging ladders 1918.61(b)(2) labelling gear 
    1918.86(g) labelling trailers
    
    Collections of Information: Request for Comments
    
        The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce 
    paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation 
    program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an 
    opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of 
    information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
    (PRA95)(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to ensure that 
    requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden 
    (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are 
    clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on 
    respondents can be properly assessed. Therefore, OSHA is soliciting 
    comments concerning the proposed approval for the paperwork 
    requirements of the final Longshoring and Marine Terminal Standards. 
    Written comments should:
         Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
    necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
    including whether the information will have practical utility;
         Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
    burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
    validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
         Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
    information to be collected; and
         Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
    those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
    automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
    techniques or
    
    [[Page 40194]]
    
    other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic 
    submissions of responses.
        OSHA must obtain Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of 
    the paperwork requirements of this final rule. As part of that approval 
    process OSHA will be submitting a Paperwork Reduction Act Submission 
    (OMB 83-1) along with a supporting statement responding to specific 
    questions from OMB. After a review of OSHA's submission, OMB will 
    either approve, reject, or request revision of the identified paperwork 
    requirements. A full copy of OSHA's submission to OMB is included in 
    the docket for this rulemaking and is available in the docket for 
    public inspection and copying. The public is asked to review and offer 
    comments on OSHA's paperwork package. Comments may be submitted to the 
    rulemaking docket, S-025. The following information is provided as a 
    summary of the information contained in OSHA's submission to OMB:
        Type of review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
        Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
        Title: Longshoring and Marine Terminals.
        OMB Control No.: 1218-0196.
        Agency Docket No.: S-025.
        Frequency: On occasion.Affected Public: Business or other for 
    profit, Federal government, State and local governments.
        Number of respondents: 3,700.
        Estimated time per respondent: Varies.
        Total estimated annual recurring costs: $12,750.00.
        Total estimated first year, one-time costs: $1,573,350.00.
        Total estimated annual recurring burden hours: 250 hours annually.
        Total estimated first year, one-time burden hours: 30,850 hours.
        Comments submitted in response to this request will be summarized 
    and included in OSHA's request for Office of Management and Budget 
    approval of the paperwork burden. The comments will also become a 
    matter of public record.
    
    IX. State Plan Requirements
    
        This Federal Register document issues new rules addressing 
    longshoring and marine terminal operations regulated in 29 CFR parts 
    1910, 1917, and 1918. The new rules promulgated today will be codified 
    into the applicable section of the Code of Federal Regulations.
        The 25 States or U.S. Territories with their own OSHA approved 
    occupational safety and health plans must develop a comparable standard 
    applicable to both the private and public (state and local government 
    employees) sectors within six months of the publication date of a 
    permanent final Federal rule or show OSHA why there is no need for 
    action, e.g. because an existing state standard covering this area is 
    already ``at least as effective as'' the new Federal standard.
        Currently five states (California, Minnesota, Oregon, Vermont and 
    Washington) with their own state plans cover private sector onshore 
    maritime activities. Federal OSHA enforces maritime standards offshore 
    in all states and provides onshore coverage of maritime activities in 
    Federal OSHA states and in the following State Plan states: Alaska, 
    Arizona, Connecticut (plan covers only state and local government 
    employees), Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, 
    Nevada, New Mexico, New York (plan covers only state and local 
    government employees), North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, 
    Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Virgin Islands, and Wyoming.
    
    X. Federalism
    
        This standard has been reviewed in accordance with Executive Order 
    12612, 52 FR 41685 (October 30, 1987), regarding Federalism. This Order 
    requires that agencies, to the extent possible, refrain from limiting 
    State policy options, consult with States prior to taking any actions 
    that would restrict State policy options, and take such actions only 
    when there is a clear constitutional authority and the presence of a 
    problem of national scope. The Order provides for preemption of State 
    law only if there is a clear Congressional intent for the Agency to do 
    so. Any such preemption is to be limited to the extent possible.
        Section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), 
    expresses Congress' clear intent to preempt State laws with respect to 
    which Federal OSHA has promulgated occupational safety or health 
    standards. Under the OSH Act, a State can avoid preemption only if it 
    submits, and obtains Federal approval of, a plan for the development of 
    such standards and their enforcement. Occupational safety and health 
    standards developed by such State Plan-States must, among other things, 
    be at least as effective in providing safe and healthful employment and 
    places of employment as the Federal standards. Where such standards are 
    applicable to products distributed or used in interstate commerce, they 
    may not unduly burden commerce and must be justified by compelling 
    local conditions (See section 18(c)(2)).
        The final Longshoring and Marine Terminals Standards are drafted so 
    that employees in every State will be protected by general, 
    performance-oriented standards, except in those cases in which employee 
    safety would be enhanced by more specific requirements. States with 
    occupational safety and health plans approved under section 18 of the 
    OSH Act will be able to develop their own State standards to deal with 
    any special problems which might be encountered in a particular state. 
    Moreover, the performance nature of this standard, of and by itself, 
    allows for flexibility by States and employers to provide as much 
    leeway as possible using alternative means of compliance.
        These final Longshoring and Marine Terminals Standards address 
    safety and health problems related to the hazards found in the marine 
    cargo handling industry which is national in scope.
        Those States which have elected to participate under section 18 of 
    the OSH Act would not be preempted by this regulation and will be able 
    to deal with special, local conditions within the framework provided by 
    this standard while ensuring that their standards are at least as 
    effective as the Federal Standard.
    
    XI. Unfunded Mandates
    
        For the purposes of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, as 
    well as Executive Order 12875, this rule does not include any federal 
    mandate that may result in increased expenditures by State, local, and 
    tribal governments, or increased expenditures by the private sector of 
    more that $100 million.
    
    List of Subjects in 29 CFR Parts 1910, 1917, and 1918
    
        Cargo, Cargo gear certification, Intermodal container, Hazardous 
    materials, Incorporation by reference, Longshoring, Maritime, Marine 
    cargo handling, Marine terminal, Labeling, Occupational safety and 
    health, Protective equipment, Respiratory protection, Signs and 
    symbols.
    
        Authority: This document has been prepared under the direction 
    of Greg R. Watchman, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
    Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
    Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20210. Pursuant to 
    sections 4, 6 and 8 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 
    1970 (29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 657), section 41 of the Longshore and 
    Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (33 U.S.C. 941), Secretary of 
    Labor's Order No. 6-96 (62 FR 111); and 29 CFR part 1911, parts 
    1910, 1917 and 1918 of Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
    are amended as set forth below.
    
    
    [[Page 40195]]
    
    
        Signed at Washington, D.C. this 18th day of July, 1997.
    Greg R. Watchman,
    Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor.
    Alexis M. Herman,
    Secretary of Labor.
    
    PART 1910--GENERAL INDUSTRY SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS [AMENDED]
    
        1. The authority citation for subpart B of part 1910 is revised to 
    read as follows:
    
        Authority: Secs. 4, 6, and 8 of the Occupational Safety and 
    Health Act, 29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 657; Walsh-Healey Act, 41 U.S.C. 35 
    et seq.; Service Contract Act of 1965, 41 U.S.C. 351 et seq.; 
    Sec.107, Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (Construction 
    Safety Act), 40 U.S.C. 333; Sec. 41, Longshore and Harbor Workers' 
    Compensation Act, 33 U.S.C. 941; National Foundation of Arts and 
    Humanities Act, 20 U.S.C. 951 et seq.; Secretary of Labor's Order 
    No. 12-71 (36 FR 8754), 8-76 (41 FR 1911), 9-83 (48 FR 35736), 1-90 
    (55 FR 9033), or 6-96 (62 FR 111), as applicable.
    
        2. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c)(4) of Sec. 1910.16 are revised to 
    read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1910.16  Longshoring and marine terminals.
    
        (a) Safety and health standards for longshoring. (1) Part 1918 of 
    this chapter shall apply exclusively, according to the provisions 
    thereof, to all employment of every employee engaged in longshoring 
    operations or related employment aboard any vessel. All cargo transfer 
    accomplished with the use of shore-based material handling devices 
    shall be governed by part 1917 of this chapter.
        (2) Part 1910 does not apply to longshoring operations except for 
    the following provisions:
        (i) Access to employee exposure and medical records. Subpart Z, 
    Sec. 1910.1020;
        (ii) Commercial diving operations. Subpart T;
        (iii) Electrical. Subpart S when shore-based electrical 
    installations provide power for use aboard vessels;
        (iv) Hazard communication. Subpart Z, Sec. 1910.1200;
        (v) Ionizing radiation. Subpart Z, Sec. 1910.1096;
        (vi) Noise. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.95;
        (vii) Nonionizing radiation. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.97;
    
        Note to paragraph (a)(2)(vii): Exposures to nonionizing 
    radiation emissions from commercial vessel transmitters are 
    considered hazardous under the following conditions: (1) where the 
    radar is transmitting, the scanner is stationary, and the exposure 
    distance is 18.7 feet (6 m.) or less; or (2) where the radar is 
    transmitting, the scanner is rotating, and the exposure distance is 
    5.2 feet (1.8 m.) or less,
    
        (viii) Respiratory protection. Subpart I, Sec. 1910.134;
        (ix) Toxic and hazardous substances. Subpart Z applies to marine 
    cargo handling activities except for the following:
        (A) When a substance or cargo is contained within a sealed, intact 
    means of packaging or containment complying with Department of 
    Transportation or International Maritime Organization requirements;\1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \1\ The International Maritime Organization publishes the 
    International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code to aid compliance with 
    the international legal requirements of the International Convention 
    for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1960.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (B) Bloodborne pathogens, Sec. 1910.1030;
        (C) Carbon monoxide, Sec. 1910.1000 (See Sec. 1918.94 (a)); and
        (D) Hydrogen sulfide, Sec. 1910.1000 (See Sec. 1918.94 (f)).
        (b) Safety and health standards for marine terminals. Part 1917 of 
    this chapter shall apply exclusively, according to the provisions 
    thereof, to employment within a marine terminal, except as follows:
        (1) The provisions of part 1917 of this chapter do not apply to the 
    following:
        (i) Facilities used solely for the bulk storage, handling, and 
    transfer of flammable and combustible liquids and gases.
        (ii) Facilities subject to the regulations of the Office of 
    Pipeline Safety of the Research and Special Programs Administration, 
    Department of Transportation (49 CFR chapter I, subchapter D), to the 
    extent such regulations apply to specific working conditions.
        (iii) Fully automated bulk coal handling facilities contiguous to 
    electrical power generating plants.
        (2) Part 1910 does not apply to marine terminals except for the 
    following:
        (i) Abrasive blasting. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.94(a);
        (ii) Access to employee exposure and medical records. Subpart Z, 
    Sec. 1910.1020;
        (iii) Commercial diving operations. Subpart T;
        (iv) Electrical. Subpart S;
        (v) Grain handling facilities. Subpart R, Sec. 1910.272;
        (vi) Hazard communication. Subpart Z, Sec. 1910.1200;
        (vii) Ionizing radiation. Subpart Z, Sec. 1910.1096;
        (viii) Noise. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.95;
        (ix) Nonionizing radiation. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.97.
        (x) Respiratory protection. Subpart I, Sec. 1910.134.
        (xi) Safety requirements for scaffolding. Subpart D, Sec. 1910.28;
        (xii) Servicing multi-piece and single piece rim wheels. Subpart N, 
    Sec. 1910.177; and
        (xiii) Toxic and hazardous substances. Subpart Z applies to marine 
    cargo handling activities except for the following:
        (A) When a substance or cargo is contained within a sealed, intact 
    means of packaging or containment complying with Department of 
    Transportation or International Maritime Organization requirements; \2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \2\ The International Maritime Organization publishes the 
    International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code to aid compliance with 
    the international legal requirements of the International Convention 
    for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1960.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (B) Bloodborne pathogens, Sec. 1910.1030;
        (C) Carbon monoxide, Sec. 1910.1000 (See Sec. 1917.24(a)); and
        (D) Hydrogen sulfide, Sec. 1910.1000 (See Sec. 1917.73(a)(2)).
        (c) * * *
        (4) Marine terminal means wharves, bulkheads, quays, piers, docks 
    and other berthing locations and adjacent storage or adjacent areas and 
    structures associated with the primary movement of cargo or materials 
    from vessel to shore or shore to vessel including structures which are 
    devoted to receiving, handling, holding, consolidation and loading or 
    delivery of waterborne shipments or passengers, including areas devoted 
    to the maintenance of the terminal or equipment. The term does not 
    include production or manufacturing areas having their own docking 
    facilities and located at a marine terminal nor does the term include 
    storage facilities directly associated with those production or 
    manufacturing areas.
    
    PART 1917--MARINE TERMINALS
    
        1. The authority citation for part 1917 is revised to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: Sec. 41, Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation 
    Act (33 U.S.C. 941); Secs. 4, 6, 8, Occupational Safety and Health 
    Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 657); Secretary of Labor's Order 
    No. 12-71 (36 FR 8754), 8-76 (41 FR 25059), 9-83 (48 FR 35736), or 
    6-96 (62 FR 111), as applicable; 29 CFR part 1911.
    
        Section 1917.28 also issued under 5 U.S.C. 553.
    
    Subpart A--Scope and Definitions
    
        2. Section 1917.1 is amended by revising the introductory text of 
    paragraph (a), paragraphs (a)(2)(i) through (a)(2)(x) and by adding 
    paragraphs (a)(2)(xi) through (a)(2)(xiii) and (b) to read as follows:
    
    [[Page 40196]]
    
    Sec. 1917.1  Scope and applicability.
    
        (a) The regulations of this part apply to employment within a 
    marine terminal as defined in Sec. 1917.2(u), including the loading, 
    unloading, movement or other handling of cargo, ship's stores or gear 
    within the terminal or into or out of any land carrier, holding or 
    consolidation area, any other activity within and associated with the 
    overall operation and functions of the terminal, such as the use and 
    routine maintenance of facilities and equipment. All cargo transfer 
    accomplished with the use of shore-based material handling devices 
    shall be regulated by this part.
        (1) * * *
        (2) * * *
        (i) Abrasive blasting. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.94(a);
        (ii) Access to employee exposure and medical records. Subpart Z, 
    Sec. 1910.1020;
        (iii) Commercial diving operations. Subpart T of part 1910;
        (iv) Electrical. Subpart S of part 1910;
        (v) Grain handling facilities. Subpart R, Sec. 1910.272;
        (vi) Hazard communication. Subpart Z, Sec. 1910.1200;
        (vii) Ionizing radiation. Subpart Z, Sec. 1910.1096;
        (viii) Noise. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.95;
        (ix) Nonionizing radiation. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.97;
        (x) Respiratory protection. Subpart I, Sec. 1910.134;
        (xi) Safety requirements for scaffolding. Subpart D, Sec. 1910.28;
        (xii) Servicing multi-piece and single piece rim wheels. Subpart N, 
    Sec. 1910.177; and
        (xiii) Toxic and hazardous substances. Subpart Z applies to marine 
    cargo handling activities except for the following:
        (A) When a substance or cargo is contained within a sealed, intact 
    means of packaging or containment complying with Department of 
    Transportation or International Maritime Organization requirements; \1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \1\ The International Maritime Organization publishes the 
    International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code to aid compliance with 
    the international legal requirements of the International Convention 
    for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1960.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (B) Bloodborne pathogens, Sec. 1910.1030;
        (C) Carbon monoxide, Sec. 1910.1000 (See Sec. 1917.24(a)); and
        (D) Hydrogen sulfide, Sec. 1910.1000 (See Sec. 1917.73(a)(2)).
        (b) [Reserved]
        3. In Sec. 1917.2, the letter designations to each definition are 
    removed and the definitions are placed in alphabetical order and the 
    definitions for the terms intermodal container and marine terminal are 
    revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.2  Definitions.
    
    * * * * *
        Intermodal container means a reusable cargo container of a rigid 
    construction and rectangular configuration; fitted with devices 
    permitting its ready handling, particularly its transfer from one mode 
    of transport to another; so designed to be readily filled and emptied; 
    intended to contain one or more articles of cargo or bulk commodities 
    for transportation by water and one or more other transport modes. The 
    term includes completely enclosed units, open top units, fractional 
    height units, units incorporating liquid or gas tanks and other 
    variations fitting into the container system. It does not include 
    cylinders, drums, crates, cases, cartons, packages, sacks, unitized 
    loads or any other form of packaging.
    * * * * *
        Marine terminal means wharves, bulkheads, quays, piers, docks and 
    other berthing locations and adjacent storage or adjacent areas and 
    structures associated with the primary movement of cargo or materials 
    from vessel to shore or shore to vessel including structures which are 
    devoted to receiving, handling, holding, consolidating and loading or 
    delivery of waterborne shipments or passengers, including areas devoted 
    to the maintenance of the terminal or equipment. The term does not 
    include production or manufacturing areas nor does the term include 
    storage facilities directly associated with those production or 
    manufacturing areas.
    * * * * *
        4. A new Sec. 1917.3 is added to subpart A to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.3  Incorporation by reference.
    
        (a) (1) The standards of agencies of the U.S. Government, and 
    organizations which are not agencies of the U.S. Government which are 
    incorporated by reference in this part, have the same force and effect 
    as other standards in this part. Only the mandatory provisions (i.e. 
    provisions containing the word ``shall'' or other mandatory language) 
    of standards incorporated by reference are adopted as standards under 
    the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
        (2) Any changes in the standards incorporated by reference in this 
    part and an official historic file of such changes are available for 
    inspection at the national office of the Occupational Safety and Health 
    Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC 20210.
        (3) The materials listed in paragraph (b) of this section are 
    incorporated by reference in the corresponding sections noted as they 
    exist on the date of the approval, and a notice of any change in these 
    materials will be published in the Federal Register. These 
    incorporations by reference (IBRs) were approved by the Director of the 
    Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
        (4) Copies of the following standards that are issued by the 
    respective private standards organizations may be obtained from the 
    issuing organizations. The materials are available for purchase at the 
    corresponding addresses of the private standards organizations noted in 
    paragraph (b) of this section. In addition, all are available for 
    inspection at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol 
    Street, NW., suite 700, Washington DC, and through the OSHA Docket 
    Office, room N2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., 
    Washington, DC 20210, or any of OSHA's regional offices.
        (b) The following material is available for purchase from the 
    American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 11 West 42nd St., New 
    York, NY 10036:
        (1) ANSI A14.1-1990, Safety Requirements for Portable Wood Ladders; 
    BR approved for Sec. 1917.119(c).
        (2) ANSI A14.2-1990, Safety Requirements for Portable Metal 
    Ladders; BR approved for Sec. 1917.119(c).
        (3) ANSI A14.5-1992, Safety Requirements for Portable Reinforced 
    Plastic Ladders; IBR approved for Sec. 1917.119(c).
        (4) ANSI Z-87.1-1989, Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye 
    and Face Protection; IBR approved for Sec. 1917.91(a)(1).
        (5) ANSI Z-89.1-1986, Personnel Protection-Protective Headwear for 
    Industrial Workers-Requirements; IBR approved for Sec. 1917.93(b).
        (6) ANSI Z-41-1991, American National Standard for Personal 
    Protection-Protective Footwear; IBR approved for Sec. 1917.94(b).
    
    Subpart B--Marine Terminal Operations
    
        5. Section 1917.11 is amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read 
    as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.11  Housekeeping.
    
    * * * * *
        (d) Dunnage, lumber, or shoring material in which there are visibly 
    protruding nails shall be removed from the immediate work area or if 
    left in the
    
    [[Page 40197]]
    
    area, the nails shall be rendered harmless.
        6. Section 1917.13 is amended by revising paragraph (g) and by 
    adding new paragraphs (h) and (i) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.13  Slinging.
    
    * * * * *
        (g) Intermodal containers shall be handled in accordance with 
    Sec. 1917.71(f).
        (h) The employer shall require employees to stay clear of the area 
    beneath overhead drafts or descending lifting gear.
        (i) Employees shall not be permitted to ride the hook or the load.
        7. Section 1917.17 is amended by revising paragraphs (i), (j), and 
    (k) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.17  Railroad facilities.
    
    * * * * *
        (i) If powered industrial trucks are used to open railcar doors, 
    the trucks or the railcar doors shall be equipped with door opening 
    attachments. Employees shall stand clear of the railcar doors while 
    they are being opened and closed.
        (j) Only railcar door openers or powered industrial trucks equipped 
    with door opening attachments shall be used to open jammed doors.
        (k) Employees shall not remain in or on gondolas or flat cars when 
    drafts that create overhead, caught-in, caught-between or struck-by 
    hazards are being landed in or on the railcar; end gates, if raised, 
    shall be secured.
    * * * * *
        8. Section 1917.20 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.20  Interference with communications.
    
        Cargo handling operations shall not be carried on when noise-
    producing, maintenance, construction or repair work interferes with the 
    communication of warnings or instructions.
        9. Section 1917.23 is amended by revising the heading and 
    paragraphs (b)(1) and (d) introductory text to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.23  Hazardous atmospheres and substances (See also 
    Sec. 1917.2(r)).
    
    * * * * *
        (b) Determination of hazard. (1) When the employer is aware that a 
    room, building, vehicle, railcar, or other space contains or has 
    contained a hazardous atmosphere, a designated and appropriately 
    equipped person shall test the atmosphere before employee entry to 
    determine whether a hazardous atmosphere exists.
    * * * * *
        (d) Entry into hazardous atmospheres. Only designated persons shall 
    enter hazardous atmospheres, in which case the following shall apply:
    * * * * *
        10. Section 1917.24, is amended by revising paragraph (a) to read 
    as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.24  Carbon monoxide.
    
        (a) Exposure limits. The carbon monoxide content of the atmosphere 
    in a room, building, vehicle, railcar, or any enclosed space shall be 
    maintained at not more than 50 parts per million (ppm) (0.005%) as an 
    eight hour average area level and employees shall be removed from the 
    enclosed space if the carbon monoxide concentration exceeds a ceiling 
    of 100 ppm (0.01%).
    * * * * *
        11. Section 1917.25 is amended by revising paragraphs (a) and (c) 
    and adding a new paragraph (g) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.25  Fumigants, pesticides, insecticides and hazardous 
    preservatives (See also Sec. 1917.2(p)).
    
        (a) At any time that the concentration in any space reaches the 
    level specified as hazardous by the fumigant manufacturer or by Table 
    Z-1 of 29 CFR 1910.1000, whichever is lower, all employees shall be 
    removed from the space and shall not be permitted to re-enter until 
    such time as tests demonstrate that the atmosphere is safe.
    * * * * *
        (c) Results of any tests shall be available for at least 30 days. 
    Such records may be entered on any retrievable medium, and shall be 
    available for inspection.
    * * * * *
        (g) In the case of containerized shipments of fumigated tobacco, 
    the contents of the container shall be aerated by opening the container 
    doors for a period of 48 hours after the completion of fumigation and 
    prior to loading. When tobacco is within shipping cases having 
    polyethylene or similar bag liners, the aeration period shall be 72 
    hours. The employer shall obtain a written warranty from the fumigation 
    facility stating that the appropriate aeration period has been met.
        12. Section 1917.26 is amended by revising paragraphs (c) and (d) 
    to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.26  First aid and lifesaving facilities.
    
    * * * * *
        (c) First aid kit. First aid kits shall be weatherproof and shall 
    contain individual sealed packages for each item that must be kept 
    sterile. The contents of each kit shall be determined by a person 
    certified in first aid and cognizant of the hazards found in marine 
    cargo handling operations. The contents shall be checked at intervals 
    that allow prompt replacement of expended items.
        (d) Stretchers. (1) There shall be available for each vessel being 
    worked one Stokes basket stretcher, or its equivalent, permanently 
    equipped with bridles for attaching to the hoisting gear.
        (2) Stretchers shall be kept close to vessels and shall be 
    positioned to avoid damage to the stretcher.
        (3) A blanket or other suitable covering shall be available.
        (4) Stretchers shall have at least four sets of effective patient 
    restraints in operable condition.
        (5) Lifting bridles shall be of adequate strength, capable of 
    lifting 1,000 pounds (454 kg) with a safety factor of five, and shall 
    be maintained in operable condition. Lifting bridles shall be provided 
    for making vertical patient lifts at container berths. Stretchers for 
    vertical lifts shall have foot plates.
        (6) Stretchers shall be maintained in operable condition. Struts 
    and braces shall be inspected for damage. Wire mesh shall be secured 
    and have no burrs. Damaged stretchers shall not be used until repaired.
        (7) Stretchers in permanent locations shall be mounted to prevent 
    damage and shall be protected from the elements if located out-of-
    doors. If concealed from view, closures shall be marked to indicate the 
    location of the life saving equipment.
    * * * * *
        13. Section 1917.27 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(2) and 
    adding a note to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.27  Personnel.
    
        (a) * * *
        (2) No employee known to have defective uncorrected eyesight or 
    hearing, or to be suffering from heart disease, epilepsy, or similar 
    ailments that may suddenly incapacitate the employee, shall be 
    permitted to operate a crane, winch or other power-operated cargo 
    handling apparatus or a power-operated vehicle.
    
        Note to paragraph (a)(2): OSHA is defining suddenly 
    incapacitating medical ailments consistent with the Americans with 
    Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. 12101 (1990). Therefore, employers 
    who act in accordance with the employment provisions (Title I) of 
    the ADA (42 U.S.C. 12111-12117), the regulations implementing Title 
    I (29 CFR part 1630), and the Technical Assistance Manual for Title 
    I issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Publication 
    number: EEOC--M1A), will be
    
    [[Page 40198]]
    
    considered as being in compliance with this paragraph.
    * * * * *
        14. Section 1917.28 is amended by removing the regulatory text and 
    revising the section heading to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.28  Hazard communication (See also Sec. 1917.1(a)(2)(vi)).
    
        15. A new section 1917.30, Emergency action plans, is added to 
    subpart B to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.30  Emergency action plans.
    
        (a) Emergency action plans. (1) Scope and application. This 
    paragraph (a) requires all employers to develop and implement an 
    emergency action plan. The emergency action plan shall be in writing 
    (except as provided in the last sentence of paragraph (a)(5)(iii) of 
    this section) and shall cover those designated actions employers and 
    employees must take to ensure employee safety from fire and other 
    emergencies.
        (2) Elements. The following elements, at a minimum, shall be 
    included in the plan:
        (i) Emergency escape procedures and emergency escape route 
    assignments;
        (ii) Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate 
    critical plant operations before they evacuate;
        (iii) Procedures to account for all employees after emergency 
    evacuation has been completed;
        (iv) Rescue and medical duties for those employees who are to 
    perform them;
        (v) The preferred means of reporting fires and other emergencies; 
    and
        (vi) Names or regular job titles of persons or departments that can 
    be contacted for further information or explanation of duties under the 
    plan.
        (3) Alarm system. The employer shall establish an employee alarm 
    system that provides warning for necessary emergency action and for 
    reaction time for safe escape of employees from the workplace or the 
    immediate work area.
        (4) Evacuation. The employer shall establish the types of 
    evacuation to be used in emergency circumstances.
        (5) Training. (i) Before implementing the emergency action plan, 
    the employer shall designate and train a sufficient number of persons 
    to assist in the safe and orderly emergency evacuation of employees.
        (ii) The employer shall review the plan with each employee covered 
    by the plan at the following times:
        (A) Initially when the plan is developed;
        (B) Whenever the employee's responsibilities or designated actions 
    under the plan change; and
        (C) Whenever the plan is changed.
        (iii) The employer shall review with each employee upon initial 
    assignment those parts of the plan that the employee must know to 
    protect the employee in the event of an emergency. The written plan 
    shall be kept at the workplace and be made available for employee 
    review.
        (iv) Employers with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan 
    orally to employees and need not maintain a written plan
        (b) [Reserved]
    
    Subpart C--Cargo Handling Gear and Equipment
    
        16. Section 1917.42 is amended by revising paragraphs (b)(4), 
    (Table C-1 remains unchanged), (c)(1) and (d), adding (g)(2)(vi), and 
    revising (h)(4), (h)(5), and (j)(1) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.42  Miscellaneous auxiliary gear.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) * * *
        (4) Where wire rope clips are used to form eyes, the employer shall 
    adhere to the manufacturers' recommendations, which shall be made 
    available for inspection. If ``U'' bolt clips are used and the 
    manufacturers' recommendations are not available, Table C-1 shall be 
    used to determine the number and spacing of the clips. ``U'' bolts 
    shall be applied with the ``U'' section in contact with the dead end of 
    the rope.
    * * * * *
        (c) * * *
        (1) The employer shall ascertain the manufacturers' ratings for the 
    specific natural fiber rope used and have such ratings available for 
    inspection. The manufacturers' ratings shall be adhered to and a 
    minimum design safety factor of five maintained.
    * * * * *
        (d) Synthetic rope. (1) The employer shall adhere to the 
    manufacturers' ratings and use recommendations for the specific 
    synthetic fiber rope used and shall make such ratings available for 
    inspection.
        (2) Unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer, when 
    synthetic fiber ropes are substituted for fiber ropes of less than 
    three inches (7.62 cm) in circumference, the substitute shall be of 
    equal size. Where substituted for fiber rope of three inches or more in 
    circumference, the size of the synthetic rope shall be determined from 
    the formula:
    
    C=0.6Cs\2\+0.4Cm\2\
    
    Where C= the required circumference of the synthetic rope in inches, 
    Cs= the circumference to the nearest one-quarter inch of a synthetic 
    rope having a breaking strength not less than that of the size fiber 
    rope that is required by paragraph (c) of this section and Cm= the 
    circumference of the fiber rope in inches that is required by paragraph 
    (c) of this section. In making such substitution, it shall be 
    ascertained that the inherent characteristics of the synthetic fiber 
    are suitable for hoisting.
    * * * * *
        (g) * * *
        (2) * * *
        (vi) Display of visible warning threads or markers designed to 
    indicate excessive wear or damage.
    * * * * *
        (h) * * *
        (4) Chains shall be repaired only under qualified supervision. 
    Links or portions of chain defective under any of the criteria of 
    paragraph (h)(3)(iii) of this section shall be replaced with properly 
    dimensioned links or connections of material similar to those of the 
    original chain. Before repaired chains are returned to service, they 
    shall be tested to the proof load recommended by the manufacturer of 
    the original chain. Tests shall be performed by the manufacturer or 
    shall be certified by an agency accredited for the purpose under part 
    1919 of this chapter. Test certificates shall be available for 
    inspection.
        (5) Wrought iron chains in constant use shall be annealed or 
    normalized at intervals not exceeding six months. Heat treatment 
    certificates shall be available for inspection. Alloy chains shall not 
    be annealed.
    * * * * *
        (j) Hooks other than hand hooks. (1) The manufacturers' recommended 
    safe working loads for hooks shall not be exceeded. Hooks other than 
    hand hooks shall be tested in accordance with Sec. 1917.50(c)(6).
    * * * * *
        17. Section 1917.43 is amended by revising paragraphs (e)(1)(i), 
    (e)(6)(iii), and by adding a new paragraph (f)(3) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.43  Powered industrial trucks.
    
    * * * * *
        (e) Fork lift trucks. (1) Overhead guards. (i) When operators are 
    exposed to overhead falling hazards, fork lift trucks shall be equipped 
    with securely attached overhead guards. Guards shall be constructed to 
    protect the operator
    
    [[Page 40199]]
    
    from falling boxes, cartons, packages, or similar objects.
    * * * * *
        (6) Lifting of employees. * * *
        (iii) An employee shall be at the truck's controls whenever 
    employees are elevated.
    * * * * *
        (f) * * *
        (3) After July 26, 1999 bulk cargo-moving vehicles shall be 
    equipped with rollover protection of such design and construction as to 
    prevent the possibility of the operator being crushed because of a 
    rollover or upset.
    * * * * *
        18. Section 1917.44 is amended by revising paragraphs (a), (i), 
    (o)(3)(i), (o)(3)(ii) introductory text, and (o)(4) introductory text 
    to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.44  General rules applicable to vehicles.\4\
    
        (a) The requirements of this section apply to general vehicle use 
    within marine terminals. Exception: The provisions of paragraphs (c) 
    and (l) of this section do not apply when preempted by applicable 
    regulations of the Department of Transportation.\5\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \4\ The United States Coast Guard at 33 CFR 126.15(d) and (e) 
    has additional regulations applicable to vehicles in terminals.
        \5\ Department of Transportation regulations in 49 CFR part 393, 
    Subpart C-Brakes, address the immobilization of trailer road wheels 
    prior to disconnection of the trailer and until braking is again 
    provided. Section 49 CFR 393.84 addresses the condition of flooring. 
    These DOT rules apply when the motor carrier is engaged in 
    interstate commerce or in the transport of certain hazardous items 
    wholly within a municipality or the commercial zone thereof.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    * * * * *
        (i) A distance of not less than 20 feet (6.1 m) shall be maintained 
    between the first two vehicles in a check-in, check-out, roadability, 
    or vessel loading/discharging line. This distance shall be maintained 
    between any subsequent vehicles behind which employees are required to 
    work.
    * * * * *
        (o) * * *
        (3) * * *
        (i) Only employees trained in the procedures required in paragraph 
    (o)(4) of this section and who have demonstrated their ability to 
    service multi-piece rim wheels shall be assigned such duties.
        (ii) Employees assigned such duties shall have demonstrated their 
    ability by the safe performance of the following tasks: * * *
        (4) Servicing procedures. The following procedures shall be 
    followed:
    * * * * *
        19. Section 1917.45 is amended by revising the section heading, 
    paragraphs (f)(4)(iii), (f)(5), (f)(7), (f)(13)(ii), (f)(13)(iii)(A), 
    (i)(5)(i) introductory text, (j)(1)(iii)(D), and (j)(2), and by adding 
    new paragraphs (g)(11), (j)(9) and (j)(10), to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.45  Cranes and derricks (See also Sec. 1917.50).
    
    * * * * *
        (f) * * *
        (4) * * *
        (iii) Stairways on cranes shall be equipped with rigid handrails 
    meeting the requirements of Sec. 1917.112(e).
    * * * * *
        (5) Operator's station. (i) The cab, controls and mechanism of the 
    equipment shall be so arranged that the operator has a clear view of 
    the load or signalman, when one is used. Cab glass, when used, shall be 
    safety plate glass or equivalent. Cranes with missing, broken, cracked, 
    scratched, or dirty glass (or equivalent) that impairs operator 
    visibility shall not be used. Clothing, tools and equipment shall be 
    stored so as not to interfere with access, operation, and the 
    operator's view.
        (ii) A seat (lap) belt, meeting the requirements of 49 CFR 571.208-
    210 for a Type 1 seat belt assembly, shall be installed on the 
    operator's seat of high speed container gantry cranes where the seat 
    trolleys.
    * * * * *
        (7) Outriggers. Outriggers shall be used according to the 
    manufacturers' specifications or design data, which shall be available. 
    Floats, when used, shall be securely attached to the outriggers. Wood 
    blocks or other support shall be of sufficient size to support the 
    outrigger, free of defects that may affect safety and of sufficient 
    width and length to prevent the crane from shifting or toppling under 
    load.
    * * * * *
        (13) * * *
        (ii) Each independent hoisting unit of a crane, except worm geared 
    hoists, the angle of whose worm is such as to prevent the load from 
    accelerating in the lowering direction, shall, in addition to a holding 
    brake, be equipped with a controlled braking means to control lowering 
    speeds.
        (iii) * * *
        (A) 125 percent when used with an other than mechanically 
    controlled braking means; or
    * * * * *
        (g) * * *
        (11) Limit switch bypass systems shall be secured during all cargo 
    operations. Such bypass systems shall not be used except in an 
    emergency or during non-cargo handling operations such as stowing 
    cranes or derricks or performing repairs. When a situation requiring 
    the use of a bypass system or the readjustment of a limit switch 
    arises, it shall be done only under the direction of a crane mechanic.
    * * * * *
        (i) * * *
        (5) Operating near electric power lines. (i) Clearance. Unless 
    electrical distribution and transmission lines are de-energized and 
    visibly grounded at the point of work, or unless insulating barriers 
    not a part of or attached to the crane have been erected to prevent 
    physical contact with lines, cranes may be operated near power lines 
    only in accordance with the following:
    * * * * *
        (j) * * *
        (1) * * *
        (iii) * * *
        (D) Equipped with a device to prevent access doors, when used, from 
    opening accidentally;
    * * * * *
        (2) Except in an emergency, the hoisting mechanism of all cranes or 
    derricks used to hoist personnel shall operate only in power up and 
    power down, with automatic brake application when not hoisting or 
    lowering.
    * * * * *
        (9) Employees shall not be hoisted on intermodal container 
    spreaders while a load is engaged.
        (10) All cranes and derricks used to hoist personnel shall be 
    equipped with an anti-two-blocking device.
    * * * * *
        20. Section 1917.46 is amended by revising the heading and 
    paragraphs (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(viii)(A) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.46  Load indicating devices.
    
        (a) * * *
        (1) * * *
        (ii) The accuracy of the load indicating device, weight-moment 
    device, or overload protection device shall be such that any indicated 
    load (or limit), including the sum of actual weight hoisted and 
    additional equipment or ``add ons'' such as slings, sensors, blocks, 
    etc., is within the range between 95 percent (5 percent underload) and 
    110 percent (10 percent overload) of the actual true total load. Such 
    accuracy shall be required over the range of daily operating variables 
    reasonably anticipated under the conditions of use.
    * * * * *
        (viii) * * *
        (A) Of trolley equipped bridge type or overhead type while handling 
    intermodal containers known to be identified as empty, or loaded, and 
    in
    
    [[Page 40200]]
    
    either case in compliance with the provisions of Sec. 1917.71, or while 
    hoisting other lifts by means of a lifting beam supplied by the crane 
    manufacturer for the purpose, and in all cases within the crane rating;
    * * * * *
        21. Section 1917.48 is amended by revising paragraph (d)(2) to read 
    as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.48  Conveyors.
    
    * * * * *
        (d) * * *
        (2) Conveyors using electrically released brakes shall be 
    constructed so that the brakes cannot be released until power is 
    applied, and so that the brakes are automatically engaged if the power 
    fails or the operating control is returned to the ``stop'' position.
    * * * * *
        22. Section 1917.50 is amended by revising the heading and 
    paragraph (c)(5), by redesignating paragraph (i) as new paragraph (j), 
    and revising it, and by adding a new paragraph (i) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.50  Certification of marine terminal material handling 
    devices (See also mandatory Appendix IV, part 1918 of this chapter).
    
    * * * * *
        (c) * * *
        (5) Special gear. (i) Special stevedoring gear provided by the 
    employer, the strength of which depends upon components other than 
    commonly used stock items such as shackles, ropes, or chains, and that 
    has a Safe Working Load (SWL) greater than five short tons (10,000 lbs 
    or 4.5 metric tons) shall be inspected and tested as a unit before 
    initial use (see Table A of this section).
        (ii) Special stevedoring gear provided by the employer that has a 
    SWL of five short tons (10,000 or 4.5 metric tons) or less shall be 
    inspected and tested as a unit before initial use according to 
    paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section or by a designated person (see 
    Table A).
    
                                     Table A                                
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Safe working load                       Proof load         
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Up to 20 short tons (18.1 metric tons)....  25 percent in excess.       
    From 20 through 50 short tons (18.1 to      5 short tons in excess.     
     45.3 metric tons).                                                     
    Over 50 short tons (45.3 metric tons).....  10 percent in excess.       
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (iii) Every spreader that is not a part of ship's gear and is used 
    for handling intermodal containers shall be inspected and tested before 
    initial use to a proof load equal to 25 percent greater than its rated 
    capacity. In addition, any spreader that suffers damage necessitating 
    structural repair shall be inspected and retested after repair and 
    before being returned to service.
        (iv) All cargo handling gear covered by this section with a SWL 
    greater than five short tons (10,000 lbs. or 4.5 metric tons) shall be 
    proof load tested according to table A of this section every 4 years in 
    accordance with paragraph (b) of this section or by a designated 
    person.
        (v) Certificates and inspection and test records attesting to the 
    tests required by this section shall be available for inspection.
    * * * * *
        (i) Safe working load. (1) The safe working load of gear as 
    specified in this section shall not be exceeded.
        (2) All cargo handling gear provided by the employer with a safe 
    working load greater than five short tons (10,000 lbs. or 4.5 metric 
    tons) shall have its safe working load plainly marked on it.
        (j) Exceptions: The certification requirements of this section do 
    not apply to the following equipment:
        (1) Small industrial crane trucks as described and illustrated in 
    ANSI B56.1, 1959, ``Safety Code for Powered Industrial Trucks'', and 
    powered industrial trucks; and
        (2) Any straddle truck not capable of straddling two or more 
    intermodal containers 16 feet (4.8 m) in width.
    * * * * *
        23. Section 1917.71 is amended by revising paragraphs (b)(6), 
    (b)(7), (c), (e), and (f)(1)(i) and adding new paragraphs (b)(8), 
    (f)(4) and (f)(5) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.71  Terminals handling intermodal containers or roll-on roll-
    off operations.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) * * *
        (6) Closed dry van containers carrying vehicles are exempted from 
    paragraph (b)(4) of this section provided that:
        (i) The container carries only completely assembled vehicles and no 
    other cargo;
        (ii) The container is marked on the outside in such a manner that 
    an employee can readily discern that the container is carrying 
    vehicles; and
        (iii) The vehicles were loaded into the container at the marine 
    terminal.
        (7) The weight of loaded inbound containers from foreign ports 
    shall be determined by weighing or by the method of calculation 
    described in paragraph (b)(4)(ii) of this section or by shipping 
    documents.
        (8) Any scale used within the United States to weigh containers for 
    the purpose of the requirements of this section shall meet the accuracy 
    standards of the state or local public authority in which the scale is 
    located.
        (c) No container or containers shall be hoisted if their actual 
    gross weight exceeds the weight marked as required in paragraph (a)(2) 
    of this section, or if it exceeds the capacity of the crane or other 
    hoisting device intended to be used.
    * * * * *
        (e) Each employee working in the immediate area of container 
    handling equipment or in the terminal's traffic lanes shall wear a high 
    visibility vest (or equivalent protection).\7\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \7\ Decals on hard hats will not be considered equivalent 
    protection for the purposes of this paragraph.
    
        Note to paragraph (3e): High visibility vests or equivalent 
    protection means high visibility/retroreflective materials which are 
    intended to provide conspicuity of the user by day through the use 
    of high visibility (fluorescent) material and in the dark by vehicle 
    headlights through the use of retroreflective material. The minimum 
    area of material for a vest or equivalent protection is .5 m\2\ (760 
    in.\2\) for fluorescent (background) material and .13m\2\ (197 
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    in.\2\) for retroreflective material.
    
        (f) * * *
        (1) * * *
        (i) When hoisting containers by the top fittings, the lifting 
    forces shall be applied vertically from at least four such fittings. A 
    less than vertical lift is permitted only under the following 
    conditions:
        (A) The container being lifted is an ISO closed box container;
        (B) The condition of the box is sound;
        (C) The speed of hoisting and lowering is moderated when heavily 
    ladened containers \8\ are encountered;
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \8\ A heavily laden container is one that is loaded to within 20 
    percent of its rated capacity.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (D) The lift angle is at 80 to 90 degrees;
        (E) The distance between the lifting beam and the load is at least 
    8 feet and 2.4 inches (2.5 m); and
        (F) The length of the spreader beam is at least 16.3 feet (5 m) for 
    a 20-foot container, and at least 36.4 feet (11 m) for a 40-foot 
    container.
    * * * * *
        (4) After July 27, 1998, flat bed, low boy trailers (mafis) and 
    other similar equipment used to transport containers shall be marked 
    with their cargo capacities and shall not be overloaded.
        (5) Each tractor shall have all brake air lines connected when 
    pulling trailers equipped with air brakes and shall have the brakes 
    tested before commencing operations.
    * * * * *
    
    [[Page 40201]]
    
        24. Section 1917.73 is amended by revising the section heading as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.73  Terminal facilities handling menhaden and similar species 
    of fish (See also Sec. 1917.2, definition of hazardous cargo, 
    materials, substance, or atmosphere).
    
    * * * * *
        25. Section 1917.91 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(1) and 
    revising the section heading to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.91  Eye and face protection.
    
        (a)(1) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses 
    appropriate eye and/or face protection where there are exposures to eye 
    and/or face hazards. Such equipment shall comply with American National 
    Standards Institute, ANSI Z-87.1-1989, ``Practice for Occupational and 
    Educational Eye and Face Protection.''
    * * * * *
        26. Section 1917.93 is amended by revising paragraphs (a) and (b) 
    to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.93  Head protection.
    
        (a) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee wears a 
    protective helmet when working in areas where there is a potential for 
    injury to the head from falling objects.
        (b) Such equipment shall comply with American National Standards 
    Institute, ANSI Z-89.1-1986, ``Personnel Protection-Protective Headwear 
    for Industrial Workers-Requirements.'' * * *
        27. Section 1917.94 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.94  Foot protection.
    
        (a) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee wears 
    protective footwear when working in areas where there is a danger of 
    foot injuries due to falling or rolling objects or objects piercing the 
    sole.
        (b) Such equipment shall comply with American National Standards
        Institute, ANSI Z-41-1991, ``American National Standard for 
    Personal Protection-Protective Footwear.''
        28. Section 1917.95 is amended by revising paragraph (b)(2) to read 
    as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.95  Other protective measures.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) * * *
        (2) Personal flotation devices (PFD) (life preservers, life 
    jackets, and work vests) worn by each affected employee shall be any 
    United States Coast Guard (USCG) approved and marked Type I PFD, Type 
    II PFD or Type III PFD; or shall be a USCG approved Type V PFD that is 
    marked for use as a work vest, for commercial use, or for use on 
    vessels. USCG approval is pursuant to 46 CFR part 160, Coast Guard 
    Lifesaving Equipment Specifications.
    * * * * *
        29. Section 1917.112 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(1) to 
    read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.112  Guarding of edges.
    
        (a) * * *
        (1) Vehicle curbs, bull rails, or other effective barriers at least 
    six inches (15.24 cm) in height shall be provided at the waterside 
    edges of aprons and bulkheads, except where vehicles are prohibited. 
    Curbs or bull rails installed after October 3, 1983, shall be at least 
    10 inches (25.4 cm) in height.
    * * * * *
        30. Section 1917.118 is amended by revising paragraphs (d)(2)(i) 
    and (f)(2) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.118  Fixed ladders.
    
    * * * * *
        (d) * * *
        (2)(i) Ladders installed before October 3, 1983, shall have rungs 
    evenly spaced from nine to 16\1/2\ inches (22.9 to 41.9 cm) apart, 
    center to center.
    * * * * *
        (f) * * *
        (2) Form a continuous ladder, uniformly spaced vertically from 12 
    inches to 16 inches (30.5 to 41 cm) apart, with a minimum width of 10 
    inches (25.4 cm) and projecting at least 4\1/2\ inches (11.43 cm) from 
    the wall;
    * * * * *
        31. Section 1917.119 is amended by revising paragraphs (b)(1), (c), 
    (d)(2), and (f)(4) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.119  Portable ladders.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) * * *
        (1) Rungs of manufactured portable ladders obtained before October 
    3, 1983, shall be capable of supporting a 200-pound (890 N) load 
    without deformation.
    * * * * *
        (c) Standards for manufactured portable ladders. Portable 
    manufactured ladders obtained after January 21, 1998 shall bear 
    identification indicating that they meet the appropriate ladder 
    construction requirements of the following standards:
    
    ANSI A14.1-1990, Safety Requirements for Portable Wood Ladders
    ANSI A14.2-1990, Safety Requirements for Portable Metal Ladders
    ANSI A14.5-1992, Safety Requirements for Portable Reinforced Plastic 
    Ladders
    
        (d) * * *
        (2) Are capable of supporting a 250-pound (1120 N) load without 
    deformation; and
    * * * * *
        (f) * * *
        (4) Individual sections from different multi-sectional ladders or 
    two or more single straight ladders shall not be tied or fastened 
    together to achieve additional length.
    * * * * *
        32. Section 1917.121 is amended by revising paragraph (b)(3) to 
    read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.121  Spiral stairways.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) * * *
        (3) Minimum loading capability shall be 100 pounds per square foot 
    (4.79 kN), and minimum tread center concentrated loading shall be 300 
    pounds (1334 N);
    * * * * *
        32a. Section 1917.123 is amended by redesignating footnote 7 as 
    footnote 9.
        33. Section 1917.124 is amended by adding new paragraphs (c)(5), 
    (c)(6), and (d)(5) and revising the section heading and paragraph 
    (d)(1) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.124  Dockboards (car and bridge plates).
    
    * * * * *
        (c) * * *
        (5) Be designed, constructed, and maintained to prevent vehicles 
    from running off the edge.\10\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \10\ When the gap to be bridged to greater than 36 inches (.91 
    m), an acceptable means of preventing vehicles from running off the 
    edge is a minimum side board height of two and three-quarter inches.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (6) Dockboards shall be well maintained.
    * * * * *
        (d) Ramps. (1) Ramps shall be strong enough to support the loads 
    imposed on them and be designed, constructed, and maintained to prevent 
    vehicles from running off the edge.\11\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \11\ When the gap to be bridged is greater than 36 inches (.91 
    m), an acceptable means of preventing vehicles from running off the 
    edge is a minumum side board height of two and three-quarter inches.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    * * * * *
        (5) Ramps shall be well maintained.
        34. Section 1917.126 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read 
    as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.126  River banks.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) Where working surfaces at river banks slope so steeply that an 
    employee could slip or fall into the water, the outer perimeter of the 
    working surface shall be protected by posting or other portable 
    protection such as roping off. In these situations, employees must wear 
    a personal flotation device meeting the requirements of 
    Sec. 1917.95(b).
    
    [[Page 40202]]
    
        35. Section 1917.152 is amended by revising the section heading and 
    redesignating footnote 8 as footnote 12 to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.152  Welding, cutting and heating (hot work) \12\ (See also 
    Sec. 1917.2, definition of Hazardous cargo, materials, substance, or 
    atmosphere).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \12\ The U.S. Coast Guard, at 33 CFR 126.15(c), requires prior 
    permission of the Captain of the Port if welding or other hot work 
    is to be carried out at a facility where dangerous cargoes as 
    defined by 33 CFR 126.07 are located or being handled.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    * * * * *
        36. Section 1917.153 is amended by revising the section heading to 
    read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.153  Spray painting (See also Sec. 1917.2, definition of 
    Hazardous cargo, materials, substance, or atmosphere).
    
    * * * * *
        37. Section 1917.156 is amended by revising paragraph 
    (b)(3)(iii)(D) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.156  Fuel handling and storage.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) * * *
        (3) * * *
        (iii) * * *
        (D) Leakage at valves or connections; and
    * * * * *
        38. Section 1917.157 is amended by revising paragraph (n) to read 
    as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 1917.157  Battery charging and changing.
    
    * * * * *
        (n) Chargers shall be turned off when leads are being connected or 
    disconnected.
    * * * * *
    
    PART 1918--[REVISED]
    
        Part 1918 is revised to read as follows:
    
    PART 1918--SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR LONGSHORING
    
    Subpart A--Scope and Definitions
    
    Sec.
    1918.1  Scope and application.
    1918.2  Definitions.
    1918.3  Incorporation by reference
    
    Subpart B--Gear Certification
    
    1918.11  Gear certification (See also Secs. 1918.2 and 1918.51).
    
    Subpart C--Gangways and Other Means of Access
    
    1918.21  General requirements.
    1918.22  Gangways.
    1918.23  Jacob's ladders.
    1918.24  Fixed and portable ladders.
    1918.25  Bridge plates and ramps (See also Sec. 1918.86).
    1918.26   Access to barges and river towboats.
    
    Subpart D--Working Surfaces 1918.31 Hatch coverings.
    
    1918.32  Stowed cargo and temporary landing surfaces.
    1918.33  Deck loads.
    1918.34  Other decks.
    1918.35  Open hatches.
    1918.36  Weather deck rails.
    1918.37  Barges.
    
    Subpart E--Opening and Closing Hatches
    
    1918.41  Coaming clearances.
    1918.42  Hatch beam and pontoon bridles.
    1918.43  Handling hatch beams and covers.
    
    Subpart F--Vessel's Cargo Handling Gear
    
    1918.51  General requirements (See also Sec. 1918.11 and Appendix 
    III of this part).
    1918.52  Specific requirements.
    1918.53  Cargo winches.
    1918.54  Rigging gear.
    1981.55  Cranes (See also Sec. 1918.11).
    
    Subpart G--Cargo Handling Gear and Equipment Other Than Ship's Gear
    
    1918.61  General (See also Appendix IV of this part).
    1918.62  Miscellaneous auxiliary gear.
    1918.63  Chutes, gravity conveyors and rollers.
    1918.64  Powered conveyors.
    1918.65  Mechanically-powered vehicles used aboard vessels.
    1918.66  Cranes and derricks other than vessel's gear.
    1918.67  Notifying ship's officers before using certain equipment.
    1918.68  Grounding.
    1918.69  Tools.
    1918.70-.80  [Reserved]
    
    Subpart H--Handling Cargo
    
    1918.81  Slinging.
    1918.82  Building drafts.
    1918.83  Stowed cargo; tiering and breaking down.
    1918.84  Bulling cargo.
    1918.85  Containerized cargo operations.
    1918.86  Roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) operations (See also 
    Sec. 1918.25).
    1918.87  Ship's cargo elevators.
    1918.88  Log operations.
    1918.89  Handling hazardous cargo (See also Sec. 1918.2 and 
    Sec. 1918.99).
    
    Subpart I--General Working Conditions
    
    1918.90  Hazard communication (See also Sec. 1918.1(b)(4)).
    1918.91  Housekeeping.
    1918.92  Illumination.
    1918.93  Hazardous atmospheres and substances (See also 
    Sec. 1918.2(j)).
    1918.94  Ventilation and atmospheric conditions (See also 
    Sec. 1918.2).
    1918.95  Sanitation.
    1918.96  Maintenance and repair work in the vicinity of longshoring 
    operations.
    1918.97  First aid and lifesaving facilities. (See Appendix V of 
    this part).
    1918.98  Qualifications of machinery operators and supervisory 
    training.
    1918.99  Retention of DOT markings, placards, and labels.
    1918.100  Emergency action plans.
    
    Subpart J--Personal Protective Equipment
    
    1918.101  Eye and face protection.
    1918.102  Respiratory protection.
    1918.103  Head protection.
    1918.104  Foot protection.
    1918.105  Other protective measures.
    
    Appendix I--Cargo Gear Register and Certificates (Non-mandatory)
    Appendix II--Tables for Selected Miscellaneous Auxiliary Gear 
    (Mandatory)
    Appendix III--The Mechanics of Conventional Cargo Gear (Non-
    mandatory)
    Appendix IV--Special Cargo Gear (Mandatory)
    Appendix V--Basic Elements of a First Aid Training Program (Non-
    Mandatory)
    
        Authority: Secs. 4, 6, and 8 of the Occupational Safety and 
    Health Act, 29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 657; Walsh-Healey Act, 41 U.S.C. 35 
    et seq.; Service Contract Act of 1965, 41 U.S.C. 351 et seq.; Sec. 
    107, Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (Construction 
    Safety Act), 40 U.S.C. 333; Sec. 41, Longshore and Harbor Workers' 
    Compensation Act, 33 U.S.C. 941; National Foundation of Arts and 
    Humanities Act, 20 U.S.C. 951 et seq.; Secretary of Labor's Order 
    No. 6-96 (62 FR 111).
    
    Subpart A--Scope and Definitions
    
    
    Sec. 1918.1  Scope and application.
    
        (a) The regulations of this part apply to longshoring operations 
    and related employments aboard vessels. All cargo transfer accomplished 
    with the use of shore-based material handling devices is covered by 
    part 1917 of this chapter.
        (b) Part 1910 of this chapter does not apply to longshoring except 
    for the following provisions:
        (1) Access to employee exposure and medical records. Subpart Z, 
    Sec. 1910.1020;
        (2) Commercial diving operations. Subpart T;
        (3) Electrical. Subpart S when shore-based electrical installations 
    provide power for use aboard vessels;
        (4) Hazard communication. Subpart Z, Sec. 1910.1200;
        (5) Ionizing radiation. Subpart Z, Sec. 1910.1096;
        (6) Noise. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.95;
        (7) Nonionizing radiation. Subpart G, Sec. 1910.97;
    
        Note to paragraph (b)(7): Exposures to nonionizing radiation 
    emissions from commercial vessel radar transmitters are considered 
    hazardous under the following situations: (a) where the radar is 
    transmitting, the scanner is stationary, and the exposure distance 
    is 19 feet (6 m) or less; or (b) where the radar is transmitting, 
    the scanner is rotating, and the exposure distance is 5 feet (1.8 
    m.) or less.
    
        (8) Respiratory protection. Subpart I, Sec. 1910.134; and
        (9) Toxic and hazardous substances. Subpart Z applies to marine 
    cargo
    
    [[Page 40203]]
    
    handling activities except for the following:
        (i) When a substance or cargo is contained within a sealed, intact 
    means of packaging or containment complying with Department of 
    Transportation or International Maritime Organization requirements;\1\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \1\ The International Maritime Organization publishes the 
    International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code to aid compliance with 
    the international legal requirements of the International Convention 
    for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1960.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (ii) Bloodborne pathogens, Sec. 1910.1030;
        (iii) Carbon monoxide, Sec. 1910.1000 (See Sec. 1918.94(a)); and
        (iv) Hydrogen sulfide, Sec. 1910.1000 (See Sec. 1918.94(f)).
    
    
    Sec. 1918.2  Definitions.
    
        Barge means an unpowered, flatbottomed, shallow draft vessel 
    including river barges, scows, carfloats, and lighters. It does not 
    include ship shaped or deep draft barges.
        Bulling means the horizontal dragging of cargo across a surface 
    with none of the weight of the cargo supported by the fall.
        Danger zone means any place in or about a machine or piece of 
    equipment where an employee may be struck by or caught between moving 
    parts, caught between moving and stationary objects or parts of the 
    machine, caught between the material and a moving part of the machine, 
    burned by hot surfaces or exposed to electric shock. Examples of danger 
    zones are nip and shear points, shear lines, drive mechanisms, and 
    areas underneath counterweights.
        Designated person means a person who possesses specialized 
    abilities in a specific area and is assigned by the employer to do a 
    specific task in that area.
        Dockboards (car and bridge plates) mean devices for spanning short 
    distances between, for example, two barges, that is not higher than 
    four feet (1.2 m) above the water or next lower level.
        Employee means any longshore worker or other person engaged in 
    longshoring operations or related employments other than the master, 
    ship's officers, crew of the vessel, or any person engaged by the 
    master to load or unload any vessel of less than 18 net tons.
        Employer means a person that employs employees in longshoring 
    operations or related employments, as defined in this section.
        Enclosed space means an interior space in or on a vessel that may 
    contain or accumulate a hazardous atmosphere due to inadequate natural 
    ventilation. Examples of enclosed spaces are holds, deep tanks and 
    refrigerated compartments.
        Fall hazard means the following situations:
        (1) Whenever employees are working within three feet (.9 m) of the 
    unprotected edge of a work surface that is 8 feet or more (2.4 m) above 
    the adjoining surface and twelve inches (.3 m) or more, horizontally, 
    from the adjacent surface; or
        (2) Whenever weather conditions may impair the vision or sound 
    footing of employees working on top of containers.
        Fumigant is a substance or mixture of substances, used to kill 
    pests or prevent infestation, that is a gas or is rapidly or 
    progressively transformed to the gaseous state, although some 
    nongaseous or particulate matter may remain and be dispersed in the 
    treatment space.
        Gangway means any ramp-like or stair-like means of access provided 
    to enable personnel to board or leave a vessel, including accommodation 
    ladders, gangplanks and brows.
        Hatch beam or strongback mean a portable transverse or longitudinal 
    beam placed across a hatchway that acts as a bearer to support the 
    hatch covers.
        Hazardous cargo, materials, substance or atmosphere means:
        (1) Any substance listed in 29 CFR part 1910, subpart Z;
        (2) Any material in the Hazardous Materials Table and Hazardous 
    Materials Communications Regulations of the Department of 
    Transportation, 49 CFR part 172;
        (3) Any article not properly described by a name in the Hazardous 
    Materials Table and Hazardous Materials Communication Regulations of 
    the Department of Transportation, 49 CFR part 172, but which is 
    properly classified under the definitions of those categories of 
    dangerous articles given in 49 CFR part 173; or
        (4) Any atmosphere with an oxygen content of less than 19.5 percent 
    or greater than 23 percent.
        Intermodal container means a reusable cargo container of a rigid 
    construction and rectangular configuration; fitted with devices 
    permitting its ready handling, particularly its transfer from one mode 
    of transport to another; so designed to be readily filled and emptied; 
    intended to contain one or more articles of cargo or bulk commodities 
    for transportation by water and one or more other transport modes. The 
    term includes completely enclosed units, open top units, fractional 
    height units, units incorporating liquid or gas tanks and other 
    variations fitting into the container system. It does not include 
    cylinders, drums, crates, cases, cartons, packages, sacks, unitized 
    loads or any other form of packaging.
        Longshoring operations means the loading, unloading, moving or 
    handling of cargo, ship's stores, gear, or any other materials, into, 
    in, on, or out of any vessel.
        Mississippi River System includes the Mississippi River from the 
    head of navigation to its mouth, and navigable tributaries including 
    the Illinois Waterway, Missouri River, Ohio River, Tennessee River, 
    Allegheny River, Cumberland River, Green River, Kanawha River, 
    Monongahela River, and such others to which barge operations extend.
        Public vessel means a vessel owned and operated by a government and 
    not regularly employed in merchant service.
        Ramp means other flat surface devices for passage between levels 
    and across openings not covered under the term dockboards.
        Related employments means any employments performed incidental to 
    or in conjunction with longshoring operations, including, but not 
    restricted to, securing cargo, rigging, and employment as a porter, 
    clerk, checker, or security officer.
        River towboat means a shallow draft, low freeboard, self-propelled 
    vessel designed to tow river barges by pushing ahead. It does not 
    include other towing vessels.
        Small trimming hatch means a small hatch or opening, pierced in the 
    between deck or other intermediate deck of a vessel, and intended for 
    the trimming of dry bulk cargoes. It does not refer to the large 
    hatchways through which cargo is normally handled.
        Vessel includes every description of watercraft or other artificial 
    contrivance used or capable of being used for transportation on water, 
    including special purpose floating structures not primarily designed 
    for or used for transportation on water.
        Vessel's cargo handling gear includes that gear that is a permanent 
    part of the vessel's equipment and used for the handling of cargo other 
    than bulk liquids. The term covers all stationary or mobile cargo 
    handling appliances used on board ship for suspending, raising or 
    lowering loads or moving them from one position to another while 
    suspended or supported. This includes, but is not limited to, cargo 
    elevators, forklifts, and other powered industrial equipment. It does 
    not include gear used only for handling or holding hoses, handling 
    ship's stores or handling the gangway, or boom conveyor belt systems 
    for the self-unloading of bulk cargo vessels.
    
    [[Page 40204]]
    
    Sec. 1918.3  Incorporation by reference.
    
        (a) (1) The standards of agencies of the U.S. Government, and 
    organizations which are not agencies of the U.S. Government which are 
    incorporated by reference in this part, have the same force and effect 
    as other standards in this part. Only the mandatory provisions (i.e. 
    provisions containing the word ``shall'' or other mandatory language) 
    of standards incorporated by reference are adopted as standards under 
    the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
        (2) Any changes in the standards incorporated by reference in this 
    part and an official historic file of such changes are available for 
    inspection at the national office of the Occupational Safety and Health 
    Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC 20210.
        (3) The materials listed in paragraph (b) of this section are 
    incorporated by reference in the corresponding sections noted as they 
    exist on the date of the approval, and a notice of any change in these 
    materials will be published in the Federal Register. These 
    incorporations by reference (IBRs) were approved by the Director of the 
    Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
        (4) Copies of the following standards that are issued by the 
    respective private standards organizations may be obtained from the 
    issuing organizations. The materials are available for purchase at the 
    corresponding addresses of the private standards organizations noted in 
    paragraph (b) of this section. In addition, all are available for 
    inspection at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol 
    Street, NW., suite 700, Washington DC, and through the OSHA Docket 
    Office, room N2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., 
    Washington, DC 20210, or any of OSHA's regional offices.
        (b) The following material is available for purchase from the 
    American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 11 West 42nd St., New 
    York, NY 10036:
        (1) ANSI A14.1-1990, Safety Requirements for Portable Wood Ladders; 
    IBR approved for Sec. 1918.24(g)(1).
        (2) ANSI A14.2-1990, Safety Requirements for Portable Metal 
    Ladders; IBR approved for Sec. 1918.24(g)(2).
        (3) ANSI A14.5-1992, Safety Requirements for Portable Reinforced 
    Plastic Ladders; IBR approved for Sec. 1918.24(g)(3).
        (4) ANSI Z-87.1-1989, Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye 
    and Face Protection; IBR approved for Sec. 1918.101(a)(1).
        (5) ANSI Z-89.1-1986, Personnel Protection-Protective Headwear for 
    Industrial Workers-Requirements; IBR approved for Sec. 1918.103(b).
        (6) ANSI Z-41-1991, American National Standard for Personal 
    Protection-Protective Footwear; IBR approved for Sec. 1918.104(b).
    
    Subpart B--Gear Certification
    
    
    Sec. 1918.11  Gear certification (See also Secs. 1918.2, definition of 
    ``Vessel's cargo handling gear'' and 1918.51).
    
        (a) The employer shall not use the vessel's cargo handling gear 
    until it has been ascertained that the vessel has a current and valid 
    cargo gear register and certificates that in form and content are in 
    accordance with the recommendations of the International Labor Office, 
    as set forth in Appendix I of this part, and as provided by 
    International Labor Organization Convention No. 152, and that shows 
    that the cargo gear has been tested, examined and heat treated by or 
    under the supervision of persons or organizations defined as competent 
    to make register entries and issue certificates pursuant to paragraphs 
    (b) and (c) of this section.
        (1) Annual thorough examinations under ILO 152 are required after 
    July 27, 1998.
        (2) Testing under ILO 152 is required after July 16, 2001.
        (3) In the interim period(s), prior to the effective dates noted in 
    paragraph (a) (1) and (2), vessels with cargo gear and a cargo gear 
    register according to ILO 32 are deemed to meet the requirements of 
    this paragraph (a).
        (b) Public vessels and vessels holding a valid Certificate of 
    Inspection issued by the U.S. Coast Guard pursuant to 46 CFR part 91 
    are deemed to meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section.
        (c) With respect to U.S. vessels not holding a valid Certificate of 
    Inspection issued by the U.S. Coast Guard, entries in the registers and 
    the issuance of certificates required by paragraph (a) of this section 
    shall be made only by competent persons currently accredited by the 
    U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA) for full function vessels or loose gear 
    and wire rope testing, as appropriate, as provided in part 1919 of this 
    chapter.
        (d) With respect to vessels under foreign registries, persons or 
    organizations competent to make entries in the registers and issue the 
    certificates required by paragraph (a) of this section shall be:
        (1) Those acceptable as such to any foreign nation;
        (2) Those acceptable to the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard; or
        (3) Those currently accredited by the U.S. Department of Labor 
    (OSHA), for full function vessels or loose gear and wire rope testing, 
    as appropriate and as provided in part 1919 of this chapter.
    
    Subpart C--Gangways and Other Means of Access
    
    
    Sec. 1918.21  General requirements.
    
        The employer shall not permit employees to board or leave any 
    vessel, except a barge or river towboat, until all of the applicable 
    requirements of this subpart have been met.
        (a) If possible, the vessel's means of access shall be located so 
    that suspended loads do not pass over it. In any event, suspended loads 
    shall not be passed over the means of access while employees or others 
    are on it.
        (b) When the upper end of the means of access rests on or is flush 
    with the top of the bulwark, substantial steps, properly secured, 
    trimmed and equipped with at least one substantial handrail, 33 inches 
    (.84 m) in height, shall be provided between the top of the bulwark and 
    the deck.
        (c) The means of access shall be illuminated for its full length in 
    accordance with Sec. 1918.92.\2\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \2\ Sec. 1918.92 requires, along with other requirements, an 
    average light intensity of five foot-candles (54 lux).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    Sec. 1918.22  Gangways.
    
        (a) Whenever practicable, a gangway of not less than 20 inches (.51 
    m) in width, of adequate strength, maintained in safe repair and safely 
    secured shall be used. If a gangway is not practicable, a straight 
    ladder meeting the requirements of Sec. 1918.24 that extends at least 
    36 inches (.91 m) above the upper landing surface and is secured 
    against shifting or slipping shall be provided. When conditions are 
    such that neither a gangway nor straight ladder can be used, a Jacob's 
    ladder meeting the requirements of Sec. 1918.23 may be used.
        (b) Each side of the gangway, and the turntable, if used, shall 
    have a hand rail with a minimum height of 33 inches (.84 m) measured 
    perpendicularly from rail to walking surfaces at the stanchion, with a 
    midrail. Rails shall be of wood, pipe, chain, wire, rope or materials 
    of equivalent strength and shall be kept taut always. Portable 
    stanchions supporting railings shall be supported or secured to prevent 
    accidental dislodgement.
        (c) The gangway shall be kept properly trimmed.
        (d) When a fixed flat tread accommodation ladder is used, and the 
    angle is low enough to require employees to walk on the edge of the
    
    [[Page 40205]]
    
    treads, cleated duckboards shall be laid over and secured to the 
    ladder.
        (e) When the gangway overhangs the water so that there is danger of 
    employees falling between the ship and the dock, a net or suitable 
    protection shall be provided to prevent employees from receiving 
    serious injury from falls to a lower level.
        (f) If the foot of a gangway is more than one foot (.30 m) away 
    from the edge of the apron, the space between them shall be bridged by 
    a firm walkway equipped with a hand rail with a minimum height of 
    approximately 33 inches (.84 m) with midrails on both sides.
        (g) Gangways shall be kept clear of supporting bridles and other 
    obstructions, to provide unobstructed passage. If, because of design, 
    the gangway bridle cannot be moved to provide unobstructed passage, 
    then the hazard shall be properly marked to alert employees of the 
    danger.
        (h) Obstructions shall not be laid on or across the gangway.
        (i) Handrails and walking surfaces of gangways shall be maintained 
    in a safe condition to prevent employees from slipping or falling.
        (j) Gangways on vessels inspected and certificated by the U.S. 
    Coast Guard are deemed to meet the requirements of this section.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.23  Jacob's ladders.
    
        (a) Jacob's ladders shall be of the double rung or flat tread type. 
    They shall be well maintained and properly secured.
        (b) A Jacob's ladder shall either hang without slack from its 
    lashings or be pulled up entirely.
        (c) When a Jacob's ladder is used as the means of access to a barge 
    being worked, spacers (bumpers) shall be hung between the vessel, 
    barge, or other structure to which the barge is tied alongside, or 
    other equally effective means shall be provided to prevent damage to 
    the bottom rungs of the ladder.
        (d) When a Jacob's ladder is being used so that there is a danger 
    of an employee falling or being crushed between the vessel, barge, or 
    other structure (pier), suitable protection shall be provided.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.24  Fixed and portable ladders.
    
        (a) There shall be at least one safe and accessible ladder for each 
    gang working in a single hatch. An effective means of gaining a 
    handhold shall be provided at or near the head of each vertical fixed 
    ladder. No more than two ladders are required in any hatch regardless 
    of the number of gangs present.
        (b) When any fixed ladder is visibly unsafe (or known to be 
    unsafe), the employer shall identify such ladder and prohibit its use 
    by employees.
        (c) Where portable straight ladders are used, they shall be of 
    sufficient length to extend three feet (.91 m) above the upper landing 
    surface, and be positively secured or held against shifting or 
    slipping. When conditions are such that a straight ladder cannot be 
    used, Jacob's ladders meeting the requirements of Sec. 1918.23 may be 
    used.
        (d) For vessels built after July 16, 2001, when six inches (15.2 
    cm) or more clearance does not exist behind the rungs of a fixed 
    ladder, the ladder shall be deemed ``unsafe'' for the purposes of this 
    section. Alternate means of access (for example, a portable ladder) 
    must be used.
        (e)(1) Where access to or from a stowed deckload or other cargo is 
    needed and no other safe means is available, ladders or steps of 
    adequate strength shall be furnished and positively secured or held 
    against shifting or slipping while in use. Steps formed by the cargo 
    itself are acceptable when the employer demonstrates that the nature of 
    the cargo and the type of stowage provides equivalent safe access.
        (2) Where portable straight ladders are used they shall be of 
    sufficient length to extend at least three feet (.91 m) above the upper 
    landing surface.
        (f) The following standards for existing manufactured portable 
    ladders must be met:
        (1) Rungs of manufactured portable ladders obtained before January 
    21, 1998 shall be capable of supporting a 200-pound (890 N) load 
    without deformation.
        (2) Rungs shall be evenly spaced from nine to sixteen and one-half 
    inches (22.9 to 41.9 cm), center to center.
        (3) Rungs shall be continuous members between rails. Each rung of a 
    double-rung ladder (two side rails and a center rail) shall extend the 
    full width of the ladder.
        (4) Width between side rails at the base of the ladder shall be at 
    least 12 inches (30 cm) for ladders 10 feet (3.05 m) or less in overall 
    length, and shall increase at least one-fourth inch (0.6 cm) for each 
    additional two feet (0.61 m) of ladder length.
        (g) Portable manufactured ladders obtained after January 21, 1998 
    shall bear identification showing that they meet the appropriate ladder 
    construction requirements of the following standards:
        (1) ANSI A14.1-1990, Safety Requirements for Portable Wood Ladders;
        (2) ANSI A14.2-1990, Safety Requirements for Portable Metal 
    Ladders;
        (3) ANSI A14.5-1992, Safety Requirements for Portable Reinforced 
    Plastic Ladders.
        (h) Job-made ladders shall:
        (1) Have a uniform distance between rungs of at least 12 inches (30 
    cm) center to center;
        (2) Be capable of supporting a 250-pound (1100 N) load without 
    deformation; and
        (3) Have a minimum width between side rails of 12 inches (30 cm) 
    for ladders 10 feet (3.05 m) or less in height. Width between rails 
    shall increase at least one-fourth inch (0.6 cm) for each additional 
    two feet (0.61 m) of ladder length.
        (i) The employer shall:
        (1) Maintain portable ladders in safe condition. Ladders with the 
    following defects shall not be used, and shall either be tagged as 
    unusable if kept on board, or shall be removed from the vessel:
        (i) Broken, split or missing rungs, cleats or steps;
        (ii) Broken or split side rails;
        (iii) Missing or loose bolts, rivets or fastenings;
        (iv) Defective ropes; or
        (v) Any other structural defect.
        (2) Ladders shall be inspected for defects before each day's use, 
    and after any occurrence, such as a fall, which could damage the 
    ladder.
        (j) Ladders shall be used in the following manner:
        (1) Ladders shall be securely positioned on a level and firm base.
        (2) Ladders shall be fitted with slip-resistant bases and/or be 
    positively secured or held in place to prevent slipping or shifting 
    while in use.
        (3) Except for combination ladders, self-supporting ladders shall 
    not be used as single straight ladders.
        (4) Unless intended for cantilever operation, non-self-supporting 
    ladders shall not be used to climb above the top support point.
        (5) Ladders shall not be used:
        (i) As guys, braces or skids; or
        (ii) As platforms, runways or scaffolds.
        (6) Metal and wire-reinforced ladders (even with wooden side rails) 
    shall not be used when employees on the ladder might contact energized 
    electrical conductors.
        (7) Individual sections from different multi-sectional ladders or 
    two or more single straight ladders shall not be tied or fastened 
    together to achieve additional length.
        (8) Single rail ladders (i.e. made by fastening rungs or devices 
    across a single rail) shall not be used.
    
    [[Page 40206]]
    
    Sec. 1918.25  Bridge plates and ramps (See also Sec. 1918.86).
    
        (a) Bridge and car plates (dockboards). Bridge and car plates used 
    afloat shall be well maintained and shall:
        (1) Be strong enough to support the loads imposed on them;
        (2) Be secured or equipped with devices to prevent their 
    dislodgement;
        (3) Be equipped with hand holds or other effective means to permit 
    safe handling; and
        (4) Be designed, constructed, and maintained to prevent vehicles 
    from running off the edge.\3\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \3\ When the gap to be bridged is greater than 36 inches (.91m), 
    an acceptalbe means of preventing vehicles from running off the edge 
    is a minimum side board height of two and three-quarter inches.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (b) Portable ramps. Portable ramps used afloat shall be well 
    maintained and shall:
        (1) Be strong enough to support the loads imposed on them;
        (2) Be equipped with a railing meeting the requirements of 
    Sec. 1918.21(b), if the slope is more than 20 degrees to the horizontal 
    or if employees could fall more than four feet (1.2 m);
        (3) Be equipped with a slip resistant surface;
        (4) Be properly secured; and
        (5) Be designed, constructed, and maintained to prevent vehicles 
    from running off the edge.\4\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \4\ When the gap to be bridged is greater than 36 inches (.91m), 
    an acceptable means of preventing vehicles from running off the edge 
    is a minimum side board height of two and three-quarter inches.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    Sec. 1918.26  Access to barges and river towboats.
    
        (a) With the exception of Sec. 1918.25(b)(2), ramps used solely for 
    vehicle access to or between barges shall meet the requirements of 
    Sec. 1918.25.
        (b) When employees cannot step safely to or from the wharf and a 
    float, barge, or river towboat, either a ramp meeting the requirements 
    of paragraph (a) of this section or a safe walkway meeting the 
    requirements of Sec. 1918.22(f) shall be provided. When a ramp or 
    walkway cannot be used, a straight ladder meeting the requirements of 
    Sec. 1918.24 and extending at least three feet (.91 m) above the upper 
    landing surface and adequately secured or held against shifting or 
    slipping shall be provided. When neither a walkway nor a straight 
    ladder can be used, a Jacob's ladder meeting the requirements of 
    Sec. 1918.23 shall be provided. Exception: For barges operating on the 
    Mississippi River System, where the employer shows that these 
    requirements cannot reasonably be met due to local conditions, other 
    safe means of access shall be provided.
        (c) When a barge or raft is being worked alongside a larger vessel, 
    a Jacob's ladder meeting the requirements of Sec. 1918.23 shall be 
    provided for each gang working alongside unless other safe means of 
    access is provided. However, no more than two Jacob's ladders are 
    required for any single barge or raft being worked.
        (d) When longshoring operations are in progress on barges, the 
    barges shall be securely made fast to the vessel, wharf, or dolphins.
    
    Subpart D--Working Surfaces
    
    
    Sec. 1918.31  Hatch coverings.
    
        (a) No cargo, dunnage, or other material shall be loaded or 
    unloaded by means requiring the services of employees at any partially 
    opened intermediate deck unless either the hatch at that deck is 
    sufficiently covered or an adequate landing area suitable for the 
    prevailing conditions exists. In no event shall such work be done 
    unless the working area available for such employees extends for a 
    distance of 10 feet (3.05 m) or more fore and aft and athwartships.
        (b) Cargo shall not be landed on or handled over a covered hatch or 
    `tween-decks unless all hatch beams are in place under the hatch 
    covers.
        (c) Missing, broken, or poorly fitting hatch covers that would not 
    protect employees shall be reported at once to the officer in charge of 
    the vessel. Pending replacement or repairs by the vessel, work shall 
    not be performed in the section containing the unsafe covers or in 
    adjacent sections unless the flooring is made safe.
        (d) Hatch covers and hatch beams not of uniform size shall be 
    placed only in the hatch, deck, and section in which they fit properly.
        (e) Small trimming hatches in intermediate decks shall be securely 
    covered or guarded while work is going on in the hatch in which they 
    are found, unless they are actually in use.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.32  Stowed cargo and temporary landing surfaces.
    
        (a) Temporary surfaces on which loads are to be landed shall be of 
    sufficient size and strength to permit employees to work safely.
        (b) When the edge of a hatch section or of stowed cargo may 
    constitute a fall hazard to an employee, the edge shall be guarded by a 
    vertical safety net, or other means providing equal protection, to 
    prevent an employee from falling. When the employer can demonstrate 
    that vertical nets or other equally effective means of guarding cannot 
    be used due to the type of cargo, cargo stowage, or other 
    circumstances, a trapeze net shall be rigged at the top edge of the 
    elevation or other means shall be taken to prevent injury if an 
    employee falls. Safety nets shall be maintained in good condition and 
    be of adequate strength for the purpose intended.
        (c) When two gangs are working in the same hatch on different 
    levels, a vertical safety net shall be rigged and securely fastened to 
    prevent employees or cargo from falling. Safety nets shall be 
    maintained in good condition and be of adequate strength for the 
    purpose intended.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.33  Deck loads.
    
        (a) Employees shall not be permitted to pass over or around deck 
    loads unless there is a safe route of passage.
        (b) Employees giving signals to crane operators shall not be 
    permitted to walk over deck loads from rail to coaming unless there is 
    a safe route of passage. If it is necessary to stand or walk at the 
    outboard or inboard edge of the deck load having less than 24 inches 
    (.61 m) of bulwark, rail, coaming, or other protection, those employees 
    shall be provided with protection against falling from the deck load.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.34  Other decks.
    
        (a) Cargo shall not be worked on decks that were not designed to 
    support the load being worked.
        (b) Grated decks shall be properly placed, supported, maintained 
    and designed to support employees.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.35  Open hatches.
    
        Open weather deck hatches around which employees must work that are 
    not protected to a height of 24 inches (.61 m) by coamings shall be 
    guarded by taut lines or barricades at a height of 36 to 42 inches (.91 
    to 1.07 m) above the deck, except on the side on which cargo is being 
    worked. Any portable stanchions or uprights used shall be supported or 
    secured to prevent accidental dislodgement.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.36  Weather deck rails.
    
        Removable weather deck rails shall be kept in place except when 
    cargo operations require them to be removed, in which case they shall 
    be replaced as soon as such cargo operations are completed.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.37  Barges.
    
        (a) Walking shall be prohibited along the sides of covered lighters 
    or barges with coamings or cargo more than five feet (1.5 m) high 
    unless a three-foot (.91 m) clear walkway or a grab rail or taut 
    handline is provided.
        (b) Walking or working shall be prohibited on the decks of barges 
    to be
    
    [[Page 40207]]
    
    loaded unless the walking or working surfaces have been determined by 
    visual inspection to be structurally sound and maintained properly. If, 
    while discharging a barge, an unsound deck surface is discovered, work 
    shall be discontinued and shall not be resumed until means have been 
    taken to ensure a safe work surface.
    
    Subpart E--Opening and Closing Hatches
    
    
    Sec. 1918.41  Coaming clearances.
    
        (a) Weather decks. If a deck load (such as lumber or other smooth 
    sided deck cargo) more than five feet (1.5 m) high is stowed within 
    three feet (.91 m) of the hatch coaming and employees handling hatch 
    beams and hatch covers are not protected by a coaming at least 24-inch 
    (.61 m) high, a taut handline shall be provided along the side of the 
    deckload. The requirements of Sec. 1918.35 are not intended to apply in 
    this situation.
        (b) Intermediate decks. (1) There shall be a three-foot (.91 m) 
    working space between the stowed cargo and the coaming at both sides 
    and at one end of the hatches with athwartship hatch beams, and at both 
    ends of those hatches with fore and aft hatch beams, before 
    intermediate deck hatch covers and hatch beams are removed or replaced. 
    Exception: The three-foot (.91 m) clearance is not required on the 
    covered portion of a partially open hatch, nor is it required when 
    lower decks have been filled to hatch beam height with cargo of such a 
    nature as to provide a safe surface upon which employees may work.
        (2) For purposes of paragraph (b)(1) of this section, fitted 
    gratings that are in good condition shall be considered a part of the 
    decking when properly placed within the three-foot (.91 m) area.
        (c) Grab rails or taut handlines shall be provided for the 
    protection of employees handling hatch beams and hatch covers, when 
    bulkheads, lockers, reefer compartments or large spare parts are within 
    three feet (.91 m) of the coaming.
        (d) The clearances in this section do not apply to hatches opened 
    or closed solely by hydraulic or other mechanical means; except that, 
    in all cases in which the three-foot (.91 m) clearance does not exist, 
    cargo that is stowed within three feet (.91 m) of the edge of the hatch 
    shall be adequately secured to prevent cargo from falling into the 
    hold.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.42  Hatch beam and pontoon bridles.
    
        (a) Hatch beam and pontoon bridles shall be:
        (1) Long enough to reach the holes, rings, or other lifting 
    attachments on the hatch beams and pontoons easily;
        (2) Of adequate strength to lift the load safely; and
        (3) Properly maintained, including covering or blunting of 
    protruding ends in wire rope splices.
        (b) Bridles for lifting hatch beams shall be equipped with toggles, 
    shackles, or hooks, or other devices of such design that they cannot 
    become accidentally dislodged from the hatch beams with which they are 
    used. Hooks other than those described in this section may be used only 
    when they are hooked into the standing part of the bridle. Toggles, 
    when used, shall be at least one inch (2.5 cm) longer than twice the 
    largest diameter of the holes into which they are placed.
        (c) Bridles used for lifting pontoons and plugs shall have the 
    number of legs required by the design of the pontoon or plug, and all 
    of which shall be used. Where any use of a bridle requires fewer than 
    the number of legs provided, idle legs shall be hung on the hook or 
    ring, or otherwise prevented from swinging free.
        (d) At least two legs of all strongback and pontoon bridles shall 
    be equipped with a lanyard at least eight feet (2.4 m) long and in good 
    condition. The bridle end of the lanyard shall be of chain or wire.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.43  Handling hatch beams and covers.
    
        Paragraphs (f)(2), (g), and (h) of this section apply only to 
    folding, sliding, or hinged metal hatch covers or to those hatch covers 
    handled by cranes.
        (a) (1) When hatch covers or pontoons are stowed on the weather 
    deck abreast of hatches, they shall be arranged in stable piles not 
    closer to the hatch coaming than three feet (.91 m). Exception: On the 
    working side of the hatch, hatch covers or pontoons may be spread one 
    high between the coaming and bulwark with no space between them, 
    provided the height of the hatch coaming is no less than 24 inches (.61 
    m). Under no circumstances shall hatch covers or pontoons be stacked 
    higher than the hatch coaming or bulwark on the working side of the 
    hatch.
        (2) On seagoing vessels, hatch boards or similar covers removed 
    from the hatch beams in a section of partially opened hatch during 
    cargo handling, cleaning or other operations shall not be stowed on the 
    boards or covers left in place within that section.
        (b) Hatch beams shall be laid on their sides, or stood on an edge 
    close together and lashed. Exception: This paragraph (b) shall not 
    apply in cases where hatch beams are of such design that:
        (1) The width of the flange is 50 percent or more of the height of 
    the web; and
        (2) The flange rests flat on the deck when the hatch beam is stood 
    upright.
        (c) Strongbacks, hatch covers, and pontoons removed from hatch 
    openings and placed on the weather deck shall not obstruct clear fore-
    and-aft or coaming-to-bulwark passageways and shall be lashed or 
    otherwise secured to prevent accidental dislodgement. Dunnage or other 
    suitable material shall be used under and between tiers of strongbacks 
    and pontoons to prevent them from sliding when stowed on steel decks.
        (d) Hatch covers unshipped in an intermediate deck shall be placed 
    at least three feet (.91 m) from the coaming or they shall be removed 
    to another deck. Strongbacks unshipped in an intermediate deck shall 
    not be placed closer than six inches (15.2 cm) from the coaming and, if 
    placed closer than three feet (.91 m), shall be secured so that they 
    cannot be tipped or dragged into a lower compartment. If such placement 
    or securement is not possible, strongbacks shall be removed to another 
    deck.
        (e) Any hatch beam or pontoon left in place next to an open hatch 
    section being worked shall be locked or otherwise secured, so that it 
    cannot be accidentally displaced. All portable, manually handled hatch 
    covers, including those bound together to make a larger cover, shall be 
    removed from any working section, and adjacent sections, unless 
    securely lashed.
        (f)(1) The roller hatch beam at the edge of the open section of the 
    hatch shall be lashed or pinned back so that it cannot be moved toward 
    the open section.
        (2) Rolling, sectional or telescopic hatch covers of barges that 
    open in a fore and aft direction shall be secured against unintentional 
    movement while in the open position.
        (g) Hinged or folding hatch covers normally stowed in an 
    approximately vertical position shall be positively secured when in the 
    upright position, unless the design of the system otherwise prevents 
    unintentional movement.
        (h) Hatches shall not be opened or closed while employees are in 
    the square of the hatch below.
        (i) All materials such as dunnage, lashings, twist locks, or 
    stacking cones shall be removed from the hatch cover or be secured to 
    prevent them from falling off the cover before the hatch cover is 
    moved.
    
    [[Page 40208]]
    
        (j) When a hatch is to be covered, hatch covers or night tents 
    shall be used. Any covering that only partially covers the hatch, such 
    as alternate hatch covers or strips of dunnage, shall not be covered by 
    a tarpaulin. Exception: A tarpaulin may be used to cover an open or 
    partially open hatch to reduce dust emissions during bulk cargo loading 
    operations, if positive means are taken to prevent employees from 
    walking on the tarpaulin.
    
    Subpart F--Vessel's Cargo Handling Gear
    
    
    Sec. 1918.51  General requirements (See also Sec. 1918.11 and Appendix 
    III of this part).
    
        (a) The safe working load specified in the cargo gear certification 
    papers or marked on the booms shall not be exceeded. Any limitations 
    imposed by the certificating authority shall be followed.
        (b) All components of cargo handling gear, including tent gantlines 
    and associated rigging, shall be inspected by the employer or a 
    designated person before each use and at appropriate intervals during 
    use. Any gear that is found unsafe shall not be used until it is made 
    safe.
        (c) The employer shall determine the load ratings shown on the 
    vessel's wire rope certificates for all wire rope and wire rope slings 
    comprising part of ship's gear and shall observe these load ratings.
        (d) The following limitations shall apply to the use of wire rope 
    as a part of the ship's cargo handling gear:
        (1) Eye splices in wire ropes shall have at least three tucks with 
    a whole strand of the rope and two tucks with one-half of the wire cut 
    from each strand. Other forms of splices or connections that the 
    employer demonstrates will provide the same level of safety may be 
    used;
        (2) Except for eye splices in the ends of wires, each wire rope 
    used in hoisting or lowering, in guying derricks, or as a topping lift, 
    preventer, segment of a multi-part preventer, or pendant, shall consist 
    of one continuous piece without knot or splice; and
        (3) Wire rope or wire rope slings exhibiting any of the defects or 
    conditions specified in Sec. 1918.62(b)(4) (i) through (vi) shall not 
    be used.
        (e) Natural and synthetic fiber rope slings exhibiting any of the 
    defects or conditions specified in Sec. 1918.62(e) (1) through (7) 
    shall not be used.
        (f) Synthetic web slings exhibiting any of the defects or 
    conditions specified in Sec. 1918.62(g)(2) (i) through (v) shall not be 
    used.
        (g) Chains, including slings, exhibiting any of the defects or 
    conditions specified in Sec. 1918.62 (h)(3) (iii), (iv), or (h)(6) 
    shall not be used.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.52  Specific requirements.
    
        (a) Preventers. (1) When preventers are used they shall be of 
    sufficient strength for the intended purpose. They shall be secured to 
    the head of the boom independent of working guys unless, for cast 
    fittings, the strength of the fitting exceeds the total strength of all 
    lines secured to it. Any tails, fittings, or other means of making the 
    preventers fast on the deck shall provide strength equal to that of the 
    preventer itself.
        (2) Wire rope clips or knots shall not be used to form eyes in, nor 
    to join sections of, preventer guys.
        (b) Stoppers. (1) Chain topping lift stoppers shall be in good 
    condition, equipped with fiber tails, and long enough to allow not 
    fewer than three half-hitches in the chain.
        (2) Chain stoppers shall be shackled or otherwise secured so that 
    their links are not bent by being passed around fittings. The point of 
    attachment shall be of sufficient strength and so placed that the 
    stoppers are in line with the normal topping lift lead at the time the 
    stopper is applied.
        (3) Patent stoppers of the clamp type shall be appropriate for the 
    size of the rope used. Clamps shall be in good condition and free of 
    any substance that would prevent their being drawn tight.
        (c) Falls. (1) The end of the winch fall shall be secured to the 
    drum by clamps, U-bolts, shackles, or other equally strong methods. 
    Fiber rope fastenings shall not be used.
        (2) Winch falls shall not be used with fewer than three turns on 
    the winch drum.
        (3) Eyes in the ends of wire rope cargo falls shall not be formed 
    by knots and, in single part falls, shall not be formed by wire rope 
    clips.
        (4) When the design of the winch permits, the fall shall be wound 
    on the drum so that the cargo hook rises when the winch control lever 
    is pulled back and lowers when the lever is pushed forward.
        (d) Heel blocks. (1) When an employee works in the bight formed by 
    the heel block, a preventer at least three-quarters of an inch (1.9 cm) 
    diameter wire rope shall be securely rigged, or equally effective means 
    shall be taken, to hold the block and fall if the heel block 
    attachments fail. Where physical limitations prohibit the fitting of a 
    wire rope preventer of the required size, two turns of a one-half inch 
    (1.3 cm) diameter wire rope shall be sufficient.
        (2) If the heel block is not so rigged as to prevent its falling 
    when not under strain, it shall be secured to prevent alternate raising 
    and dropping of the block. This requirement shall not apply when the 
    heel block is at least 10 feet (3.0 m) above the deck when at its 
    lowest point.
        (e) Coaming rollers. Portable coaming rollers shall be secured by 
    wire preventers in addition to the regular coaming clamps.
        (f) Cargo hooks. Cargo hooks shall be as close to the junction of 
    the falls as the assembly permits, but never farther than two feet (.61 
    m) from it. Exception: This provision shall not apply when the 
    construction of the vessel and the operation in progress are such that 
    fall angles are greater than 120 degrees. Overhaul chains shall not be 
    shortened by bolting or knotting.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.53  Cargo winches.
    
        (a) Moving parts of winches and other deck machinery shall be 
    guarded.
        (b) Winches shall not be used if control levers operate with 
    excessive friction or excessive play.
        (c) Double gear winches or other winches equipped with a clutch 
    shall not be used unless a positive means of locking the gear shift is 
    provided.
        (d) There shall be no load other than the fall and cargo hook 
    assembly on the winch when changing gears on a two-gear winch.
        (e) Any defect or malfunction of winches that could endanger 
    employees shall be reported immediately to the officer in charge of the 
    vessel, and the winch shall not be used until the defect or malfunction 
    is corrected.
        (f) Temporary seats and shelters for winch drivers that create a 
    hazard to the winch operator or other employees shall not be used.
        (g) Except for short handles on wheel type controls, winch drivers 
    shall not be permitted to use winch control extension levers unless 
    they are provided by either the ship or the employer. Such levers shall 
    be of adequate strength and securely fastened with metal connections at 
    the fulcrum and at the permanent control lever.
        (h) Extension control levers that tend to fall due to their own 
    weight shall be counterbalanced.
        (i) Winch brakes shall be monitored during use. If winch brakes are 
    unable to hold the load, the winch shall be removed from service.
        (j) Winches shall not be used when one or more control points, 
    either hoisting or lowering, are not operating properly. Only 
    authorized personnel shall adjust control systems.
        (k) When winches are left unattended, control levers shall be 
    placed in the neutral position and the power shall be shut off or 
    control levers shall be locked at the winch or the operating controls.
    
    [[Page 40209]]
    
    Sec. 1918.54  Rigging gear.
    
        (a) Guy and preventer placement. Each guy or preventer shall be 
    placed to prevent it from making contact with any other guy, preventer, 
    or stay.
        (b) Guys. When alternate positions for securing guys are provided, 
    the guys shall be so placed as to produce a minimum stress and not 
    permit the boom to jackknife.
        (c) Boom placement. The head of the midship boom shall be spotted 
    no farther outboard of the coaming than is necessary for control of the 
    load.
        (d) Preventers. (1) Preventers shall be properly secured to 
    suitable fittings other than those to which the guys are secured, and 
    shall be as nearly parallel to the guys as the fittings will permit.
        (2) Unless the cleat is also a chock and the hauling part is led 
    through the chock opening, the leads of preventers to cleats shall be 
    such that the direction of the line pull of the preventer is as 
    parallel as possible to the plane of the surface on which the cleat is 
    mounted.
        (3) Guys and associated preventers shall be adjusted to share the 
    load as equally as possible where cargo operations are being conducted 
    by burtoning. Exception: Where guys are designed and intended for 
    trimming purposes only, and the preventer is intended to do the 
    function of the guy, the guy may be left slack.
        (e) Cargo falls. Cargo falls under load shall not be permitted to 
    chafe on any standing or other running rigging. Exception: Rigging 
    shall not be construed to mean hatch coamings or other similar 
    structural parts of the vessel.
        (f) Bull wire. (1) Where a bull wire is taken to a gypsy head for 
    lowering or topping a boom, the bull wire shall be secured to the gypsy 
    head by shackle or other equally strong method. Securing by fiber rope 
    fastening does not meet this requirement.
        (2) When, in lowering or topping a boom, it is not possible to 
    secure the bull wire to the gypsy head, or when the topping lift itself 
    is taken to the gypsy head, at least five turns of wire shall be used.
        (g) Trimming and deckloads. When deck loads extend above the rail 
    and there is less than 12 inches (30.48 cm) horizontal clearance 
    between the edge of the deck load and the inside of the bulwark or 
    rail, a pendant or other alternate device shall be provided to allow 
    trimming of the gear and to prevent employees from going over the side.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.55  Cranes (See also Sec. 1918.11).
    
        The following requirements shall apply to the use of cranes forming 
    part of a vessel's permanent equipment.
        (a) Defects. Cranes with a visible or known defect that affects 
    safe operation shall not be used. Defects shall be reported immediately 
    to the officer in charge of the vessel.
        (b) Operator's station. (1) Cranes with missing, broken, cracked, 
    scratched, or dirty glass (or equivalent) that impairs operator 
    visibility shall not be used.
        (2) Clothing, tools and equipment shall be stored so as not to 
    interfere with access, operation or the operator's view.
        (c) Cargo operations. (1) Accessible areas within the swing radius 
    of the body of a revolving crane or within the travel of a shipboard 
    gantry crane shall be physically guarded or other equally effective 
    means shall be taken during operations to prevent an employee from 
    being caught between the body of the crane and any fixed structure, or 
    between parts of the crane. Verbal warnings to employees to avoid the 
    dangerous area do not meet this requirement.
        (2) Limit switch bypass systems shall be secured during all cargo 
    operations. Such bypass systems shall not be used except in an 
    emergency or during non-cargo handling operations such as stowing 
    cranes or derricks or performing repairs. Any time a bypass system is 
    used, it shall be done only under the direction of an officer of the 
    vessel.
        (3) Under all operating conditions, at least three full turns of 
    rope shall remain on ungrooved drums, and two full turns on grooved 
    drums.
        (4) Crane brakes shall be monitored during use. If crane brakes are 
    unable to hold the load, the crane shall not be used.
        (5) Cranes shall not be used if control levers operate with 
    excessive friction or excessive play.
        (6) When cranes are equipped with power down capability, there 
    shall be no free fall of the gear when a load is attached.
        (7) When two or more cranes hoist a load in unison, a designated 
    person shall direct the operation and instruct personnel in 
    positioning, rigging of the gear and movements to be made.
        (d) Unattended cranes. When cranes are left unattended between work 
    periods, Sec. 1918.66(b) (4)(i) through (v) shall apply.
    
    Subpart G--Cargo Handling Gear and Equipment Other Than Ship's Gear
    
    
    Sec. 1918.61  General (See also Appendix IV of this part).
    
        (a) Employer provided gear inspection. All gear and equipment 
    provided by the employer shall be inspected by the employer or 
    designated person before each use and, when appropriate, at intervals 
    during its use, to ensure that it is safe. Any gear that is found upon 
    such inspection to be unsafe shall not be used until it is made safe.
        (b) Safe working load. (1) The safe working load of gear as 
    specified in Secs. 1918.61 through 1918.66 shall not be exceeded.
        (2) All cargo handling gear provided by the employer with a safe 
    working load greater than five short tons (10,000 lbs. or 4.5 metric 
    tons) shall have its safe working load plainly marked on it.
        (c) Gear weight markings. The weight shall be plainly marked on any 
    article of stevedoring gear hoisted by ship's gear and weighing more 
    than 2,000 lbs. (.91 metric tons).
        (d) Certification. The employer shall not use any material handling 
    device listed in paragraphs (f) and (g) of this section until the 
    device has been certificated, as evidenced by current and valid 
    documents attesting to compliance with the requirements of paragraph 
    (e) of this section.
        (e) Certification procedures. Each certification required by this 
    section shall be performed in accordance with part 1919 of this 
    chapter, by a person then currently accredited by OSHA as provided in 
    that part.
        (f) Special gear. (1) Special stevedoring gear provided by the 
    employer, the strength of which depends upon components other than 
    commonly used stock items such as shackles, ropes, or chains, and that 
    has a Safe Working Load (SWL) greater than five short tons (10,000 lbs 
    or 4.5 metric tons) shall be inspected and tested as a unit before 
    initial use (see Table A).
        (2) Special stevedoring gear provided by the employer that has a 
    SWL of five short tons (10,000 or 4.5 metric tons) or less shall be 
    inspected and tested as a unit before initial use according to 
    paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section or by a designated person (see 
    Table A).
    
                                     Table A                                
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Safe working load                        Proof load             
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Up to 20 short tons (18.1 metric   25 percent in excess.                
     tons).                                                                 
    
    [[Page 40210]]
    
                                                                            
    From 20 through 50 short tons      5 short tons in excess.              
     (18.1 to 45.3 metric tons).                                            
    Over 50 short tons (45.3 metric    10 percent in excess.                
     tons).                                                                 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (g) Every spreader that is not a part of ship's gear and is used 
    for handling intermodal containers shall be inspected and tested before 
    initial use to a proof load equal to 25 percent greater than its rated 
    capacity. In addition, any spreader that suffers damage necessitating 
    structural repair shall be inspected and retested after repair and 
    before being returned to service.
        (h) All cargo handling gear covered by this section with a SWL 
    greater than five short tons (10,000 lbs. or 4.5 metric tons) shall be 
    proof load tested according to Table A in paragraph (f) or paragraph 
    (g), as applicable, of this section every four years and in accordance 
    with paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section or by a designated person.
        (i) Certificates and inspection and test records attesting to the 
    tests required by this section shall be available for inspection.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.62  Miscellaneous auxiliary gear.
    
        (a) Routine inspection. (1) At the completion of each use, loose 
    gear such as slings, chains, bridles, blocks and hooks shall be so 
    placed as to avoid damage to the gear. Loose gear shall be inspected 
    and any defects corrected before reuse.
        (2) Defective gear, as defined by the manufacturers' specifications 
    (when available), shall not be used. Distorted hooks, shackles or 
    similar gear shall be discarded.
    
        Note to paragraph (a): When manufacturers' specifications are 
    not available to determine whether gear is defective, the employer 
    shall use the appropriate paragraphs of this section to make these 
    determinations.
    
        (b) Wire rope and wire rope slings. (1) The employer shall follow 
    the manufacturers' recommended ratings for wire rope and wire rope 
    slings provided for use aboard ship, and shall have such ratings 
    available for inspection. When the manufacturer is unable to supply 
    such ratings, the employer shall use the tables for wire rope and wire 
    rope slings found in Appendix II to this part. A design safety factor 
    of at least five shall be maintained for the common sizes of running 
    wire used as falls in purchases, or in such uses as light load slings.
        (2) Wire rope with a safety factor of less than five may be used 
    only as follows:
        (i) In specialized equipment, such as cranes, designed to be used 
    with lesser wire rope safety factors;
        (ii) According to design factors in standing rigging applications; 
    or
        (iii) For heavy lifts or other purposes for which a safety factor 
    of five is not feasible and for which the employer can show that 
    equivalent safety is ensured.
        (3) Wire rope or wire rope slings provided by the employer and 
    having any of the following conditions shall not be used:
        (i) Ten randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay or three 
    or more broken wires in one strand in one rope lay;
        (ii) Kinking, crushing, bird caging or other damage resulting in 
    distortion of the wire rope structure;
        (iii) Evidence of heat damage;
        (iv) Excessive wear or corrosion, deformation or other defect in 
    the wire or attachments, including cracks in attachments;
        (v) Any indication of strand or wire slippage in end attachments; 
    or
        (vi) More than one broken wire close to a socket or swaged fitting.
        (4) Protruding ends of strands in splices on slings and bridles 
    shall be covered or blunted. Coverings shall be removable so that 
    splices can be examined. Means used to cover or blunt ends shall not 
    damage the wire.
        (5) Where wire rope clips are used to form eyes, the employer shall 
    follow the manufacturers' recommendations, which shall be available for 
    inspection. If ``U'' bolt clips are used and the manufacturers' 
    recommendations are not available, Table 1 of Appendix II to this part 
    shall be used to determine the number and spacing of clips. ``U'' bolts 
    shall be applied with the ``U'' section in contact with the dead end of 
    the rope.
        (6) Wire rope shall not be secured by knotting.
        (7) Eyes in wire rope bridles, slings, bull wires, or in single 
    parts used for hoisting shall not be formed by wire rope clips or 
    knots.
        (8) Eye splices in wire ropes shall have at least three tucks with 
    a whole strand of the rope, and two tucks with one-half of the wire cut 
    from each strand. Other forms of splices or connections that the 
    employer demonstrates to be equivalently safe may be used.
        (9) Except for eye splices in the ends of wires and endless rope 
    slings, each wire rope used in hoisting or lowering, or bulling cargo, 
    shall consist of one continuous piece without knot or splice.
        (c) Natural fiber rope. (1) The employer shall follow the 
    manufacturers' recommended ratings for natural fiber rope and natural 
    fiber rope slings provided for use aboard ship, and shall have such 
    ratings available for inspection.
        (2) If the manufacturers' recommended ratings and use 
    recommendations are unavailable, the employer shall use Table 2 of 
    Appendix II to this part to determine safe working loads of natural 
    fiber rope slings comprising part of pre-slung drafts.
        (3) Eye splices shall consist of at least three full tucks. Short 
    splices shall consist of at least six tucks, three on each side of the 
    centerline.
        (d) Synthetic rope. (1) The employer shall follow the 
    manufacturers' ratings and use recommendations for the specific 
    synthetic fiber rope and synthetic fiber rope slings provided for use 
    aboard ship, and shall have such ratings available for inspection.
        (2) If the manufacturers' recommended ratings and use 
    recommendations are unavailable, Tables 3A and B of Appendix II to this 
    part shall be used to determine the safe working load of synthetic 
    fiber rope and of synthetic rope slings that comprise this part of pre-
    slung drafts.
        (3) Unless otherwise recommended by the manufacturer, when 
    synthetic fiber ropes are substituted for natural fiber ropes of less 
    than three inches (7.62 cm) in circumference, the substitute shall be 
    of equal size. Where substituted for natural fiber rope of three inches 
    (7.62 cm) or more in circumference, the size of the synthetic rope 
    shall be determined from the formula:
    
    C=0.6Cs2 +0.4Cm2
    
    Where C=the required circumference of the synthetic rope in inches 
    (centimeters); Cs=the circumference to the nearest one-
    quarter inch (.6 cm) of a synthetic rope having a breaking strength no 
    less than that of the natural rope that is required by paragraph (c) of 
    this section; and Cm=the circumference of the natural rope 
    in inches (centimeters) that is required by paragraph (c) of this
    
    [[Page 40211]]
    
    section. In making each substitution, the employer shall ascertain that 
    the inherent characteristics of the synthetic fiber are suitable for 
    hoisting.
        (e) Removal of natural and synthetic rope from service. Natural and 
    synthetic rope having any of the following defects shall be removed 
    from service:
        (1) Abnormal or excessive wear including heat and chemical damage;
        (2) Powdered fiber between strands;
        (3) Sufficient cut or broken fibers to affect the capability of the 
    rope;
        (4) Variations in the size or roundness of strands;
        (5) Discolorations other than stains not associated with rope 
    damage;
        (6) Rotting; or
        (7) Distortion or other damage to attached hardware.
        (f) Thimbles. Properly fitting thimbles shall be used when any rope 
    is secured permanently to a ring, shackle or attachment, where 
    practicable.
        (g) Synthetic web slings. (1) Slings and nets or other combinations 
    of more than one piece of synthetic webbing assembled and used as a 
    single unit (synthetic web slings) shall not be used to hoist loads 
    greater than the sling's rated capacity.
        (2) Synthetic web slings shall be removed from service if they 
    exhibit any of the following defects:
        (i) Acid or caustic burns;
        (ii) Melting or charring of any part of the sling surface;
        (iii) Snags, punctures, tears or cuts;
        (iv) Broken or worn stitches;
        (v) Distortion or damage to fittings; or
        (vi) Display of visible warning threads or markers designed to 
    indicate excessive wear or damage.
        (3) Defective synthetic web slings removed from service shall not 
    be returned to service unless repaired by a sling manufacturer or an 
    entity of similar competence. Each repaired sling shall be proof tested 
    by the repairer to twice the sling's rated capacity before its return 
    to service. The employer shall retain a certificate of the proof test 
    and make it available for inspection.
        (4) Synthetic web slings provided by the employer shall only be 
    used according to the manufacturers' use recommendations, which shall 
    be available.
        (5) Fittings shall have a breaking strength at least equal to that 
    of the sling to which they are attached and shall be free of sharp 
    edges.
        (h) Chains and chain slings used for hoisting. (1) The employer 
    shall follow the manufacturers' recommended ratings for safe working 
    loads for the size of wrought iron and alloy steel chains and chain 
    slings and shall have such ratings available for inspection. When the 
    manufacturer does not provide such ratings, the employer shall use 
    Table 4A of Appendix II to this part to determine safe working loads 
    for alloy steel chains and chain slings only.
        (2) Proof coil steel chain, also known as common or hardware chain, 
    and other chain not recommended by the manufacturer for slinging or 
    hoisting shall not be used for slinging or hoisting.
        (3)(i) Sling chains, including end fastenings, shall be inspected 
    for visible defects before each day's use and as often as necessary 
    during use to ensure integrity of the sling.
        (ii) Thorough inspections of chains in use shall be made quarterly 
    to detect wear, defective welds, deformation or increase in length or 
    stretch. The month of inspection shall be shown on each chain by color 
    of paint on a link or by other equally effective means.
        (iii) Chains shall be removed from service when maximum allowable 
    wear, as indicated in Table 4B of Appendix II to this part, is reached 
    at any point of a link.
        (iv) Chain slings shall be removed from service when stretch has 
    increased the length of a measured section by more than 5 percent; when 
    a link is bent, twisted or otherwise damaged; or when a link has a 
    raised scarf or defective weld.
        (v) Only designated persons shall inspect chains used for slinging 
    and hoisting.
        (4) Chains shall only be repaired by a designated person. Links or 
    portions of a chain defective under any of the criteria of paragraph 
    (h)(3)(iv) of this section shall be replaced with properly dimensioned 
    links or connections of material similar to that of the original chain. 
    Before repaired chains are returned to service, they shall be tested to 
    the proof test load recommended by the manufacturer for the original 
    chain. Tests shall be done by the manufacturer or shall be certified by 
    an agency accredited for the purpose under part 1919 of this chapter. 
    Test certificates shall be available for inspection.
        (5)(i) Wrought iron chains in constant use shall be annealed or 
    normalized at intervals not exceeding six months. Heat treatment 
    certificates shall be available for inspection. Alloy chains shall not 
    be annealed.
        (ii) Any part of a lifting appliance or item of loose gear 
    installed after January 21, 1998 shall not be manufactured of wrought 
    iron.
        (6) Kinked or knotted chains shall not be used for lifting. Chains 
    shall not be shortened by bolting, wiring or knotting. Makeshift links 
    or fasteners such as wire, bolts or rods shall not be used.
        (7) Hooks, rings, links and attachments affixed to sling chains 
    shall have rated capacities at least equal to those of the chains to 
    which they are attached.
        (8) Chain slings shall bear identification of size, grade and rated 
    capacity.
        (i) Shackles. (1) If the manufacturers' recommended safe working 
    loads for shackles are available, they shall not be exceeded. If the 
    manufacturers' recommendations are not available, Table 5 of Appendix 
    II to this part shall apply.
        (2) Screw pin shackles provided by the employer and used aloft 
    shall have their pins positively secured.
        (j) Hooks other than hand hooks. (1) The manufacturers' recommended 
    safe working loads for hooks shall not be exceeded. Hooks other than 
    hand hooks shall be tested according to the provisions of paragraphs 
    (a), (c) and (d) of Sec. 1919.31 of this chapter.
        (2) Bent or sprung hooks shall be discarded.
        (3) Teeth of case hooks shall be maintained in safe condition.
        (4) Jaws of patent clamp-type plate hooks shall be maintained in 
    condition to grip plates securely.
        (5) Loads shall be applied to the throat of the hook only.
        (k) Pallets. (1) Pallets shall be made and maintained to support 
    and carry loads being handled safely. Fastenings of reusable pallets 
    used for hoisting shall be bolts and nuts, drive screws (helically 
    threaded nails), annular threaded nails or fastenings of equivalent 
    holding strength.
        (2) Reusable wing or lip-type pallets shall be hoisted by bar 
    bridles or other suitable gear and shall have an overhanging wing or 
    lip of at least three inches (7.6 cm). They shall not be hoisted by 
    wire slings alone.
        (3) Loaded pallets that do not meet the requirements of this 
    paragraph shall be hoisted only after being placed on pallets meeting 
    such requirements, or shall be handled by other means providing 
    equivalent safety.
        (4) Bridles for handling flush end or box-type pallets shall be 
    designed to prevent disengagement from the pallet under load.
        (5) Pallets shall be stacked or placed to prevent falling, 
    collapsing or otherwise causing a hazard under standard operating 
    conditions.
        (6) Disposable pallets intended only for one use shall not be 
    reused for hoisting.
    
    [[Page 40212]]
    
    Sec. 1918.63  Chutes, gravity conveyors and rollers.
    
        (a) Chutes shall be of adequate length and strength to support the 
    conditions of use, and shall be free of splinters and sharp edges.
        (b) When necessary for the safety of employees, chutes shall be 
    equipped with sideboards to afford protection from falling objects.
        (c) When necessary for the safety of employees, provisions shall be 
    made for stopping objects other than bulk commodities at the delivery 
    end of the chute.
        (d) Chutes and gravity conveyor roller sections shall be firmly 
    placed and secured to prevent displacement, shifting, or falling.
        (e) Gravity conveyors shall be of sufficient strength to support 
    the weight of materials placed upon them safely. Conveyor rollers shall 
    be installed in a way that prevents them from falling or jumping out of 
    the frame.
        (f) Frames shall be kept free of burrs and sharp edges.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.64  Powered conveyors.
    
        (a) Emergency stop. Readily accessible stop controls shall be 
    provided for use in an emergency. Whenever the operation of any power 
    conveyor requires personnel to work close to the conveyor, the conveyor 
    controls shall not be left unattended while the conveyor is in 
    operation.
        (b) Guarding. All conveyor and trimmer drives that create a hazard 
    shall be adequately guarded.
        (c) Approved for location. Electric motors and controls on 
    conveyors and trimmers used to handle grain and exposed to grain dust 
    shall be of a type approved by a nationally recognized testing 
    laboratory for use in Class II, Division I locations. (See Sec. 1910.7 
    of this chapter.)
        (d) Grain trimmer control box. Each grain trimmer shall have a 
    control box on the weather deck close to the spout feeding the trimmer.
        (e) Grain trimmer power cable. Power cables between the deck 
    control box and the grain trimmer shall be used only in continuous 
    lengths without splice or tap between connections.
        (f) Portable conveyors. Portable conveyors shall be stable within 
    their operating ranges. When used at variable fixed levels, the unit 
    shall be secured at the operating level.
        (g) Delivery and braking. When necessary for the safety of 
    employees, provisions shall be made for braking objects at the delivery 
    end of the conveyor.
        (h) Electric brakes. Conveyors using electrically released brakes 
    shall be constructed so that the brakes cannot be released until power 
    is applied and the brakes are automatically engaged if the power fails 
    or the operating control is returned to the ``stop'' position.
        (i) Starting powered conveyors. Powered conveyors shall not be 
    started until all employees are clear of the conveyor or have been 
    warned that the conveyor is about to start up.
        (j) Loading and unloading. The area around conveyor loading and 
    unloading points shall be kept clear of obstructions during conveyor 
    operations.
        (k) Lockout/tagout. (1) Conveyors shall be stopped and their power 
    sources locked out and tagged out during maintenance, repair, and 
    servicing. If power is necessary for testing or for making minor 
    adjustments, power shall only be supplied to the servicing operation.
        (2) The starting device shall be locked out and tagged out in the 
    stop position before an attempt is made to remove the cause of a jam or 
    overload of the conveying medium.
        (l) Safe practices. (1) Only designated persons shall operate, 
    repair or service powered conveyors.
        (2) The employer shall ensure that each employee stays off 
    operating conveyors.
        (3) Conveyors shall be operated only with all overload devices, 
    guards and safety devices in place and operable.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.65  Mechanically powered vehicles used aboard vessels.
    
        (a) Applicability. This section applies to every type of 
    mechanically powered vehicle used for material or equipment handling 
    aboard a vessel.
        (b) General. (1) Modifications, such as adding counterweights that 
    might affect the vehicle's capacity or safety, shall not be done 
    without either the manufacturers' prior written approval or the written 
    approval of a registered professional engineer experienced with the 
    equipment, who has consulted with the manufacturer, if available. 
    Capacity, operation and maintenance instruction plates, tags or decals 
    shall be changed to conform to the equipment as modified.
        (2) Rated capacities, with and without removable counterweights, 
    shall not be exceeded. Rated capacities shall be marked on the vehicle 
    and shall be visible to the operator. The vehicle weight, with and 
    without a counterweight, shall be similarly marked.
        (3) If loads are lifted by two or more trucks working in unison, 
    the total weight shall not exceed the combined safe lifting capacity of 
    all trucks.
        (c) Guards for fork lift trucks. (1) Except as noted in paragraph 
    (c)(5) of this section, fork lift trucks shall be equipped with 
    overhead guards securely attached to the machines. The guard shall be 
    of such design and construction as to protect the operator from boxes, 
    cartons, packages, bagged material, and other similar items of cargo 
    that might fall from the load being handled or from stowage.
        (2) Overhead guards shall not obstruct the operator's view, and 
    openings in the top of the guard shall not exceed six inches (15.2 cm) 
    in one of the two directions, width or length. Larger openings are 
    permitted if no opening allows the smallest unit of cargo being handled 
    through the guard.
        (3) Overhead guards shall be built so that failure of the vehicle's 
    mast tilting mechanism will not displace the guard.
        (4) Overhead guards shall be large enough to extend over the 
    operator during all truck operations, including forward tilt.
        (5) An overhead guard may be removed only when it would prevent a 
    truck from entering a work space and only if the operator is not 
    exposed to low overhead obstructions in the work space.
        (6) Where necessary to protect the operator, fork lift trucks shall 
    be fitted with a vertical load backrest extension to prevent the load 
    from hitting the mast when the mast is positioned at maximum backward 
    tilt. For this purpose, a ``load backrest extension'' means a device 
    extending vertically from the fork carriage frame to prevent raised 
    loads from falling backward.
        (d) Guards for bulk cargo-moving vehicles. (1) Every crawler type, 
    rider operated, bulk cargo-moving vehicle shall be equipped with an 
    operator's guard of such design and construction as to protect the 
    operator, when seated, against injury from contact with a projecting 
    overhead hazard.
        (2) Overhead guards and their attachment points shall be so 
    designed as to be able to withstand, without excessive deflection, a 
    load applied horizontally at the operator's shoulder level equal to the 
    drawbar pull of the machine.
        (3) Overhead guards are not required when the vehicle is used in 
    situations in which the seated operator cannot contact projecting 
    overhead hazards.
        (4) After July 26, 1999, bulk cargo-moving vehicles shall be 
    equipped with rollover protection of such design and construction as to 
    prevent the possibility of the operator being crushed because of a 
    rollover or upset.
        (e) Approved trucks. (1) ``Approved power-operated industrial 
    truck'' means one listed as approved for the intended use or location 
    by a nationally
    
    [[Page 40213]]
    
    recognized testing laboratory (see Sec. 1910.7 of this chapter).
        (2) Approved power-operated industrial trucks shall bear a label or 
    other identification indicating testing laboratory approval.
        (3) When the atmosphere in an area is hazardous (see Sec. 1918.2 
    and Sec. 1918.93), only approved power-operated industrial trucks shall 
    be used.
        (f) Maintenance. (1) Mechanically powered vehicles shall be 
    maintained in safe working order. Safety devices shall not be removed 
    or made inoperative except where permitted in this section. Vehicles 
    with a fuel system leak or any other safety defect shall not be 
    operated.
        (2) Braking systems or other mechanisms used for braking shall be 
    operable and in safe condition.
        (3) Replacement parts whose function might affect operational 
    safety shall be equivalent in strength and performance capability to 
    the original parts that they replace.
        (4) Repairs to the fuel and ignition systems of mechanically 
    powered vehicles that involve fire hazards shall be conducted only in 
    locations designated as safe for such repairs.
        (5) Batteries on all mechanically powered vehicles shall be 
    disconnected during repairs to the primary electrical system except 
    when power is necessary for testing and repair. On vehicles equipped 
    with systems capable of storing residual energy, that energy shall be 
    safely discharged before work on the primary electrical system begins.
        (6) Only designated persons shall do maintenance and repair.
        (g) Parking brakes. All mechanically powered vehicles purchased 
    after January 21, 1998, shall be equipped with parking brakes.
        (h) Operation. (1) Only stable and safely arranged loads within the 
    rated capacity of the mechanically powered vehicle shall be handled.
        (2) The employer shall require drivers to ascend and descend grades 
    slowly.
        (3) If the load obstructs the forward view, the employer shall 
    require drivers to travel with the load trailing.
        (4) Steering knobs shall not be used unless the vehicle is equipped 
    with power steering.
        (5) When mechanically powered vehicles use cargo lifting devices 
    that have a means of engagement hidden from the operator, a means shall 
    be provided to enable the operator to determine that the cargo has been 
    engaged.
        (6) No load on a mechanically powered vehicle shall be suspended or 
    swung over any employee.
        (7) When mechanically powered vehicles are used, provisions shall 
    be made to ensure that the working surface can support the vehicle and 
    load, and that hatch covers, truck plates, or other temporary surfaces 
    cannot be dislodged by movement of the vehicle.
        (8) When mechanically powered vehicles are left unattended, load-
    engaging means shall be fully lowered, controls neutralized, brakes set 
    and power shut off. Wheels shall be blocked or curbed if the vehicle is 
    on an incline.
        (9) When lift trucks or other mechanically powered vehicles are 
    being operated on open deck-type barges, the edges of the barges shall 
    be guarded by railings, sideboards, timbers, or other means sufficient 
    to prevent vehicles from rolling overboard. When such vehicles are 
    operated on covered lighters where door openings other than those being 
    used are left open, means shall be provided to prevent vehicles from 
    rolling overboard through such openings.
        (10) Unauthorized personnel shall not ride on mechanically powered 
    vehicles. A safe place to ride shall be provided when riding is 
    authorized.
        (11) An employee may be elevated by fork lift trucks only when a 
    platform is secured to the lifting carriage or forks. The platform 
    shall meet the following requirements:
        (i) The platform shall have a railing complying with 
    Sec. 1917.112(c) of this chapter.
        (ii) The platform shall have toeboards complying with 
    Sec. 1917.112(d) of this chapter, if tools or other objects could fall 
    on employees below.
        (iii) When the truck has controls elevated with the lifting 
    carriage, means shall be provided for employees on the platform to shut 
    off power to the vehicle.
        (iv) Employees on the platform shall be protected from exposure to 
    moving truck parts.
        (v) The platform floor shall be skid resistant.
        (vi) An employee shall be at the truck's controls whenever 
    employees are elevated.
        (vii) While an employee is elevated, the truck may be moved only to 
    make minor adjustments in placement.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.66  Cranes and derricks other than vessel's gear.
    
        (a) General. The following requirements shall apply to the use of 
    cranes and derricks brought aboard vessels for conducting longshoring 
    operations. They shall not apply to cranes and derricks forming part of 
    a vessel's permanent equipment.
        (1) Certification. Cranes and derricks shall be certificated in 
    accordance with part 1919 of this chapter.
        (2) Posted weight. The crane weight shall be posted on all cranes 
    hoisted aboard vessels for temporary use.
        (3) Rating chart. All cranes and derricks having ratings that vary 
    with boom length, radius (outreach) or other variables shall have a 
    durable rating chart visible to the operator, covering the complete 
    range of the manufacturers' (or design) capacity ratings. The rating 
    chart shall include all operating radii (outreach) for all permissible 
    boom lengths and jib lengths, as applicable, with and without 
    outriggers, and alternate ratings for optional equipment affecting such 
    ratings. Precautions or warnings specified by the owner or manufacturer 
    shall be included along with the chart.
        (4) Rated loads. The manufacturers' (or design) rated loads for the 
    conditions of use shall not be exceeded.
        (5) Change of rated loads. Designated working loads shall not be 
    increased beyond the manufacturers' ratings or original design 
    limitations unless such increase receives the manufacturers' approval. 
    When the manufacturers' services are not available or where the 
    equipment is of foreign manufacture, engineering design analysis shall 
    be done or approved by a person accredited for certificating the 
    equipment under part 1919 of this chapter. Engineering design analysis 
    shall be done by a registered professional engineer competent in the 
    field of cranes and derricks. Any structural changes required by the 
    change in rating shall be carried out.
        (6) Radius indicator. When the rated load varies with the boom 
    radius, the crane or derrick shall be fitted with a boom angle or 
    radius indicator visible to the operator.
        (7) Operator's station. The cab, controls and mechanism of the 
    equipment shall be so arranged that the operator has a clear view of 
    the load or signalman, when one is used. Cab glass, when used, shall be 
    safety plate glass or equivalent. Cranes with missing, broken, cracked, 
    scratched, or dirty glass (or equivalent), that impairs operator vision 
    shall not be used. Clothing, tools, and equipment shall be stored so as 
    not to interfere with access, operation, and the operator's view.
        (8) Counterweights or ballast. Cranes shall be operated only with 
    the specified type and amount of ballast or counterweights. Ballast or 
    counterweights shall be located and secured only as provided in the 
    manufacturers' or design specifications, which shall be available for 
    inspection.
        (9) Outriggers. Outriggers shall be used according to the 
    manufacturers' specifications or design data, which
    
    [[Page 40214]]
    
    shall be available for inspection. Floats, when used, shall be securely 
    attached to the outriggers. Wood blocks or other support shall be of 
    sufficient size to support the outrigger, free of defects that may 
    affect safety, and of sufficient width and length to prevent the crane 
    from shifting or toppling under load.
        (10) Exhaust gases. Engine exhaust gases shall be discharged away 
    from crane operating personnel.
        (11) Electrical/Guarding. Electrical equipment shall be so placed 
    or enclosed that live parts will not be exposed to accidental contact. 
    Designated persons may work on energized equipment only if necessary 
    during inspection, maintenance, or repair; otherwise the equipment 
    shall be stopped and its power source locked out and tagged out.
        (12) Fire extinguisher. (i) At least one portable approved or 
    listed fire extinguisher of at least a 5-B:C rating or equivalent shall 
    be accessible in the cab of the crane or derrick.
        (ii) No portable fire extinguisher using carbon tetrachloride or 
    chlorobromomethane extinguishing agents shall be used.
        (13) Rope on drums. At least three full turns of rope shall remain 
    on ungrooved drums, and two turns on grooved drums, under all operating 
    conditions. Wire rope shall be secured to drums by clamps, U-bolts, 
    shackles or equivalent means. Fiber rope fastenings are prohibited.
        (14) Brakes. (i) Each independent hoisting unit of a crane shall be 
    equipped with at least one holding brake, applied directly to the motor 
    shaft or gear train.
        (ii) Each independent hoisting unit of a crane shall, in addition 
    to the holding brake, be equipped with a controlled braking means to 
    control lowering speeds.
        (iii) Holding brakes for hoist units shall have not less than the 
    following percentage of the rated load hoisting torque at the point 
    where the brake is applied:
        (A) 125 percent when used with an other than mechanically 
    controlled braking means; or
        (B) 100 percent when used with a mechanically controlled braking 
    means.
        (iv) All power control braking means shall be capable of 
    maintaining safe lowering speeds of rated loads.
        (15) Operating controls. Crane and derrick operating controls shall 
    be clearly marked, or a chart showing their function shall be posted at 
    the operator's position.
        (16) Booms. Cranes with elevatable booms and without operable 
    automatic limiting devices shall be provided with boom stops if boom 
    elevation can exceed maximum design angles from the horizontal.
        (17) Foot pedals. Foot pedals shall have a non-skid surface.
        (18) Access. Ladders, stairways, stanchions, grab irons, foot steps 
    or equivalent means shall be provided as necessary to ensure safe 
    access to footwalks, cab platforms, the cab and any portion of the 
    superstructure that employees must reach.
        (b) Operations. (1) Use of cranes together. When two or more cranes 
    hoist a load in unison, a designated person shall direct the operation 
    and instruct personnel in positioning, rigging of the load and 
    movements to be made.
        (2) Guarding of swing radius. Accessible areas within the swing 
    radius of the body of a revolving crane shall be physically guarded 
    during operations to prevent an employee from being caught between the 
    body of the crane and any fixed structure or between parts of the 
    crane.
        (3) Prohibited usage. (i) Equipment shall not be used in a way that 
    exerts side loading stresses upon the crane or derrick boom.
        (ii) No crane or derrick having a visible or known defect that may 
    affect safe operation shall be used.
        (4) Unattended cranes. The following steps shall be taken before 
    leaving a crane unattended between work periods:
        (i) Suspended loads, such as those hoisted by lifting magnets or 
    clamshell buckets, shall be landed unless the storage position or 
    maximum hoisting of the suspended device will provide equivalent 
    safety;
        (ii) Clutches shall be disengaged;
        (iii) The power supply shall be shut off;
        (iv) The crane shall be secured against accidental travel; and
        (v) The boom shall be lowered or secured against movement.
        (c) Protection for employees being hoisted. (1) No employee shall 
    be hoisted by the load hoisting apparatus of a crane or derrick except 
    on a platform meeting the following requirements:
        (i) Enclosed by a railing or other means providing protection 
    equivalent to that described in Sec. 1917.112(c) of this chapter;
        (ii) Fitted with toe boards if the platform has open railings;
        (iii) A safety factor of four based on ultimate strength;
        (iv) Bearing a plate or permanent marking indicating maximum load 
    rating, which shall not be exceeded, and the weight of the platform 
    itself;
        (v) Equipped with a device to prevent access doors, when used, from 
    opening accidentally;
        (vi) Equipped with overhead protection for employees on the 
    platform if they are exposed to falling objects or overhead hazards; 
    and
        (vii) Secured to the load line by means other than wedge and socket 
    attachments, unless the free (bitter) end of the line is secured back 
    to itself by a clamp placed as close above the wedge as possible.
        (2) Except in an emergency, the hoisting mechanism of all cranes or 
    derricks used to hoist personnel shall operate only in power up and 
    power down, with automatic brake application when not hoisting or 
    lowering.
        (3) All cranes and derricks used to hoist personnel shall be 
    equipped with an anti-two-blocking device.
        (4) Variable radius booms of a crane or derrick used to hoist 
    personnel shall be so constructed or secured as to prevent accidental 
    boom movement.
        (5) Platforms or devices used to hoist employees shall be inspected 
    for defects before each day's use and shall be removed from service if 
    defective.
        (6) Employees being hoisted shall remain in continuous sight of and 
    communication with the operator or signalman.
        (7) Operators shall remain at the controls when employees are 
    hoisted.
        (8) Cranes shall not travel while employees are hoisted, except in 
    emergencies or in normal tier-to-tier transfer of employees during 
    container operations.
        (d) Routine inspection. (1) Designated persons shall visually 
    inspect each crane and derrick on each day of use for defects in 
    functional operating components and shall report any defect found to 
    the employer. The employer shall inform the operator of the result of 
    the inspection.
        (2) A designated person shall thoroughly inspect all functional 
    components and accessible structural features of each crane or device 
    at monthly intervals.
        (3) Any defects found during such inspections that may create a 
    safety hazard shall be corrected before further equipment use. Repairs 
    shall be done only by designated persons.
        (4) A record of each monthly inspection shall be maintained for six 
    months in or on the crane or derrick or at the terminal.
        (e) Protective devices. (1) When exposed moving parts such as 
    gears, chains and chain sprockets present a hazard to employees during 
    crane and derrick operations, those parts shall be securely guarded.
    
    [[Page 40215]]
    
        (2) Crane hooks shall be latched or otherwise secured to prevent 
    accidental load disengagement.
        (f) Load-indicating devices. (1) Unless exempted by the provisions 
    of paragraph (f)(1)(viii) of this section, every crane used to load or 
    discharge cargo into or out of a vessel shall be fitted with a load-
    indicating device or alternative device in proper working condition 
    that shall meet the following criteria:
        (i) The type or model of any load-indicating device used shall be 
    such as to provide:
        (A) A direct indication in the cab of actual weight hoisted or a 
    means of determining this by reference to crane ratings posted and 
    visible to the operator, except that the use of a dynamometer or simple 
    scale alone will not meet this requirement; or
        (B) An automatic weight-moment device (e.g., a computer) providing 
    indications in the cab according to the radius and load at the moment; 
    or
        (C) A device that will prevent an overloaded condition.
        (ii) The accuracy of the load-indicating device, weight-moment 
    device, or overload protection device shall be such that any indicated 
    load (or limit), including the sum of actual weight hoisted and 
    additional equipment or ``add ons'' such as slings, sensors, blocks, 
    etc., is within the range between 95 percent (5 percent underload) and 
    110 percent (10 percent overload) of the actual true total load. Such 
    accuracy shall be required over the range of daily operating variables 
    reasonably anticipated under the conditions of use.
        (iii) The device shall enable the operator to decide before making 
    any lift that the load indicating device or alternative device is 
    operative. In the alternative, if the device is not so mounted or 
    attached and does not include such means of checking, it shall be 
    certified by the manufacturer to remain operative for a specific time. 
    The device shall be checked for accuracy, using known values of the 
    load, at the time of every certification survey (see Sec. 1918.11) and 
    at such additional times as may be recommended by the manufacturer.
        (iv) When the load indicating device or alternative device is so 
    arranged in the supporting system (crane structure) that its failure 
    could cause the load to be dropped, its strength shall not be the 
    limiting factor of the supporting system (crane structure).
        (v) Units of measure in pounds or both pounds and kilograms (or 
    other indicators of measurement, such as colored indicator lights), 
    capacity of the indicating system, accuracy of the indicating system, 
    and operating instructions and precautions shall be conspicuously 
    marked. If the system used provides no readout but automatically ceases 
    crane operation when the rated load limit is reached under any specific 
    condition of use, the marking shall provide the make and model of the 
    device installed, a description of what it does, how it is operated, 
    and any necessary precautions regarding the system. All of these 
    markings shall be readily visible to the operator.
        (vi) All load indicating devices shall operate over the full 
    operating radius. Overall accuracy shall be based on actual applied 
    loads and not on full scale (full capacity) load.
    
        Note to paragraph (f)(1)(vi): If the accuracy of the load 
    indicating device is based on full scale loads and the device is 
    arbitrarily set at plus or minus 10 percent, it would accept a 
    reading between 90,000 and 110,000 lbs. at full capacity for a 
    machine with a maximum rating of 100,000 lbs. but would also show a 
    reading of between zero and 20,000 lbs. at that outreach (radius) at 
    which the load would be 10,000 lbs.; this is clearly unacceptable. 
    If, however, the accuracy of the device is based on actual applied 
    loads under the same conditions, the acceptable range would remain 
    the same with the 100,000-lb. load but would show a figure between 
    9,000 and 11,000 lbs. at the 10,000-lb. load; this is an acceptable 
    reading.
    
        (vii) When a load-indicating device uses the radius as a factor in 
    its use or in its operating indications, the indicated radius (which 
    may be in feet and/or meters, or degrees of boom angle, depending on 
    the system used) shall be within the range between 97 percent and 110 
    percent of the actual (true) radius. When radius is presented in 
    degrees, and feet or meters are required for necessary determinations, 
    a conversion chart shall be provided.
        (viii) The load indicating device requirements of this paragraph do 
    not apply to a crane:
        (A) Of the trolley equipped bridge type while handling containers 
    known to be and identified as empty, or loaded, and in either case 
    according to the provisions of Sec. 1918.85(b) of this part, or while 
    hoisting other lifts by means of a lifting beam supplied by the crane 
    manufacturer for the purpose and in all cases within the crane rating;
        (B) While handling bulk commodities or cargoes by means of 
    clamshell bucket or magnet;
        (C) While used to handle or hold hoses in connection with transfer 
    of bulk liquids, or other hose-handled products; or
        (D) While the crane is used exclusively to handle cargo or 
    equipment whose total actual gross weight is marked on the unit or 
    units hoisted, and the total actual gross weight never exceeds 11,200 
    lbs., and the load is less than the rated capacity of the crane at the 
    maximum outreach possible at the time.
        (2) [Reserved]
    
    
    Sec. 1918.67  Notifying the ship's officers before using certain 
    equipment.
    
        (a) The employer shall notify the officer in charge of the vessel 
    before bringing aboard ship internal combustion or electric powered 
    tools, equipment or vehicles.
        (b) The employer shall also notify the officer in charge of the 
    vessel before using the ship's electric power for the operation of any 
    electric tools or equipment.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.68  Grounding.
    
        The frames of portable electrical equipment and tools, other than 
    double insulated tools and battery operated tools, shall be grounded 
    through a separate equipment conductor run with or enclosing the 
    circuit conductors.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.69  Tools.
    
        (a) General. Employers shall not issue or permit the use of visibly 
    unsafe tools.
        (b) Portable electric tools. (1) Portable hand-held electric tools 
    shall be equipped with switches of a type that must be manually held in 
    position.
        (2) All portable, power-driven circular saws shall be equipped with 
    guards above and below the base plate or shoe. The upper guard shall 
    cover the saw to the depth of the teeth, except for the minimum arc 
    required to permit the base to be tilted for bevel cuts. The lower 
    guard shall cover the saw to the depth of the teeth, except for the 
    minimum arc required to allow proper retraction and contact with the 
    work. When the tool is withdrawn from the work, the lower guard shall 
    automatically and instantly return to the covering position.
    
    
    Secs. 1918.70-.80  [Reserved]
    
    Subpart H--Handling Cargo
    
    
    Sec. 1918.81  Slinging.
    
        (a) Drafts shall be safely slung before being hoisted. Loose 
    dunnage or debris hanging or protruding from loads shall be removed.
        (b) Cargo handling bridles, such as pallet bridles, which are to 
    remain attached to the hoisting gear while hoisting successive drafts, 
    shall be attached by shackles, or other positive means shall be taken 
    to prevent them from being accidentally disengaged from the cargo hook.
    
    [[Page 40216]]
    
        (c) Drafts of lumber, pipe, dunnage and other pieces, the top layer 
    of which is not bound by the sling, shall be slung in a way that 
    prevents sliders. Double slings shall be used on unstrapped dunnage, 
    unless, due to the size of hatch or deep tank openings, using them is 
    impracticable.
        (d) Case hooks shall be used only with cases designed to be hoisted 
    by these hooks.
        (e) Bales of cotton, wool, cork, wood pulp, gunny bags or similar 
    articles shall not be hoisted by straps unless the straps are strong 
    enough to support the weight of the bale. At least two hooks, each in a 
    separate strap, shall be used.
        (f) Unitized loads bound by bands or straps may be hoisted by the 
    banding or strapping only if the banding or strapping is suitable for 
    hoisting and is strong enough to support the weight of the load.
        (g) Additional means to maintain the unitized loads during hoisting 
    shall be employed to ensure safe lifting of such loads having damaged 
    banding or strapping.
        (h) Loads requiring continuous manual guidance during handling 
    shall be guided by guide ropes (tag lines) that are long enough to 
    control the load.
        (i) No draft shall be hoisted unless the winch or crane operator(s) 
    can clearly see the draft itself or see the signals of a signalman who 
    is observing the draft's movement.
        (j) Intermodal containers shall be handled in accordance with 
    Sec. 1918.85.
        (k) The employer shall require that employees stay clear of the 
    area beneath overhead drafts or descending lifting gear.
        (l) The employer shall not permit employees to ride the hook or the 
    load, except as provided for in Sec. 1918.85(g).
    
    
    Sec. 1918.82  Building drafts.
    
        (a) Drafts shall be built or means shall be taken to prevent cargo 
    from falling from them.
        (b) Buckets and tubs used in handling bulk or frozen cargo shall 
    not be loaded above their rims.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.83  Stowed cargo; tiering and breaking down.
    
        (a) When necessary to protect personnel working in a hold, the 
    employer shall secure or block stowed cargo that is likely to shift or 
    roll.
        (b) In breaking down stowed cargo, precautions shall be taken to 
    prevent remaining cargo from falling.
        (c) Employees trimming bulk cargo shall be checked in and out by 
    the job boss. Before securing any reefer compartment, a check shall be 
    made to ensure that no employee remains inside. Frequent checks shall 
    be made to ensure the safety of any employee working alone in a tank or 
    cargo compartment.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.84  Bulling cargo.
    
        (a) Bulling cargo shall be done with the bull line led directly 
    from the heel block. However, bulling may be done from the head of the 
    boom when the nature of the cargo and the surface over which it is 
    dragged are such that the load cannot be stalled, or when the winch 
    actually does not have sufficient strength, with the purchase used, to 
    overload the boom.
        (b) Snatch blocks shall be used to provide a fair lead for the bull 
    line to avoid unnecessary dragging of the bull line against coamings 
    and obstructions.
        (c) Snatch blocks shall not be used with the point of the hook 
    resting on the flange of a beam, but shall be hung from padeyes, 
    straps, or beam clamps. Snatch blocks or straps shall not be made fast 
    to batten cleats or other insecure fittings.
        (d) Beam frame clamps shall be so secured as to prevent their 
    slipping, falling, or being pulled from their stationary attachment.
        (e) Falls led from cargo booms of vessels shall not be used to move 
    scows, lighters or railcars.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.85  Containerized cargo operations.
    
        (a) Container markings. Every intermodal container shall be legibly 
    and permanently marked with:
        (1) The weight of the container when empty, in pounds;
        (2) The maximum cargo weight the container is designed to carry, in 
    pounds; and
        (3) The sum of the weight of the container and the maximum cargo 
    weight, in pounds.
        (b) Container weight. No container shall be hoisted by any lifting 
    appliance unless the following conditions have been met:
        (1) The employer shall determine from the carrier whether a 
    container to be hoisted is loaded or empty. Before loading or 
    discharging, empty containers shall be identified in a manner that will 
    inform every supervisor and job boss on the site and in charge of 
    loading or discharging, or every crane or other hoisting equipment 
    operator and signalman, that such container is empty. Methods of 
    identification may include cargo plans, manifests, or markings on the 
    container.
        (2) For a loaded container:
        (i) The actual gross weight shall be plainly marked and visible to 
    the crane or other hoisting equipment operator or signalman, or to 
    every supervisor or job boss on site and in charge of the operation; or
        (ii) The cargo stowage plan or equivalent permanently recorded 
    display serving the same purpose, containing the actual gross weight 
    and the serial number or other positive identification of that specific 
    container, shall be provided to the crane or other hoisting equipment 
    operator and signalman, and to every supervisor and job boss on site 
    and in charge of the operation.
        (3) Every outbound container received at a marine terminal ready to 
    load aboard a vessel without further consolidation or loading shall be 
    weighed to obtain the actual gross weight, either at the terminal or 
    elsewhere, before being hoisted.
        (4)(i) When container weighing scales are found at a marine 
    terminal, any outbound container with a load consolidated at that 
    terminal shall be weighed to obtain the actual weight before being 
    hoisted.
        (ii) If the terminal has no scales, the actual gross weight may be 
    calculated from the container's contents and the container's empty 
    weight. The weights used in the calculation shall be posted 
    conspicuously on the container, with the name of the person making the 
    calculation, and the date.
        (5) Open top vehicle-carrying containers, and those built 
    specifically and used solely for the carriage of compressed gases, are 
    excepted from paragraphs (b)(3) and (b)(4) of this section.
        (6) Closed dry van containers carrying vehicles are exempted from 
    paragraph (b)(4) of this section if:
        (i) The container carries only completely assembled vehicles and no 
    other cargo;
        (ii) The container is marked on the outside so that an employee can 
    readily discern that the container is carrying vehicles; and
        (iii) The vehicles were loaded into the container at the marine 
    terminal.
        (7) The weight of loaded inbound containers from foreign ports 
    shall be determined by weighing, by the method of calculation described 
    in paragraph (b)(4)(ii) of this section or by shipping documents.
        (8) Any scale used within the United States to weigh containers for 
    the requirements of this section shall meet the accuracy standards of 
    the state or local public authority in which the scale is found.
        (c) Overloaded containers. No container shall be hoisted if its 
    actual gross weight exceeds the weight marked as required in paragraph 
    (a)(3) of this section, or it exceeds the capacity of the lifting 
    appliance.
    
    [[Page 40217]]
    
        (d) Container inspection. (1) Prior to hoisting, each container 
    shall be inspected for any visible defects in structural members and 
    fittings that would make the handling of such container unsafe.
        (2) Any container found to have such a defect shall either be 
    handled by a special means to ensure safe handling or shall be emptied 
    before handling.
        (e) Suspended containers. The employer shall prohibit employees 
    from working beneath a suspended container.
        (f) Lifting fittings. Containers shall be handled using lifting 
    fittings or other arrangements suitable and intended for the purpose as 
    set forth in paragraphs (f)(1) through (f)(3) of this section, unless 
    damage to an intermodal container makes special means of handling 
    necessary.
        (1) Loaded intermodal containers. Loaded intermodal containers of 
    20 feet (6.1 m) or more shall be hoisted as follows:
        (i) When hoisting containers by the top fittings, the lifting 
    forces shall be applied vertically from at least four such fittings. A 
    less than vertical lift is permitted only under the following 
    conditions:
        (A) The container being lifted is an ISO ``closed box container'';
        (B) The condition of the box is sound;
        (C) The speed of hoisting and lowering is moderated when heavily 
    ladened containers \5\ are encountered;
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        \5\ A heavily laden container is one that is loaded to within 20 
    percent of its rated capacity.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (D) The lift angle is at 80 to 90 degrees;
        (E) The distance between the lifting beam and the load is at least 
    8 feet, 2.4 inches (2.5 m); and
        (F) The length of the spreader beam is at least 16.3 feet (5 m) for 
    a 20-foot container, and at least 36.4 feet (11 m) for a 40-foot 
    container.
        (ii) When hoisting containers from bottom fittings, the hoisting 
    connections shall bear on the fittings only, making no other contact 
    with the container. The angles of the four bridle legs shall not be 
    less than 30 degrees to the horizontal for 40-foot (12.2 m) containers; 
    37 degrees for 30-foot (9.1 m) containers; and 45 degrees for 20-foot 
    (6.1 m) containers.
        (iii) Lifting containers by fork lift trucks or grappling arms from 
    above or from one side may be done only if the container is designed 
    for this type of handling.
        (iv) Other means of hoisting may be used only if the containers and 
    hoisting means are designed for such use.
        (2) Intermodal container spreaders. (i) When using intermodal 
    container spreaders that employ lanyards for activation and load 
    disengagement, all possible precautions shall be taken to prevent 
    accidental release of the load.
        (ii) Intermodal container spreaders that utilize automatic twist 
    lock systems shall be designed and used so that a suspended load cannot 
    accidentally be released.
        (g) Safe container top access. A safe means of access shall be 
    provided for each employee required to work on the top of an intermodal 
    container. Unless ladders are used for access, such means shall comply 
    with the requirements of Sec. 1917.45(j) of this chapter.
        (h) Employee hoisting prohibition. Employees shall not be hoisted 
    on intermodal container spreaders while a load is engaged.
        (i) Portable ladder access. When other safer means are available, 
    portable ladders shall not be used in gaining access to container 
    stacks more than two containers high.
        (j) Fall protection. (1) Containers being handled by container 
    gantry cranes.
        (i) After July 26, 1999, where a container gantry crane is being 
    used to handle containers, the employer shall ensure that no employee 
    is on top of a container. Exception: An employee may be on top of a 
    container only to perform a necessary function that cannot be 
    eliminated by the use of positive container securing devices.\6\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \6\ Examples of work that may not be eliminated by positive 
    container securing devices and that may require employees to work on 
    top of containers include, but are not limited to: installing or 
    removing bridge clamps; hooking up or detaching over-height 
    containers; or freeing a jammed semi-automatic twist lock.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (ii) After July 26, 1999, the employer shall ensure that positive 
    container securing devices, such as semi-automatic twist locks and 
    above deck cell guides, are used wherever container gantry cranes are 
    used to hoist containers.
        (iii) The employer shall ensure that each employee on top of a 
    container is protected from fall hazards by a fall protection system 
    meeting the requirements of paragraph (k) of this section.
        (2) Containers being handled by other hoisting devices. Where 
    containers are being handled by hoisting devices other than container 
    gantry cranes, the employer shall ensure that each employee on top of a 
    container is protected by a fall protection system meeting the 
    requirements of paragraph (k) of this section.
        (3) Other exposure to fall hazards. The employer shall ensure that 
    each employee exposed to a fall hazard is protected by a fall 
    protection system meeting the requirements of paragraph (k) of this 
    section. Exception: Where the employer can demonstrate that fall 
    protection for an employee would be infeasible or create a greater 
    hazard due to vessel design, container design, container storage, other 
    cargo stowage, container handling equipment, lifting gear, or port 
    conditions, the employer shall alert the affected employee about the 
    fall hazard and instruct the employee in ways to minimize exposure to 
    that hazard.
        (k) Fall protection systems. When fall protection systems required 
    by paragraph (j) of this section are employed, the following shall 
    apply:
        (1) Each fall protection system component, except anchorages, shall 
    have fall arrest/restraint as its only use.
        (2) Each fall protection system subjected to impact loading shall 
    be immediately withdrawn from service and not be used again until 
    inspected and determined by a designated person to be undamaged and 
    suitable for use.
        (3) Each fall protection system shall be rigged so that a falling 
    employee cannot contact any lower level stowage or vessel structure.
        (4) Each fall protection system adopted for use shall have an 
    energy absorbing mechanism that will produce an arresting force on an 
    employee of not greater than 1800 pounds (8 kN).
        (5) Each component of a fall protection system shall be designed 
    and used to prevent accidental disengagement.
        (6) Each fall protection system's fixed anchorages shall be capable 
    of sustaining a force of 5,000 pounds (22.2 kN) or be certified as 
    capable of sustaining at least twice the potential impact load of an 
    employee's fall. Such certification must be made by a qualified 
    person.\7\ When more than one employee is attached to an anchorage, 
    these limits shall be multiplied by the number of employees attached.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \7\ For the purposes of this paragraph, qualified person means 
    one with a recognized degree or professional certificate and 
    extensive knowledge and experience in the subject field who is 
    capable of design, analysis, evaluation and specifications in the 
    subject work, project, or product.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (7) When ``live'' (activated) container gantry crane lifting beams 
    or attached devices are used as anchorage points, the following 
    requirements apply:
        (i) The crane shall be placed into a ``slow'' speed mode;
        (ii) The crane shall be equipped with a remote shut-off switch that 
    can stop trolley, gantry, and hoist functions and that is in the 
    control of the employee(s) attached to the beam; and
    
    [[Page 40218]]
    
        (iii) A visible or audible indicator shall be present to alert the 
    exposed employee(s) when the remote shut-off is operational.
        (8) Fall protection system components, other than the anchorages, 
    shall be certified as a unit of being capable of sustaining at least 
    twice the potential impact load of an employee's fall. Such 
    certification shall be made by a qualified person.\8\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \8\ For the purposes of this paragraph, qualified person means 
    one with a recognized degree or professional certificate and 
    extensive knowledge and experience in the subject field who is 
    capable of design, analysis, evaluation and specifications in the 
    subject work, project, or product.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (9) Each fall protection system shall incorporate the use of a full 
    body harness.
        (10) Each device, such as a safety cage, used to transport an 
    employee(s) by being attached to a container gantry crane spreader, 
    shall have a secondary means to prevent accidental disengagement and 
    the secondary means shall be engaged.
        (11) Each fall protection system shall be inspected before each 
    day's use by a designated person. Any defective components shall be 
    removed from service.
        (12) Before using any fall protection system, the employee shall be 
    trained in the use and application limits of the equipment, proper 
    hookup, anchoring and tie-off techniques, methods of use, and proper 
    methods of equipment inspection and storage.
        (13) The employer shall establish and implement a procedure to 
    retrieve personnel safely in case of a fall.
        (l) Working along unguarded edges. The employer shall provide, and 
    ensure that the employee use, fall protection meeting the requirements 
    of paragraph (k) of this section whenever the employee works along an 
    unguarded edge where a fall hazard exists (see Sec. 1918.2 ).
    
    
    Sec. 1918.86  Roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) operations \9\ (See also 
    Sec. 1918.25).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \9\ Ro-Ro operations occur only on Ro-Ro vessels which are 
    vessels whose cargo is driven on or off the vessel by way of ramps 
    and moved within the vessel by way of ramps and/or elevators.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (a) Traffic control system. An organized system of vehicular and 
    pedestrian traffic control shall be established and maintained at each 
    entrance/exit ramp and on ramps within the vessel as traffic flow 
    warrants.
        (b) Ramp load limit. Each ramp shall be plainly marked with its 
    load capacity. The marked capacity shall not be exceeded.
        (c) Pedestrian traffic. Stern and side port ramps also used for 
    pedestrian access shall meet the requirements of Sec. 1918.25. Such 
    ramps shall provide a physical separation between pedestrian and 
    vehicular routes. When the design of the ramp prevents physical 
    separation, a positive means shall be established to prevent 
    simultaneous use of the ramp by vehicles and pedestrians.
        (d) Ramp maintenance. Ramps shall be properly maintained and 
    secured.
        (e) Hazardous routes. Before the start of Ro-Ro operations, the 
    employer shall identify any hazardous routes or areas that could be 
    mistaken for normal drive-on/drive-off routes. Such hazardous routes 
    shall be clearly marked and barricaded.
        (f) Air brake connections. Each tractor shall have all air lines 
    connected when pulling trailers equipped with air brakes and shall have 
    the brakes tested before commencing operations.
        (g) Trailer load limits. After July 27, 1998, flat bed and low boy 
    trailers shall be marked with their cargo capacities and shall not be 
    overloaded.
        (h) Cargo weights. Cargo to be handled via a Ro-Ro ramp shall be 
    plainly marked with its weight in pounds (kilograms). Alternatively, 
    the cargo stow plan or equivalent record containing the actual gross 
    weight of the load may be used to determine the weight of the cargo.
        (i) Tractors. Tractors used in Ro-Ro operations shall have:
        (1) Sufficient power to ascend ramp inclines safely; and
        (2) Sufficient braking capacity to descend ramp inclines safely.
        (j) Safe speeds. Power driven vehicles used in Ro-Ro operations 
    shall be operated at speeds that are safe for prevailing conditions.
        (k) Ventilation. Internal combustion engine-driven vehicles shall 
    be operated only where adequate ventilation exists or is provided. (Air 
    contaminant requirements are found in Sec. 1918.94 and part 1910, 
    subpart Z, of this chapter.)
        (l) Securing cargo. Cargo loaded or discharged during Ro-Ro 
    operations shall be secured to prevent sliding loads.
        (m) Authorized personnel. Only authorized persons shall be 
    permitted on any deck while loading or discharging operations are being 
    conducted. Such authorized persons shall be equipped with high 
    visibility vests (or equivalent protection \10\ ).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \10\ Decals on hard hats will not be considered equivalent 
    protection for the purposes of this paragraph.
    
        Note to paragraph (m): High visibility vests or equivalent 
    protection means high visibility/retroreflective materials which are 
    intended to provide conspicuity of the user by day through the use 
    of high visibility (fluorescent) material and in the dark by vehicle 
    headlights through the use of retroreflective material. The minimum 
    area of material for a vest or equivalent protection is .5 
    m2 (760 in.\2\) for fluorescent (background) material and 
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    .13m2 (197 in.2) for retroreflective material.
    
        (n) Vehicle stowage positioning. Drivers shall not drive vehicles, 
    either forward or backward, while any personnel are in positions where 
    they could be struck.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.87  Ship's cargo elevators.
    
        (a) Safe working load. The safe working loads of ship's cargo 
    elevators shall be determined and followed.
        (b) Load distribution. Loads shall be evenly distributed and 
    maintained on the elevator's platform.
        (c) Elevator personnel restrictions. Personnel shall not be 
    permitted to ride on the elevator's platform if a fall hazard exists. 
    (See Sec. 1918.2.)
        (d) Open deck barricades. During elevator operation, each open deck 
    that presents a fall hazard to employees shall be effectively 
    barricaded.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.88  Log operations.
    
        (a) Working in holds. When loading logs into the holds of vessels 
    and using dumper devices to roll logs into the wings, the employer 
    shall ensure that employees remain clear of areas where logs being 
    dumped could strike, roll upon, or pin them.
        (b) Personal flotation devices. Each employee working on a log boom 
    shall be protected by a personal flotation device meeting the 
    requirements of Sec. 1918.105(b)(2).
        (c) Footwear. The employer shall provide each employee that is 
    working logs with appropriate footwear, such as spiked shoes or caulked 
    sandals, and shall ensure that each employee wears appropriate footwear 
    to climb or walk on logs.
        (d) Lifelines. When employees are working on log booms or cribs, 
    lifelines shall be furnished and hung overside to the water's edge.
        (e) Jacob's ladder. When a log boom is being worked, a Jacob's 
    ladder meeting the requirements of Sec. 1918.23 shall be provided for 
    each gang working alongside unless other safe means of access (such as 
    the vessel's gangway) is provided. However, no more than two Jacob's 
    ladders are required for any single log boom being worked.
        (f) Life-ring. When working a log boom alongside a ship, a U.S. 
    Coast Guard approved 30-inch (76.2 cm) life-ring, with no less than 90 
    feet (27.4 m) of line, shall be provided either on the floating unit 
    itself or aboard the ship close to each floating unit being worked.
    
    [[Page 40219]]
    
        (g) Rescue boat. When employees are working on rafts or booms, a 
    rescue boat capable of effecting an immediate rescue shall be 
    available. Powered rescue boats are required when the current exceeds 
    one knot.
        (h) Log rafts. When an employee is working logs out of the water, 
    walking sticks \11\ (safety sticks) shall be provided as follows:
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \11\ A ``walking stick'' is two logs bolted or otherwise secured 
    together with two or three planks firmly attached on top that serves 
    as a floating walking and working surface and that is used in the 
    loading of logs onto vessels from the water.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (1) They shall be planked and be no less than 24 inches (.61 m) 
    wide;
        (2) They shall extend along the entire length of all rafts on the 
    side(s) of the vessel being worked, and to the means of access to the 
    log raft(s); and
        (3) They shall be buoyant enough to keep the walking surface above 
    the waterline when employees are walking on them.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.89  Handling hazardous cargo (See also Sec. 1918.2 and 
    Sec. 1918.99).
    
        Hazardous cargo shall be slung and secured so that neither the 
    draft nor individual packages can fall because of tipping of the draft 
    or slacking of the supporting gear.
    
    Subpart I--General Working Conditions.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.90  Hazard communication.
    
        See Sec. 1918.1(b)(4).
    
    
    Sec. 1918.91  Housekeeping.
    
        (a) General. Active work areas shall be kept free of equipment, 
    such as lashing gear, and materials not in use, and clear of debris, 
    projecting nails, strapping and other objects not necessary to the work 
    in progress.
        (b) Slippery surfaces. The employer shall eliminate conditions 
    causing slippery walking and working surfaces in immediate areas used 
    by employees.
        (c) Free movement of drafts. Dunnage shall not be placed at any 
    location where it interferes with the free movement of drafts.
        (d) Dunnage height. Dunnage racked against sweat battens or 
    bulkheads shall not be used when the levels of such racks are above the 
    safe reach of employees.
        (e) Coaming clearance. Dunnage, hatch beams, tarpaulins or gear not 
    in use shall be stowed no closer than three feet (.91 m) to the port 
    and starboard sides of the weather deck hatch coaming.
        (f) Nails. (1) Nails that are protruding from shoring or fencing in 
    the work area shall be rendered harmless.
        (2) Dunnage, lumber, or shoring material in which there are visibly 
    protruding nails shall be removed from the work area, or, if left in 
    the area, the nails shall be rendered harmless.
        (g) Ice aloft. Employees shall be protected from ice that may fall 
    from aloft.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.92  Illumination.
    
        (a) Walking, working, and climbing areas. Walking, working, and 
    climbing areas shall be illuminated. Unless conditions described in the 
    regulations of the U.S. Coast Guard (33 CFR 154.570) exist for specific 
    operations, illumination for cargo transfer operations shall be of a 
    minimum light intensity of five foot-candles (54 lux). Where work tasks 
    require more light to be performed safely, supplemental lighting shall 
    be used.
        (b) Intensity measurement. The lighting intensity shall be measured 
    at the task/working surface, in the plane in which the task/working 
    surface is present.
        (c) Arrangement of lights. Lights shall be arranged so that they do 
    not shine into the eyes of winch-drivers, crane operators or hatch 
    tenders. On Ro-Ro ships, stationary lights shall not shine directly 
    into the eyes of drivers.
        (d) Portable lights. Portable lights shall meet the following 
    requirements:
        (1) Portable lights shall be equipped with substantial reflectors 
    and guards to prevent materials from coming into contact with the bulb.
        (2) Flexible electric cords used with temporary lights shall be 
    designed by the manufacturer for hard or extra-hard usage. Temporary 
    and portable lights shall not be suspended by their electric cords 
    unless the cords and lights are designed for this means of suspension. 
    Connections and insulation shall be maintained in safe condition.
        (3) Electric conductors and fixtures for portable lights shall be 
    so arranged as to be free from contact with drafts, running gear, and 
    other moving equipment.
        (4) Portable cargo lights furnished by the employer for use aboard 
    vessels shall be listed as approved for marine use by the U.S. Coast 
    Guard or by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (see 
    Sec. 1910.7).
        (e) Entry into darkened areas. Employees shall not be permitted to 
    enter dark holds, compartments, decks or other spaces without a 
    flashlight or other portable light. The use of matches or open flames 
    is prohibited.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.93  Hazardous atmospheres and substances (See also 
    Sec. 1918.2).
    
        (a) Purpose and scope. This section covers areas in which the 
    employer knows, or has reason to believe, that a hazardous atmosphere 
    or substance may exist, except where one or more of the following 
    sections apply: Sec. 1918.94(a), Carbon monoxide; Sec. 1918.94(b), 
    Fumigated grains; Sec. 1918.94(c), Fumigated tobacco; Sec. 1918.94(d), 
    Other fumigated cargoes; Sec. 1918.94(e), Catch of menhaden and similar 
    species of fish.
        (b) Determination of the hazard. When the employer knows, or has 
    reason to believe, that a space on a vessel contains or has contained a 
    hazardous atmosphere, a designated and appropriately equipped person 
    shall test the atmosphere prior to employee entry to detect whether a 
    hazardous atmosphere exists.
        (c) Testing during ventilation. When mechanical ventilation is used 
    to maintain a safe atmosphere, tests shall be made by a designated 
    person to ensure that the atmosphere is not hazardous.
        (d) Entry into hazardous atmospheres. Only designated persons shall 
    enter hazardous atmospheres, in which case the following provisions 
    shall apply:
        (1) Persons entering a space containing a hazardous atmosphere 
    shall be protected by respiratory and emergency protective equipment 
    meeting the requirements of subpart J of this part;
        (2) Persons entering a space containing a hazardous atmosphere 
    shall be instructed about the hazards, precautions to be taken, and the 
    use of protective and emergency equipment. Standby observers, similarly 
    equipped and instructed, shall continuously monitor the activity of 
    employees within such space;
        (3) Except in emergency or rescue operations, employees shall not 
    enter any atmosphere identified as flammable or oxygen-deficient (less 
    than 19.5% oxygen). Persons who may be required to enter flammable or 
    oxygen-deficient atmospheres in emergency operations shall be 
    instructed in the dangers attendant to those atmospheres and be 
    instructed in the use of self-contained breathing apparatus which shall 
    be used for entry.
        (4) To prevent inadvertent employee entry into spaces identified as 
    having hazardous, flammable or oxygen-deficient atmospheres, 
    appropriate warning signs or equivalent means shall be posted at all 
    means of access to those spaces.
        (e) Asbestos cargo leak. When the packaging of asbestos cargo 
    leaks, spillage shall be cleaned up by designated employees protected 
    from the harmful effects of asbestos as required by Sec. 1910.1001 of 
    this chapter.
    
    [[Page 40220]]
    
    Sec. 1918.94  Ventilation and atmospheric conditions (See also 
    Sec. 1918.2, definition of Hazardous cargo, materials, substance or 
    atmospheres).
    
        (a) Ventilation with respect to carbon monoxide. (1) When internal 
    combustion engines exhaust into a hold, intermediate deck, or any other 
    compartment, the employer shall ensure that the atmosphere is tested as 
    frequently as needed to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations 
    from exceeding allowable limits. Such tests shall be made in the area 
    in which employees are working by persons competent in the use of the 
    test equipment and procedures. If operations are in a deep tank or 
    refrigerated compartment, the first test shall be made within one half 
    hour of the time the engine starts. To decide the need for further 
    testing, the initial test in all other cargo handling areas shall be 
    taken no later than one hour after the time the engine starts.
        (i) The CO content of the atmosphere in a compartment, hold, or any 
    enclosed space shall be maintained at not more than 50 parts per 
    million (ppm) (0.005%) as an eight hour average area level and 
    employees shall be removed from the enclosed space if the CO 
    concentration exceeds a ceiling of 100 ppm (0.01%). Exception: The 
    ceiling shall be 200 ppm (0.02%) instead of 100 ppm (0.01%) for Ro-Ro 
    operations \12\
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        \12\ Ro-Ro operations occur only on Ro-Ro vessels which are 
    vessels whose cargo is driven on or off the vessel by way of ramps 
    and moved within the vessel by way of ramps and/or elevators.
    
        Note to paragraph (a)(1)(i): The term eight hour average area 
    level means that for any period in which the concentration exceeds 
    50 parts per million, the concentration shall be maintained for a 
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    corresponding period below 50 parts per million.
    
        (ii) When both natural ventilation and the vessel's ventilation 
    system are inadequate to keep the CO concentration within the allowable 
    limits, the employer shall use supplementary means to bring such 
    concentration within allowable limits, as determined by monitoring.
        (2) The intakes of portable blowers and any exposed belt drives 
    shall be guarded to prevent injury to employees.
        (3) The frames of portable blowers shall be grounded at the source 
    of the current by means of an equipment grounding conductor run with or 
    enclosing the circuit conductors. When the vessel is the source of the 
    current, the equipment grounding conductor shall be bonded to the 
    structure of the vessel. Electric cords shall be free from visible 
    defects.
        (b) Fumigated grains. (1) Before commencing to handle bulk grain in 
    any compartment of a vessel in which employees will or may be present, 
    the employer shall:
        (i) Determine whether the grain has been or will be fumigated at 
    the elevator; and
        (ii) Determine whether that compartment, or any cargo within it 
    loaded at a prior berth, has been treated with a fumigant or any other 
    chemical.
        (2) If fumigant or chemical treatment has been carried out, or if 
    there is reason to suspect that such treatment has been carried out, it 
    shall be determined by atmospheric testing that the compartment's 
    atmosphere is within allowable limits. (See paragraph (b)(3) of this 
    section.)
        (3) A test of the fumigant concentration in the atmosphere of the 
    compartment shall be made after loading begins and before employees 
    enter the compartment. Additional tests shall be made as often as 
    necessary to ensure that hazardous concentrations do not develop.
        (i) Tests for fumigant concentration shall be conducted by a 
    designated person, who shall be thoroughly familiar with the 
    characteristics of the fumigant being used, the correct procedure for 
    measurement, the proper measuring equipment to be used, the fumigant 
    manufacturers' recommendations and warnings, and the proper use of 
    personal protective equipment to guard against the specific hazard.
        (ii) If the concentration in any compartment reaches the level 
    specified as hazardous by the fumigant manufacturer, or exceeds the 
    permissible exposure limits of part 1910, subpart Z of this chapter, 
    whichever is lower, all employees shall be removed from such 
    compartments and shall not be permitted to reenter until tests prove 
    that the atmosphere is within allowable limits.
        (iii) No employee shall be permitted to enter any compartment in 
    which grain fumigation has been carried out, or any compartment 
    immediately next to such a compartment, until it has been determined by 
    testing that the atmosphere in the compartment to be entered is within 
    allowable limits for entry.
        (iv) In the event a compartment containing a hazardous or unknown 
    concentration of fumigants must be entered for testing of the 
    atmosphere, or for emergency purposes, each employee entering shall be 
    protected by respiratory protective equipment following the provisions 
    of Sec. 1918.102, and by any protective clothing and other personal 
    protective equipment recommended by the fumigant manufacturer for 
    protection against the particular hazard. At least two other employees 
    shall be stationed outside the compartment as observers, to provide 
    rescue services in case of emergency. The observers shall be equipped 
    with similar personal protective equipment.
        (v) One or more employees on duty shall be equipped and trained to 
    provide any specific emergency medical treatment stipulated for the 
    particular fumigant.
        (vi) Emergency equipment required by this paragraph shall be 
    readily accessible wherever fumigated grains are being handled.
        (4) If a compartment is treated for local infestation before 
    loading grain by a chemical other than a fumigant, the employee 
    applying the treatment, and any other employees entering the 
    compartment, shall be provided with and required to use any personal 
    protective equipment recommended by the manufacturer of the product to 
    protect them against the effects of exposure.
        (c) Fumigated tobacco. The employer shall not load break-bulk 
    tobacco until the carrier has provided written notification about 
    whether or not the cargo has been fumigated. If break-bulk tobacco 
    cargo has been treated with any toxic fumigant, loading shall not 
    commence until a written warranty has been received from the fumigation 
    facility that the aeration of the cargo has been such as to reduce the 
    concentration of the fumigant to within the level specified as 
    hazardous by the fumigant manufacturer, or does not exceed the 
    permissible exposure limits of part 1910, subpart Z of this chapter, 
    whichever is lower. Such notification and warranty shall be maintained 
    for at least 30 days after the loading of the tobacco has been 
    completed, and shall be available for inspection.
        (d) Other fumigated cargoes. Before commencing to load or discharge 
    fumigated cargo other than the cargo specifically addressed in 
    paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the employer shall determine 
    that the concentration of fumigants is within the level specified as 
    hazardous by the fumigant manufacturer, or does not exceed the 
    permissible exposure limits of part 1910, subpart Z of this chapter, 
    whichever is lower.
        (e) Grain dust. When employees are exposed to concentrations of 
    grain dust greater than the allowable limit found in subpart Z of part 
    1910 of this chapter, they shall be protected by suitable respiratory 
    protective equipment as required by Sec. 1918.102.
        (f) Catch of menhaden and similar species of fish. (1) The 
    provisions of this
    
    [[Page 40221]]
    
    paragraph shall not apply to vessels having and utilizing refrigerated 
    holds for the carriage of all cargo.
        (2) After a vessel has arrived at berth for discharge of menhaden, 
    but before personnel enter the hold, and as frequently thereafter as 
    tests show to be necessary, tests shall be made of the atmosphere in 
    the vessel's hold to ensure a safe work space. The tests shall be done 
    for the presence of hydrogen sulfide and for oxygen deficiency.
        (3) Tests required by paragraph (f)(2) of this section shall be 
    made by designated supervisory personnel, trained and competent in the 
    nature of hazards and the use of test equipment and procedures.
        (4) Before employees enter a hold it shall be tested for hydrogen 
    sulfide and oxygen deficiency. Employees shall not enter the hold when 
    the hydrogen sulfide level exceeds 20 ppm ceiling or when the oxygen 
    content is less than 19.5 percent, except in emergencies.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.95  Sanitation.
    
        (a) Washing and toilet facilities. (1) Accessible washing and 
    toilet facilities sufficient for the sanitary requirements of employees 
    shall be readily accessible at the worksite. The facilities shall have:
        (i) Running water, including hot and cold or tepid water, at a 
    minimum of one accessible location (when longshoring operations are 
    conducted at locations without permanent facilities, potable water may 
    be provided instead of running water);
        (ii) Soap;
        (iii) Individual hand towels, clean individual sections of 
    continuous toweling, or warm air blowers; and
        (iv) Fixed or portable toilets in separate compartments with latch-
    equipped doors. Separate toilet facilities shall be provided for male 
    and female employees unless toilet rooms will be occupied by only one 
    person at a time.
        (2) Washing and toilet facilities shall be regularly cleaned and 
    maintained in good order.
        (b) Drinking water. (1) Potable drinking water shall be accessible 
    to employees at all times.
        (2) Potable drinking water containers shall be clean, containing 
    only water and ice, and shall be fitted with covers.
        (3) Common drinking cups are prohibited.
        (c) Prohibited eating areas. Consumption of food or beverages in 
    areas where hazardous materials are stowed or being handled is 
    prohibited.
        (d) Garbage and overboard discharges. Work shall not be conducted 
    close to uncovered garbage or in the way of overboard discharges from 
    the vessel's sanitary lines unless employees are protected from the 
    garbage or discharge by a baffle or splash boards.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.96  Maintenance and repair work in the vicinity of 
    longshoring operations.
    
        (a) Noise interference (See also Sec. 1918.1(b)(6).) Longshoring 
    operations shall not be carried on when noise interferes with 
    communications of warnings or instructions.
        (b) Falling objects. Longshoring operations shall not be carried on 
    in the hold or on deck beneath work being conducted overhead whenever 
    such work exposes the employee to a hazard of falling objects.
        (c) Hot work. Longshoring operations shall not be carried on where 
    the employee is exposed to damaging light rays, hot metal, or sparks 
    from welding or cutting.
        (d) Abrasive blasting and spray painting. Longshoring operations 
    shall not be carried on in the immediate vicinity of abrasive blasting 
    or spray painting operations.
        (e) Machine guarding. (See also Sec. 1918.2, definition of ``Danger 
    zone''.)
        (1) Danger zones on machines and equipment used by employees shall 
    be guarded.
        (2) The power supply to machines shall be turned off, locked out, 
    and tagged out during repair, adjustment, or servicing.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.97  First aid and lifesaving facilities. (See Appendix V of 
    this part).
    
        (a) Injury reporting. The employer shall require each employee to 
    report every work-related injury, regardless of severity, to the 
    employer.
        (b) First aid. A first aid kit shall be available at or near each 
    vessel being worked. At least one person holding a valid first aid 
    certificate, such as is issued by the Red Cross or other equivalent 
    organization, shall be available to render first aid when work is in 
    progress.
        (c) First aid kits. First aid kits shall be weatherproof and shall 
    contain individual sealed packages for each item that must be kept 
    sterile. The contents of each kit shall be determined by a person 
    certified in first aid and cognizant of the hazards found in marine 
    cargo handling operations. The contents shall be checked at intervals 
    that allow prompt replacement of expended items.
        (d) Stretchers. (1) For each vessel being worked, at least one 
    Stokes basket stretcher, or its equivalent, shall be available to be 
    permanently equipped with bridles for attachment to the hoisting gear.
        (2) Stretchers shall be kept close to vessels and shall be 
    positioned to avoid damage to the stretcher.
        (3) A blanket or other suitable covering shall be available.
        (4) Stretchers shall have at least four sets of effective patient 
    restraints in operable condition.
        (5) Lifting bridles shall be of adequate strength, capable of 
    lifting 1,000 pounds (454 kg) with a safety factor of five (lifting 
    capability of 5,000 pounds), and shall be maintained in operable 
    condition. Lifting bridles shall be provided for making vertical 
    patient lifts at container berths. Stretchers for vertical lifts shall 
    have foot plates.
        (6) Stretchers shall be maintained in operable condition. Struts 
    and braces shall be inspected for damage. Wire mesh shall be secured 
    and have no burrs. Damaged stretchers shall not be used until repaired.
        (7) Stretchers in permanent locations shall be mounted to prevent 
    damage and be protected from the elements if located out-of-doors. If 
    concealed from view, enclosures shall be marked to indicate the 
    location of the lifesaving equipment.
        (e) Life-rings. (1) The employer shall ensure that there is in the 
    vicinity of each vessel being worked at least one U.S. Coast Guard 
    approved 30-inch (76.2 cm) life-ring with no less than 90 feet (27.4 m) 
    of line attached, and at least one portable or permanent ladder that 
    will reach from the top of the apron to the surface of the water.
        (2) In addition, when working a barge, scow, raft, lighter, log 
    boom, or carfloat alongside a ship, a U.S. Coast Guard approved 30-inch 
    (76.2 cm) life-ring, with no less than 90 feet (27.4 m) of line shall 
    be provided either on the floating unit itself or aboard the ship in 
    the immediate vicinity of each floating unit being worked.
        (f) Communication. Telephone or equivalent means of communication 
    shall be readily available at the worksite.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.98  Qualifications of machinery operators and supervisory 
    training.
    
        (a) Qualification of machinery operators. (1) Only an employee 
    determined by the employer to be competent by reason of training or 
    experience, and who understands the signs, notices and operating 
    instructions and is familiar with the signal code in use, shall be 
    permitted to operate a crane, winch, or other power-operated cargo 
    handling apparatus, or any power-operated vehicle, or give signals to 
    the operator of any hoisting apparatus. However, an employee being 
    trained and supervised by a designated person may operate such 
    machinery and give signals to operators during training.
    
    [[Page 40222]]
    
        (2) No employee known to have defective uncorrected eyesight or 
    hearing, or to be suffering from heart disease, epilepsy, or similar 
    ailments that may suddenly incapacitate the employee, shall be 
    permitted to operate a crane, winch or other power-operated cargo 
    handling apparatus or a power-operated vehicle.
    
        Note to paragraph (a)(2): OSHA is defining suddenly 
    incapacitating medical ailments consistent with the Americans with 
    Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. 12101 (1990). Therefore, employers 
    who act in accordance with the employment provisions (Title I) of 
    the ADA (42 U.S.C. 12111-12117), the regulations implementing Title 
    I (29 CFR part 1630), and the Technical Assistance Manual for Title 
    I issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Publication 
    number: EEOC-M1A), will be considered as being in compliance with 
    this paragraph.
    
        (b) Supervisory accident prevention proficiency. (1) By July 16, 
    1999, each immediate supervisor of a cargo handling operation of more 
    than five persons shall satisfactorily complete a course in accident 
    prevention.
        (2) Each employee newly assigned to supervisory duties after that 
    date shall be required to meet the provisions of this paragraph within 
    90 days of such assignment.
        (3) The accident prevention course shall consist of instruction 
    suited to the particular operations involved.\13\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \13\ The following are recommended topics: Safety responsibility 
    and authority; elements of accidents prevention; attitudes, 
    leadership and motivation; hazards of longshoring, including 
    peculiar local circumstances; hazard identification and elimination; 
    applicable regulations; and accident investigations.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    Sec. 1918.99  Retention of DOT markings, placards and labels.
    
        (a) Any employer who receives a package of hazardous material that 
    is required to be marked, labeled or placarded in accordance with the 
    U.S. Department of Transportation's Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 
    CFR parts 171 through 180) shall retain those markings, labels and 
    placards on the package until the packaging is sufficiently cleaned of 
    residues and purged of vapors to remove any potential hazards.
        (b) Any employer who receives a freight container, rail freight 
    car, motor vehicle, or transport vehicle that is required to be marked 
    or placarded in accordance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations 
    shall retain those markings and placards on the freight container, rail 
    freight car, motor vehicle or transport vehicle until the hazardous 
    materials that require the marking or placarding are sufficiently 
    removed to prevent any potential hazards.
        (c) Markings, placards and labels shall be maintained in a manner 
    that ensures that they are readily visible.
        (d) For non-bulk packages that will not be reshipped, the 
    provisions of the section are met if a label or other acceptable 
    marking is affixed in accordance with OSHA's Hazard Communication 
    Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200).
        (e) For the purposes of this section, the term ``hazardous 
    material'' has the same definition as in the Hazardous Materials 
    Regulations (49 CFR parts 171 through 180).
    
    
    Sec. 1918.100  Emergency action plans.
    
        (a) Scope and application. This section requires all employers to 
    develop and implement an emergency action plan.\14\ The emergency 
    action plan shall be in writing (except as provided in the last 
    sentence of paragraph (e)(iii) of this section) and shall cover those 
    designated actions employers and employees must take to ensure employee 
    safety from fire and other emergencies.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \14\ When an employer directs his employees to respond to an 
    emergency that is beyond the scope of the Emergency Action Plan 
    developed in accordance with this section Sec. 1910.120(q) shall 
    apply.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        (b) Elements. The following elements, at a minimum, shall be 
    included in the plan:
        (1) Emergency escape procedures and emergency escape route 
    assignments;
        (2) Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate 
    critical operations before they evacuate;
        (3) Procedures to account for all employees after emergency 
    evacuation has been completed;
        (4) Rescue and medical duties for those employees who are to 
    perform them;
        (5) The preferred means of reporting fires and other emergencies; 
    and
        (6) Names or regular job titles of persons or departments that can 
    be contacted for further information or explanation of duties under the 
    plan.
        (c) Alarm system. The employer shall establish an employee alarm 
    system that provides warning for necessary emergency action or for 
    reaction time for safe escape of employees from the workplace or the 
    immediate work area, or both.
        (d) Evacuation. The employer shall establish the types of 
    evacuation to be used in emergency circumstances.
        (e) Training. (1) Before implementing the emergency action plan, 
    the employer shall designate and train a sufficient number of persons 
    to assist in the safe and orderly emergency evacuation of employees.
        (2) The employer shall review the plan with each employee covered 
    by the plan at the following times:
        (i) Initially when the plan is developed;
        (ii) Whenever the employee's responsibilities or designated actions 
    under the plan change; and
        (iii) Whenever the plan is changed.
        (3) The employer shall review with each employee upon initial 
    assignment those parts of the plan that the employee must know to 
    protect the employee in the event of an emergency. The written plan 
    shall be kept at the workplace and made available for employee review. 
    Employers with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to 
    employees and need not maintain a written plan.
    
    Subpart J--Personal Protective Equipment
    
    
    Sec. 1918.101  Eye and face protection.
    
        (a) The employer shall ensure that:
        (1) Each affected employee uses appropriate eye and/or face 
    protection where there are exposures to eye and/or face hazards. Such 
    equipment shall comply with American National Standards Institute, ANSI 
    Z-87.1-1989, ``Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face 
    Protection.''
        (2) For an employee wearing corrective glasses, eye protection 
    equipment required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall be of the 
    type that can be worn over glasses. Prescription-ground safety lenses 
    may be substituted if they provide equivalent protection.
        (b) Eye protection shall be maintained in good condition.
        (c) Used eye protection shall be cleaned and disinfected before 
    issuance to another employee.
    
    
    Sec. 1918.102  Respiratory protection.
    
        See Sec. 1918.1(b)(12).
    
    
    Sec. 1918.103  Head protection.
    
        (a) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee wears a 
    protective helmet when working in areas where there is a potential for 
    injury to the head from falling objects.
        (b) Such equipment shall comply with American National Standards 
    Institute, ANSI Z-89.1-1986, ``Personnel Protection-Protective Headwear 
    for Industrial Workers-Requirements.''
        (c) Previously worn protective hats shall be cleaned and 
    disinfected before issuance by the employer to another employee.
    
    [[Page 40223]]
    
    Sec. 1918.104  Foot protection.
    
        (a) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee wears 
    protective footwear when working in areas where there is a danger of 
    foot injuries due to falling or rolling objects or objects piercing the 
    sole.
        (b) Such equipment shall comply with American National Standards 
    Institute, ANSI Z-41-1991, ``American National Standard for Personal 
    Protection-Protective Footwear.''
    
    
    Sec. 1918.105  Other protective measures.
    
        (a) Protective clothing. (1) The employer shall provide and shall 
    require the wearing of special protective clothing for each employee 
    engaged in work where protective clothing is necessary.
        (2) When necessary, protective clothing shall be cleaned and 
    disinfected before reissuance.
        (b) Personal flotation devices (PFDs). (1) The employer shall 
    provide and shall require the wearing of PFDs for each employee engaged 
    in work in which the employee might fall into the water.
        (2) PFDs (life preservers, life jackets, and work vests) worn by 
    each affected employee shall be any United States Coast Guard (USCG) 
    approved and marked Type I PFD, Type II PFD or Type III PFD; or shall 
    be a USCG approved Type V PFD that is marked for use as a work vest, 
    for commercial use, or for use on vessels. USCG approval is pursuant to 
    46 CFR part 160, Coast Guard Lifesaving Equipment Specifications.
        (3) Personal flotation devices shall be maintained in safe 
    condition and shall be considered unserviceable when damaged in a 
    manner that affects buoyancy or fastening capability.
    
    Appendix I to Part 1918--Cargo Gear Register and Certificates (Non-
    mandatory)
    
        Note: This Appendix is non-mandatory and provides guidance to 
    part 1918 to assist employers and employees in complying with the 
    requirements of this standard, as well as to provide other helpful 
    information. Nothing in this Appendix adds or detracts from any of 
    the requirements of this standard. The language in this appendix is 
    taken directly from the recommended ILO document.
    
    Form No. 1
    
    Identity of National Authority or Competent Organization
    
    Register of Ships' Lifting Appliances and Cargo Handling Gear
    
    Name of Ship-----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Official Number--------------------------------------------------------
    
    Call Sign--------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Port of Registry-------------------------------------------------------
    
    Name of Owner----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Register Number--------------------------------------------------------
    
    Date of Issue----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Issued by--------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Signature and Stamp----------------------------------------------------
    
        Note: This register is the standard international form as 
    recommended by the International Labour Office in accordance with 
    the ILO Convention No. 152.
    
    General
    
        The tests, examinations and inspections indicated in this 
    register are based on the requirements of ILO Convention 152 and 
    Recommendation 160. They are intended to ensure that ships having 
    lifting appliances are initially certified by a competent person, 
    and to establish periodically that they continue to be in safe 
    working order to the satisfaction of a competent person acceptable 
    to a competent authority. A Register of lifting appliances and items 
    of loose gear shall be kept in a form prescribed by the competent 
    authority, account being taken of this model recommended by the 
    International Labour Office. This Register and related certificates 
    shall be kept available to any person authorized by the competent 
    authority. The Register and certificates for gear currently aboard 
    the ship shall be preserved for at least five years after the date 
    of the last entry.
    
    Instruction
    
    1. Initial Examination and Certification
    
        1.1. Every lifting appliance shall be certified by a competent 
    person before being taken into use for the first time to ensure that 
    it is of good design and construction and of adequate strength for 
    the purpose for which it is intended.
        1.2. Before being taken into use for the first time, a competent 
    person shall supervise and witness testing, and shall thoroughly 
    examine every lifting appliance.
        1.3. Every item of loose gear shall, before being taken into use 
    for the first time, shall be tested, thoroughly examined and 
    certified by a competent person, in accordance with national law or 
    regulations.
        1.4. Upon satisfactory completion of the procedures indicated 
    above, the competent person shall complete and issue the Register of 
    lifting appliances and attach the appropriate certificates. An entry 
    shall be made in part I of the Register.
        1.5. A rigging plan showing the arrangement of lifting 
    appliances shall be provided. In the case of derricks and derrick 
    cranes, the rigging should show at least the following information:
        (a) The position of guys;
        (b) The resultant force on blocks, guys, wire ropes and booms;
        (c) The position of blocks;
        (d) The identification mark of individual items; and
        (e) Arrangements and working range of union purchase.
    
    2. Periodic Examination and Re-testing
    
        2.1. All lifting appliances and every item of loose gear shall 
    be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once in every 
    twelve months. The particulars of these thorough examinations shall 
    be entered in part I of the Register.
        2.2. Re-testing and thorough examination of all lifting 
    appliances and every item of loose gear is to be carried out:
        (a) after any substantial alteration or renewal, or after repair 
    to any stress bearing part, and
        (b) in the case of lifting appliances, at least once in every 
    five years.
        2.3. The retesting referred to in paragraph 2.2(a) may be 
    omitted provided the part which has been renewed or repaired is 
    subjected by separate test, to the same stress as would be imposed 
    on it if it had been tested in-situ during the testing of the 
    lifting appliance.
        2.4. The thorough examinations and tests referred to in 
    paragraph 2.2. are to be entered in part I of the Register.
        2.5. No new item of loose gear shall be manufactured of wrought 
    iron. Heat treatment of any existing wrought iron components should 
    be carried out to the satisfaction of the competent person. No heat 
    treatment should be applied to any item of loose gear unless the 
    treatment is in accordance with the manufacturer's instruction; and 
    to the satisfaction of the competent person. Any heat treatment and 
    the associated examination are to be recorded by the competent 
    person in part I of the Register.
    
    3. Inspections
    
        3.1. Regular visual inspections of every item of loose gear 
    shall be carried out by a responsible person before use. A record of 
    these regular inspections is to be entered in part II of the 
    Register, but entries need only be made when the inspection has 
    indicated a defect in the item.
    
    4. Certificates
    
        4.1. The certification forms to be used in conjunction with this 
    Register (Form No. 1) are as follows:
        (Form No. 2)--Certificate of test and thorough examination of 
    lifting appliance.
        (Form No. 2(U))--Certificate of test and thorough examination of 
    derricks used in union purchase.
        (Form No. 3)--Certificate of test and thorough examination of 
    loose gear.
        (Form No. 4)--Certificate of test and thorough examination of 
    wire rope.
    
    Definitions
    
        (a) The term ``competent authority'' means a minister, 
    government department, or other authority empowered to issue 
    regulations, orders or other instructions having the force of law.
        (b) The term ``competent person'' means a person appointed by 
    the master of the ship or the owner of the gear to be responsible 
    for the performance of inspections and who has sufficient knowledge 
    and experience to undertake such inspections.
        (c) The term ``thorough examination'' means a detailed visual 
    examination by a competent person, supplemented if necessary by 
    other suitable means or measures in order to arrive at a reliable 
    conclusion as to the safety of the lifting appliance or item of 
    loose gear examined.
        (d) The term ``lifting appliance'' covers all stationary or 
    mobile cargo handling appliances used on board ship for
    
    [[Page 40224]]
    
    suspending, raising or lowering loads or moving them from one 
    position to another while suspended or supported.
        (e) The term ``loose gear'' covers any gear by means of which a 
    load can be attached to a lifting appliance, but which does not form 
    an integral part of the appliance or load.
    
                        The Following Are Sample Forms of Certificates as Recommended by the ILO                    
                           [Part I--Thorough Examination of Lifting Appliances and Loose Gear]                      
                                                                                                                    
                                                                        I certify that on the                       
                                                                         date to which I have                       
                                                                             appended my                            
                                                                         signature, the gear                        
     Situation and description of                                       shown in col. (1) was                       
     lifting appliances and loose                                        thoroughly examined                        
       gear (with distinguishing    Certificate  Examination performed      and no defects      Remarks (to be dated
       numbers or marks, if any)        Nos.          (see note 2)        affecting its safe        and signed)     
      which have been thoroughly                                          working condition                         
        examined. (See note 1)                                          were found other than                       
                                                                         those shown in col.                        
                                                                            (5) (date and                           
                                                                              signature)                            
    (1)                                     (2)  (3)..................  (4)..................  (5)                  
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    ...........  .....................  .....................  .....................
                                    ...........  .....................  .....................  .....................
                                    ...........  .....................  .....................  .....................
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Note 1: If all the lifting appliances are thoroughly examined on the same date it will be sufficient to enter in
      Col. (1) ``All lifting appliances and loose gear''. If not, the parts that have been thoroughly examined on   
      the dates stated must be clearly indicated.                                                                   
    Note 2: The thorough examinations to be indicated in Col. (3) include:                                          
      (a) Initial.                                                                                                  
      (b) 12 monthly.                                                                                               
      (c) 5 yearly.                                                                                                 
      (d) Repair/Damage.                                                                                            
      (e) Other thorough examinations.                                                                              
    
    
                                                                            
                  [Part II--Regular Inspections of Loose Gear]              
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Situation and description of                                            
          loose gear (with         Signature and date                       
      distinguishing numbers or    of the responsible   Remarks (to be dated
    marks, if any) that has been   person carrying out       and signed)    
      inspected.  (See note 1)       the inspection                         
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
                                                                            
                                                                            
                                                                            
                                                                            
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Note 1: All loose gear should be inspected before use. However, entries
      need only be made when the inspection discloses a defect.             
    
    Form No. 2
    
    Identity of National Authority or Competent Organization
    
    Certificate of Test and Thorough Examination of Lifting Appliances
    
    Name of Ship-----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Official Number--------------------------------------------------------
    
    Call Sign--------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Port of Registry-------------------------------------------------------
    
    Name of Owner----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Certificate No.--------------------------------------------------------
    
                                                                                                                    
       Situation and description of                                                                                 
         lifting appliances (with       Angle to the horizontal                               Safe working load at  
     distinguishing numbers or marks,   or radius at which test      Test load (tonnes)     angle or radius shown in
      if any) which have been tested          load applied                                       col. 2 (tonnes)    
         and thoroughly examined                                                                                    
    (1)                                (2)......................  (3).....................  (4)                     
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Name and address of the firm or competent person who witnessed 
    testing and carried out thorough examination.
        I certify that on the date to which I have appended my 
    signature, the gear shown in Col. (1) was tested and thoroughly 
    examined and no defects or permanent deformation was found and that 
    the safe working load is as shown.
    
    Date:------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Place:-----------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Signature:-------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Note: This certificate is the standard international form as 
    recommended by the International Labor Office in accordance with ILO 
    Convention No. 152.
    
    [[Page 40225]]
    
    Reverse of Form No. 2
    
    Instructions
    
        1. Every lifting appliance shall be tested with a test load 
    which shall exceed the Safe Working Load (SWL) as follows:
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      SWL                               Test load           
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Up to 20 tonnes........................  25 percent in excess.          
    20 to 50 tonnes........................  5 tonnes in excess.            
    Over 50 tonnes.........................  10 percent in excess.          
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        2. In the case of derrick systems, the test load shall be lifted 
    with the ship's normal tackle with the derrick at the minimum angle 
    to the horizontal for which the derrick system was designed 
    (generally 15 degrees), or at such greater angle as may be agreed. 
    The angle at which the test was made should be stated in the 
    certificate.
        2.1. The SWL shown is applicable to swinging derrick systems 
    only. When derricks are used in union purchase, the SWL (U) is to be 
    shown on Form 2 (U).
        2.2. In the case of heavy derricks, care should be taken to 
    ensure that the appropriate stays are correctly rigged.
        3. In the case of cranes, the test load is to be hoisted and 
    luffed at slow speed. Gantry and traveling cranes together with 
    their trolleys, where appropriate, are to be traversed and traveled 
    over the full length of their track.
        3.1. In the case of variable load-radius cranes, the tests are 
    generally to be carried out with the appropriate test load at 
    maximum, minimum and intermediate radii.
        3.2. In the case of hydraulic cranes where limitations of 
    pressure make it impossible to lift a test load 25 percent in excess 
    of the safe working load, it will be sufficient to lift the greatest 
    possible load, but in general this should not be less than 10 
    percent in excess of the safe working load.
        4. As a general rule, tests should be carried out using test 
    loads, and no exception should be allowed in the case of initial 
    tests. In the case of repairs/replacement or when the periodic 
    examination calls for re-test, consideration may be given to the use 
    of spring or hydraulic balances provided the SWL of the lifting 
    appliance does not exceed 15 tonnes. Where a spring or hydraulic 
    balance is used, it shall be calibrated and accurate to within 
    2 percent and the indicator should remain constant for 
    five minutes.
        4.1. If the test weights are not used, this is to be indicated 
    in Col. (3).
        5. The expression ``tonne'' shall mean a tonne of 1000 kg.
        6. The terms ``competent person'', ``thorough examination'', and 
    ``lifting appliance'' are defined in Form No. 1.
    
        Note: For recommendations on test procedures reference may be 
    made to the ILO document ``Safety and Health in Dock Work''.
    
    Form No. 2(U)
    
    Identity of National Authority or Competent Organization
    
    Certificate of Test and Thorough Examination of Derricks Used in Union 
    Purchase
    
    Name of Ship-----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Official Number--------------------------------------------------------
    
    Call Sign--------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Port of Registry-------------------------------------------------------
    
    Name of Owner----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Certificate No.--------------------------------------------------------
    
                                                                                                                    
       Situation and description of                                                                                 
     derricks used in Union Purchase    Max. height of triangle                              Safe working load, SWL 
     (with distinguishing numbers or   plate above hatch coaming     Test load (tonnes)      when operating in union
    marks) which have been tested and  (m) or max. angle between                                purchase (tonnes)   
           thoroughly examined                  runners                                                             
    (1)                                (2)......................  (3).....................  (4)                     
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Position of outboard preventer guy attachments:
        (a) forward/aft * of mast--(m) and
        (b) from ship's centerline--(m)
    Position of inboard preventer guy attachments:
        (a) forward/aft * of mast--(m) and
        (b) from ship's centerline--(m)
    
        * Delete as appropriate.
        Name and address of the firm or competent person who witnessed 
    testing and carried out thorough examination
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        I certify that on the date to which I have appended my 
    signature, the gear shown in Col. (1) was tested and thoroughly 
    examined and no defects or permanent deformation was found and that 
    the safe working load is as shown.
    
    Date:------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Signature:-------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Place:-----------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Note: This certificate is the standard international form as 
    recommended by the International Labour Office in accordance with 
    ILO Convention No. 152.
    
    Reverse Form No. 2 (U)
    
    Instructions
    
        1. Before being taken into use, the derricks rigged in Union 
    Purchase shall be tested with a test load which shall exceed the 
    Safe Working Load (SWL (U)) as follows:
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      SWL                               Test load           
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Up to 20 tonnes........................  25 percent in excess.          
    20 to 50 tonnes........................  5 tonnes in excess.            
    Over 50 tonnes.........................  10 percent in excess.          
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        2. Tests are to be carried out at the approved maximum height of 
    the triangle plate above the hatch coaming or at the angle between 
    the cargo runners and with the derrick booms in their working 
    positions, to prove the strength of deck eye plates and the Union 
    Purchase system. These heights or angles must not exceed the values 
    shown on the rigging plan.
        3. Tests should be carried out using test loads.
        4. The expression ``tonne'' shall mean a tonne of 1000 kg.
        5. The terms ``competent person'', ``thorough examination'' and 
    ``lifting appliance'' are defined in Form No. 1.
    
        Note: For recommendations on test procedures, reference may be 
    made to the ILO document ``Safety and Health in Dock Work''.
    
    Form 3
    
    Identity of National Authority or Competent Organization
    
    Certificate of Test and Thorough Examination of Loose Gear
    
    Name of Ship-----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Official Number--------------------------------------------------------
    
    Call Sign--------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Port of Registry-------------------------------------------------------
    
    Name of Owner----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Certificate No.--------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    [[Page 40226]]
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Description                                          Safe work 
             Distinguishing number or mark             of loose      Number      Date of     Test load    load (SWL)
                                                         gear        tested        test       (tonnes)     (tonnes) 
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Name and address of makers or suppliers:
        Name and address of the firm or competent person who witnessed 
    testing and carried out thorough examination.
        I certify that the above items of loose gear were tested and 
    thoroughly examined and no defects affecting their SWL were found.
    
    Date:------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Place:-----------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Signature:-------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Note: This certificate is the standard international form as 
    recommended by the International Labour Office in accordance with 
    ILO Convention No. 152.
    
    Reverse Form No. 3
    
    Instructions
    
        1. Every item of loose gear is to be tested and thoroughly 
    examined before being put into use for the first time and after any 
    substantial alteration or repair to any part liable to affect its 
    safety. The test loads to be applied shall be in accordance with the 
    following table:
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Item                          Test load (tonnes)     
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Single sheave blocks (See Note 1).........  4  x  SWL                   
    Multi sheave blocks (See Note 2):                                       
        SWL < 25="" tonnes.......................="" 2="" x="" swl="" 25="" tonnes="">< swl=""> 160 tonnes  (0.933  x  SWL) + 27        
        SWL > 160 tonnes......................  1.1  x  SWL                 
    Chains, hooks, rings, shackles, swivels,                                
     etc.:                                                                  
        SWL < 25="" tonnes.......................="" 2="" x="" swl="" swl=""> 25 tonnes.......................  (1.22  x  SWL) + 20         
    Lifting beams, spreaders, frames and                                    
     similar devices:                                                       
        SWL  10 tonnes.............  2  x  SWL                   
        10 tonnes < swl=""> 160 tonnes  (1.04  x  SWL) + 9.6        
        SWL > 160 tonnes......................  1.1  x  SWL                 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Note: 1. The SWL for a single sheave block, including single 
    sheave blocks with beckets, is to be taken as one-half of the 
    resultant load on the head fitting.
        2. The SWL of a multi-sheave block is to be taken as the 
    resultant load on the head fitting.
        3. This form may also be used for the certification of 
    interchangeable components of lifting appliances.
        4. The expression ``ton'' shall mean a ton of 1,000 kg.
        5. The terms ``competent person'', ``thorough examination'' and 
    ``loose gear'' are defined in Form No. 1.
        Note: For recommendations on test procedures reference may be 
    made to the ILO document ``Safety and Health in Dock Work''.
    
    Form No. 4
    
    Identity of National Authority or Competent Organization
    
    Certificate of Test and Thorough Examination of Wire Rope
    
    Name of Ship-----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Official Number--------------------------------------------------------
    
    Call Sign--------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Port of Registry-------------------------------------------------------
    
    Name of Owner----------------------------------------------------------
    
    Certificate No.--------------------------------------------------------
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Name and address of maker or supplier                                                                  
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Nominal diameter of rope (mm)                                                                                   
    Number of strands                                                                                               
    Number of wires per strand                                                                                      
    Core                                                                                                            
    Lay                                                                                                             
    Quality of wire (N/mm\2\)                                                                                       
    Date of test of sample                                                                                          
    Load at which sample broke (tonnes)                                                                             
    Safe working load of rope (tonnes)                                                                              
    Intended use                                                                                                    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Name and address of the firm or competent person who witnessed 
    testing and carried out thorough examination.
        I certify that the above particulars are correct, and that the 
    rope was tested and thoroughly examined and no defects affecting its 
    SWL were found.
    
    Date:------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Place:-----------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Signature:-------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Note: This certificate is the standard international form as 
    recommended by the International Labour Office in accordance with 
    ILO Convention No. 152.
    
    Reverse Form No. 4
    
    Instructions
    
        1. Wire rope shall be tested by sample, a piece being tested to 
    destruction.
        2. The test procedure should be in accordance with an 
    International or recognized National standard.
    
    [[Page 40227]]
    
        3. The SWL of the rope is to be determined by dividing the load 
    at which the sample broke, by a co-efficient of utilization, 
    determined as follows:
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Item                              Coefficient        
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Wire rope forming part of a sling:                                      
        SWL of the sling......................  5                           
        SWL < 10="" tonnes.......................="" 10="" \5\="" -----------------------------="" 10="" tonnes="">< swl=""> 160 tonnes  (8.85  x  SWL) + 1910       
        SWL > 160 tonnes......................  3                           
    Wire rope as integral part of a lifting                                 
     appliance:                                                             
        SWL of lifting appliance..............  10 \4\                      
                                               -----------------------------
        SWL  160 tonnes............  (8.85  x  SWL) + 1910       
        SWL > 160 tonnes......................  3                           
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        These coefficients should be adopted unless other requirements 
    are specified by a National Authority.
        4. The expression ``tonne'' shall mean a tonne of 1000 kg.
        5. The terms ``competent person'', ``thorough examination'' and 
    ``lifting appliance'' are defined in Form No. 1.
    
        Note: For recommendations on test procedures reference may be 
    made to the ILO document ``Safety and Health in Dock Work''.
    
    Appendix II to Part 1918--Tables for Selected Miscellaneous Auxiliary 
    Gear (Mandatory)
    
        Note: This Appendix is mandatory and is to be used in the 
    appropriate sections of part 1918 when certificates or the 
    manufacturers' use recommendations are not available.
    
                            Table 1.--Wire Rope Clips                       
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Improved plow steel, rope    Minimum number of clips   Minimum spacing
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Other                     
             Inches (cm)          Drop forged    material      Inches (cm)  
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1/2\ or less (1.3).........            3            4  3 (7.6)         
    \5/8\ (1.6).................            3            4  3\3/4\ (9.5)    
    \3/4\ (1.9).................            4            5  4\1/2\ (11.4)   
    \7/8\ (2.2).................            4            5  5\1/4\ (13.3)   
    1 (2.5).....................            5            6  6 (15.2)        
    1\1/8\ (2.7)................            6            6  6\3/4\ (17.1)   
    1\1/4\ (3.2)................            6            7  7\1/2\ (18.1)   
    1\3/8\ (3.5)................            7            7  8\1/2\ (21.0)   
    1\1/2\ (3.8)................            7            8  9 (22.9)        
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
                                     Table 2                                
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Natural Fiber Rope and Rope Slings                                      
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Load Capacity in Pounds (lbs.) Safety Factor=5                          
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Eye and Eye Sling                           
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Basket Hitch                              
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Angle of rope to horizontal                                             
    90 deg.    60 deg.    45 deg.    30 deg.                                
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               Angle of rope to vertical            
         Rope diameter nominal in.        Vertical      Choker   ---------------------------------------------------
                                           hitch        hitch        0 deg.      30 deg.      45 deg.      60 deg.  
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1/2\.............................          550          250        1,100          900          750          550
    \9/16\............................          700          350        1,400        1,200        1,000          700
    \5/8\.............................          900          450        1,800        1,500        1,200          900
    \3/4\.............................        1,100          550        2,200        1,900        1,500        1,100
    \13/16\...........................        1,300          650        2,600        2,300        1,800        1,300
    \7/8\.............................        1,500          750        3,100        2,700        2,200        1,500
    1.................................        1,800          900        3,600        3,100        2,600        1,800
    1\1/16\...........................        2,100        1,100        4,200        3,600        3,000        2,100
    1\1/8\............................        2,400        1,200        4,800        4,200        3,400        2,400
    1\1/4\............................        2,700        1,400        5,400        4,700        3,800        2,700
    1\5/16\...........................        3,000        1,500        6,000        5,200        4,300        3,000
    1\1/2\............................        3,700        1,850        7,400        6,400        5,200        3,700
    1\5/8\............................        4,500        2,300        9,000        7,800        6,400        4,500
    1\3/4\............................        5,300        2,700       10,500        9,200        7,500        5,300
    
    [[Page 40228]]
    
                                                                                                                    
    2.................................        6,200        3,100       12,500       10,500        8,800        6,200
    2\1/3\............................        7,200        3,600       14,500       12,500       10,000        7,200
    2\1/4\............................        8,200        4,100       16,500       14,000       11,500        8,200
    2\1/2\............................        9,300        4,700       18,500       16,000       13,000        9,300
    2\5/8\............................       10,500        5,200       21,000       18,000       14,500       10,500
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Endless Sling                                                 
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1/2\.............................          950          500        1,900        1,700        1,400          950
    \9/16\............................        1,200          600        2,500        2,200        1,800        1,200
    \5/8\.............................        1,600          800        3,200        2,700        2,200        1,600
    \3/4\.............................        2,000          950        3,900        3,400        2,800        2,000
    \13/16\...........................        2,300        1,200        4,700        4,100        3,300        2,300
    \7/8\.............................        2,800        1,400        5,600        4,800        3,900        2,800
    1.................................        3,200        1,600        6,500        5,600        4,600        3,300
    1\1/16\...........................        3,800        1,900        7,600        6,600        5,400        3,800
    1\1/8\............................        4,300        2,200        8,600        8,600        6,100        4,300
    1\1/4\............................        4,900        2,400        9,700        8,400        6,900        4,900
    1\5/16\...........................        5,400        2,700       11,000        9,400        7,700        5,400
    1\1/2\............................        6,700        3,300       13,500       11,500        9,400        6,700
    1\5/8\............................        8,100        4,100       16,000       14,000       11,500        8,000
    1\3/4\............................        9,500        4,800       19,000       16,500       13,500        9,500
    2.................................       11,000        5,600       22,500       19,500       16,000       11,000
    2\1/3\............................       13,000        6,500       26,000       22,500       18,500       13,000
    2\1/4\............................       15,000        7,400       29,500       25,500       21,000       15,000
    2\1/2\............................       16,500        8,400       33,500       29,000       23,500       16,500
    2\5/8\............................       18,500        9,500       37,000       32,500       26,500       18,500
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
                                    Table 3A                                
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Polypropylene Rope and Rope Slings                                      
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Load Capacity in Pounds (lbs.) Safety Factor=6                          
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Eye and Eye Sling                           
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Basket Hitch                              
    Angle of rope to horizontal                                             
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               Angle of rope to vertical            
         Rope diameter nominal in.        Vertical      Choker   ---------------------------------------------------
                                           hitch        hitch        0 deg.      30 deg.      45 deg.      60 deg.  
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1/2\.............................          650          350        1,300        1,200          950          650
    \9/16\............................          800          400        1,600        1,400        1,100          800
    \5/8\.............................        1,000          500        2,000        1,700        1,400        1,000
    \3/4\.............................        1,300          700        2,700        2,300        1,900        1,300
    \13/16\...........................        1,600          800        2,600        2,300        2,200        1,600
    \7/8\.............................        1,800          900        3,100        2,700        2,600        1,800
    1.................................        2,200        1,100        3,600        3,100        3,100        2,200
    1\1/16\...........................        2,500        1,300        4,200        3,600        3,600        2,500
    1\1/8\............................        2,900        1,500        4,800        4,200        4,100        2,900
    1\1/4\............................        3,300        1,700        6,700        5,800        4,700        3,300
    1\5/16\...........................        3,700        1,900        7,400        6,400        5,300        3,700
    1\1/2\............................        4,700        2,400        9,400        8,100        6,700        4,700
    1\5/8\............................        5,700        2,900       11,500        9,900        8,100        5,700
    1\3/4\............................        6,800        3,400       13,500       12,000        9,600        6,800
    2.................................        8,200        4,100       16,500       14,500       11,500        8,200
    2\1/8\............................        9,700        4,800       19,500       16,500       13,500        9,700
    2\1/4\............................       11,000        5,500       22,000       19,000       15,500       11,000
    2\1/2\............................       12,500        6,300       25,500       22,000       18,000       12,500
    2\5/8\............................       14,500        7,100       28,500       24,500       20,000       14,500
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
                                    Table 3B                                
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Polypropylene Rope and Rope Slings                                      
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Load Capacity in Pounds (lbs.) Safety Factor = 6                        
    
    [[Page 40229]]
    
                                                                            
                                  Endless Sling                             
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Basket Hitch                              
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Angle of rope to horizontal                                             
    90 deg.    60 deg.    45 deg.    30 deg.                                
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               Angle of rope to vertical            
         Rope diameter nominal in.        Vertical      Choker   ---------------------------------------------------
                                           hitch        hitch        0 deg.      30 deg.      45 deg.      60 deg.  
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1/2\.............................        1,200          600        2,400        2,100        1,700        1,200
    \9/16\............................        1,500          750        2,900        2,500        2,100        1,500
    \5/8\.............................        1,800          900        3,500        3,100        2,500        1,800
    \3/4\.............................        2,400        1,200        4,900        4,200        3,400        2,400
    \13/16\...........................        2,800        1,400        5,600        4,900        4,000        2,800
    \7/8\.............................        3,300        1,600        6,600        5,700        4,600        3,300
    1.................................        4,000        2,000        8,000        6,900        5,600        4,000
    1\1/16\...........................        4,600        2,300        9,100        7,900        6,500        4,600
    1\1/8\............................        5,200        2,600       10,500        9,000        7,400        5,200
    1\1/4\............................        6,000        3,000       12,000       10,500        8,500        6,000
    1\5/16\...........................        6,700        3,400       13,500       11,500        9,500        6,700
    1\1/2\............................        8,500        4,200       17,000       14,500       12,000        8,500
    1\5/8\............................       10,500        5,100       20,500       18,000       14,500       10,500
    1\3/4\............................       12,500        6,100       24,500       21,000       17,500       12,500
    2.................................       15,000        7,400       29,500       25,500       21,000       15,000
    2\1/8\............................       17,500        8,700       35,500       30,100       24,500       17,500
    2\1/4\............................       19,500        9,900       39,500       34,000       28,000       19,500
    2\1/2\............................       23,000       11,500       45,500       39,500       32,500       23,000
    2\5/8\............................       25,500       13,000       51,500       44,500       36,500       25,500
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
                                        Table 4 A.--Rated Load for Grade 80 Alloy Steel Chain Slings \1\ (Chain per NACM)                                   
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Chain size nominal                   Single leg sling--90                Rated load double leg sling horizontal angle (note 2)           
    -------------------------------------------------    deg. to horizontal    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               loading                   60 deg.                   45 deg.                   39 deg.        
                                                     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    in.                       mm                                    Double at 60 deg.         Double at 45 deg.         Double at 30 deg.   
                                                           lb           kg     -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     lb           kg           lb           kg           lb           kg    
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \8/32\.............................            7        3,500         1570        6,100        2,700        4,900        2,200        3,500        1,590
    \2/8\..............................           10        7,100         3200       12,300        5,500       10,000        4,500        7,100        3,200
    \1/2\..............................           13       12,000         5400       20,800        9,400       17,000        7,600        1,200        5,400
    \5/8\..............................           16       18,000         8200       31,300       14,200       25,600       11,600       18,100        8,200
    \3/4\..............................           20       28,300        12800       49,000       22,300       40,000       18,200       28,300       12,900
    \7/8\..............................           22       34,200        15500       59,200       27,200       48,400       22,200       34,200       15,700
    1..................................           26       47,700        21600       82,600       37,900       67,400       31,000       47,700       21,900
    1\1/4\.............................           32       72,300        32800      125,200       56,800      102,200       46,400       72,300       32,800
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Notes:                                                                                                                                                  
    (1) Other grades of proof tested steel chain include Proof Coil (Grade 28), Hi-Test (Grade 43 Chain, and Transport (Grade 70) Chain. These grades are   
      not recommended for overhead lifting and therefore are not covered by this Standard.                                                                  
    (2) Rating of multi-leg slings adjusted for angle of loading between the inclined leg and the horizontal plane of the load.                             
    
    
                                 Table 4 B.--Maximum Allowable Wear at any Point of Link                            
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Nominal chain or coupling link size                               Maximum allowable
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   wear of cross- 
                                                                                                       sectional    
                                        in.                                             mm           diameter, in.  
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \8/32\....................................................................                  7              0.037
    \3/8\.....................................................................                 10              0.052
    \1/2\.....................................................................                 13              0.060
    \5/8\.....................................................................                 16              0.084
    \3/4\.....................................................................                 20              0.105
    \7/8\.....................................................................                 22              0.116
    1.........................................................................                 26              0.137
    1\1/4\....................................................................                 32             0.169 
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Note: For other sizes, consult chain or sling manufacturer.                                                     
    
    
    [[Page 40230]]
    
    
                                        Table 5.--Safe Working Loads for Shackles                                   
                                                [In tons of 2,000 pounds]                                           
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Pin diameter                     
                              Material size (inches)                                 (inches)      Safe working load
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1/4\.....................................................................              \5/8\                1.4
    \5/8\.....................................................................              \3/4\                2.2
    \3/4\.....................................................................              \7/8\                3.2
    \7/8\.....................................................................                  1                4.3
    1.........................................................................             1\1/8\                5.6
    1\1/8\....................................................................             1\1/4\                6.7
    1\1/4\....................................................................             1\3/8\                8.2
    1\3/8\....................................................................             1\1/2\               10.0
    1\1/2\....................................................................             1\5/8\               11.9
    1\1/4\....................................................................                  2               16.2
    2.........................................................................             2\1/4\               21.1
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
      Wire Rope Table--Rated Loads for Single Leg Slings 6 x 19 or 6 x 37 Classification Improved Plow Steel Grade  
                                                Rope With Fiber Core (FC)                                           
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Rated loads [note {1}], Tons (2,000 lb)                                    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Vertical                                                  Choker   
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Rope diameter, in.                          HT            MS             S         HT, MS&S  
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1/4\...................................................          0.49          0.51          0.55          0.38
    \8/16\..................................................          0.78          0.79          0.85          0.6 
    \3/8\...................................................          1.1           1.1           1.2           0.85
    \7/16\..................................................          1.4           1.5           1.7           1.2 
    \1/2\...................................................          1.8           2.0           2.1           1.5 
    \9/16\..................................................          2.3           2.5           2.7           1.9 
    \5/11\..................................................          2.8           3.1           3.3           2.3 
    \3/4\...................................................          3.9           4.4           4.8           3.3 
    \7/8\...................................................          5.2           6.0           6.4           4.5 
    1.......................................................          6.7           7.7           8.4           5.9 
    1\3/8\..................................................          8.4           9.5          11             7.4 
    1\1/4\..................................................         10            12            13             9.0 
    1\3/8\..................................................         12            14            16            11   
    1\1/2\..................................................         15            17            18            13   
    1\6/8\..................................................         17            19            21            15   
    1\3/4\..................................................         20            22            25            17   
    2.......................................................         26            29            32            22   
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    HT=Hand tucked Splice.                                                                                          
    For Hidden Tuck Splice (IWRC), use values in HT (FC) columns.                                                   
    MS=Mechanical Splice.                                                                                           
    S=Poured Socket or Swaged Socket.                                                                               
    Notes:                                                                                                          
    (1) These values are based on slings being vertical. If they are not vertical, the rated load shall be reduced. 
      If two or more slings are used, the minimum horizontal angle between the slings shall also be considered [see 
      para. 9.2.2.1(d)].                                                                                            
    (2) These values only apply when the D/d ratio (see Fig. 11) is 15 or greater.                                  
    (3) These values only apply when the D/d ratio is 25 or greater.                                                
      D=Diameter or curvature around which the body of the sling is bent.                                           
      d=Diameter of rope.                                                                                           
    
    
      Wire Rope Table--Rated Loads for Single Leg Slings 6 x 19 or 6 x 37 Classification Improved Plow Steel Grade  
                                       Rope With Independent Wire Rope Core (IWRC)                                  
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Rated loads [note {1}], tons (2,000 lb)                                    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Vertical                                    Choker            Vertical basket     
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                           [Note (2)]    [Note (3)] 
         Rope diameter, in.            HT            MS             S        HT, MS & S  ---------------------------
                                                                                               HT          MS & S   
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \3/4\.......................          0.53          0.56          0.59          0.31           1.1           1.1
    \5/16\......................          0.82          0.87          0.92          0.64           1.6           1.7
    \3/8\.......................          1.2           1.2           1.3           0.92           2.3           2.5
    \7/10\......................          1.5           1.7           1.8           1.2            3.1           3.4
    \1/2\.......................          2.0           2.2           2.3           1.6            4.0           4.4
    \9/16\......................          2.5           2.8           2.9           2.0            4.9           5.5
    \6/8\.......................          3.0           3.4           3.6           2.6            6.0           6.8
    \3/4\.......................          4.2           4.9           5.1           3.6            8.4           9.7
    \7/8\.......................          5.5           6.6           6.9           4.8           11            13  
    
    [[Page 40231]]
    
                                                                                                                    
    1...........................          7.2           8.5           9.0           6.3           14            17  
    1\1/8\......................          9.0          10            11             7.9           18            20  
    1\1/4\......................         11            13            14             9.7           22            26  
    1\3/8\......................         13            15            17            12             27            31  
    1\1/2\......................         16            18            20            14             32            37  
    1\5/8\......................         18            21            23            16             37            43  
    1\3/4\......................         21            25            27            19             43            49  
    2...........................         28            32            34            24             55            64  
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    HT=Hand Tucked Splice.                                                                                          
    For Hidden Tuck Splice (IWRC), use values in HT columns of Table 3.                                             
    MS=Mechanical Splice, S=Poured Socket or Swaged Socket.                                                         
    Notes:                                                                                                          
    (1) These values are based on slings being vertical. If they are not vertical, the rated load shall be reduced. 
      If two or more slings are used, the minimum horizontal angle between the slings shall also be considered (see 
      para. 9.2.2.1(d)).                                                                                            
    (2) The values only apply when the D/d ratio (see Fig. 11) is 15 or greater.                                    
    (3) The values only apply when the D/d ratio is 25 or greater.                                                  
      D=Diameter or curvature around which the body of the sling is bent.                                           
      d=Diameter of rope.                                                                                           
    
    
    Wire Rope Table--Rated Loads for Single Leg Slings 6  x  19  or6  x  37 Classification Extra Improved Plow Steel
                                    Grade Rope With Independent Wire Rope Core (IWRC)                               
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Rated loads [note {1}], tons (2,000 lb)                                    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Vertical                                           Choker       Vertical  
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- basket [note
                                                                                                            (2)]    
                          Rope diameter                            MS             S           MS&S     -------------
                                                                                                            MS&S    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1/4\...................................................          0.65          0.68          0.48           1.3
    \5/16\..................................................          1.0           1.1           0.74           2.0
    \3/8\...................................................          1.4           1.5           1.1            2.9
    \7/10\..................................................          1.9           2.0           1.4            3.9
    \1/2\...................................................          2.5           2.7           1.9            5.1
    \9/16\..................................................          3.2           3.4           2.4            6.4
    \6/8\...................................................          3.9           4.1           2.9            7.8
    \3/4\...................................................          5.6           5.9           4.1           11  
    \7/8\...................................................          7.6           8.0           5.6           15  
    1.......................................................          9.8          10             7.2           20  
    1\1/8\..................................................         12            13             9.1           24  
    1\1/4\..................................................         15            16            11             30  
    1\3/8\..................................................         18            19            13             36  
    1\1/2\..................................................         21            23            16             42  
    1\5/8\..................................................         24            26            18             49  
    1\3/4\..................................................         28            31            21             57  
    2.......................................................         37            40            28            73   
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    HT=Hand tucked Splice.                                                                                          
    For Hidden Tuck Splice (IWRC), use values in HT columns of Table 3.                                             
    MS=Mechanical Splice.                                                                                           
    S=Poured Socket or Swaged Socket.                                                                               
    Notes:                                                                                                          
    (1) These values are based on slings being vertical. If they are not vertical, the rated load shall be reduced. 
      If two or more slings are used, the minimum horizontal angle between the slings shall also be considered (see 
      para. 9.2.2.1(d)).                                                                                            
    (2) These values only apply when the D/d ratio (see Fig. 11) is 25 or greater.                                  
    
    Appendix III to Part 1918--The Mechanics of Conventional Cargo Gear 
    (Non-mandatory)
    
        Note: This Appendix is non-mandatory and provides an explanation 
    of the mechanics in the correct spotting of cargo handling gear.
    
        Although the most prevalent method of cargo handling is 
    accomplished through the use of modern shoreside container gantry 
    cranes, there are occasions when break-bulk cargo is handled with 
    conventional ship's cargo gear. This appendix provides a reference 
    for those unfamiliar with such cargo gear.
        Sections 1918.52, 1918.53, and 1918.54 all address the subject 
    of rigging and operating vessel's cargo handling gear. It is 
    important to understand that under the Burton System of cargo 
    handling (conventional gear consisting of two cargo derricks with 
    married falls), the midships or up-and-down boom should be spotted 
    as close to the fore and aft centerline of the hatch as 
    operationally possible. Such spotting of the up-and-down boom will 
    allow the most effective leads for the guy(s) and preventer(s) to 
    safely support
    
    [[Page 40232]]
    
    the lateral stresses generated in the boom(s) by the married falls. 
    As the lead of the guy(s) and preventer(s) approaches the vertical, 
    in supporting the boom(s) head, the total stress in the guy(s) 
    increases rapidly due to the increased vertical force that is 
    generated in the guy(s) in order to counteract any particular 
    horizontal or lateral force exerted on the boom(s) head. The 
    appreciable vertical forces that are generated in this process are 
    transmitted, in substantial part, to the boom(s) and topping 
    lift(s), causing proportionate compressive stresses in the boom(s) 
    and tension stresses in the topping lift(s).
        In general, guys and preventers must be located so that enough 
    vertical resistance is developed so as to prohibit the boom(s) from 
    jackknifing as cargo passes across the deck. Special care must be 
    exercised in the proper placement of guys and preventers associated 
    with the Burton or yard boom. Preventers, when used, must parallel 
    as closely as possible the guys that they support. Guys and 
    preventers must not be attached to the same fitting.
        While under a load, the cargo falls (running rigging) must not 
    be permitted to chafe on any standing or other running gear. Special 
    attention must be paid to ensure that cargo runners work freely 
    through the heel block, without chafing the cheek of the block. 
    Also, bobbing chains and heel block preventers must be attached so 
    as to not interfere with the movement of the cargo runners.
    
    Appendix IV to Part 1918--Special Cargo Gear and Container Spreader 
    Test Requirements (Mandatory) [See Sec. 1918.61 (f), (g), (h); Also 
    Applicable to Sec. 1917.50(c)(5)]
    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            Proof test              
                Type gear              Test  requirement       Tested by     ---------------------------------------
                                                                                                                    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 All Special Cargo Handling Gear Purchased or Manufactured on or After January 21, 1998             
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Safe Working Load--> 5 short      Prior to initial    OSHA Accredited     Up to 20 short      125% SWL.         
     tons (10,000 lbs./4540 kg.).      use.                agency only.        tons.                                
                                      Prior to reuse      ..................  Between 20 and 50   5 short tons in   
                                       after structural                        short tons.         excess of SWL.   
                                       damage repair.                                                               
                                      Every four years    OSHA Accredited     Over 50 short tons  110% SWL.         
                                       after initial       agency or                                                
                                       proof load test.    designated                                               
                                                           person..                                                 
    Safe Working Load--5 short tons   Prior to initial    OSHA Accredited                                           
     or less.                          use.                agency or                                                
                                                           designated person.                                       
    (1)125% SWL.                                                                                                    
                                      Prior to reuse                                                                
                                       after structural                                                             
                                       damage repair.                                                               
    (1) 125% SWL                                                                                                    
    Container spreaders not part of   Prior to initial    OSHA Accredited                                           
     vessel's cargo handling gear.     use.                agency only.                                             
                                      Prior to reuse                                                                
                                       after structural                                                             
                                       damage repair.                                                               
                                      Every four years    OSHA Accredited                                           
                                       after initial       agency or                                                
                                       proof load test.    designated person.                                       
    (1)125% SWL.                                                                                                    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            All Special Cargo Handling Gear in Use Prior to January 21, 1998                        
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Safe Working Load--> 5 short      Every four years    OSHA Accredited     Up to 20 short      125% SWL.         
     tons (10,000 lbs./4540 kg.).      from January 21,    agency or           tons.                                
                                       1998.               designated person.                                       
                                      Prior to reuse      ..................  Between 20 and 50   5 short tons in   
                                       after structural                        short tons.         excess of SWL.   
                                       damage repair.                                                               
                                      ..................  ..................  Over 50 short tons  110% SWL.         
    Safe Working Load--5 short tons   Prior to initial    OSHA Accredited                                           
     or less.                          use.                agency or                                                
                                                           designated person.                                       
    (1)125% SWL                                                                                                     
                                      Prior to reuse                                                                
                                       after structural                                                             
                                       damage repair.                                                               
    (1) 125% SWL                                                                                                    
    Container spreaders not part of   Prior to initial    OSHA Accredited                                           
     vessel's cargo handling gear.     use.                agency or                                                
                                                           designated person.                                       
    (1) 125% SWL                                                                                                    
                                      Prior to reuse                                                                
                                       after structural                                                             
                                       damage repair.                                                               
    (1)125% SWL.                                                                                                    
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Appendix V to Part 1918--Basic Elements of a First Aid Training Program 
    (Non-mandatory)
    
        Note: This Appendix is non-mandatory and provides guidelines for 
    small businesses, institutions teaching first aid, and the 
    recipients of first aid training.
    
    General Program Elements
    
    A. Teaching Methods
    
        1. Trainees should develop ``hands on'' skills through the use 
    of manikins and trainee partners during their training.
        2. Trainees should be exposed to acute injury and illness 
    settings as well as the appropriate response to those settings 
    through the use of visual aids, such as video tape and slides.
        3. Training should include a course workbook which discusses 
    first aid principles and responses to settings that require 
    interventions.
    
    [[Page 40233]]
    
        4. Training duration should allow enough time for particular 
    emphasis on situations likely to be encountered in particular 
    workplaces.
        5. An emphasis on quick response to first aid situations should 
    be incorporated throughout the program.
    
    B. Principles of Responding to a Health Emergency
    
        The training program should include instruction in:
        1. Injury and acute illness as a health problem.
        2. Interactions with the local emergency medical services 
    system. Trainees have the responsibility for maintaining a current 
    list of emergency telephone numbers (police, fire, ambulance, poison 
    control) easily accessible to all employees.
        3. The principles of triage.
        4. The legal aspects of providing first aid services.
    
    C. Methods of Surveying the Scene and the Victim(s)
    
        The training program should include instruction in:
        1. The assessment of scenes that require first aid services 
    including:
        a. general scene safety.
        b. likely event sequence.
        c. rapid estimate of the number of persons injured.
        d. identification of others able to help at the scene.
        2. Performing a primary survey of each victim including airway, 
    breathing, and circulation assessments as well as the presence of 
    any bleeding.
        3. The techniques and principles of taking a victim's history at 
    the scene of an emergency.
        4. Performing a secondary survey of the victim including 
    assessments of vital signs, skin appearance, head and neck, eye, 
    chest, abdomen, back, extremities, and medical alert symbols.
    
    D. Basic Adult Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
    
        Basic adult CPR training should be included in the program. 
    Retesting should occur every year. The training program should 
    include instruction in:
        1. Establishing and maintaining adult airway patency.
        2. Performing adult breathing resuscitation.
        3. Performing adult circulatory resuscitation.
        4. Performing choking assessments and appropriate first aid 
    interventions.
        5. Resuscitating the drowning victim.
    
    E. Basic First Aid Intervention
    
        Trainees should receive instruction in the principles and 
    performance of:
        1. Bandaging of the head, chest, shoulder, arm, leg, wrist, 
    elbow, foot, ankle, fingers, toes, and knee.
        2. Splinting of the arm, elbow, clavicle, fingers, hand, 
    forearm, ribs, hip, femur, lower leg, ankle, knee, foot, and toes.
        3. Moving and rescuing victims including one and two person 
    lifts, ankle and shoulder pulls, and the blanket pull.
    
    F. Universal Precautions
    
        Trainees should be provided with adequate instruction on the 
    need for and use of universal precautions. This should include:
        1. The meaning of universal precautions, which body fluids are 
    considered potentially infectious, and which are regarded as 
    hazardous.
        2. The value of universal precautions for infectious diseases 
    such as AIDS and hepatitis B.
        3. A copy of OSHA's standard for occupational exposure to 
    bloodborne pathogens or information on how to obtain a copy.
        4. The necessity for keeping gloves and other protective 
    equipment readily available and the appropriate use of them.
        5. The appropriate tagging and disposal of any sharp item or 
    instrument requiring special disposal measures such as blood soaked 
    material.
        6. The appropriate management of blood spills.
    
    G. First Aid Supplies
    
        The first aid provider should be responsible for the type, 
    amount, and maintenance of first aid supplies needed for their 
    particular worksite(s). These supplies need to be stored in a 
    convenient area available for emergency access.
    
    H. Trainee Assessments
    
        Assessment of successful completion of the first aid training 
    program should include instructor observation of acquired skills and 
    written performance assessments. First aid skills and knowledge 
    should be reviewed every three years.
    
    I. Program Update
    
        The training program should be periodically reviewed with 
    current first aid techniques and knowledge. Outdated material should 
    be replaced or removed.
    
    Specific Program Elements
    
    A. Type of Injury Training
    
    1. Shock
    
        Instruction in the principles and first aid intervention in:
        a. shock due to injury.
        b. shock due to allergic reactions.
        c. the appropriate assessment and first aid treatment of a 
    victim who has fainted.
    
    2. Bleeding
    
        a. the types of bleeding including arterial, venous, capillary, 
    external, and internal.
        b. the principles and performance of bleeding control 
    interventions including direct pressure, pressure points, elevation, 
    and pressure bandaging.
        c. the assessment and approach to wounds including abrasions, 
    incisions, lacerations, punctures, avulsions, amputations, and crush 
    injuries.
        d. the principles of wound care including infection precautions, 
    wounds requiring medical attention, and the need for tetanus 
    prophylaxis.
    
    3. Poisoning
    
        Instruction in the principles and first aid intervention of:
        a. alkali, acid and systemic poisons. In addition, all trainees 
    should know how and when to contact the local Poison Control Center.
        b. inhaled poisons including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, 
    smoke, and chemical fumes, vapors and gases as well as the 
    importance of assessing the toxic potential of the environment to 
    the rescuer and the need for respirators.
        Trainees should be instructed in the acute effect of chemicals 
    utilized in their plants, the location of chemical inventories, 
    material safety data sheets (MSDS's), chemical emergency 
    information, and antidote supplies.
        c. topical poisons including poison ivy, poison sumac, poison 
    oak, and insecticides.
        d. drugs of abuse including alcohol, narcotics such as heroin 
    and cocaine, tranquilizers, and amphetamines.
    
    4. Burns
    
        Instruction in the principles and first aid intervention of:
        a. assessing the severity of the burn including first degree, 
    second degree, and third degree burns.
        b. differentiating between the types of third degree burns 
    (thermal, electrical, and chemical) and their specific 
    interventions. Particular attention should be focused upon chemical 
    burns, and the use of specific chemicals in the workplace which may 
    cause them.
    
    5. Temperature Extremes
    
        Instruction in the principles and first aid intervention of:
        a. exposure to cold including frostbite and hypothermia.
        b. exposure to heat including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and 
    heat stroke.
    
    6. Musculoskeletal Injuries
    
        The training program should include instruction in the 
    principles and first aid intervention in:
        a. open fractures, closed fractures, and splinting.
        b. dislocations, especially the methods of joint dislocations of 
    the upper extremity. The importance of differentiating dislocations 
    from fractures.
        c. joint sprains.
        d. muscle strains, contusions, and cramps.
        e. head, neck, back, and spinal injuries.
    
    7. Bites and Stings
    
        Instruction in the principles and first aid intervention in:
        a. human and animal (especially dog and snake) bites.
        b. bites and stings from insects (spiders, ticks, scorpions, 
    hornets and wasps). Interventions should include responses to 
    anaphylactic shock; other allergic manifestations; rabies and 
    tetanus prophylaxis.
    
    8. Medical Emergencies
    
        Instruction in the principles and first aid intervention of:
        a. heart attacks
        b. strokes
        c. asthma attacks
        d. diabetic emergencies including diabetic coma, insulin shock, 
    hyperglycemia, and hypoglycemia.
    
    [[Page 40234]]
    
        e. seizures including tonic-clonic and absence seizures. 
    Importance of not putting gags in mouth.
        f. pregnancy including the appropriate care of any abdominal 
    injury or vaginal bleeding.
    
    9. Confined Spaces
    
        a. the danger of entering a confined space to administer first 
    aid without having the appropriate respiratory protection.
        b. if first aid personnel will be required to assist evacuations 
    from confined spaces, additional training will be needed.
    
    B. Site of Injury Training
    
        Instruction in the principles and first aid intervention of 
    injuries to the following sites:
    
    1. Head and Neck
    
        a. including skull fractures, concussions, and mental status 
    assessments with particular attention to temporary loss of 
    consciousness and the need for referral to a physician.
        b. including the appropriate approach to the management of the 
    individual who has suffered a potential neck injury or fracture.
    
    2. Eye
    
        a. foreign bodies, corneal abrasions and lacerations.
        b. chemical burns and the importance of flushing out the eye.
        c. the importance of not applying antibiotics without physician 
    supervision.
    
    3. Nose
    
        a. nose injuries and nose bleeds.
    
    4. Mouth and Teeth
    
        a. oral injuries, lip and tongue injuries, and broken and 
    removed teeth. The importance of preventing inhalation of blood and 
    teeth.
    
    5. Chest
    
        a. rib fractures, flail chest, and penetrating wounds.
    
    6. Abdomen
    
        a. blunt injuries, penetrating injuries, and protruding organs.
    
    7. Hand, Finger, and Foot Injuries
    
        a. finger/toe nail hematoma, lacerations, splinters, finger nail 
    avulsion, ring removal, and foreign bodies.
        b. the importance of identifying amputation care hospitals in 
    the area. When an amputation occurs, appropriate handling of 
    amputated fingers, hands, and feet during the immediate 
    transportation of the victim and body part to the hospital.
    
    [FR Doc. 97-19381 Filed 7-15-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4510-26-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
07/25/1997
Department:
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
97-19381
Pages:
40142-40234 (93 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. S-025
RINs:
1218-AA56: Longshoring and Marine Terminals--Reopening of the Record (Vertical Tandem Lifts (VTLs))
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1218-AA56/longshoring-and-marine-terminals-reopening-of-the-record-vertical-tandem-lifts-vtls-
PDF File:
97-19381.pdf
CFR: (214)
29 CFR 1917.124)
29 CFR 1918.25)
29 CFR 1918.99)
29 CFR 1918.2)
29 CFR 1918.25)
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