Employment
This guidance document is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations. It contains
recommendations as well as descriptions of mandatory safety and health standards. The recommendations
are advisory in nature, informational in content, and are intended to assist employers in providing a safe and
healthful workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to comply with safety and
health standards and regulations promulgated by OSHA or by a state with an OSHA-approved state plan. In
addition, the Acts General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), requires employers to provide their employees with
a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
Ventilation in
Shipyard Employment
Requires less maintenance. Does not completely remove Captures contaminant at Requires regular
contaminants. source and removes it from cleaning, inspection and
theworkplace. maintenance.
Effective control for small Cannot be used for highly toxic Only choice for highly toxic Ducting style may make
amounts of low toxicity chemicals. airborne chemicals. it difficult to access the
chemicals. space.
Effective control for Ineffective for dusts or metal Can handle all sorts of
flammable or combustible fumes or large amounts of contaminants including dusts
gases or vapors. gases or vapors. and metal fumes.
Best ventilation for small Requires large amounts of Requires smaller amount of
dispersed contaminant heated or cooled makeup air. makeup air since smaller amounts
sources or mobile sources. of air are being exhausted.
If two openings into a space are available Using ventilation in an exhaust mode and placing the
(e.g.,Illustration 4), opening the second access ductwork where contaminants are released in the air
willgreatly enhance air circulation within the by the operation is an effective method in capturing
space(1915.76(b)). However, this may not the generated contaminants and greatly reduces
alwaysbe an option in shipbuilding, ship repair exposure to workers in a space. Illustration 5 shows
orshipbreaking situations. this method with one access open, while Illustration
6 shows the same method with two access openings,
allowing enhanced removal of contaminants.
1915.13(b)(12) Fans must have non-sparking 1915.35(b)(12) Spray guns, paint pots and
blades, and portable air ducts must be of non- metallic parts of connecting tubing must be
sparking materials. All motors and associated electrically bonded, and the bonded assembly
control equipment must be properly maintained must be grounded to the vessel.
and grounded. Use only intrinsically safe or 1915.36(a) In all cases when liquid solvents,
explosion-proof type motors or spaces with LEL paint and preservative removers, paints or vehicles,
greater than 10%. other than those covered by 1915.35(b), are capable
1915.35(a)(4) The metallic parts of air moving of producing a flammable atmosphere under the
devices, including fans, blowers, jet-type air conditions of use, the following precautions must
movers, and all duct work must be electrically be taken (1915.36(a)(1) through (a)(5)):
bonded to the vessel structure. Smoking, open flames, arcs and spark-producing
1915.35(b)(6) Use only non-sparking paint equipment must be prohibited in the area.
buckets, spray guns and tools. Metal parts of Ventilation must be provided in sufficient
paint brushes and rollers must be insulated. quantities to keep the concentration of vapors
Staging must be erected in a manner that ensures below 10% of their lower explosive limit (LEL).
it is non-sparking. Note: Frequent tests must be made by a SCP to
ascertain the concentration.