Control of Gas Hazards on Vessels

NFPA 306 specifies safety requirements for vessels carrying or burning as fuel flammable or combustible liquids. It also applies to vessels carrying or having carried flammable compressed gases, chemicals in bulk, or other products capable of creating a hazardous condition. The document describes the conditions required before a space can be entered or work can be started on any vessel under construction, alteration, or repair or on any vessel awaiting shipbreaking.

NFPA 306 provides the standard of practice that NFPA-certificated Marine Chemists must follow in carrying out their duties where required by regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor — OSHA, and U.S. Coast Guard.

The 2003 edition incorporates the following changes:

• The scope was clarified to indicate that the primary focus for this Standard and the Marine Chemist is the atmospheric hazards associated with entry and work in confined and enclosed spaces aboard vessels undergoing construction, repair or alteration.
• A new definition for hot work has been included that better correlates with the definition used by OSHA for the same term.
• The frequency of testing requirements were revised to more closely match those defined by OSHA in its shipyard regulations. These revisions better correlate with common industry practices and the OSHA requirements for the Shipyard Competent Person. (Approx. 23 pp., 2003)