29 CFR §1986.101
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
As used in this part:
- (a)Act means the Seaman's Protection Act (SPA), 46 U.S.C. 2114, as amended.
- (b)Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health or the person or persons to whom he or she delegates authority under the Act.
- (c)Business days means days other than Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
- (d)Citizen of the United States means an individual who is a national of the United States as defined in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 (a)(22)); a corporation incorporated under the laws of the United States or a State; a corporation, partnership, association, or other business entity if the controlling interest is owned by citizens of the United States or whose principal place of business or base of operations is in a State; or a governmental entity of the Federal Government of the United States, of a State, or of a political subdivision of a State. The controlling interest in a corporation is owned by citizens of the United States if a majority of the stockholders are citizens of the United States.
- (e)Complainant means the seaman who filed a SPA whistleblower complaint or on whose behalf a complaint was filed.
- (f)Cooperated means any assistance or participation with an investigation, at any stage of the investigation, and regardless of the outcome of the investigation.
- (g)Maritime safety law or regulation includes any statute or regulation regarding health or safety that applies to any person or equipment on a vessel.
- (h)Notify or notified includes any oral or written communications.
- (i)OSHA means the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor.
- (j)Person means one or more individuals or other entities, including but not limited to corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies.
- (k)Report or reported means any oral or written communications.
- (l)Respondent means the person alleged to have violated 46 U.S.C. 2114.
- (m)Seaman means any individual engaged or employed in any capacity on board a U.S.-flag vessel or any other vessel owned by a citizen of the United States, except members of the Armed Forces. The term includes an individual formerly performing the work described above or an applicant for such work.
- (n)Secretary means the Secretary of Labor or persons to whom authority under the Act has been delegated.
- (o)State means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
- (p)Vessel means every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water.
- (q)Vessel owner includes all of the agents of the owner, including the vessel's master.
- (r)Any future amendments to SPA that affect the definition of a term or terms listed in this section will apply in lieu of the definition stated herein.