§ 1915.162 Ship's boilers.

(a) Before work is performed in the fire, steam, or water spaces of a boiler where employees may be subject to injury from the direct escape of a high temperature medium such as steam, or water, oil, or other medium at a high temperature entering from an interconnecting system, the employer shall insure that the following steps are taken:

(1) The isolation and shutoff valves connecting the dead boiler with the live system or systems shall be secured, blanked, and then locked or tagged, in accordance with § 1915.89, indicating that employees are working on the boiler. This lock or tag shall not be removed nor the valves unblanked until it is determined that this may be done without creating a hazard to the employees working on the boiler, or until the work on the boiler is completed, in accordance with § 1915.89. When valves are welded instead of bolted, at least two isolation and shutoff valves connecting the dead boiler with the live system or systems shall be secured, and then locked or tagged, in accordance with § 1915.89.

(2) Drain connections to atmosphere on all of the dead interconnecting systems shall be opened for visual observation of drainage.

(3) A warning sign calling attention to the fact that employees are working in the boilers shall be hung in a conspicuous location in the engine room. This sign shall not be removed until it is determined that the work is completed and all employees are out of the boilers.

[47 FR 16986, Apr. 20, 1982, as amended at 76 FR 24711, May 2, 2011]