Subpart Y
Yes — a construction employer must provide a Safe Practices Manual for diving operations that meets the same requirements as the general industry manual. Section 1926.1080 states the requirements applicable to construction work under this section are identical to those set forth at 1910.420 of this chapter, so employers should prepare their diving manual in accordance with 1910.420.
The Safe Practices Manual required under 1926.1080 applies to diving activities that are part of construction work and therefore are covered by the construction regulation; the section makes the construction requirements identical to those in 1910.420. If the diving activity is part of a construction operation, the employer must follow the Safe Practices Manual requirements set forth in 1910.420.
The employer is responsible for developing and maintaining the Safe Practices Manual for diving operations on a construction site by meeting the same obligations set out in 1910.420. Section 1926.1080 makes the construction requirements identical to 1910.420, so the employer must ensure the manual is current, available to employees, and implemented as required by that standard.
Yes — employees involved in diving operations on construction sites must be trained as required by the comparable provisions in 1910.420. Because 1926.1080 makes the construction requirements identical to 1910.420, follow that standard for who must be trained, the content of training, and any documentation or recordkeeping procedures specified there.
Yes — the diving Safe Practices Manual for construction must address any emergency procedures required under 1910.420, because 1926.1080 makes the applicable construction requirements identical to that standard. Employers should consult 1910.420 to ensure their manual includes the required emergency response elements and procedures.
No — the Safe Practices Manual requirement under 1926.1080 does not relieve the employer of obligations under other applicable OSHA standards, and the diving manual must be consistent with those requirements. Section 1926.1080 directs employers to the requirements in 1910.420, and employers must also comply with any other standards that apply to the hazards encountered during the diving operation (for example, construction asbestos rules such as 1926.1101 where applicable, as explained in OSHA letters like the Asbestos remediation protocols).
Yes — the requirement applies to diving work performed on a construction site, including work done by subcontractors, because 1926.1080 makes the construction requirements identical to 1910.420. The controlling employer should ensure that subcontractors follow the Safe Practices Manual requirements in 1910.420 and that coordination occurs to implement the manual's procedures on the site.
Yes — an employer may use a Safe Practices Manual prepared under the general industry rule provided it fully meets the requirements of 1910.420, because 1926.1080 makes the construction requirements identical to that standard. However, the employer must ensure the manual addresses any construction-specific conditions at the diving site and any other applicable construction standards.
Contact OSHA for guidance and review the required standards: start by consulting 1926.1080 and the referenced 1910.420 for the controlling requirements, and reach out to your local OSHA regional office for project-specific questions. If other hazards are involved, you may also review relevant OSHA letters of interpretation (for example, topics like asbestos applicability are discussed in the Asbestos remediation protocols) to clarify which standards apply.
Yes — because 1926.1080 makes the construction requirements identical to 1910.420, employers on construction sites are subject to enforcement actions if they fail to meet the obligations set out in 1910.420. Enforcement and penalty decisions will be based on whether the employer satisfied the standard's requirements as applied to the construction diving operation.