California Code of Regulations
Title 8 - Industrial Relations
Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations
Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety
Subchapter 18 - Ship Building, Ship Repairing and Ship Breaking Safety Orders
Article 8 - Miscellaneous Safe Practices
Section 8397.13 - Training

Universal Citation: 8 CA Code of Regs 8397.13

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) The employer shall train employees in the applicable requirements of this section:

(1) Within 90 days of March 17, 2005, for employees currently working;

(2) Upon initial assignment for new employees; and

(3) When necessary to maintain proficiency for employees previously trained.

(b) Employee training. The employer shall ensure that all employees are trained on:

(1) The emergency alarm signals, including system discharge alarms and employee evacuation alarms; and

(2) The primary and secondary evacuation routes that employees shall use in the event of a fire in the workplace. While all vessels and vessel sections shall have a primary evacuation route, a secondary evacuation route is not required when impracticable.

(c) Additional training requirements for employees expected to fight incipient stage fires. The employer shall ensure that employees expected to fight incipient stage fires are trained on the following:

(1) The general principles of using fire extinguishers or hose lines, the hazards involved with incipient firefighting, and the procedures used to reduce these hazards;

(2) The hazards associated with fixed and portable fire protection systems that employees may use or to which they may be exposed during discharge of those systems; and

(3) The activation and operation of fixed and portable fire protection systems that the employer expects employees to use in the workplace.

(d) Additional training requirements for shipyard employees designated for fire response. The employer shall:

(1) Have a written training policy stating that fire response employees shall be trained and capable of carrying out their duties and responsibilities at all times;

(2) Keep written standard operating procedures that address anticipated emergency operations and update these procedures as necessary;

(3) Review fire response employee training programs and hands-on sessions before they are used in fire response training to make sure that fire response employees are protected from hazards associated with fire response training;

(4) Provide training for fire response employees that ensures they are capable of carrying out their duties and responsibilities under the employer's standard operating procedures;

(5) Train new fire response employees before they engage in emergency operations;

(6) At least quarterly, provide training on the written operating procedures to fire response employees who are expected to fight fires;

(7) Use qualified instructors to conduct the training;

(8) Conduct any training that involves live fire response exercises in accordance with NFPA 1403, Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions, 2002 Edition, which is hereby incorporated by reference;

(9) Conduct semi-annual drills according to the employer's written procedures for fire response employees that cover site-specific operations, occupancies, buildings, vessels and vessel sections, and fire-related hazards; and

(10) Prohibit the use of smoke generating devices that create a dangerous atmosphere in training exercises.

(e) Additional training requirements for fire watch duty.

(1) The employer shall ensure that each fire watch is trained by an instructor with adequate fire watch knowledge and experience to cover the items as follows:
(A) Before being assigned to fire watch duty;

(B) Whenever there is a change in operations that presents a new or different hazard;

(C) Whenever the employer has reason to believe that the fire watch's knowledge, skills, or understanding of the training previously provided is inadequate; and

(D) Annually.

(2) The employer shall ensure that each employee who stands fire watch duty is trained in:
(A) The basics of fire behavior, the different classes of fire and of extinguishing agents, the stages of fire, and methods for extinguishing fires;

(B) Extinguishing live fire scenarios whenever allowed by local and federal law;

(C) The recognition of the adverse health effects that may be caused by exposure to fire;

(D) The physical characteristics of the hot work area;

(E) The hazards associated with fire watch duties;

(F) The personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to perform fire watch duties safely;

(G) The use of PPE;

(H) The selection and use of any fire extinguishers and fire hoses likely to be used by a fire watch in the work area;

(I) The location and use of barriers;

(J) The means of communication designated by the employer for fire watches;

(K) When and how to start fire alarm procedures; and

(L) The employer's evacuation plan.

(3) The employer shall ensure that each fire watch is trained to alert others to exit the space whenever:
(A) The fire watch perceives an unsafe condition;

(B) The fire watch perceives that a worker performing hot work is in danger;

(C) The employer or a representative of the employer orders an evacuation; or

(D) An evacuation signal, such as an alarm, is activated.

(f) Records. The employer shall keep records that demonstrate that employees have been trained as required by subsections (a) through (e) of this section.

(1) The employer shall ensure that the records include the employee's name; the trainer's name; the type of training; and the date(s) on which the training took place.

(2) The employer shall keep each training record for one year from the time it was made or until it is replaced with a new training record, whichever is shorter, and make it available for inspection and copying by the Division upon request.

1. New section filed 4-14-2005; operative 4-14-2005. Submitted to OAL for printing only pursuant to Labor Code section 142.3(a)(3) (Register 2005, No. 15). For prior history, see Register 88, No. 6.

Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3 Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.

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