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Assigning safe working loads to ship cargo gear

Summary OSHA addressed how its maritime cargo-gear rules should be applied when ship gear is used in union purchase. It directed field staff to refrain from calculating stresses or assigning safe working loads to a vessel’s cargo gear, saying that was outside OSHA’s function. OSHA now archives the notice as potentially outdated.
Document
Federal interpretive notice
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1987-08-07-0
Date issued
August 7, 1987
Status
Archived by the agency
OSHA archives this document and says it may no longer represent OSHA policy.
Status last verified October 10, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1918 Maritime
Source
View the official document

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The current status of this document is unclear
OSHA archives this document and says it may no longer represent OSHA policy. It may no longer reflect the agency's current position. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance, and verify current law before relying on anything here.
About this page: The full text below is the official document from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

August 7, 1987

OSHA STANDARDS NOTICE 1918.51(a) and (b)

To: Field and National Offices

Subject: Safe Working Load (SWL) of Ship's Gear Used in Union Purchase

  1. Purpose. To provide information and guidance and to avoid the improper application of 1918.51(a) and (b) in this respect.

  2. Background. The National office has been advised that CSHO's are instances caused to make determinations concerning the SWL of in some gear used in Union Purchase.

  3. Action. CSHO's are to refrain from giving advice of this nature. It is not the function of OSHA, either at the field or national office level, to calculate stresses on a vessel's cargo gear and to assign SWL to that gear, nor is OSHA in a position to accept liability should any unauthorized "calculated ratings" prove to be the cause of accident.

  4. Effective Date. This notice is effective immediately and will remain in effect until superseded or canceled.
    Director
    Office of Standards

DISTRIBUTION:

(For Distribution, see printed copy)

(Originator: OSM)

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