46 CFR 140.515: Health and safety training for crewmembers

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets health and safety training and information requirements for crewmembers and for other people on or around the vessel. Crewmember training must happen as soon as practicable, but not later than 5 days after employment, and refresher training must be repeated annually. All required training must be documented in the owner or managing operator's records.

Applies toCrewmembers, and individuals other than crewmembers who are permitted on or around the vessel.

What it says

  1. All crewmembers must be provided with health and safety information and training that covers the topics listed in the paragraph, including the health and safety plan, reporting unsafe conditions, PPE, equipment use, and Lockout/Tagout procedures.

    46 CFR 140.515(a)“All crewmembers must be provided with health and safety information and training that includes:”

  2. Individuals other than crewmembers must be provided with sufficient information or training on hazards relevant to their potential exposure on or around the vessel.

    46 CFR 140.515(b)“Individuals, other than crewmembers, must be provided with sufficient information or training on hazards relevant to their potential exposure on or around the vessel.”

  3. Crewmember training required by this section must be conducted as soon as practicable, but not later than 5 days after employment.

    46 CFR 140.515(c)“Crewmember training required by this section must be conducted as soon as practicable, but not later than 5 days after employment.”

  4. Refresher training must be repeated annually and may be conducted over time in modules covering specific topics.

    46 CFR 140.515(d)“Refresher training must be repeated annually and may be conducted over time in modules covering specific topics.”

  5. Refresher training may be less comprehensive, provided the information presented is sufficient to give employees continued understanding of workplace hazards.

    46 CFR 140.515(d)“Refresher training may be less comprehensive, provided that the information presented is sufficient to provide employees with continued understanding of workplace hazards.”

  6. The owner, managing operator, or master must determine the appropriate training and information for each individual permitted on the vessel who is not a crewmember, relative to the expected risk exposure of the individual.

    46 CFR 140.515(e)“The owner, managing operator, or master must determine the appropriate training and information to provide to each individual permitted on the vessel who is not a crewmember”

  7. All training required in this section must be documented in the owner or managing operator's records.

    46 CFR 140.515(f)“All training required in this section must be documented in owner or managing operator's records.”

Common questions

How soon must new crewmembers receive safety training?

Crewmember training must be conducted as soon as practicable, but not later than 5 days after employment.

“Crewmember training required by this section must be conducted as soon as practicable, but not later than 5 days after employment.”

How often is refresher safety training required?

Refresher training must be repeated annually. It may be done over time in modules covering specific topics.

“Refresher training must be repeated annually and may be conducted over time in modules covering specific topics.”

Does safety training have to be documented?

Yes. All training required in this section must be documented in the owner or managing operator's records.

“All training required in this section must be documented in owner or managing operator's records.”

Who decides what training non-crewmembers on the vessel get?

The owner, managing operator, or master must determine the appropriate training and information for each such individual, relative to the expected risk exposure of the individual.

“The owner, managing operator, or master must determine the appropriate training and information to provide to each individual permitted on the vessel who is not a crewmember”

The text of 46 CFR 140.515

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Training requirements

(a) All crewmembers must be provided with health and safety information and training that includes:

(1) Content and procedures of the owner or managing operator's health and safety plan;

(2) Procedures for reporting unsafe conditions;

(3) Proper selection and use of PPE appropriate to the vessel operation;

(4) Safe use of equipment including deck machinery, rigging, welding and cutting, hand tools, ladders, and abrasive wheel machinery found onboard the vessel;

(5) Hazard communication and cargo knowledge;

(6) Safe use and storage of hazardous materials and chemicals;

(7) Confined space entry;

(8) Respiratory protection; and

(9) Lockout/Tagout procedures.

(b) Individuals, other than crewmembers, must be provided with sufficient information or training on hazards relevant to their potential exposure on or around the vessel.

(c) Crewmember training required by this section must be conducted as soon as practicable, but not later than 5 days after employment.

(d) Refresher training must be repeated annually and may be conducted over time in modules covering specific topics. Refresher training may be less comprehensive, provided that the information presented is sufficient to provide employees with continued understanding of workplace hazards. The refresher training of persons subject to this subpart must include the information and training prescribed in this section.

(e) The owner, managing operator, or master must determine the appropriate training and information to provide to each individual permitted on the vessel who is not a crewmember, relative to the expected risk exposure of the individual.

(f) All training required in this section must be documented in owner or managing operator's records.

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.