46 CFR § 131.320 - Safety orientation for offshore workers.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t46/s131.320"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "46 CFR § 131.320 - Safety orientation for offshore workers."
title_number: 46
title_name: "Shipping"
section_number: "131.320"
section_name: "Safety orientation for offshore workers."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "L"
subchapter_name: "OFFSHORE SUPPLY VESSELS"
part_number: "131"
part_name: "OPERATIONS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "33 U.S.C. 1321(j); 46 U.S.C. 3306, 6101, 10104; E.O. 12234, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277; E.O. 12777, 3 CFR, 1991 Comp., p. 351; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4. Section 131.990 also issued under sec. 617, Pub. L. 111-281, 124 Stat. 2905."
regulatory_source: "CGD 82-004 and CGD 86-074, 62 FR 49340, Sept. 19, 1997, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "131"
---


# 131.320 Safety orientation for offshore workers.

(a) Before a vessel gets under way on a voyage, the master shall ensure that suitable public announcements are made informing each offshore worker of—

(1) In general terms, emergency and evacuation procedures;

(2) Locations of emergency exits and of embarkation areas for survival craft;

(3) Locations of stowage of lifejackets and immersion suits;

(4) With demonstration, proper method or methods of donning and adjusting lifejackets and immersion suits of the type or types carried on the vessel;

(5) Locations of the instruction placards for lifejackets and other lifesaving devices;

(6) Explanation that each offshore worker shall don an immersion suit and a lifejacket when the master determines that hazardous conditions do or might exist but that offshore workers may don lifejackets whenever they feel it necessary;

(7) Which hazardous conditions might require the donning of lifejackets and immersion suits;

(8) Types and locations of any other lifesaving device carried on the vessel;

(9) Locations and contents of the “Emergency Instructions” required by § 131.330;

(10) Survival craft to which assigned;

(11) Any hazardous materials on the vessel; and

(12) Any conditions or circumstances that constitute a risk to safety.

(b) The master of each vessel shall ensure that each offshore worker boarding the vessel on a voyage after the initial public announcement has been made, as required by paragraph (a) of this section, also hears the information in paragraph (a) of this section.