The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) now requires Newport News Shipbuilding to strip back all preservative coatings at least 4 inches from an area of heat application before starting any hot work. The previous standard was 2 inches, per a longstanding agreement between OSHA and NNS.

OSHA has suggested ways to lessen the impact of this change while still ensuring shipbuilders’ safety.

In support, NNS has stood up a Global Paint Strip Back Team led by Engineering Manager David Cash (E42) to assist Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), which is sponsoring the effort.

“Our team is examining near-term opportunities that depend on such factors as coating type, location, tooling and processes while EH&S is leading the way to obtain necessary data to ensure technical rigor in making informed and safe decisions,” Cash said.

More communication is planned, including FAQs and a MyNNS site to promote dialogue and answer further questions.