1910.420: Diving Safe Practices Manual
Diving employers must develop and keep a safe practices manual available at the dive location to every dive team member. It must contain a copy of the diving standard and the employer's policies, and for each diving mode, safety procedures and checklists, team assignments and responsibilities, equipment procedures and checklists, and emergency procedures for fire, equipment failure, bad environmental conditions and medical illness and injury.
Key takeaways
- 1910.420 is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart T).
- OSHA cited it 9 times in the last 3 years, in 9 inspections, with $188,226 in current penalties.
- 3 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most-cited part: 1910.420(a) General (4 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.420, "Safe practices manual", is an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart T). It has 8 numbered paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
Show the full text of 1910.420 (8 paragraphs)
(a) General. The employer shall develop and maintain a safe practices manual which shall be made available at the dive location to each dive team member. Open (a) 4 citations
(b) Contents. 5 citations
(1) The safe practices manual shall contain a copy of this standard and the employer's policies for implementing the requirements of this standard. 3 citations
(2) For each diving mode engaged in, the safe practices manual shall include: 2 citations
(i) Safety procedures and checklists for diving operations;
(ii) Assignments and responsibilities of the dive team members;
(iii) Equipment procedures and checklists; and
(iv) Emergency procedures for fire, equipment failure, adverse environmental conditions, and medical illness and injury.
[42 FR 37668, July 22, 1977, as amended at 49 FR 18295, Apr. 30, 1984]
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15.
Injuries linked to this rule
3 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.420.
At 3:18 p.m. on October 2, 2024, Employee #1, employed as a shellfish fishing diver near Sisters Island, was diving for Geoducks in an area experiencing strong tides and rough seas. After starting his second dive of the day, Employee#1 radioed the tender aboard the…
Full case list with employer, penalty, filters and download is part of OSHA Data (Purple Belt).
Unlock with Purple BeltWhere and how often it was cited
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.420, plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.420.
Most-cited parts of this rule
- 1910.420(a) General 4 citations
Get your crew competent
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Frequently asked questions
Where must the safe practices manual be kept?
At the dive location, available to each dive team member.
What must the manual include for each diving mode?
Safety procedures and checklists, team assignments and responsibilities, equipment procedures and checklists, and emergency procedures.
What emergencies must the manual cover?
Fire, equipment failure, adverse environmental conditions, and medical illness and injury.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.420 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-19
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.