Work Authority

Autoridad para detener el trabajo

• Stop-work authority (§ 250.1930) – This element requires operators to ensure the capability to immediately stop work that is creating imminent risk or danger and grant all personnel the responsibility and authority, without fear of reprisal, to stop work or decline to perform an assigned task when an imminent risk or danger exists. Every worker who works on the OCS must be trained on SWA procedures. All new workers must receive SWA training during orientation. All training must be documented, and these documents must be kept onsite for no less than 30 days. SWA procedures must be reviewed during all safety meetings and must be on JSA’s

Ultimate Work Authority

• Ultimate work authority (§ 250.1931) – This element requires operators to have a process to identify the individual with the ultimate work authority at the facility and over the entire operation.  The operator must ensure that all personnel clearly know who has UWA and who is in charge of a specific operation or activity at all times. This element also requires that the operator give the individual with the UWA the authority to pursue the most effective action necessary in that individual’s judgment for mitigating and abating the conditions or practices causing an emergency. Workers with UWA make the final decision about a facility’s activities and operations. These workers must be identified in each facility’s SEMS program . When multiple facilities are working together or near one another , the SEMS program must identify the worker who has UWA over the entire operation. It is important that operators make sure all workers know who has UWA at all times.