Jurisdiction continental shelf

The continental shelf is located outside the boundaries of national territory and territorial waters. Consequently, the coastal state needs a specific basis in rules of international law in order to exercise jurisdictional powers over the continental shelf and the activities taking place there. We will not delve into these issues in general, but illustrate their link to safety regulation by looking briefly into the issue of jurisdiction over floating devices employed in offshore petroleum activities. 

Florida s west coast, and Puerto Rico, whose Jurisdictions extend to 9 nautical miles offshore. The outer edge of the continental margin is a principal basis for determining a coastal nation s jurisdiction over sea bed resources beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline. The continental shelf is depicted here based on Its geological definition. The term is sometimes used differently in international law. 

Section 4(a) states that the provisions of the OSH Act shall apply with respect to employment performed in a workplace in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Wake Island, Outer Continental Shelf Lands defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Johnston Island, and the Canal Zone. The Secretary of the Interior shall, by regulation, provide for judicial enforcement of this Act by the courts established for areas in which there are no United States district courts having jurisdiction. ... 

The committee s charge was to assess the U.S. Department of the Interior s (DOFs) approach for regulating the health and safety of wind farm workers on the outer continental shelf (OCS). The committee s three main tasks were to identify unique risks to worker health and safety on wind farms as compared with oil and gas operations on the OCS (see Chapters 2 and 4), to identify any gaps or overlaps in jurisdictional authority (see Chapter 3), and to evaluate the adequacy of and recommend enhancements to current regulations for worker health and safety on OCS wind farms (see Chapters 3 and 5). 

Requirements for the means of escape, personnel landings, guard rads, and lifesaving apphances are normally specified by the authority having jurisdiction. For example, in the United States, the U.S. Coast Guard Rules and Regulations are contained in 33 CFR subchapter N—Outer Continental Shelf Activities, Parts 140 through 147—set requirements in the offshore waters of the United States. Likewise, in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) of the United States, requirements are specified in the 30 CFR Parts 250 and 256—Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations on the Outer Continental Shelf. 

The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) consists of the submerged lands, subsoil, and seabed, lying between the seaward extent of the States jurisdiction (see Section State jurisdiction ) and the seaward extent of Federal jurisdiction. The outward limit of federal jurisdiction is determined by international law. Determination of the distance depends on various factors, but a value of 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) is the base line. 

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