Final answer:
The claim that OSHA requires maintenance of safe working surfaces on barges is true. Employers are mandated to follow OSHA standards for maintaining safe work environments, which includes ensuring that decks and working surfaces in maritime settings are hazard-free.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that OSHA specifically requires that deck and other working surfaces be maintained in a safe condition is true. According to OSHA's maritime standards, which are part of their regulations that protect workers in Construction, General Industry, Maritime, and Agriculture, it is the responsibility of employers to ensure safety and health standards in the workplace. This includes keeping working surfaces, such as those on barges, well-maintained and free from hazards that can cause injury or illness.
Employers are bound by the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act to keep workplaces free from serious recognized hazards, even when no specific OSHA standard applies. In the context of the marine industry, ensuring that working surfaces are safe would certainly fall under this requirement. Employers must regularly inspect these surfaces, correct any unsafe conditions, and also implement measures such as fall protection, guards on machines, and adequate ventilation systems, to name a few.