FAR 22.300—Scope of subpart.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 22.300 is the scope statement for Subpart 22.3, which implements the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards statute, 40 U.S.C. chapter 37. It tells contracting officers and contractors when the subpart applies: to contracts that may require or involve laborers or mechanics. It also defines the labor categories covered for purposes of this subpart, expressly including apprentices, trainees, helpers, watchmen, guards, firefighters, fireguards, and workmen performing services connected with dredging or rock excavation in rivers or harbors. At the same time, it excludes employees employed as seamen. In practice, this section is important because it sets the threshold question for whether the overtime and safety-related requirements of the statute and implementing FAR provisions must be flowed into a contract and monitored during performance. It also helps avoid misclassification errors by clarifying that the term "laborers or mechanics" is broader than just traditional construction trades, but not unlimited.
Key Rules
Applies to covered labor contracts
The subpart applies to contracts that may require or involve laborers or mechanics. If the work could include these labor categories, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards requirements may be triggered.
Defines laborers or mechanics broadly
For this subpart, "laborers or mechanics" includes apprentices, trainees, helpers, watchmen, guards, firefighters, fireguards, and workmen performing services in connection with dredging or rock excavation in rivers or harbors.
Seamen are excluded
Employees employed as seamen are not included in the definition of "laborers or mechanics" for this subpart. That means seamen are outside the scope of these particular requirements.
Scope controls later requirements
This section does not itself impose the detailed overtime or safety obligations; it identifies when the subpart applies so the later FAR provisions in the subpart can be used correctly.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Determine whether the contemplated contract may require or involve laborers or mechanics, and apply the subpart when it does. The contracting officer must understand the scope definition so the proper clauses and administration requirements are included.
Contractor
Identify whether its workforce includes covered laborers or mechanics under this subpart and comply with the applicable Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards requirements when the contract falls within scope. The contractor should not assume only traditional trades are covered.
Agency
Ensure acquisition personnel use the correct scope definition when planning, awarding, and administering contracts that may involve covered labor categories. Agencies should support consistent application of the statute and FAR requirements.
Practical Implications
This section is the gateway to the rest of Subpart 22.3: if the contract may involve covered laborers or mechanics, the contractor and contracting officer must look to the implementing requirements that follow.
A common pitfall is assuming the rule applies only to construction workers; the definition also reaches apprentices, trainees, helpers, guards, watchmen, firefighters, fireguards, and certain dredging/rock excavation workers.
Another frequent mistake is overlooking mixed-work contracts where only part of the effort involves covered labor. If any portion may involve laborers or mechanics, the subpart may still matter.
Seamen are specifically excluded, so maritime contracts require careful labor-category analysis rather than automatic application of this subpart.
Because this is a scope provision, it should be used early in acquisition planning and clause selection to avoid missing required contract terms or misapplying the statute during performance.
Official Regulatory Text
This subpart prescribes policies and procedures for applying the requirements of 40 U.S.C. chapter 37 , Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards (the statute) to contracts that may require or involve laborers or mechanics. In this subpart, the term "laborers or mechanics" includes apprentices, trainees, helpers, watchmen, guards, firefighters, fireguards, and workmen who perform services in connection with dredging or rock excavation in rivers or harbors, but does not include any employee employed as a seaman.