Permit-Required Confined Spaces

:[phone];teletypewriter(TTY)number:[phone].U.S.DepartmentofLaborOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministrationOSHA3138-01R2004Permit-RequiredConfinedSpaces2ContentsIntroduction...3Definitions...3OSHA’sConfinedSpaceStandard...4Alternativetoafullpermitentry...4WrittenPrograms...6ControllingHazards...7Equipmentforsafeentry...7Detectionofhazardousconditions...7InformingContractEmployees...8EntryPermits...8Cancelledentrypermits...9WorkerTraining...9AssignedDuties...10Authorizedentrant..10Attendant...10Entrysupervisor...11Emergencies...12Rescueservicepersonnel...12Harnessesandretrievallines...12MSDS...12OSHAAssistance...13SafetyandHealthProgramManagementGuidelines...13StatePrograms...14ConsultationServices...14VoluntaryProtectionPrograms(VPP)...15StrategicPartnershipProgram...15AlliancePrograms...15OSHATrainingandEducation...16InformationAvailableElectronically...17OSHAPublications...17ContactingOSHA...17OSHARegionalOffices...18IntroductionManyworkplacescontainspacesthatareconsideredtobe“confined”becausetheirconfigurationshindertheactivitiesofemployeeswhomustenterinto,workinorexitfromthem.Inmanyinstances,employeeswhoworkinconfinedspacesalsofaceincreasedriskofexposuretoseriousphysicalinjuryfromhazardssuchasentrapment,engulfmentandhazardousatmosphericconditions.Confinementitselfmayposeentrapmenthazardsandworkinconfinedspacesmaykeepemployeesclosertohazardssuchasmachinerycomponentsthantheywouldbeotherwise.Forexample,confinement,limitedaccessandrestrictedairflowcanresultinhazardousconditionsthatwouldnotnormallyariseinanopenworkplace.Theterms“permit-requiredconfinedspace”and“permitspace”refertospacesthatmeetOSHA’sdefinitionofa“confinedspace”andcontainhealthorsafetyhazards.Forthisreason,OSHArequiresworkerstohaveapermittoenterthesespaces.Through-outthispublication,theterm“permitspace”willbeusedtodescribea“permit-requiredconfinedspace.”DefinitionsBydefinition,aconfinedspace:Islargeenoughforanemployeetoenterfullyandperformassignedwork;Isnotdesignedforcontinuousoccupancybytheemployee;andHasalimitedorrestrictedmeansofentryorexit.Thesespacesmayincludeundergroundvaults,tanks,storagebins,pitsanddikedareas,vessels,silosandothersimilarareas.Bydefinition,apermit-requiredconfinedspacehasoneormoreofthesecharacteristics:Containsorhasthepotentialtocontainahazardousatmosphere;Containsamaterialwiththepotentialtoengulfsomeonewhoentersthespace;Hasaninternalconfigurationthatmightcauseanentranttobetrappedorasphyxiatedbyinwardlyconvergingwallsorbya3floorthatslopesdownwardandtaperstoasmallercrosssection;and/orContainsanyotherrecognizedserioussafetyorhealthhazards.OSHA’sConfinedSpaceStandardOSHA’sstandardforconfinedspaces(29CFR1910.146)containstherequirementsforpracticesandprocedurestoprotectemploy-eesingeneralindustryfromthehazardsofenteringpermitspaces.Employersingeneralindustrymustevaluatetheirworkplacestodetermineifspacesarepermitspaces.(Seeflowchart,page5.)Ifaworkplacecontainspermitspaces,theemployermustinformexposedemployeesoftheirexistence,locationandthehazardstheypose.Thiscanbedonebypostingdangersignssuchas“DANGER—PERMIT-REQUIREDCONFINEDSPACE—AUTHORIZEDENTRANTSONLY”orusinganequallyeffectivemeans.Ifemployeesarenottoenterandworkinpermitspaces,employersmusttakeeffectivemeasurestopreventthemfromenteringthesespaces.Ifemployeesareexpectedtoenterpermitspaces,theemployermustdevelopawrittenpermitspaceprogramandmakeitavailabletoemployeesortheirrepresentatives.AlternativetoafullpermitentryUndercertainconditionsdescribedinthestandard,theemployermayusealternateproceduresforworkerentryintoapermitspace.Forexample,ifanemployercandemonstratewithmonitoringandinspectiondatathattheonlyhazardisanactualorpotentialhazardousatmospherethatcanbemadesafeforentryusingcontinuousforcedairventilation,theemployermaybeexemptedfromsomerequirements,suchaspermitsandatten-dants.However,eveninthesecircumstances,theemployermusttesttheinternalatmosphereofthespaceforoxygencontent,flammablegasesandvapors,andthepotentialfortoxicaircontam-inantsbeforeanyemployeeentersit.Theemployermustalsoprovidecontinuousventilationandverifythattherequiredmea-surementsareperformedbeforeentry.45DoestheworkplacecontainPRCSasdefinedby§1910.146(b)?ConsultotherapplicableOSHAstandards.Informemployeesasrequiredby§1910.146(c)(2).Willpermitspacebeentered?Willcontractorsenter?YESNOSTOPPreventemployeeentryasre