CONFINED SPACES

Reference: OSHA Training

 INTRODUCTION
Working in a confined space takes
patience, intelligence, and a
surprising amount of preparation.
Many things can go wrong in a
confined space – from lack of air to
getting stuck. Proper education is
necessary to understand what it takes
to work in confined spaces and what
to do in case of an accident.
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
 Participants will familiarize
themselves with the fundamentals of
confined spaces.

 Will acclimate themselves with the

functions and duties of confined
space workers.

 Will learn different conditions and

procedure in confined space entry.

 Will learn the conditions for and the

steps of non-permit required confined
space entry procedure.
 KEY TERMS
 Permit
A documents required and fully
completed prior entry in confined space

 Entry
The act by which a person intentionally
passes through an opening into a permit
required confined space. Any part of the
body passing through the opening is
considered entry.

 Entrant
The employee who will physically enter
the confined space to perform the work.
 KEY TERMS
 Attendant
The employee who remains outside the permit confined
space and monitors the authorized entrant (s) and
performs all attendant’s duties per the employer’s permit
required confined space program

 Entry Supervisor
The employee responsible for coordinating the entry into
the confined space. This must be a team leader or
foreman.

 Oxygen Deficiency
an atmosphere where the oxygen concentration is less
than 19.5%; on the other hand, an atmosphere is
considered oxygen enriched if the concentration is greater
than 23.5%
 INTRODUCTION TO
CONFINED SPACES

This lesson focuses on the following topics:

 What is a confined space?

 Potential hazards in confined spaces
 Permit and non-permit required confined spaces
 WHAT IS CONFINED SPACE

A confined space is an area large enough and so

configured that an employee can enter bodily and
perform their work

AND
A confined space has a limited or restricted means
of entry or exit

AND
A confined space is not designed for continuous
human occupancy.
WHAT IS CONFINED SPACE
Examples of Confined Spaces:

Tanks Manholes
Boilers Bins
Furnaces Sewers
Silos Pits
Hoppers Vaults
Pipes Trenches
Tunnels Ducts
 POTENTIAL HAZARD IN
CONFINED SPACES
 Oxygen Deficiency
An atmosphere is considered oxygen deficient when
the oxygen concentration is less than 19.5%

 Oxygen Enriched
An atmosphere is considered to be oxygen enriched
when the oxygen concentration is greater than 23.5%

 Combustibles
Methane, hydrogen, acetylene, propane, and gasoline
fumes are some of the explosive flammable/
combustible products to which confined space
workers may be commonly exposed.
 POTENTIAL HAZARD IN
CONFINED SPACES

 Toxic Materials
Carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, welding fumes,
and other corrosives may also be harmful if confined
space workers come into contact with them through
improper use or exposure.

 Mechanical Hazards
Machines such as mixers and crushers inside a
confined space can prove harmful to a worker who
can not move out of the way to avoid them
 POTENTIAL HAZARD IN
CONFINED SPACES

 Electricity
Exposure to electrical lines, and electrical mechanical
hazards can prove fatal, especially in areas of high
conductivity or where the worker is not grounded

IDLH - Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health

“IDLH” refers to any condition which poses an
immediate threat to the health or life of an entrant;
would cause irreversible adverse health effects; or
would interfere with an individual’s ability to escape
unaided from a permit space.
 LESSON 1
PERMIT AND NON-PERMIT
CONFINED SPACES
A Permit-Required Confined Space is a
confined space that:

∞ Has all three elements of all confined

space
∞ Contains, or has the potential to
contain, a hazardous atmosphere
∞ Contains a material that has the
potential for engulfing an entrant
∞ Has an internal configuration such
that an entrant could become trapped
or asphyxiated
 PERMIT AND NON-PERMIT
CONFINED SPACES

On the other hand, a non-permit required

confined space contains all three elements
required for all confined spaces, but does not
contain, or have the potential to contain, any
hazard capable of causing death or serious
physical harm.
THE FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES OF
CONFINED SPACE WORKERS

This lesson focuses on the following topics

 Responsibilities of the entrant

 Responsibilities of the attendant

 Responsibilities of the entry supervisor

 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
ENTRANT
1. To assure that the space has been adequately
ventilated, isolated, emptied and made safe for entry.

2. To immediately exit a space, without

question, upon word of the attendant,

no matter what the reason.

3. Follow all safety rules and

procedures for the job.

4. To use the appropriate PPE.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
ATTENDANT
 To monitor entrants during the job and during

entry & exit to help ensure their safety.

 Not leave his post all the time.

 To conduct toxic gas mapping prior the entry

 To control access to the confined space.

 To summon EPRT as needed.

 To continuously assess hazards in and around

the space and take action as needed

 To keep records in all activity, such as air test results,

personnel entry/exit, etc.

 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
ENTRY SUPERVISOR
 To assure adequate protection is provided to the entrants --
such as verifying adequate lockout/tagout procedures and
ensuring that all hazards are securely isolated.

 To support the attendant’s authority in controlling access to

a confined space.

 To verify that all personnel have exited prior to closing the

space.

 To assure that all personnel involved are aware of the

hazards associated with the space.

 To assure that rescue services are available prior to entry.

PERMIT-REQUIRED CONFINED
SPACE ENTRY PROCEDURE
This lesson focuses on the following topics:

 Isolating the space

 Ventilating the space

 Conducting a tailgate briefing

 Completing the entry permit form

 Testing the atmosphere

 Entering the space

 ISOLATING THE SPACE
• Close Valves
Double block and bleed, or use a blank flange

• Empty the Space

To empty the space, depressurize the space, vent it
and drain it

• Lockout/Tagout Equipment
Lockout/Tagout all electrical, mechanical, pneumatic
hydraulic, chemical, thermal, or other energy sources

• Clean hazardous residue from the space

VENTILATING THE SPACE

 Use mechanical ventilation -

such as fans or forced air
blowers

 Make sure air supply is not

contaminated - ventilation air
supply must be from fresh air,
uncontaminated with
flammables, toxins, smokes,
vapors, etc.
CONDUCTING A PRE-ENTRY
BRIEFING
A pre-entry meeting orients all workers to the job
being done. When conducting a pre-entry meeting:

∞ The entire crew must attend, including all

attendants, entrants, and entry supervisors

∞ Review the possible hazards of entry and work

∞ Review PPE and communication

∞ Review emergency procedure

∞ Have a short Prayer

 COMPLETING THE ENTRY
PERMIT FORM
 Permit must be correctly and completely filled out

prior to entry.

 Permit must be activated by Entry Supervisor’s

signature to be valid.

 No entry is allowed without a valid permit.

 Permits are valid for up to 12 hours.

 Cancelled permits must be kept on file for at least

one year.
TESTING THE ATMOSPHERE
Recommended procedures for atmospheric
testing should be as follows:

∞ Prior to every entry when the space is vacant

∞ After a 10 minute ventilation period (if
ventilation is necessary)
∞ At least hourly for permit-required confined
spaces.
∞ More frequently, if conditions or suspicions
warrant.
TESTING THE ATMOSPHERE

Any time a limit is exceeded, no matter what the

reason, all personnel shall immediately exit the
space, and no others shall enter until atmospheric
conditions are returned to safe levels.
TESTING THE ATMOSPHERE

Check for Oxygen Content:

At least 19.5% and less than 23.5%; however, it

should be noted that a reading of any oxygen
content other than 21.7% is reason for further
investigation of the space for the source of
variation from normal oxygen levels.
 TESTING THE ATMOSPHERE

Check for Flammable Atmosphere:

 Less than 10% of the lower explosive level (LEL)

Check for Toxic Gasses:

 Most commonly carbon monoxide (permissible

exposure limit <35 parts per million)

 Or any other toxic materials as determined by the

existing user of the space.
 ENTERING THE SPACE
• When entering a confined space, an attendant shall
be posted near the entrance for the duration of the
work. He/She shall be in constant communication
with the entrants while the job is in progress.

• All entrants shall sign the sign-in log when entering

the space and sign out when exiting. The attendant
shall maintain the permit and sign in log for the
duration of the work
 ENTERING THE SPACE
∞ An attendant shall be posted near the entrance for
the duration of the work. He/She shall be in
constant communication with the entrants while
the job is in progress.

∞ All entrants shall sign the sign-in log when

entering the space and sign
 ENTERING THE SPACE

When the Job is Done…

Here is a job site. Drag your mouse along the scene

to find the necessary steps that must be taken to
close up a confined space once the job is done.
 NON-PERMIT CONFINED
SPACE ENTRY PROCEDURE

This lesson focuses on the following topics

 Isolating and ventilating the space

 Evaluating the space

 Contractor confined space entry

The topics and information provided in this section

should be regarded as recommended procedure.
 ISOLATING AND
VENTILATING THE SPACE

Isolating the space

• Close Valves

• Empty the Space

• Lockout/Tagout Equipment

• Clean residue from the space

 ISOLATING AND
VENTILATING THE SPACE

Ventilating the space

• Control of atmospheric hazards through continuous

forced air ventilation does NOT constitute an elimination
of hazards and the reduction of a permit-required
confined space to a non-permit required confined space

• Initial ventilation of the space is allowed as long as the

air monitoring tests are conducted at time intervals that
will allow for the determination that the space does NOT
need to be continuously ventilated to achieve a safe
atmosphere
 EVALUATING THE SPACE

After isolating and ventilating the space, the space

must be evaluated to determine whether or not it
requires a permit. Here are the steps that must be
taken to make this evaluation.

1. Determine that the space meets all the conditions

set forth in the non-permit justifications

2. Conduct atmospheric testing

3. Evaluation must be certified by Entry

Supervisor’s signature
 EVALUATING THE SPACE
4. Determine that the confined space does not:

No toxic or gas
No engulfment hazards
No configuration which could trap or asphyxiate,
No recognized serious safety or health hazard

5. If non-permit conditions change during the job, the

space shall be immediately evacuated, and re-

classified as a permit-required confined space; and it
must be known by the entry supervisor.
CONTRACTOR CONFINED SPACE
ENTRY
When working in permit-required confined
spaces, contractors have the following
responsibilities:

∞ To obtain any available information

regarding entry operations from the host
∞ To be informed of the hazards within the
space
∞ To coordinate entry operations with the
host employer when both host and
contractor personnel will be working in or
near permit-required confined spaces
 EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND
RESCUE SERVICES
This lesson focuses on the following topics
 Training guidelines

 Requirements for training

 Rescue and emergency services

 Summary
 TRAINING GUIDELINES
The employer must provide training to all employees who
are affected by permit-required confined space entry and
would benefit from training. Training is designed to
demonstrate employee proficiency.

Employees must be trained under the following

conditions:

➢ before a change in assigned duty,

➢ if hazard changes and employee has no previous
experience/training
➢ if employer feels employee's previous
training/knowledge is inadequate
REQUIREMENTS FOR
TRAINING

 Training shall introduce

new or revised
procedures, as
necessary

 The employer shall

certify that required
training has been
completed
REQUIREMENTS FOR
TRAINING

Training certificates must

contain:

 employee’s name
 training dates
 and trainer
signature/initials
RESCUE AND EMERGENCY
SERVICES

Rescue and emergency services

can be outside contracted
rescue team (s) or employee-
trained rescue team (s)
 RESCUE AND EMERGENCY
SERVICES
Contracted Rescue Teams:

 Shall have ability to respond to all hazards present, in

a timely and acceptable manner

 Shall be equipped for and proficient in needed

emergency services

 Shall be informed of all possible hazards identified

and must have access to all identified permit areas for
pre-planning
 RESCUE AND EMERGENCY
SERVICES
Employee-Trained Rescue Teams

 Shall be provided, and trained in the use of, personal

protective equipment specific for rescue work
 Shall be trained to perform assigned rescue duties
 Shall be trained in first aid and CPR
 Shall practice rescues at least once every 12 months
 Non-entry retrieval systems shall be used, if at all
possible
 Material safety data sheets (MSDS) shall be made
available to medical personnel
 SUMMARY
Confined spaces are everywhere, from sewers to silos.
Some are small, some are large, and some are
inconspicuous, but all can be extremely dangerous,
especially to those who make a career of working within
these special work conditions. Hopefully this course has
given you the necessary information that will allow you
to work carefully when working in confined spaces, and
convinces you to follow the proper procedures and
necessary steps to ensure a safe confined space
working environment.