Confined Space Entry
|
|
Marvin
Menesini
A space that:
- Is large enough
and so configured that an employee can enter bodily and perform work;
- Has limited or
restricted means of entry or exit;
- Is not designed
for continuous human occupancy.
- Tanks
- Manholes
- Boilers
- Furnaces
- Sewers
- Silos
- Hoppers
|
- Vaults
- Pipes
- Trenches
- Tunnels
- Ducts
- Bins
- Pits
|
- Oxygen Deficiency
- <19.5%
or >23.5% oxygen concentration
- Combustibles
- Methane
- Hydrogen
- Acetylene
- Propane
- Gasoline fumes
- Toxic Materials
- Carbon Monoxide
- Hydrogen Sulfide
- Welding fumes
- Corrosives
- Electricity
- Mechanical Hazards
- 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.
- IMMEDIATELY
DANGEROUS TO LIFE OR HEALTH
- Any condition
which poses an immediate threat to the health of life on an entrant,
or;
- Would cause irreversible
adverse health effects, or;
- Would interfere
with an individuals ability to escape unaided from a permit space.
- The employee who
will physically enter the confined space to perform the work.
The employee who
remains outside the confined space and monitors the entrant(s); guards
the space against unauthorized entry; warns the entrants of any unusual
conditions; and summons the rescue personnel if needed.
- A Permit-Required
Confined Space is confined space that has one or more of the following
characteristics:
- 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;
or
- Contains any
other serious safety or health hazard.
- The employee responsible
for coordinating the entry into the confined space. This must be a team
leader or foreman.
- The person directly
responsible for the work being performed in the confined space. This
can be the Team Leader, Foreman, journeyman, or other person qualified
by training and experience.
- A confined space
that does not contain or, with respect to atmospheric hazards, have
the potential to contain any hazard capable of causing death of serious
physical harm.
- Permit-required
confined space entry
- For hazardous
or potentially hazardous confined space work
- Non-permit confined
space entry
- For non-hazardous
confined space work
- Isolate the space
- Ventilate the
space
- Conduct Tailboard
- Complete permit
- Test the atmosphere
- Enter the space
- Close Valves
- Double block
& bleed, or
- Blank flange
- Empty the Space
- Depressurize,
vent & drain
- Lockout/Tagout
Equipment
- Electrical
sources
- Rotating/reciprocating
parts
- Hazardous
materials
- Clean residue
from the space
- Use mechanical
ventilation
- Ventilate
at the rate of at least four (4) volumes per hour
- Larger
spaces require more ventilation
- Make sure
air supply is not contaminated
- Ventilation
air supply must be from fresh air uncontaminated with flammables,
toxins, etc.
|
|
- Entire crew must
attend
- Attendants,
entrants, entry supervisor
- Review hazards
of entry and work
- Review PPE
- Review procedure
for contacting rescue
- Permit must be
correctly and completely filled out prior to entry.
- Permit must be
activated by Entry Supervisors signature to be valid.
- No entry is allowed
without a valid permit.
- Permits are valid
for up to 12 hours.
- When work is completed,
permit and tailboard form should be returned to safety.
- Canceled permits
must be kept on file for at least one year.
In this Order
- Check for Oxygen
Content:
- At least 19.5%
and less than 23.5%
- Check for Toxic
Gasses:
- Most commonly
carbon monoxide (PEL <35 ppm)
- or any other
hazardous materials as determined by the use of the space.
- 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.
THERE
ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS!
- 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.
Always test
the
air at various levels
to be sure that the
entire space is safe.
Good air near
the opening does
NOT mean there is good air at the bottom!
|
|
Good Air
Poor Air
Deadly Air
|
- An attendant shall
be posted near the entrance for the duration of the work. He 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.
- Remove all personnel,
tools, and debris from the space. Sign off the log.
- Close the space.
- Cancel the permit.
- Review the job
with the host employer (hazards, problems, other employers, etc.)
- Isolate the space
- Ventilate the
space
- Evaluate the space
- Test atmosphere
- Assure justification
conditions are met
- Conduct tailboard
- Enter the space
- Close Valves
- Double block
& bleed, or
- Blank flange
- Empty the Space
- Depressurize,
vent & drain
- Lockout/Tagout
Equipment
- Electrical
sources
- Rotating/reciprocating
parts
- Hazardous
materials
- Clean residue
from the space
- Use mechanical
ventilation
- Ventilate at the
rate of at least four (4) volumes per hour
- Larger spaces
require more ventilation
- Make sure air
supply is not contaminated
- Ventilation
air supply must be from fresh air uncontaminated with flammables,
toxins, etc.
- Determine that
the space meets all the conditions set forth in the non-permit justifications
- Conduct atmospheric
testing
- Evaluation must
be certified by Entry Supervisors signature
- Determine that
the confined space does not:
- contain or
have the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere
- Continuous
mechanical ventilation not acceptable as good atmosphere
- contain a
material with the potential for engulfment
- Has an internal
configuration which could trap or asphyxiate, or
- contain any
recognized serious safety or health hazard
- If non-permit
conditions change during the job, the space shall be immediately evacuated,
and reclassified as a permit-required confined space; or conditions
shall be returned to non-permit conditions and again certified as such
by the entry supervisor.
- Contractors must
be informed of the hazards within the space
- Contractors must
follow their own established confined space entry procedure and use
their own permit forms
- Contractors must
supply their own attendants
- One attendant
is acceptable for multiple companies entrants
- Contractors must
supply their own air monitors
- Contractors must
review entry after completion of job
- To monitor entrants
during the job and during entry & exit to help insure their safety.
- The attendant
may not abandon his post for any reason while personnel are in the
space unless relieved by another qualified attendant.
- To monitor atmospheric
conditions in the space prior to and during entry.
- To control access
to the confined space.
- To summon emergency
assistance as needed.
- To assess hazards
in and around the space, and take action on the same.
- To keep records
of confined space work, such as air test results, personnel entry/exit,
etc.
- To assure that
the space has been adequately ventilated, isolated, emptied, or otherwise
made safe for entry.
- To immediately
exit a space, without question, upon word of the attendant, no matter
what the reason.
- To follow all
safety rules and procedures that apply to the job.
- To be familiar
with the work to be performed and the procedures that apply to the job.
- To use the appropriate
PPE whenever necessary.
- To assure adequate
protection is provided to the entrants by verifying adequate lockout/tagout
and that all hazards are securely isolated.
- To support the
attendants 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.
This paper appears in the eLCOSH website with the permission of the author and/or copyright holder and may not be reproduced without their consent. eLCOSH is an information clearinghouse. eLCOSH and its sponsors are not responsible for the accuracy of information provided on this web site, nor for its use or misuse.
eLCOSH
| CDC | NIOSH
| Site Map | Search
| Links | Help
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy
|