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Page last reviewed: 08/14/2007
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Confined Spaces

Many workplaces contain spaces that are considered "confined" because their configurations hinder the activities of employees who must enter, work in, and exit them. A confined space has limited or restricted means for entry or exit, and it is not designed for continuous employee occupancy. Confined spaces include, but are not limited to underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, manholes, pits, silos, process vessels, and pipelines. OSHA uses the term "permit-required confined space" (permit space) to describe a 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 to engulf an entrant; has walls that converge inward or floors that slope downward and taper into a smaller area which could trap or asphyxiate an entrant; or contains any other recognized safety or health hazard, such as unguarded machinery, exposed live wires, or heat stress.

Confined space hazards are addressed in specific standards for the general industry and shipyard employment.

Standards

This section highlights OSHA standards, directives (instructions for compliance officers), standard interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards), and national consensus standards related to confined spaces.

OSHA

Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

Shipyard Employment (29 CFR 1915)

  • 1915 Subpart B, Confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres in shipyard employment
    • 1915.11, Scope, application, and definitions applicable to this subpart
    • 1915.12, Precautions and the order of testing before entering confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres
    • 1915.13, Cleaning and other cold work
    • 1915.14, Hot work
    • 1915.15, Maintenance of safe conditions
    • 1915.16, Warning signs and labels
      • Appendix A, Compliance assistance guidelines for confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres
      • Appendix B, Reprint of US coast guard regulations referenced in Subpart B, for determination of Coast Guard authorized persons

Directives

Standard Interpretations

National Consensus

Note: These are NOT OSHA regulations. However, they do provide guidance from their originating organizations related to worker protection.

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE)

  • Z117.1 - 2003, Safety Requirements for Confined Spaces

Construction

For information related to construction, see OSHA's Confined Spaces - Construction page.

Hazards and Solutions

Confined spaces may be encountered in virtually any occupation; therefore, their recognition is the first step in preventing fatalities. Since deaths in confined spaces often occur because the atmosphere is oxygen-deficient, toxic or combustible, confined spaces that contain or have the potential to contain a serious atmospheric hazard should be classified as Permit-required confined spaces and should be tested prior to entry and continually monitored. The following references aid in recognizing and evaluating hazards and possible solutions related to confined spaces.

Additional Information

Training

  • Small Business Handbook. OSHA Publication 2209-02R, (2005). Also available as a 587 KB PDF, 56 pages. Contains basic information about occupational safety and health, with specific focus on the needs of small business.

  • Confined Spaces. National Ag Safety Database (NASD). Provides a linked reference to several videos relating to confined space entry.

Other Resources

  • ANSI Z117.1 Committee. American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE).

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