CONFINED SPACE CONFINED SPACE AWARENESSAWARENESS

DEFINITION OF CONFINED DEFINITION OF CONFINED SPACESPACE

Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work

Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit

Is not intended for continuous employee occupancy

TYPES OF CONFINED TYPES OF CONFINED SPACESSPACES

SewersRailroadsVaults and pitsVessels, silos, storage binsHoppers, pipelines

REASONS FOR ENTERING REASONS FOR ENTERING A CONFINED SAPCEA CONFINED SAPCE

CleaningInspectionsMaintenanceTrainingRescue

CONFINED SPACE CONFINED SPACE HAZARDSHAZARDS

Hazardous atmospheres– Oxygen deficient– Combustible.flammable atmospheres– Toxic gases– Combustible dusts

Electrical and other energy sources Mechanical Engulfment Poor lighting Poor footing Biological and health hazards Improper training

CONFINED SPACE CONFINED SPACE INCIDENTSINCIDENTS

Highest death rates in any type of rescue operations 60% of rescuers die in attempted rescues

CONFINED SPACE CONFINED SPACE STANDARDSTANDARD

29 CFR 1910.146

CONFINED SPACE CONFINED SPACE PERMITSPERMITS

Contains requirements for practices and procedures to protect employees from the hazards of entry into permit required confined spaces

Required in all types of industry, EXCEPT: agriculture, construction, and shipyards

TYPES OF PERMIT TYPES OF PERMIT CONFINED SPACESCONFINED SPACES

Permit Required Confined Space– A confined space that has one or more of the

following conditions: 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 the entrant could

be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or a floor which slopes and tapers to a smaller cross section

Contains other serious recognizable hazards

TYPES OF PERMIT TYPES OF PERMIT CONFINED SPACESCONFINED SPACES

Non-Permit Confined Space– A space that does not contain or with respect to

atmospheric hazards, have the potential to contain any hazard capable of causing serious physical harm or death

ALTERNATE ENTRY ALTERNATE ENTRY PROCEDURESPROCEDURES

The employer must demonstrate the following:– The only hazard posed is actual or potential

hazardous atmosphere– Demonstrates the continuous ventilation is sufficient

to maintain a safe permit space– Must show data that supports the above

demonstrations– Data must be documented and be made available to

the entrants

ALTERNATE ENTRY ALTERNATE ENTRY PROCEDURESPROCEDURES

If alternate entries are allowed:– No formal program is needed– No permit or permit system is needed– No attendant or supervisor is needed– No rescue provisions– TRAINING IS REQUIRED!

CONFINED SPACE CONFINED SPACE DEFINITIONSDEFINITIONS

Qualified Person– A person designated by the Employer in writing, as being

trained in the area of confined space Attendant

– A trained person who is stationed outside the confined space who monitors authorized entrants working in the confined space

Authorized Entrant– Person doing the work inside the confined space

Entry supervisor– Person who verifies that all requirements for entry have been

met and oversee the operations

CONFINED SPACE CONFINED SPACE HAZARDSHAZARDS

Hazardous Atmospheres– Oxygen Deficient

Below 19.5%

– Oxygen enriched Above 23.5%

– Flammability 10% of the lower flammability range

– Other Toxic gases Carbon monoxide – 35 ppm Sulfur Dioxide – 10 ppm

WAYS TO REMOVED THE WAYS TO REMOVED THE HAZARDSHAZARDS

Ventilation– The planned and systematic release and removal of gases and

replacement of these gases with fresh air Inerting

– Displacement of the atmosphere in a permit space by a non-combustible gas (such as nitrogen) Note- This procedure does create an oxygen deficient atmosphere

Isolation– The process by which a permit required confined space is

removed from service and completely protected against the energy and/or material into the confined space by blanking and bleeding, lock-out tag out Double bleed and block

CONFINED SPACE CONFINED SPACE PERMITSPERMITS

Shall be issued for all required entry spaces and shall be posted at the entry point to the confined space

The entry shall not exceed the time durations it is issued for.

MONITORING OF MONITORING OF CONFINED SPACESCONFINED SPACES

Order of significance– Oxygen– LEL– Toxic Gases

Monitors shall be four gas– Oxygen levels– Carbon monoxide levels– Hydrogen sulfide levels– Lower explosive limits

Monitoring should be conducted– At the portal– Lowering into the space, allow 1 second per foot to ensure proper levels

are read.– Always use two monitors

CONFINED SPACE CONFINED SPACE RESCUESRESCUES

Personal Safety EquipmentSCBA and Supplied Air UnitsFull body harness and retrieval systemToolsElectrical equipment

CONFINED SPACE RESCUE CONFINED SPACE RESCUE EQUIPMENTEQUIPMENT

Personal equipment– Hard hats– Boots– Eye Protection– Hearing protection– Splash protection– In the case of

flammable atmospheres, bunker gear is appropriate

SCBA and Supplied Air Units– SCBA is appropriate,

however cannot be removed to gain entry into the space

– Supplies air systems cannot exceed 300 ft.

– Supplied air systems require minimum of a 10 minute escape packs

CONFINED SPACE RESCUE CONFINED SPACE RESCUE EQUIPMENT Cont.EQUIPMENT Cont.

Retrieval System/Fall protection – Required in any spaces deeper than 5 feet. – Tri-Pod– Retrieval system– Life line– Life line retrieval

system

Miscellaneous Equipment

Electrical equipment– Needs to be grounded– Low voltage

Tools– Non-sparking– Air driven

(Intrinsically safe)

IDENTIFICATION AND IDENTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATION IN THE COMMUNICATION IN THE

CONFINED SPACECONFINED SPACE Methods of communication Radios

– Difficult to use underground, won’t turn corners

Life Line– OATH

OK = 1 Pull Advance = 2 Pulls Take Up = 3 Pulls Help = 4 or more pulls

Hand signals

Identification Systems– Accountability System

Name of the attendant Name and Number of

entrants Time in and out of the

Space Time on and off air

CONFINED SPACE RECORD CONFINED SPACE RECORD KEPPINGKEPPING

Records of training must be maintained Permits must be maintained Incident records must be maintained Medical surveillance (Meeting OSHA Standards Equipment maintenance records Records must be kept for a minimum of one year Exposure records must be kept for 40 years or 30

years after employment termination

CONFINED SPACE INITIAL CONFINED SPACE INITIAL OPERATIONSOPERATIONS

Activate response planActivate the incident command systemPrevent unauthorized personnel from

entering the sightSet-up control zones, as in Haz-Mat

PERMIT REQUIRED CONFINED PERMIT REQUIRED CONFINED SPACE ENTRY AND RESCUESPACE ENTRY AND RESCUE

Prepare permit or SOP Check for hazards Monitor air quality (continuously) Ventilate Tri-pod set up Retrieval system Full body harnesses Lighting Communication Pot Permits Make entry and conduct the rescue or exercise Cancel and file permits