Confined Space Entry Requirements Health and Safety Standard 16.2

Accident Report Fatal Fact

• Accident Type:

Asphyxiation

• Type of Operation:

Boring, Jacking

• Crew Size: 6

• Employee Job Title:

Laborer Age 23 Male

• Experience at this

Type of Work 1 day

• Time on Project 1

hour

• An employee sitting in a looped

chain was lowered

approximately 17 feet into a 21-

foot deep manhole. Twenty

seconds later he started

gasping for air and fell from the

chain seat face down into the

accumulated water at the

bottom of the manhole. An

autopsy determined oxygen

deficiency as the cause of

death.

Accident Report Fatal Fact

• Accident Type: Fire/explosion

• Type of Operation: Installing water line

• Crew Size 3

• Employee Job Title Welder Age28

• Experience 2 years

• Time on Project 2 months

• A welder entered a steel pipe (24

inch diameter) to grind a bad weld at

a valve about 30 feet from the entry

point. Before he entered, other crew

members decided to add oxygen to

the pipe near the bad weld. He had

been grinding intermittently for

about five minutes when a fire broke

out enveloping his clothing. Another

crew member pulled him 30 feet to

the pipe entrance and extinguished

the fire. However, the welder died

the next day from his burns.

16.2.1.1 PURPOSE

• The purpose of the Confined Space

Entry Standard is to establish safety

requirements, including a permit

system, for entry into confined spaces

identified in a risk assessment as

posing special dangers for Authorized

Entrants. Confined spaces pose

unique hazards due to their contents

and / or configuration. This Standard

includes provisions of the OSHA

Confined Space Standard 29 CFR

1910.146 and the Rio Tinto Confined

Space Entry Requirements.

16.2.2 DEFINITIONS

16.2.2.1 Confined Space – An enclosed or partially

enclosed space that:

• Has been identified as such in a risk assessment;

• Is not intended or designed primarily as place of work;

• May have restricted entry and exit; and

• May:

• Have an atmosphere which contains potentially

harmful levels of contaminant;

• Not have a safe level of oxygen (e.g. following a

nitrogen purge); or

• Cause entrapment or engulfment.

16.2.2.1 Confined Spaces may

include, but are not limited to:

- Storage tanks, process vessels,

boilers, pressure vessels, tank-like

compartments that have only a

manhole for entry, ceiling and floor

spaces;

- Open-topped spaces such as pits,

or grease traps, or excavations

more than 1.5 meters (5 feet)

deep; and

- Pipes, pumps, sewers, shafts,

ducts, drains, tunnels, cellars,

basements and similar structures.

16.2.2.3 Entry Supervisor – A competent person trained,

tested, and knowledgeable in the requirements of this

Standard with the overall responsibility for safe confined

space entry operations. The Entry Supervisor must ensure

all the requirements of this Standard are implemented at

the confined space location.

16.2.2.4 Tester – A competent person knowledgeable in the

requirements of this Standard who has been trained and

tested in the recognition and evaluation of personnel

exposures to potential confined space hazardous

conditions, the use of monitoring equipment, and

procedures for atmospheric testing.

16.2.2.5 Contaminant – Any dust, fume, mist, vapor, gas,

or other substance in liquid or solid form, the presence of

which may be harmful to health and safety.

16.2.2.6 Authorized Entrant(s) – Personnel entering a

confined space who have been properly trained, are

competent and tested by the Entry Supervisor regarding

the nature of hazards involved, precautions to be taken,

the use of required protective and emergency equipment,

and the emergency rescue procedures.

16.2.2.7 Attendant (Standby Person) – A competent

person trained and tested in the requirements of this

Standard and familiar with rescue procedures. The

Attendant is stationed outside the permitted confined

space to monitor the Authorized Entrants.

16.2.2.2 Entry – The action by which a

person passes through an opening into

a permit-required confined space.

Entry includes ensuing work activities

in that space and is considered to

have occurred as soon as the whole

body, upper body, or head of the

Authorized Entrant's body breaks the

plane of an opening into the confined

space. However, this is not intended

to prevent a person from inserting their

hand or arm while holding a test

instrument or probe into a confined

space as part of its evaluation as

provided for by this procedure.

16.2.3 REQUIREMENTS

- An inventory of confined spaces must be maintained by Kennecott

Land.

- 16.2.3.1 All confined spaces must be identified and signs erected

at the entry points denoting that a permit is required prior to entry.

Where signage is impractical, other means of highlighting the

dangers need to be used.

- 16.2.3.2 Prior to anyone entering a confined space, it is to be

subjected to a risk assessment. Entry to a confined space will

only be allowed after a written approval, in the form of the

Confined Space Permit, has been issued by a competent person

who is authorized to issue such permits.

- 16.2.3.3 Prior to entry into any space not already identified as a

confined space, a risk assessment must be completed to

determine if it is to be treated as a confined space or to determine

if permits other than a confined space entry permit may be

necessary.

REQUIREMENTS

- Specific safe work procedures (SOPs) must be

developed for work activities that are more hazardous

when carried out in a confined space than elsewhere.

These activities would include, but are not restricted

to, hot work (cutting and welding), chemical cleaning,

steam cleaning, and abrasive blasting.

- 16.2.3.4 Only trained competent persons

knowledgeable in the requirements of this Standard

shall implement the confined space entry permit

procedures. All persons required to work in a

confined space or to act as a standby person must be

trained, competent, and tested.

16.2.3.5 PERMITTING The confined space permitting process must include

the following elements• A risk assessment

• Isolation procedures for contaminants and other energy sources;

• Determination of requirements for breathing apparatus;

• The sign-in and sign-out of all persons entering the confined space;

• Display of the permit;

• Communication equipment;

• Safety specification of equipment to be taken into the confined space;

• Barricading;

• Rescue plan and equipment;

• Attendant; and

• A completion procedure.

16.2.3.7 Contractors who may have employees entering a confined space must review the elements of this Confined Space Standard with their employees prior to working on KL properties. The contract employers must verify the training and instruction of their employees.

• The contract employer

must make

arrangements through

the KL project

coordinator for an entry

permit prior to entering

a confined space. An

Entry Supervisor shall

issue confined space

entry permits.

• Approval may be

granted by the KL

Safety representative to

allow the contractor to

administer the confined

space entry program for

assigned work.

16.2.3.8 Confined space entry permits will be issued for specific time periods. In some cases, it will be necessary to complete a permit each time an entry is made. In other cases, permits may authorize entry for a longer period. Each permit is site-specific because of the potential for changing conditions.

• Any changes in

atmosphere or scope

of work will require a

new or updated

confined space entry

permit. Entrant(s)

shall be removed until

the permit is updated

or reissued.

16.2.3.11 If the confined space is found to have, or is suspected of having, an oxygen enriched or oxygen deficient atmosphere or if it exceeds flammable limits or toxic limits and a confined space entry permit is not issued, the Entry Supervisor shall ensure the area is:• Posted with an

appropriate warning sign;

• Purged and ventilated;

and

• Re-checked and a

confined space entry

permit issued prior to

entry under the conditions

described in this

Standard.

• Where entry into a

confined space is required

and the toxic limits are

exceeded or there is an

oxygen deficiency, and

acceptable levels cannot

be maintained by

ventilation, appropriate

respiratory protection

must be worn.

WARNING: In no case will entry be made into a confined space with an explosive atmosphere or oxygen-enriched atmosphere.• Specific safe work

procedures must be

developed for work activities

that are more hazardous

when carried out in a

confined space than

elsewhere. These activities

would include hot work

(cutting and welding),

chemical cleaning, steam

cleaning and abrasive

blasting.

16.2.3.16 The following guidelines shall be followed when employees are working within a confined space:

• Ladders used to enter confined spaces shall be secured and shall not

be removed while anyone is inside;

• Only approved and properly grounded electrical equipment and

lighting shall be used;

• Cylinders containing oxygen, acetylene, or other fuel gases shall not

be taken into a confined space;

• Special instructions written on the “CONFINED SPACE ENTRY

PERMIT” shall be followed, a standard permit shall be used, and the

Entry Supervisor issuing the permit, the person conducting the

atmospheric testing, the Attendant, and all Entrants must sign the

permit; and

• The Entry Supervisor (or designee) shall remove the permit only after

all work is complete.

16.2.3.17 Completion Procedure

• Verify all work is

complete;

• Verify all entrants and

equipment are removed;

• Verify all entrances are

secured and all locks and

tags are removed; and

• Remove permit and return

to the Safety office.

16.2.4 RESPONSIBILITIES

- Each individual including the

Entry Supervisor, Authorized

Entrant(s), and Attendant is

responsible to follow the

entry permit procedure.

- Entry Supervisors are

responsible for reviewing the

elements of this Standard

- Documented refresher training is

required for individuals who perform

atmospheric testing. The training

shall include information concerning

the recognition and evaluation of

potential confined space hazardous

conditions, and the use of

monitoring equipment and

procedures for atmospheric testing.

- A KUC safety representative shall

review the confined space

permitting program annually to

ensure compliance with this

Standard and / or the need for

revisions to the procedures.

Any space that is accessed by lifting a manhole cover shall be considered a confined space.

Supervisors are directly responsible for ensuring the safety of their employees in regards to confined spaces. It is their responsibility to evaluate potentially hazardous spaces within their facilities and areas to ensure that the proper precautions are taken for safety. This includes clearly marking permit-required confined spaces, training employees, and ensuring proper entry procedures are followed. These responsibilities may be delegated to another competent person provided he/she is qualified.

Confined Space Entry ProcedureProcedure

1. Fill out confined space permit.

2. Open lid. 

3. Test the air.

4. Turn on automatic ventilator or use portable ventilator if required. 

5. Set up retrieval device. 

6. Inspect retrieval device and body harness. Note inspections on confined space permit. 

7. Don body harness and attach retrieval cable. 

8. Sign in on permit with name and time.  

9. Enter confined space using three points of contact when descending ladder. 

10. Attendant continues to monitor air and look for other potentially hazardous situations while maintaining communication with entrant. 

11. Attendant lowers any tools required with a rope and bucket. 

12. Entrant exits confined space using three points of contact. 

13. Entrant puts exit time in the permit. 

14. Supervisor closes permit. 

I attest that I have read and understand this SOP.

Signed ______________________________________________________________

QUESTIONS?