What is a Confined Space

Hazards of Confined Spaces

Basic Entry Requirements
All employees required to enter confined or
enclosed spaces must be instructed in:
nature of the hazards
necessary precautions to be taken
use of protective and emergency
equipment

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 (for example, tanks, vessels, silos,
storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are
spaces that may have limited means of
entry.)
Is not designed for continuous employee
occupancy.

A Permit-required confined space is
confined space that has one or more of
the following characteristics:

Contains or has a 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 be trapped or asphyxiated by
inwardly converging walls or by a floor
which slopes downward and tapers to a
smaller cross-section
Contains any other recognized serious
safety or health hazard
Boilers & Furnaces
Pipelines
Pits
Process Vessel
Silo & Storage Tanks
Sewer & Manholes
Trenches & Excavations
Atmospheric
Physical Configuration
Mechanical
Electrical
Thermal
Noise
Vibration
Engulfment or Entrapment
Each Confined Space has different
hazards. Hazards can also change with time
and usage.
Post signs to warn of the dangers.
Use barriers to prevent uncontrolled
access
Develop and use a written space entry
program.
Conduct air monitoring and tests to
identify and evaluate hazards.
Define acceptable entry conditions.
Monitor entry conditions
Eliminate or control the space's
atmospheric hazards before entry
Lockout all internal hazards prior to entry
Small Openings make entry and
rescue difficult
Sharp edges can tear protective
clothing or air lines
Temporary ladders and vent gear can
make even large openings difficult to
transit
Vertical entry points are fall hazards
Deadly gases can be trapped inside
Rotting Organic materials create
hazardous gases
Pipe leaks, welding, system material
can create hazardous atmospheres.
Rust consumes the oxygen you need.
Oxygen Deficient Atmospheres
Oxygen Enriched Atmospheres
Flammable Atmospheres
Toxic Atmospheres
Corrosive Atmospheres
Asphyxiating Atmospheres

19.5 % is the minimum acceptable
oxygen level for work with out an air
supplied respirator.

12-14% - Poor judgment.
10-12% - Lips blue Mental Confusion
8-10% - Fainting & Nausea
6-8% - Causes Death
Reduction of oxygen in a confined space may
be the result of either consumption or
displacement. Consumption of oxygen
takes place during
Combustion of flammable substances
Bacterial action, as in the fermentation process
Chemical reactions as in the formation of rust

Oxygen level above 21%.
Causes flammable and combustible materials
to burn violently when ignited. Such as:
Hair, clothing, oil soaked materials

Never use pure oxygen to ventilate.

Never store or place compressed gas tanks in
a confined space.
Required Factors:
Oxygen
Flammable Gas, Vapor or Dust
Ignition Source
Welding
Electric Tools
Sparks
Smoking
Caused by
enriched oxygen atmospheres
vaporization of flammable liquids
byproducts of work
chemical reactions
concentrations of combustible dusts
fumes from chemicals on inner surfaces

Material in space
Absorbed materials can gas off.
Decomposition of materials
Work being performed
Welding, cutting, brazing, soldering.
Painting, scraping, sanding, degreasing.
Sealing, bonding, melting.
Cleaning, descaling
Corrosive atmospheres can be not only a
respiratory problems but also cause skin
exposure reactions and damage to your
nervous system though skin absorption or
breathing.
Examples of Corrosives
Bleach
Ammonia
Acids

Physical Configuration Hazards
The use and shape of a space can create
hazardous conditions
Use of Ladders & Scaffolding
Wet or slippery surfaces
Uneven bottoms
Bends in tunnels
Narrow areas that can entrap workers
Poor lighting
Use retrieval & fall protection when possible
Some confined spaces have unguarded
mechanical equipment such as:
Paddles
Blades
Shafts
Chain or belt drives
All equipment must be Locked and Tagged
before entry
Electric Shock is a possible hazard in
Confined Spaces
Hazard Sources include:
Broken lighting
Electrical sensing devices
Limit switches
Level indicating devices
Hazards from equipment taken
inside
High and Low Temperatures are Hazards
Burns
Frosbite
Heat Stress
Wearing Protective clothing can increase
the heat stress on a worker
Factors affecting worker comfort:
Air temperature
Air velocity though the space
Humidity
Radiant heat
Protective Clothing
Activities
Engulfment is the entrapment of a person by
the contents of a space
Liquids
Small granular product such as grain
Crusting or Bridging of material
Flooding
Water Flow

Completely empty the contents before
entry

Use retrieval and fall arrest equipment
to prevent sinking into contents of a
space.
Noise creates a hazard by
Causing hearing loss
Preventing communication
Lowering worker's effectiveness

Eliminate noise sources prior to entry
Use proper hearing protection
Slippery, Wet or Damp Surfaces
Slips & Falls
Chemical Exposure
Possible increased chance of
electric shock
Uneven surfaces

Vibration of the body can cause damage to
the body

Using Vibrating tools can cause damage to
fingers & hand

Eliminate equipment vibrations prior to
entry

Use Vibration dampening tools & gloves

All entrants, supervisors and entry
attendants must be fully qualified

1. Conduct Pre-Entry Briefing
2. Assemble and check equipment
3. Establish Acceptable Entry Conditions
4. Conduct initial air sampling
5. Execute & Complete Entry Permit
6. Station Entry Attendant
7. Establish Monitoring of Atmosphere
8. Establish Communication
9. Execute Hot Work Permit if applicable
10.Post Confined Space Entry Permit
11. Enter Space
12. Postentry debrief if problems were
encountered
Verify presence of safe work atmosphere.
Calibrate Air Monitoring Equipment
before use
Test all areas of a confined space
Top, Middle, Bottom
Check for Explosive & Toxic Gases
Check Oxygen level
Record all readings
Consider best of exhaust or supply or both
Provide workzone exhaust if welding
Plan ventilation supply and exhaust paths
Ensure no re-circulation of air supply
Use continuous ventilation
Retest the confined space before and during
entry
Lock & tagging ALL electrical sources.
Blank & bleeding fluid lines
Disconnect mechanical drives &shafts.
Secure mechanical parts
Lock & Tag all valves
A qualified rescue team and rescue equipment
must be available for entry into all Permit
Required Confined Spaces

Qualified Entry Attendant must be in constant
communication with workers in the space

Entry Attendant must have source of
communication with the Rescue Team

All persons involved in Permit Required
Confined Space Entry must be qualified:
Supervisor
Attendants
Entrants
Rescue Team
Confined Spaces are Dangerous Places
Know how to control or eliminate
hazards