Course Duration: 50 Minutes

Burnt Mountain LLC. Learning Management System (BMLMS)

Large enough, and so configured that, an employee can enter bodily and perform work
Has limited or restricted means of entry or exit, and
Is not designed for continuous human occupancy

Remember:  If you break the plane of a confined space, you have entered the confined space!

A Permit-Required Confined Space is 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 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.

Examples of Permit-Required Confined Spaces:

• Mud Tanks
• Frac Tanks
• Silos
• Liquid Storage Tanks
• Vessels
• Manholes
• Boilers
• Furnaces
• Sewers
• Hoppers
• Vaults
• Pipes
• Trenches
• Tunnels
• Ducts
• Bins
• Pits

A non-permit confined space is:

A confined space that does not contain or have the potential to contain any hazard capable of causing death or serious physical harm.

Examples of a Non-Permit Required Confined Space:

• Crawl space under a building
• Drop ceiling
• Control cabinets

Asphyxiating - Oxygen Deficiency
Less than 19.5%, or greater than 23.5% oxygen concentration

CO2
CO2 is toxic in higher concentrations:

• 1% (10,000 ppm) will make some people feel drowsy.
• Concentrations of 7% to 10% cause dizziness, headache, visual and hearing dysfunction, and unconsciousness within a few minutes to an hour.

Toxic Materials

• Carbon Monoxide
• Hydrogen Sulphide
• Welding fumes
• Corrosives

Mechanical Hazards

• Mixers
• Crushers

Engulfment

• Soil around an excavation
• Liquid in a tank
• Powdered material in a bin

 

Flammable -Combustibles

• Methane
• Hydrogen
• Acetylene
• Propane
• Gasoline fumes

Oxygen Deficiency

Oxygen could be removed from the air in a confined space by:

• Material in the space could displace the oxygen
• Rusting could create a chemical reaction that uses up the oxygen
• The space could be purged with a gas to prevent explosions.

Entry into a Confined space:

• The act by which a person intentionally passes through an opening into a 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 individual’s 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.

• The employee responsible for coordinating the entry into the confined space.
• The “Supervisor” does not necessarily mean “management”. The supervisor can refer to anyone acting as the supervisor for the entry, whether Hourly or Management depending on company specific terminology.

Permit-required confined space entry

• For hazardous or potentially hazardous confined space work

Non-permit confined space entry

• For non-hazardous confined space work

• An entry permit form must be filled out before entry into a permit-required confined space is allowed.
• Only authorized entrants are allowed to complete the entry permit.
• The entry permit must be posted on or near the confined space for which the entry is being performed.
• The authorized entrants within the permit space
  • According to 1910.146(f)(4): “The authorized entrants within the permit space, by name or by such other means (for example, through the use of rosters or tracking systems) as will enable the attendant to determine quickly and accurately, for the duration of the permit, which authorized entrants are inside the permit space; NOTE: This requirement may be met by inserting a reference on the entry permit as to the means used, such as a roster or tracking system, to keep track of the authorized entrants within the permit space.”
• The personnel, by name, currently serving as attendants
• The individual, by name, currently serving as entry supervisor, with a space for the signature or initials of the entry supervisor who originally authorized the entry;
• The hazards of the permit space to be entered;
• The measures used to isolate the permit space and to eliminate or control permit space hazards before entry;
• The acceptable entry conditions;
• The results of initial periodic tests performed;
• The rescue & emergency services that can be summoned and the means for summoning those services;
• The communication procedures used by authorized entrants & attendants to maintain contact during the entry;
• Equipment, such as personal protective equipment, testing equipment, communications equipment, alarm systems, and rescue equipment to be provided;
• Any other information whose inclusion is necessary, given the circumstances of the particular confined space, in order to ensure employee safety; and any additional permits, such as, for hot work, that have been issued to authorize work in the permit space.
• When work is completed, the permit form should be returned to the safety department or department responsible for maintaining the completed and closed permits.
• Canceled permits must be kept on file for at least one year.

Isolate the space from all hazards

Before entry is made, the space must be isolated from all hazards. This can be done by:

• Closing Valves
  • Double block and bleed, or 
  • Blank flange
• Empty the space
  • Depressurize, vent, and drain
• Lockout/Tagout Equipment
  • Electrical sources
  • Rotating / reciprocating parts
  • Hazardous materials
  • Any other threat that could present a risk if it were to unexpectedly operate.
• Clean residue from the space
• Use mechanical ventilation 
  • Fans
  • 20 complete air exchanges per hour or one every 3 minutes for a confined space.
• Make sure air supply is not contaminated
  • Ventilation air supply must be from fresh air uncontaminated with flammables, toxins, etc.
• Test the Atmosphere
• The atmosphere within the space shall be periodically tested as necessary to ensure that the continuous forced air ventilation is preventing the accumulation of a hazardous atmosphere. Any employee who enters the space shall be provided with an opportunity to observe the periodic testing.
• If a hazardous atmosphere is detected during entry:
  • Each employee shall leave the space immediately.
  • The space shall be evaluated to determine how the hazardous atmosphere developed, and
  • Measures shall be implemented to protect employees from the hazardous atmosphere before any subsequent entry takes place.
  • The entry supervisor shall verify that the space is safe for entry and that the pre-entry measures required by the confined entry permit have been taken, through a written certification that contains the date, the location of the space, and the signature of the person providing the certification. The certification shall be made before entry and shall be made available to each employee entering the space.

Notice:

Any time an atmospheric 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 rule.

Atmospheric Testing must be performed:

• 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. NOTE: A good practice is to re-test the atmosphere after breaks or having been out of the confined space for a period of time.
• 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 at the opening of a confined space does not mean there is good air at the other end on the space!

Evaluate the Space

• Determine that the space meets all the conditions set forth in the non-permit justifications
• Conduct atmospheric testing
• Evaluation must be certified by the Entry Supervisor’s signature
• Determine that the confined space does not:
  • contain or have the potential to contain a hazardous 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.

Enter the Space and Proceed with Work:

• An attendant will be posted near the entrance for the duration of the work. The attendant shall be in constant communication with the entrants while the job is in progress.
• The attendant must maintain an entry log of all entrants.
• The attendant must maintain the permit and sign in log for the duration of the work.

When the job is done

• Remove all personnel, tools, and debris from the space
• Close the space
• Cancel the permit
• Review the job with the owner/GC (hazards, problems, etc.)‏
  

 

• Emergency rescue teams must be available while authorized entrants are in the confined space.
• Deaths often occur during rescue. Employees attempt to rescue an entrant without the proper training and then get caught themselves in the confined space.
• Only trained employees or designated resources such as Fire Departments are authorized to conduct confined space rescues.

• One of the most important components of PPE in a confined space is a respirator.
• Hearing protection may be required depending on the type of work being performed.
• Other PPE that may be required are:
  
  • Safety Harnesses
  • Ropes and or cables for retrieval in case of emergencies.
• One of the most important components of PPE in a confined space is a respirator.
• Hearing protection may be required depending on the type of work being performed.
• Other PPE that may be required are:
  
  • Safety Harnesses
  • Ropes and or cables for retrieval in case of emergencies.
• Other forms of PPE can include:
  
  • Hard hats
  • Safety glasses
  • Clothing that protects the torso against chemicals, fires and other hazards
  • Gloves & safety shoes that protect the hands and feet from various hazards.

• The employer is to mark confined spaces that are permit-required. They must identify the hazards of the space and post a permit before allowing authorized employees to enter. Employers posts permits near the entrance of each confined space displaying the necessary information.
• Only Trained and Authorized Entrants are to enter a confined space.
• Emergency rescues should only be made by trained personnel or rescue services.
• Always report any concerns you may have regarding confined spaces.