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Confined Spaces
Rescuers Account for Over 60% of Confined Space
Fatalities
Confined Space Tragedies
o Three construction supervisors die
from asphyxiation in a manhole.
Oxygen levels 18.5 – 20 and
Methane levels 300 – 600 ppm
Training Outline
o What is a Confined Space?
o Confined Spaces on Campus
o Confined Space Hazards
o PPE & Equipment Requirements
o The Entry Permit
o Duties of Authorized Entrants, Attendants and Entry Supervisor
o Rescue and Emergency Services
o Contractors
Regulatory Requirement
o OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146: Permit-Required Confined Spaces - (Jan 1993)
o Identify Confined Spaces in Workplace
o Identify hazards in these spaces
o Identify procedures for controlling these hazards
o Train employees on confined space entry
o Keep records of compliance & training for all confined space activities
What is a Confined Space?
o Large enough that an employee can
enter and perform assigned work
o Has limited or restricted means for
entry or exit
o Not designed for continuous employee
occupancy
Examples
o tanks
o pits
o tunnels
o vaults
o boilers
o sewers
o shafts
o ventilation ducts
o crawl spaces
Permit-RequiredConfined Space
o Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere
o Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant
o Internal configuration that might cause entrant to be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross section
o Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard
Atmospheric Hazards
o Oxygen Levels - below 19.5 %
or above 23.5%
o Flammable/Explosive – exceeds 10%
of Lower Explosive Limit (LEL)
o Toxic Substances – exceed
Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL)
Oxygen Deficiency
o Normal air contains 21% Oxygen (O2). An O2 level of 19.5% or less is considered O2 deficient.
o A reduction in O2 can be caused by rusting, decomposition, or replacement by another gas.
o Lack of O2 can cause a person to collapse and die.
Oxygen Deficiency
Oxygen Content
(% by volume)
Signs and Symptoms
(at Atmospheric Pressure)
19.5%
Minimum permissible levels that work can be performed without
respirators. Below this level, workers shall be required to wear supplied
air respirators.
17% Hypoxia symptoms, accelerated breathing and heart rate appear
14-16%Accelerated breathing, increased heart rate, poor muscular coordination,
fatigue, impaired perception and judgment.
12% Unconsciousness without warning, poor judgment, blue lips
6-10%Nausea, vomiting, and unconsciousness; 8 minutes 100% fatal; 6
minutes, 50% fatal; 4-5 minutes, recovery with treatment.
<6% Coma in 40 seconds, spasmatic breathing, convulsions, and death
Oxygen Enrichment
o O2 levels above 23.5% are considered
“Oxygen Enriched.”
o Oxygen Enriched atmospheres create
fire and explosion hazards.
o Cause flammable materials such as
clothing to burn rapidly when ignited
and may cause non-flammable materials
to ignite.
Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure
Concentration Effect
1 ppm Smell of rotten egg
10 ppm 8 hr. TWA
15 ppm 15 min. STEL
100 ppm Lose sense of smell
300 ppm Loss of consciousness (approx. 20 min.)
1000 ppmImmediate respiratory arrest, loss of consciousness,
followed by death
Carbon Monoxide Exposure
Concentration Effect
35 ppm 8 hr. TWA
200 ppm Ceiling, faint signs of discomfort may begin to appear
600 ppm Headache and discomfort after 1 hour
2500 ppm Loss of consciousness after approximately 30 minutes
4000 ppm Quickly fatal
CO Poisoning can be reversed if caught in time.
Welding in Confined Spaces
o Continuous ventilation should
be provided in the confined
space. Pure oxygen should
never be used for ventilation.
o Conduct continuous
monitoring throughout the
entry to ensure that the area
remains safe for entrants.
o Gas cylinders and welding
power sources should remain
outside the confined space.
Remember to follow all Confined Space Entry and Welding Safety Guidelines
Physical Hazards
o Engulfment
o Temperature Extremes
o Electrical Hazards
o Noise
o Slippery Surfaces
Entry
o "Entry" is when a person
passes through an
opening into a permit-
required confined space
o Any part of the entrant's
body breaks the plane of
an opening into the
space
Before Entry
o Ventilate, eliminate, or control the space’s atmospheric hazards
o Blind or disconnect and cap all input lines so that no hazardous materials can enter the space
o Lockout/Tagouto When entrance covers are
removed, guard the opening immediately
Atmospheric Monitoring
o Test permit space before entry
o Periodically monitor permit space to determine if entry conditions are maintained
o Test all areas (top, middle, & bottom)
o Observe status of existing hazards and those created during entry operations
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
o Full-body Harness
o Respirator (half-mask, PAPR, Air-line
Respirator, etc.)
o Tyvek Suit
o Gloves (Nitrile, Welding, etc.)
o Safety Glasses/Goggles
Equipment Requirements
o Testing and monitoring equipment
o Ventilating equipment
o Communications equipment
o Lighting equipment
o Barriers
o Equipment needed for safe entry and exit
o Emergency equipment
o Other equipment for safe entry
The Entry Permit
o Permit must be completed
before entry is authorized
o Entry supervisor must sign
the permit
o Permit must be made
available at the time of entry
so entrants can confirm that
pre-entry preparations have
been completed
The Entry Permit
o Duration may not exceed the time
identified on the permit
o Retain each canceled entry permit for
at least 1 year to facilitate review of the
program
o Problems encountered during entry
shall be noted on the permit so that
appropriate revisions can be made to
the program
Contents of The Entry Permit
1. Permit space to be entered
2. Purpose of the entry
3. Date and the authorized duration of the entry permit
4. Authorized entrants
5. Attendants
6. Entry supervisor with a space for the signature
Contents of The Entry Permit
7. Hazards of the permit space
8. Measures used to isolate the permit
space and to eliminate or control permit
space hazards before entry
9. Acceptable entry conditions
10. Results of initial and periodic tests,
names or initials of the testers and
when the tests were performed
Contents of The Entry Permit
11. Rescue and emergency services
12. Communication procedures
13. Equipment (personal protective
equipment, testing equipment,
communications equipment, alarm
systems, rescue equipment, etc.)
14. Any other information necessary in
order to ensure employee safety
Duties of Authorized Entrants
o Understand all potential hazards
o Know what equipment to use & how to
use it properly
o Communicate with attendant regularly
o If the unexpected occurs – alert the
attendant
Duties of Authorized Entrants
EVACUATE the confined space when:
o Order to evacuate is given by the
attendant or the entry supervisor
o Entrant recognizes any warning sign or
symptom of exposure to a dangerous
situation
o Evacuation alarm is activated
Duties of Attendants
o "Attendant" - stationed outside permit space; monitors entrants
o Know the hazards including signs, symptoms and consequences of exposure
o Continuously maintains accurate count of entrants in permit space
o Remains outside the permit space during entry until relieved by another attendant
Duties of Attendants
o Communicate with entrants to monitor
entrant status and to alert entrants if the need
to evacuate arises
o Monitor activities inside & outside the space
and keep unauthorized individuals away.
o Summon Emergency Services
o Perform non-entry rescues when
applicable and they have training
o Perform no duties that might interfere
with primary duty to monitor and protect
entrants
Duties of Entry Supervisor
o "Entry supervisor" - person responsible for
determining if acceptable entry conditions
are present, for authorizing entry, overseeing
entry operations, and for terminating entry
as required
o An entry supervisor also may serve as an
attendant or as an entrant, as long as that
person is trained and equipped to do so
o Know the hazards including signs,
symptoms, and consequences of exposure
Duties of Entry Supervisor
o Verify that the entry permit is complete, all tests have been conducted and all procedures and equipment are in place before allowing entry to begin
o Verify that rescue services are available and that the means for summoning them are operable
o Remove unauthorized individuals who enter or attempt to enter the space
Rescue and Emergency Services
o Self-Rescue
o Non-entry Rescue
o Gorham Fire/Rescue – Call 911
o USM shall inform GFD of the hazards they
may encounter on site
o Provide the rescue provider with access
to all permit spaces so they can develop
rescue plans and practice rescue
operations
Rescue Equipment
o Each entrant shall use a full body
harness (and a retrieval line if
feasible)
o A mechanical retrieval device (Tripod) shall
be available for vertical type permit spaces
more than 5 feet deep
o Retrieval systems shall be used unless they
increase the overall risk of entry or would
not contribute to the rescue
Program Review
o Review entry operations when there is reason to believe that measures taken may not protect employees and revise the program before subsequent entries
o Review the permit space program annually and revise the program as necessary to ensure that employees participating in entry operations are protected
o If you have any questions, concerns, or recommendations let your supervisor and/or EH&S know.
ECU Shall…
o Inform contractor that workplace contains permit spaces and entry is allowed only in compliance with permit space program
o Inform contractor of the hazards that make the space a permit space
o Inform contractor of precautions for the protection of employees in or near permit spaces where they will be working
o Coordinate entry operations with the contractor, when both University personnel and contractor personnel will be working in or near permit spaces.
Contractors Shall…
o All contractors performing work in Confined Spaces on USM Campus must have a Confined Space Program.
o Contractors must have their own equipment including monitoring device and rescue equipment.
o Coordinate with employer when both host personnel and contractor personnel will be working in or near spaces
o Debrief employer at the conclusion of entry
o Contractor shall inform the employer of the of any hazards confronted or created
QUESTIONS?
USM EH&S
780-5338/347-1553
Quiz
1. Which of the following is not a Confined Space?
A. Boiler
B. Manhole
C. Tank
D. Small Mechanical Room
2. The leading cause of death in confined spaces accidents is
A. Asphyxiation
B. Burns
C. Electrocution
D. Falls
3. The higher the O2 level inside the space the better.
(True/False)
4. If you need to enter a space briefly “just to take a quick look,” you
do not need a permit. (True/False)
5. One of the characteristics of a confined space is that it is not
designed for people to work in continuously. (True/False)
6. It is OK for the Attendant to go to the shop for supplies/parts as
long as the monitoring results are within acceptable limits.
(True/False)
7. If you get a permit for a particular confined space for one day, but
don’t use it; you can save it for the next time you need to enter that
space. (True/False)
8. Atmospheric testing of the confined space must be done at
the______.
A. Top
B. Middle
C. Bottom
D. All of the above.
9. When welding in a confined space…
A. EH&S must be notified when permit is requested
B. Pure O2 should be used to ventilate the space
C. All Welding Safety as well as Confined Space Guidelines
should be followed
D. A & C only
E. All of the above
10. When a contractor is working in a confined space on campus…
A. The contractor must have their own CS Program
B. The contractor should be prevented from entering the space
if they do not have all the necessary equipment
C. If a contractor is entering the space with ECU employees; it is
OK for the ECU employee to monitor for all entrants
D. A & B Only
E. All of the above
