Confined space standards

Fatality and injury data, OSHA enforcement experience, and advice from the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health indicate that the existing construction confined space standard did not adequately protect employees. 

Therefore, where the existing construction confined-spaces standard applies, it requires only training of employees who work in confined spaces— it does not address how employees are to be protected while working in those spaces. 

OSHA s new confined space standard requires employers to determine the classification of each confined space that is subject to a hazard. The term hazard includes both existing hazards and hazards that have a reasonable probability of occmring. The fom classifications are ... 

Some portions may have a descriptive name. For example, 29CRF1910.146 also has the name OSHA Permit-Required Confined Spaces Standard. 

The permit-required confined spaces standard defines a "confined space " lists specific employee training requirements, equipment, and personal protective equipment required prior to entry and communications and emergency procedures. Appendix A to the 1910 standard also includes an informative Permit-Required Confined Space Decision Flow Chart, as well as an example of a Confined Space Entry Permit. 

Two subjects come to mind that encourage designing beyond compliance standards. Systems designed in accord with OSHA s lockout/tagout and confined space standards may be error-provocative. 

Confined space standard for general industry — 1926.21 (b)(6) — Sept. 23, 1993... 

Q. Does OSFIA s confined space standard for general industry apply to construction ... 

Note that in Table 9.12 the second most frequent OSHA citation issued for oil and gas drilling operations was for violation of 29 CFR 1910.146, the permit-required confined spaces standard. OSHA has a specific standard that mandates specific compliance with its requirements for making confined space... 

Permit-Required Confined Space Entry Equipment In its permit-required confined spaces standard (1910.146), OSHA specifies the equipment required to make a safe and approved confined space entry into permit-required confined spaces. Note that the employer, at no cost, must provide this equipment to the employee. The employer is also required not only to procure this equipment at no cost to the employee but also to maintain the equipment properly. Most importantly, the employer is also required to ensure that employees use the equipment properly. We will come back to this important point later. For now, let s take a look at the type of equipment required for making a safe and legal permit-required confined space entry. 

Thank you for your August 2, 2005, letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration s (OSHA) Peoria Area Office. Your letter has been referred to the Directorate of Enforcement Program s (DEP) Office of General Industry Enforcement for an answer to your questions regarding compliance with OSHA s Permit-required Confined Spaces Standard, 29 CFR 1910.146. Your scenario and questions have been restated below for clarity. 

Permit-required confined spaces standard promulgated to prevent more than 50 deaths and more than 5,000 serious injuries annually for 1.6 million workers who enter confined spaces at 240,000 workplaces each year. 

Confined spaces (29 CFR 1910.146 and Minnesota Rules 5207.0300-0304). For general industry, Minnesota OSHA has adopted the federal Permit-Required Confined Spaces standard, 29 CFR 1910.146. For the construction industry, Minnesota OSHA enforces Minnesota Rules 5207.0300-0304. 

The piirpose of this program is to inform interested persons, including employees, that is complying with the OSHA Confined Space Standard at 1910.146. We have determined that this workplace needs written procedmes for the evaluation of confined spaces, and where permit-required spaces are identified, we have developed and implemented a permit-required confined space entry program. This program applies to all work operations at... 

Training must be such that all employees whose work is regulated by OSHA s confined spaces standard acquire the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance... 

The training must establish employee proficiency in the duties required by the confined spaces standard and must introduce new or revised procedures, as necessary, for compliance. 

OSHA s Permit-Required Confined Space Standard... 

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