Space Standard 29 CFR

Is there carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, or too little oxygen What is in the atmosphere of the confined space the worker is about to enter Workers can t see or feel an improper oxygen level or toxic or flammable gas levels. How are they supposed to know what s in a confined space Approximately SO percent of the time a confined space is hazardous because of an oxygen deficiency. Two out of three deaths in a confined space occur to persons ill-equipped or poorly trained attempting rescue. 

Physical hazards include piping that may trip the entrant or cause the entrant to slip and fall. There could be holes or drop-offs, electric wiring, steam lines, and vessel internals 

Mechanical ventilation and purging are key entry preparations for vessels. If pre-entry monitoring indicates oxygen deficiency or the presence of flammable or toxic materials. 

The criterion for permit-required confined space is that it contains or has a known potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere, including chemicals, sludge, or sewage. Hazardous atmosphere means an atmosphere that may expose employees to the risk of death, incapacitation, impairment of ability to self-rescue (escape unaided), injury, or acute illness. Examples of hazardous atmospheres are a flammable gas or vapor, airborne combustible dust at a concentration that meets or exceeds its LEL, unacceptable oxygen levels, or any atmospheric condition recognized as immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH). 

Let us look at the steps required before sending two men into a drained kerosene storage tank to do an inspection. They should include  

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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. 

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. 

Ensure that sufficient space exists around the electrical equipment or circuit in order to maintain or operate it safely. Personnel must remove personal metal jewelry. De-energize electrical equipment before testing or repairing in accordance with the OSHA Lockout Tag-out Standard 29 CFR 1910.147. If de-energizing electrical equipment or circuits increases the potential of an electrical hazard or requires troubleshooting, use appropriate tools and PPE as mandated by the situation. 

OSHA standards address a variety of work and processes that occnr in residential to commercial constrnction. Constrnction employers must comply with these standards and related general industry standards that also apply. The OSHA general industry standards (29 CFR 1910) and construction standards (29 CFR 1926) fnnction as separate standards with some notable differences. There exist differences between standards in the areas of fall protection, confined space, GFCI reqnirements, PPE, stairways and ladders, fire extinguishers, accident prevention signs/tags, eye wash stations, and illnmination reqnirements. 

Who Each employee who enters an enclosed space or who serves as an attendant must be trained in the hazards of enclosed-space entry, in enclosed-space entry procedures, and in enclosed-space rescue procedures. Also, while work is being performed in the enclosed space, an attendant with first-aid training must be immediately available outside the space. Training in accordance with general industry standard 29 CFR 1910.146 is required for employees that will enter any enclosed space that contains a hazardous atmosphere. 

Explain and point out the requirements of OSHA s confined space entry standard, 29 CFR 1910.146. 

In addition to the criteria listed above, a permit-required confined space (OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.146) means a confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics ... 

Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens standard 29 CFR 1910.1030 OSHA standards requiring CPR training Permit-Required Confined Spaces,1910.146... 

Responding to incipient stage fires in confined spaces would be viewed as a special hazard condition under the Fire Brigades standard (29 CFR 1910.156). The employer is required to develop written procedures and train first responders to address situations involving special hazards. 

Although it seemed people knew confined spaces were dangerous, OSHA did some research and found workers were still getting killed and injured in them. So, in January 1993, OSHA issued the general industry confined space mle (29 CFR 1910.146), and then a similar rule for the shipyard industry (29 CFR 1915.7) in 1994. The general industry standard requires employers to classify hazardous confined spaces as permit-required confined spaces and to implement procedures to ensure safety for the employees who enter them. 

Injuries and fatalities from asphyxiation are often associated with personnel entry into inerted equipment or enclosures. Guidance on safe procedures for confined space access are provided by OSHA (OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.146, Confined Space Entry Standard, 2000), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI, Z117.1, Safety Requirements for Confined Spaces, 2003), Hodson (Hodson, Safe Entry into Confined Spaces, Handbook of Chemical Health and Safety, American Chemical Society, 2001), and BP (BP, Hazards of Nitrogen and Catalyst Handling, 2003). OSHA has established 19.5 vol % as the minimum safe oxygen concentration for confined space entry without supplemental oxygen supply (see Table 23-18). Note that OSHA imposes a safe upper limit on 02 concentration of 23.5 vol % to protect against the enhanced flammability hazards associated with 02-enriched atmospheres. 

Per Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 29 CFR 1910.269 (e) and the Maritime Safety Standard, any space, other than a confined space, that is enclosed by bulkheads and overhead that workers may find otherwise ordinary job hazards aggravated or intensified. These may include cargo holds, tanks, quarters, and machinery and boiler spaces. See also Confined Space. 

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... 

The previous paragraph sums up OSHA s requirements under its confined space entry standard in 29 CFR 1910.146(e), Permits System, and 1910.146(f), Entry Permit. OSHA s requirements under these sections are intended to ensure that... 

To protect confined space entrants from potential hazards, OSHA developed a set of standards and directives for confined space entry. These standards are widely accepted as the national protocol, although some U.S. states have adopted their own standards related to confined spaces. (OSHA s regulations can be found in full at OSHA.gov 29 CFR 1910.146.)... 

As can be seen from this example, the first number ( 29 ) stands for the title. Next in sequence is CFR, which of course stands for the Code of Federal Regulations, followed by 1910, which is the part and H the subpart as all subparts are alphabetically lettered in 1910. Finally, there is a period that is followed by an Arabic number. This will always be the section number. In this case. Section. 110 is the storage and handling of liquefied petroleum gases standard. If the number had been. 146, the section would pertain to permit-required confined spaces. 

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