CONFINED SPACES
Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission/ Health & Safety Division
www.awcc.state.ar.us   1-800-622-4472   FAX: 501-683-3169
Health&Safety@awcc.state.ar.us
GOAL

This handout is designed to provide information pertaining to the Permit-Required Confined Space regulation.

OBJECTIVE

To give a general overview of the regulation so employers/employees will have knowledge of the hazards while working in confined spaces. NOTE: The information presented in this handout is to be used only as a guide. 
			
BACKGROUND
			
On January 14, 1993, OSHA issued the Final Rule regarding Permit-Required Confined Spaces.  This performance standard is issued to ensure workers entering and working in confined spaces which pose special dangers for entrants because of their configurations and to protect entrants from toxic, explosive, or asphyxiating atmospheres.  During the period between 1974 to 1977, OSHA investigated 276 confined space incidents which resulted in 234 fatalities and 193 injuries.  
		
REGULATION/ STANDARD

Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission, Health and Safety Division suggest consulting the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 29, Part 1910.146, Permit-Required Confined paces.  This regulation contains requirements for practices and procedures to protect employees in general industry (not applicable to agriculture, construction or shipyard employment) from the hazards of entry into permit-required confined spaces.  Also, 29 CFR Part 1926.21(6)(i) requires “All employees required to enter into confined or enclosed spaces shall be instructed as to the nature of the hazards involved, the necessary precautions to be taken, and in the use of protective and emergency equipment required.  The employer shall comply with any specific regulations that apply to work in dangerous or potentially dangerous area.”

PURPOSE

The regulation requires employers to establish a confined space program, evaluate their workplace to determine if any spaces are permit-required confined spaces and to prevent occupational injuries, illnesses, and deaths associated with employees entering and working in confined spaces.  

DEFINITIONS

Confined Space:	

A space that:

1.	Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and
2.	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; and
3.	Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

Hazardous Atmosphere:
An atmosphere that may expose personnel to the risk of death, incapacitation, impairment of ability of self-rescue, injury, or acute illness from:

1.	Flammable gas, vapor, or mist in excess of 10% of its lower flammable limit (LFL)
2.	Airborne combustible dust at a concentration that meets or exceeds its LFL,
3.	Atmospheric oxygen concentration below 19.5% or above 23.6%,
4.	Atmospheric concentration of any substance for which a dose or permissible exposure limit is published.

Non-Permit Confined Space:

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

Permit-Required Confined Space:  

A confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics:

1.	Contains or has potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere,
2.	Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant,
3.	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.
4.	Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazards.

Permit-Required Confined Space Program:

The employer’s overall program for controlling, and where appropriate, for protecting employees from, permit space hazards and for regulating employee entry into permit spaces. 

Permit system:

The employer’s written procedure for preparing and issuing permits for entry and for returning the permit space to service following termination of entry.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1.	Evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces are permit-required confined spaces.

2.	If the workplace contains permit spaces, the employer shall inform exposed employees, by posing danger signs or any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit space.  
Note: A sign reading “DANGER - PERMIT-REQUIRED CONFINED SPACE - DO NOT ENTER” or other similar language would satisfy the requirement for a sign.

PERMIT-REQUIRED CONFINED SPACE PROGRAM ELEMENTS

1.	Implement the measures necessary to prevent unauthorized entry,

2.	Identify and evaluate the hazards of permit spaces before employees enter them,
3.	Develop and implement the means, procedures, and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations,
4.	Provide and maintain proper equipment to be used for confined space entry, and ensure that personnel can use the equipment properly,
5.	Evaluate permit space conditions during entry operations.

6.	Provide at least one attendant outside the permit space into which entry is authorized for the duration of entry operations. 
7.	If multiple spaces are monitored by a single attendant, include in the permit program the means and procedures to enable one space being monitored without distraction from the attendant’s responsibilities,
8.	Designate the persons who are to have active roles in entry operations, and identify duties of each, and provide training too each. 
9.	Develop and implement procedure for summoning rescue and emergency procedures for rescuing entrants from permit spaces.  Prevent unauthorized personnel from attempting a rescue.
10.	Develop and implement a system for the preparation, issuance, use and cancellation of entry permits.
11.	Develop and implement procedures to coordinate entry operations when personnel of more than one employer are working simultaneously as authorized entrants in a permit space.
12.	Develop and implement procedures necessary for concluding the entry after entry operations have been completed.
13.	Review entry operations and revise the program to correct deficiencies found to exist tin the program.
14.	Review the permit-required confined space program using the canceled permits within one year after such entry.

THE TEN (10) BASIC RULES FOR CONFINED SPACE ENTRY

1.	Qualified personnel planning sessions.

a.		Definite time and date of entry.
a.	

b.		Work to be accomplished.
b.	

c.		Designated workers
c.	

d.		Hazard assessment
d.	

		i	Listing all materials stored/used in space.

		ii	Research on hazardous properties or combinations of by-products

e.		Methodology of operation.
e.	

		i	Cleaning
		ii	Purging
		iii	Ventilation
		iv	Safe work practices

f.		Backup safety procedures
		i	First-aid
		ii	Showers/decontaminations
		iii	Rescue equipment
	g.	Pre-entry session time and date

h.		Commitment for safe work practices.

2.	Testing of atmospheres.

3.	Ventilation

a.		Drawing air out of space.
a.	

b.		Blowing air into space.
b.	

c.		Explosion-proof equipment required.

4.	Training the workers

a.		Emergency entry/exit procedures.
a.	

b.		Use of applicable respiratory protection
b.	

c.		First aid/ cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.
c.	

d.		Lockout/Tagout Procedures
d.	

e.		Rescue/Training drills
e.	

f.		Applicable safety equipment.

5.	Lockout/Tagout

a.		Blind flanging of pipes
a.	

b.		Electrical/Mechanical

6.	Standby workers/communication.
7.	Tools and equipment
8.	Entry permit
9.	Continuous monitoring of atmosphere.
10.	Record keeping.

a.		Training
a.	

b.		Safety drills
b.	

c.		Inspection of equipment
c.	

d.		Test results of atmosphere
d.	

e.		Maintenance of equipment

REFERENCES

Videos pertinent to this subject may be obtained from the Arkansas Department of Labor/Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission’s Resource Center at 501-682-9090.

Disclaimer: Information contained in this handout is considered accurate.  For complete information on rules and regulations on Permit-required confined spaces procedures, please consult your 29 CFR 1910.146 and 29 CFR 1926.21.