Confined space
Encyclopedia
Confined space is a term from labor-safety
regulation
s that refers to an area whose enclosed conditions and limited access make it dangerous.
(only accessible when the boiler is off), the inside of a fluid storage tank, a septic tank that has contained sewage, and a small underground electrical vault are all examples of confined spaces. The exact definition of a confined space varies depending on the type of industry. That is, confined spaces on a construction site are defined differently than confined spaces in a paper mill. Confined spaces that present special hazard
s to workers, including risks of toxic or asphyxiant gas
accumulation, fire
s, falls, flood
ing, and entrapment may be classified as permit-required confined spaces depending on the nature and severity of the hazard.
In the U.S.
, entry into permit-required confined spaces must comply with regulations promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
. These regulations include developing a written program, issuing entry permits, assigning attendant(s), designating entrants, and ensuring a means of rescue.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
, a permit-required confined space (permit space) has the three characteristics listed above (which define a confined space) and one or more
of the following:
In addition to the hazards posed by the design of the space, work activities can also pose serious safety hazards (heat, noise, vapors, etc.) that must be taken into account when identifying safety measures that must be taken.
. In the United States Navy
, that person is the designated shipboard gas-free engineer
. Certification in civilian settings can be performed by an Entry Supervisor who, under O.S.H.A. regulations, is designated by the employer and ensures that the space is safe to enter and all hazards are controlled.
In the United States, agricultural and construction
operations are exempted from regulations governing permit-required confined spaces (which is specific to general industry), but they are still required to identify and control confined space hazards.
in British Columbia, Canada when one initial victim and then three rescuers all died.
Accidents in confined spaces present unique challenges and are often catastrophic, such as the Xcel Energy Cabin Creek Fire in 2007.
According to data collected by the U.S. Department of Labor
, Bureau of Labor Statistics
, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries program, fatal injuries in confined spaces fluctuated from a low of 81 in 1998 to a high of 100 in 2000 during the five-year period, averaging 92 fatalities per year.
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
regulation
Regulation
Regulation is administrative legislation that constitutes or constrains rights and allocates responsibilities. It can be distinguished from primary legislation on the one hand and judge-made law on the other...
s that refers to an area whose enclosed conditions and limited access make it dangerous.
Description
A confined space is any space: 1) that has limited or restricted means of entry or exit; 2) is large enough for a person to enter to perform tasks; 3) and is not designed or configured for continuous occupancy. A utility tunnel, the inside of a boilerBoiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
(only accessible when the boiler is off), the inside of a fluid storage tank, a septic tank that has contained sewage, and a small underground electrical vault are all examples of confined spaces. The exact definition of a confined space varies depending on the type of industry. That is, confined spaces on a construction site are defined differently than confined spaces in a paper mill. Confined spaces that present special hazard
Hazard
A hazard is a situation that poses a level of threat to life, health, property, or environment. Most hazards are dormant or potential, with only a theoretical risk of harm; however, once a hazard becomes "active", it can create an emergency situation. A hazard does not exist when it is not...
s to workers, including risks of toxic or asphyxiant gas
Asphyxiant gas
An asphyxiant gas is a non-toxic or minimally toxic gas which reduces or diplaces the normal oxygen concentration in breathing air. Prolonged breathing of oxygen depleted air can lead to death by asphyxiation...
accumulation, fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
s, falls, flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing, and entrapment may be classified as permit-required confined spaces depending on the nature and severity of the hazard.
In the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, entry into permit-required confined spaces must comply with regulations promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress of the United States under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M. Nixon, on December 29, 1970...
. These regulations include developing a written program, issuing entry permits, assigning attendant(s), designating entrants, and ensuring a means of rescue.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress of the United States under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M. Nixon, on December 29, 1970...
, a permit-required confined space (permit space) has the three characteristics listed above (which define a confined space) and one or more
of the following:
- Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere
- Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing the entrant
- Has an internal configuration that might cause an entrant to be trapped or asphyxiaAsphyxiaAsphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from being unable to breathe normally. An example of asphyxia is choking. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which primarily affects the tissues and organs...
ted by inwardly converging walls or by a floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross section - Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazards.
In addition to the hazards posed by the design of the space, work activities can also pose serious safety hazards (heat, noise, vapors, etc.) that must be taken into account when identifying safety measures that must be taken.
Entry certification
In many situations, certification of non-hazardous atmosphere by a trained or competent person is required before personnel may enter a confined space without the use of a respiratorRespirator
A respirator is a device designed to protect the wearer from inhaling harmful dusts, fumes, vapors, or gases. Respirators come in a wide range of types and sizes used by the military, private industry, and the public...
. In the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, that person is the designated shipboard gas-free engineer
Gas-free engineer
A gas-free engineer is a person who has successfully completed a similarly named training course offered by the United States Navy. The gas-free engineer is thereby qualified to certify a confined space as being safe to enter without the use of an air-purifying or supplied air respirator...
. Certification in civilian settings can be performed by an Entry Supervisor who, under O.S.H.A. regulations, is designated by the employer and ensures that the space is safe to enter and all hazards are controlled.
In the United States, agricultural and construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
operations are exempted from regulations governing permit-required confined spaces (which is specific to general industry), but they are still required to identify and control confined space hazards.
Injuries/Fatalities
Injuries and fatalities involving confined spaces are frequent and often involve successive fatalities when would-be rescuers succumb to the same problem as the initial victim. One example was in 2006 at the decommissioned Sullivan MineSullivan mine
Sullivan Mine was an underground conventional–mechanized mine located in Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada; it has a complex, diatreme-hosted orebody, made up primarily of zinc sulfide, lead sulfide, and iron sulfides....
in British Columbia, Canada when one initial victim and then three rescuers all died.
Accidents in confined spaces present unique challenges and are often catastrophic, such as the Xcel Energy Cabin Creek Fire in 2007.
According to data collected by the U.S. Department of Labor
United States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The...
, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...
, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries program, fatal injuries in confined spaces fluctuated from a low of 81 in 1998 to a high of 100 in 2000 during the five-year period, averaging 92 fatalities per year.
External links
- United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) page on confined spaces
- California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) Confined Space Guide: "Is It Safe To Enter A Confined Space?"
- Guide to confined space regulations from Alberta Canada
- Canadian Confined Space Rescue and Training Facilities
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - Confined Space Page