Confined Space Awareness Session

Done By: Eng. Mo`men Muhsen

HSE Engineer - Jordan Terminal Oil Company
Eng.momen22@gmail.com
00962/795771398
AGENDA

Overview of Confined Space Standard

Evaluate Your Spaces
Entry Options
PRCS Program
Q&A
Standards

Promulgated in 1993 – OSHA

The Statistics

2.1 million workers enter permit-required confined

spaces (PRCS) annually:
Routine maintenance, repairs, and inspections.

166 fatalities in 2018

144 in 2017 (15% increase)

Common themes include:

No written program.
Atmospheric hazards (H2S and CO).
Lack of, or improper, training for employees.
Agenda

Overview of Confined Space Standard

Evaluate Your Spaces
Entry Options
PRCS Program
Q&A
?What is a Confined Space

OSHA defines confined space as a space

that is:
1. Large enough for bodily entry
2. Restricted or limited entry / egress
3. Not designed for continuous occupancy
?What is a Confined Space

Examples:
• Tanks
• Silos
• Pits/Manholes
• Underground storage
• Vaults
• Ditches
• Crawl spaces
Types of Confined Spaces

Confined spaces can be classified into three main types:

1. Non-Permit Required
2. Temporary Permit-Required
3. Permit-Required

Employers are required to evaluate all spaces to determine if

they are permit-required confined spaces
Non-Permit Required Confined Spaces
29 CFR 1910.146(b)
Non-PRCS are confined
spaces that:
• Contain no potential or actual
hazards capable of causing
death or serious harm
• Signs, permits, or special
precautions are not required
to enter non-PRCS
• However, conditions may
arise that causes a non-
PRCS to temporarily
become a permit-space
Temporary Re-Classification

• If conditions change within a non-PRCS, employers

must re-classify the space as permit-required as long
as the hazard(s) is present
• Example:
 A non-PRCS is entered by an employee
 Employee cleans inside with a alcohol
 Creates a hazardous atmosphere
 Temporarily becomes a PRCS
Permit-Required Confined Space (PRCS)

Confined spaces that have one or more of the following

characteristics:
• Actual or potential hazardous atmosphere
• Engulfment or entrapment
• Internal configuration that can trap or asphyxiate
• Other serious hazards (no specific definition)
 Electrical
 Mechanical
 Temperature
 Noise
 Falling objects
PRCS Characteristics - Atmosphere

1. Flammable gasses, vapor, or mist >10% LEL

 Lower Explosive limit
 Concentration required to ignite
2. Combustible dust ≥ its LEL
 5-foot rule of thumb
3. Oxygen deficient
 >23.5% or <19.5%
4. Toxic substances >PEL
 Permissible exposure
limits
5. Immediately dangerous
to life or health (IDLH)
PRCS Characteristics - Engulfment

Engulfment is defined as:

• When an employee becomes
surrounded or captured by
solids or liquids that can cause
death by…
 Filling or plugging lungs
 Strangulation
 Constriction or Crushing
 Examples include flour, cement,
pellets, or water/sludge
PRCS Characteristics - Configuration

A confined space that

contains
“an internal configuration such
that an entrant can be
trapped or asphyxiated by
inwardly converging walls or
by a floor that slopes
downward and tapers to
smaller cross-section”
Examples
• Hoppers
• Cyclones
PRCS Characteristics – Other Hazards

Permit-required confined space standard applies when a

safety or health hazard is serious enough to inhibit an
entrant’s ability to rescue themselves
Examples:
 Entering a PRCS

After evaluating your spaces, you must decide if employees

will enter the space

Inform
No Entry Post Signs Prevent Entry Contractors

Evaluate
Spaces
Maintain Emergency
Entry Options Preparedness
Safety
Agenda

Overview of Confined Space Standard

Evaluate Your Spaces
Entry Options
PRCS Program
Q&A
No Entry Requirements

If you decide your employees are not going to enter PRCS

• Effectively communicate this policy through training
• Inform employees of their existence, location, and hazards
• Ensure they do not enter
If you decide contractors will enter PRCS
• Inform them of existence, location, and hazards of permit-
spaces
• Ensure entry is compliant with a permit-space program
• Debrief upon completion of work
Agenda

Overview of Confined Space Standard

Evaluate Your Spaces
Entry Options
PRCS Program
Q&A
Permit Required Confined Space Entry Program

If alternative entry and re-classification are not feasible,

employers must develop a written permit space program that
contains:
• Identification of hazards (TRA).
• Required procedures.
• Equipment required.
• Responsibilities.
• A permit system; and Training
Identification of Hazards
Electrical
Inventory of permit-required
spaces that includes: Mechanical
• An initial evaluation of hazard(s)
• Pre-entry requirements for that space Noise
• Subsequent evaluation(s)
Falls
• Changes to the space during work
Falling Objects

Temperature

Biological
Procedures

Programs must include the means,

procedures, and practices necessary for
safe-entry, including but not limited to:
• Acceptable entry conditions
• Testing/monitoring data
• Isolation/LOTO procedures
• Control of hazardous atmosphere; and
• How hazards will remain controlled
throughout the duration of entry
Equipment

Atmospheric testing monitors

• Direct reading instruments
• Alarm/emergency instruments
• Gas Detectors (multi, single, etc.)
Equipment

Ventilation
• Forced air blowers
 Fresh air blown into space

• Exhaust (extraction) fans

• Contaminated air is removed
 Equipment

Communication devices/systems
• Walkie-talkie, signaling devices,
verbal, etc.

Personal Protective Equipment

• Gloves, eye/face, body, respiratory
Equipment

Rescue and emergency equipment

• Lifelines
• Harnesses
• Tripods
Responsibilities / Duties

Employers with PRCS Programs

must designate responsibilities for
each of the following
• Authorized Entrants
• Attendants
• Entry Supervisors
• Rescue and Emergency
Responsibilities / Duties

Authorized Entrants
• Understand the hazards
• Properly use equipment
• Communicate
• Evacuate when necessary
• Attend training
Responsibilities / Duties

Attendants
• Understand hazards including
over-exposure symptoms
• Conduct headcount
• Communicate
• Monitor activities (in and out)
• Order evacuations
• Summon emergency response
• Prevent unauthorized access
• Perform non-entry rescue
• Attend training
• Does not
- Leave space unattended
- Enter the space
- Engage in other tasks/distractions
Responsibilities / Duties

Entry Supervisors
• Terminate/cancel permits
when work is finished
• Attend training
• May act as attendant or
entrant
 Cross-trained
 Capable of performing
functions
Responsibilities / Duties

Onsite Rescue/Emergency Team

• Equipped, trained and proficient in
use of rescue PPE and equipment
• Must be trained to entrant
responsibilities/duties
• Basic CPR and first aid
 1 member must be certified
• Annual mock rescues
• Evaluate your need for an
outside service - onsite
rescue teams require
advanced training and
equipment
Permit Requirements

Employers must develop a system for issuing

permits that describes all information about the
space
• Permits must be written, signed, and posted
prior to entry into PRCS
• Detail the time and task(s); and
 Cancelled when complete (kept for 1 year)
Permits must include
• The space to be entered
• Names of employees entering
 Authorized entrants, attendants, supervisor
Permit Requirements

Permits must include

• Hazards (actual and potential)
• Isolation procedures
• Acceptable conditions to enter the
space
 Including monitoring data (initial and
continuous)
• Means for summoning emergency
rescue
• Means of communication (entrants
and attendants
Permit Requirements

• Equipment
 PPE, ventilation, rescue, etc.
• Description of additional permits
 hot work, special permits, etc.
• Must be revised or re-issued if
changes occur
Agenda

Overview of Confined Space Standard

Evaluate Your Spaces
Entry Options
PRCS Program
Q&A
Questions ???