Page 38 - Occupational Health & Safety, July/August 2019

CONFINED SPACES
What You Need to Know About OSHA’s Confined Space Standards
BY CLARE A. EPSTEIN
The Occupational Safety and Health Admin- istration (OSHA) has published a general industry standard and a construction indus- try standard for engaging in confined space work. You must know the differences between these standards, the defined roles for confined space work- ers, and requirements for confined space training.
OSHA’s confined space standard for general in- dustry workers (29 CFR 1910.146) and its more re- cent confined space standard for the construction industry1 (26 CFR 1926 Subpart AA) aim to protect workers who enter confined spaces. Confined spaces are some of the most dangerous areas for an employee to be working in due to limited or restricted entry and exit points. As such, it is critical you follow OSHA’s confined space standards to keep your workers safe.
We’ve put together this resource guide to help you comply with these regulations and mitigate or elimi- nate the risks of an incident when your employees are working in or around a confined space. You’ll learn the differences between OSHA’s two standards, the circumstances in which each are applicable, and soft- ware tools for confined space training.2
What Are the Differences Between OSHA’s Confined Spaces General Industry and Construction Standards?
OSHA’s construction standard contains many of the same requirements outlined in the general industry standard, which has protected workers for nearly two decades. However, there are a few key differences be-
tween these two standards that you should be aware of.
Requirements for Multi-Employer Work Sites. In the construction industry, it’s extremely unlikely that only a single employer will be operating at a building site, especially throughout more complex projects. As a result, OSHA’s confined space standard for the construction industry includes detailed provi- sions for when there are multiple employers, contrac- tors, and subcontractors at a work site that will need to enter the same confined space.
The burden of ensuring compliance with the con- struction standard falls on the site’s host employer, which must ensure all parties are following OSHA regulations. Ultimately, though, it’s in everyone’s best interest to comply, as both contractors and the host employer can be cited for confined space violations under OSHA’s multi-employer citation policy (CPL 2-0.124), which states the following: “On multi- employer worksites, more than one employer may be citable for a hazardous condition that violates an OSHA standard.”
Four Defined Roles for Confined Space Workers. You also should be aware that OSHA’s construction standard defines four roles for employees involved in working in permit-required confined spaces. These roles are:
■ Authorized entrants to the space. These are any employees who are authorized by the employer to enter a permit space and perform the work. Entrants will be trained in all safe procedures for working in confined spaces, including the proper use of PPE and how to monitor the air quality while inside a con- fined space. Because communication is so important between entry team members, entrants also will be trained to use communication equipment such as walkie-talkies to stay in touch with attendants.
■ Attendants. These are employees who are des- ignated to continuously maintain an accurate count of all authorized entrants in the permit space. An at- tendant’s job is to stay by the entrance and monitor what goes on both inside and outside the space. At- tendants must make quick, informed decisions about whether it’s safe for the entry to continue or whether the work should be stopped and the entrants should be evacuated.
■ The entry supervisor. Before any worker en- ters a permit space, the entry supervisor must certify that all required safety tests have been made and all required procedures and equipment are in place. The supervisor also will make certain rescue services are standing by and that the systems used to contact them are working, too. When satisfied, the supervisor will sign off on the confined space’s entry permit, and the
32 Occupational Health & Safety | JULY/AUGUST 2019
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