Page 46 - OHS, May 2021

TRAINING: CONFINED SPACES
Entering the Alligator Pit:
An Overview of Confined Space Standards
Confined spaces continue to put workers in hazardous situations. It is crucial to identify hazards and design procedures to protect.
ABY TOM BURGESS
worker once said in frustration, “If we had three different safety people in here, they would all give us a different answer.” I’m sure this is likely not the first time you have heard this type of comment, but it certainly isn’t
something you want to hear when you are discussing a worksite’s confined space entry procedures. In any situation where lives may be at risk, it is important that workers know exactly what to do to keep themselves and each other safe.
On the other hand, confined space safety does not conform to a one-size-fits-all approach, and in some circumstances, the “conventional” requirements can be unnecessarily burdensome. For this reason, we don’t treat every confined space the same. Instead, in accordance with OSHA and ANSI standards, we strive to make sure that our rules are appropriate to the level of risk—that we identify the hazards for each space and situation and control them.
Let’s take a closer look at the standards for confined spaces and the importance of knowing what hazards exist so that we can control them. This will enable you to get work done while achieving the top priority of preventing anyone from being hurt or worse.
What is a Confined Space?
In a nutshell, OSHA’s definition of a confined space covers spaces that are large enough for the entire body of a person to enter and perform work, that are difficult to enter and exit, and that are not designed for continuous human occupancy. Confined spaces may include water or chemical tanks, silos, vaults, tunnels, ductwork, crawlspaces and manholes, to cite just a few examples. Very small spaces, like a small pump pit that cannot be fully entered by a person, would not be considered a confined space because they do not pose the same hazards. For example, if an employee cannot fully enter a space, they won’t face the same difficulties withdrawing from it in an emergency.
While the ability to enter and exit a confined space without restrictions is not the only safety factor under consideration, it is certainly an important one. The ANSI/ASSE Z117.1-2009 Safety Requirements for Confined Spaces, for example, define a “restriction” as anything that requires the use of the hands for support or the contortion of the body to enter or withdraw from a confined space. Being able to walk through a doorway or large portal is one thing, but if an employee needs to exit a space quickly, and is impeded by a ladder, hatch, or pipes that must be ducked under, that is another story. Especially if a person has been injured, the space is rapidly flooding, or filling with fire or hazardous gases, or some other emergency is present.
Another factor in confined space standards concerns whether a space is designed for continuous occupancy. Just because a space is small and cramped, does not necessarily mean it is a confined
In any situation where lives may be at risk, it is important that workers know exactly what to do to keep themselves and each other safe.
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42 Occupational Health & Safety | MAY 2021
www.ohsonline.com
and—most importantly—a ventilation system, then it may not be classified as a confined space. The OSHA standard gives a vented telecommunications vault as an example of a workspace that may actually be designed for continuous human occupancy. Such a vault will typically be large enough for the worker to stand and move about in, and proper ventilation will be in place to ensure a supply of breathable air and quickly disperse any flammable gases or other hazardous vapors that may be introduced. According to OSHA, atmospheric hazards are the leading cause of injuries and deaths related to confined spaces.
Knowing the Hazards
When it comes to identifying the hazards in a confined space, use the analogy of an alligator pit. Before going into a situation, you need to know whether alligators are present, and then eliminate the alligators. However, that only works if you know where the alligators are and what they look like.
True story: A contractor requested approval to enter a storage
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