A confined work space is one of the more challenging areas to work in. If you’ve ever had to change a leaking pipe underneath your kitchen sink, you’d have some idea as to how difficult it is working in an area that’s both enclosed and with limited options for entry and exit. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for its part defines a confined space as a work area with the following criteria:
- The area is large enough to be entered fully with the intent of performing work
- The area has a restricted or limited means of entrance or exit
- The area is not designed for continuous occupancy
The agency also classifies confined spaces as either non-permit required and permit required. In fact, the aforementioned criteria constitute a non-permit required confined space. A permit required confined space – more specifically, entrance to a permit required confined space – should be limited only to workers with the proper permit. This is due to the inherent hazards within this type of confined space.
Again, as per OSHA standards, a permit required confined space has all the criteria of a non-permit confined space with one or more of the following:
- Has the potential to contain or contains a hazardous atmosphere
- Contains a substance that can engulf or asphyxiate an occupant
- Has a configuration that might trap or asphyxiate an occupant by inwardly converging walls or by a floor that tapers to a smaller cross section
- Contains any other recognized serious health or safety hazards
If a particular space has been determined to be permit required, you should identify it with the proper confined space signs, or some other communication tool to prevent unauthorized entry. You may also use a barricade system to supplement your safety sign.
Due to the hazards found in a permit required space, employers should provide proper training not just to those personnel who will be working inside a confined space, but also to those who won’t. This is to ensure everyone is familiar with the hazards accompanying confined spaces, to better prevent unauthorized entry and work in these spaces.
Non-permit confined spaces should also be monitored regularly to determine if conditions within the space changes. Schedule tests of the space’s atmosphere for oxygen levels, combustibility, and toxicity to determine if new or additional training is required for your workers. In general, confined spaces should be considered hazardous unless determined otherwise.
For more information, you may check out the Department of Labor’s OSHA Confined Spaces Advisor. As always, stay safe everyone!