Cal osha confined space emphasis program

B The following requirements apply to entry into permit spaces that meet the conditions set forth in subsection c 5 A. Any conditions making it unsafe to remove an entrance cover shall be eliminated before the cover is removed.

When entrance covers are removed, the opening shall be promptly guarded by a railing, temporary cover, or other temporary barrier that will prevent an accidental fall through the opening and that will protect each employee working in the space from foreign objects entering the space. Before an employee enters the space, the internal atmosphere shall be tested, with a calibrated direct-reading instrument, for the following conditions in the order given:.

Oxygen content,. Flammable gases and vapors, and. Potential toxic air contaminants. There may be no hazardous atmosphere within the space whenever any employee is inside the space. Continuous forced air ventilation shall be used, as follows:. An employee may not enter the space until the forced air ventilation has eliminated any hazardous atmosphere;.

The forced air ventilation shall be so directed as to ventilate the immediate areas where an employee is or will be present within the space and shall continue until all employees have left the space;. The air supply for the forced air ventilation shall be from a clean source and may not increase the hazards in the space. The atmosphere within the space shall be periodically tested as necessary to ensure that the continuous forced air ventilation is preventing the accumulation of a hazardous atmosphere.

If a hazardous atmosphere is detected during entry:. Each employee shall leave the space immediately;. The space shall be evaluated to determine how the hazardous atmosphere developed; and. Measures shall be implemented to protect employees from the hazardous atmosphere before any subsequent entry takes place. The employer shall verify that the space is safe for entry and that the pre-entry measures required by subsection c 5 B have been taken, through a written certification that contains the date, the location of the space, and the signature of the person providing the certification.

The certification shall be made before entry and shall be made available to each employee entering the space or to that employee's authorized representative. Any employee who enters the space, or that employee's authorized representative, shall be provided an opportunity to observe the pre-entry testing required by subsections c 5 B 3. A If the permit space poses no actual or potential atmospheric hazards and if all hazards within the space are eliminated without entry into the space, the permit space may be reclassified as a non-permit confined space for as long as the non-atmospheric hazards remain eliminated.

B If it is necessary to enter the permit space to eliminate hazards, such entry shall be performed under subsections d through k. If testing and inspection during that entry demonstrate that the hazards within the permit space have been eliminated, the permit space may be reclassified as a non-permit confined space for as long as the hazards remain eliminated.

NOTE: Control of atmospheric hazards through forced air ventilation does not constitute elimination of the hazards. Subsection c 5 covers permit space entry where the employer can demonstrate that forced air ventilation alone will control all hazards in the space. C The employer shall document the basis for determining that all hazards in a permit space have been eliminated through a certification that contains the date, the location of the space, and the signature of the person making the determination.

The certification shall be made available to each employee entering the space or to that employee's authorized representative. D If hazards arise within a permit space that has been declassified to a non-permit space under subsection c 7 , each employee in the space shall exit the space. The employer shall then reevaluate the space and determine whether it must be reclassified as a permit space, in accordance with other applicable provisions of this section. A Inform the contractor that the workplace contains permit spaces and that permit space entry is allowed only through compliance with a permit space program meeting the requirements of this section, section or section , depending on which section applies to the contractor;.

B Apprise the contractor of the elements, including the hazards identified and the host employer's experience with the space, that make the space in question a permit space;. C Apprise the contractor of any precautions or procedures that the host employer has implemented for the protection of employees in or near permit spaces where contractor personnel will be working;.

D Coordinate entry operations with the contractor, when both host employer personnel and contractor personnel will be working in or near permit spaces, as required by subsection d 11 ; and. E Debrief the contractor at the conclusion of the entry operations regarding the permit spaced program followed and regarding any hazards confronted or created in permit spaces during entry operations.

A Obtain any available information regarding permit space hazards and entry operations from the host employer;. B Coordinate entry operations with the host employer, when both host employer personnel and contractor personnel will be working in or near permit spaces, as required by subsection d 11 ; and. C Inform the host employer of the permit space program that the contractor will follow and of any hazards confronted or created in permit spaces, either through a debriefing or during the entry operation.

Under the permit required confined space program required by subsection c 4 , the employer shall:. A Specifying acceptable entry conditions;. B Isolating the permit space;. C Purging, inerting, flushing, or ventilating the permit space as necessary to eliminate or control atmospheric hazards;. D Providing pedestrian, vehicle, or other barriers as necessary to protect entrants from external hazards; and.

E Verifying that conditions in the permit space are acceptable for entry throughout the duration of an authorized entry. A Testing and monitoring equipment needed to comply with subsection d 5 ;. B Ventilating equipment needed to obtain acceptable entry conditions;. C Communications equipment necessary for compliance with subsections h 3 and i 5 ;. D Personal protective equipment insofar as feasible engineering and work practice controls do not adequately protect employees;.

E Lighting equipment needed to enable employees to see well enough to work safely and to exit the space quickly in an emergency;. F Barriers and shields as required by subsection d 3 D ;. G Equipment, such as ladders, needed for safe ingress and egress by authorized entrants;. H Rescue and emergency equipment needed to comply with subsection d 9 , except to the extent that the equipment is provided by rescue services; and.

I Any other equipment necessary for safe entry into and rescue from permit spaces. A Test conditions in the permit space to determine if acceptable entry conditions exist before entry is authorized to begin, except that, if isolation of the space is infeasible because the space is large or is part of a continuous system such as a sewer , pre-entry testing shall be performed to the extent feasible before entry is authorized and, if entry is authorized, entry conditions shall be continuously monitored in the areas where authorized entrants are working;.

B Test or monitor the permit space as necessary to determine if acceptable entry conditions are being maintained during the course of entry operations, and. C When testing for atmospheric hazards, test first for oxygen, then for combustible gases and vapors, and then for toxic gases and vapors. D Provide each authorized entrant or that employee's authorized representative an opportunity to observe the pre-entry and any subsequent testing or monitoring of permit spaces;.

E Reevaluate the permit space in the presence of any authorized entrant or that employee's authorized representative who requests that the employer conduct such reevaluation because the entrant or representative has reason to believe that the evaluation of that space may not have been adequate;. F Immediately provide each authorized entrant or that employee's authorized representative with the results of any testing conducted in accord with subsection d.

NOTE: Atmospheric testing conducted in accordance with Appendix B would be considered as satisfying the requirements of this subsection. For permit space operations in sewers, atmospheric testing conducted in accordance with Appendix B, as supplemented by Appendix E, would be considered as satisfying the requirements of this subsection,. NOTE: Attendants may be assigned to monitor more than one permit space provided the duties described in subsection i can be effectively performed for each permit space that is monitored.

Likewise, attendants may be stationed at any location outside the permit space to be monitored as long as the duties described in subsection i can be effectively performed for each permit space that is monitored. If the requirements of sections or apply to one or more of the other employers, then the procedures shall also ensure coordination with those employers, so as not to endanger any exposed employees;. NOTE: Examples of circumstances requiring the review of the permit space program are: any unauthorized entry of a permit space, the detection of a permit space hazard not covered by the permit, the detection of a condition prohibited by the permit, the occurrence of an injury or near-miss during entry, a change in the use or configuration of a permit space, and employee complaints about the effectiveness of the program.

NOTE: Employers may perform a single annual review covering all entries performed during a month period. If no entry is performed during a month period, no review is necessary.

Appendix C presents examples of permit space programs that are considered to comply with the requirements of subsection d. NOTE: Appendix D presents examples of permits whose elements are considered to comply with the requirements of this section. A The entry operations covered by the entry permit have been completed; or. B A condition that is not allowed under the entry permit arises in or near the permit space.

Any problems encountered during an entry operation shall be noted on the pertinent permit so that appropriate revisions to the permit space program can be made. The entry permit that documents compliance with this section and authorizes entry to a permit space shall identify:. NOTE: This requirement may be met by inserting a reference on the entry permit as to the means used, such as roster or tracking systems, to keep track of the authorized entrants within the permit space.

NOTE: Those measures can include the lockout or tagging of equipment and procedures for purging, inerting, ventilating, and flushing permit spaces. A Before the employee is first assigned duties under this section;. B Before there is a change in assigned duties;. C Whenever there is a change in permit space operations that presents a hazard about which an employee has not previously been trained;.

D Whenever the employer has reason to believe either that there are deviations from the permit space entry procedures required by subsection d 3 or that there are inadequacies in the employee's knowledge or use of these procedures.

The certification shall contain each employee's name, the signatures or initials of the trainers, and the dates of training. The certification shall be available for inspection by employees and their authorized representatives.

The employer shall ensure that all authorized entrants:. A The entrant recognizes any warning sign or symptom of exposure to a dangerous situation, or. B The entrant detects a prohibited condition; and. A An order to evacuate is given by the attendant or the entry supervisor,. B The entrant recognizes any warning sign or symptom of exposure to a dangerous situation,. C The entrant detects a prohibited condition, or.

D An evacuation alarm is activated. The employer shall ensure that each attendant:. NOTE: When the employer's permit entry program allows attendant entry for rescue, attendants may enter a permit space to attempt a rescue if they have been trained and equipped for rescue operations as required by subsection k 1 and if they have been relieved as required by subsection i 4.

A If the attendant detects a prohibited condition;. Common types of confined spaces include tanks, silos, pipelines, sewers, storage bins, drain tunnels, and vaults. The goals of the initiative are to increase enforcement efforts and provide resources, online materials, training, and consultation to prevent injuries and deaths in confined spaces. The initiative follows investigations of confined space deaths and injuries in California—in different industries and different situations.

In , seven workers were killed in confined space incidents in California, including two young brothers in Kern County overcome by toxic gases in a recycling drainage tunnel. We are taking a comprehensive approach to reducing these deaths and injuries in California—through widespread education, enforcement, consultation as well as partnerships to help increase awareness and compliance.

The campaign stresses the importance of the requirement that businesses have plans in place to identify confined space at their workplaces, notify and train employees, and ensure that on-site rescue plans are in place.

These requirements include having a written confined space plan, procedures to test the air quality inside the space, proper employee and supervisor training prior to entering confined spaces, and having effective rescue procedures in place which must be immediately available on site.

These are widespread in many industries, and also in non-industrial workplaces such as health care, education, retail, and services. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new posts via email. Email Address:. Sign me up! Posting a headline, a paragraph or two and a link to the full story is typically acceptable.

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