Examples of situations that could resemble those in a permit-required confined space are: When trenches are cut near landfills, creating the possibility that methane gas would seep into the space. Digging near leaky underground tanks or pipelines. Using combustion engine-powered tools and equipment inside of a trench. Entrants could also be struck by excavation machinery or by falling materials from overhead. By now you realize that a trench excavation may indeed present many of the hazards of a permit-required confined space.
In general practice, all trench excavations over 4 feet in depth should be considered as confined spaces until all of the potential, associated hazards have been ruled out by a competent person. Safety Talk Report. By OSHA definition, a confined space means the space is: large enough and so configured that an employee can enter and perform assigned work; has limited or restricted means for entry or exit; is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
By OSHA definition, a trench excavation means; a narrow excavation in relation to its length made below the surface of the ground; in general, the depth is greater than the width; but the width of a trench measured at the bottom is not greater than 15 feet. Acute health effects such as irritation, narcosis or anaesthesia could also interfere with a person's ability to escape unaided from the exposure situation. Examples of symptoms that may lead to acute health effects include burning eyes, coughing, dizziness, nausea, disorientation, lack of coordination, headache, or other symptoms that manifest immediately following the exposure.
If such symptoms are experienced upon entry, it is important that an evaluation be undertaken to determine if there is a possibility of health effects that could cause unconsciousness or death and as such require compliance with confined space entry requirements. Generally speaking, the IDLH level of airborne contaminants is considered to be a concentration that is immediately dangerous to life or health because the IDLH concentration could cause escape-impairing symptoms or acute irreversible health effects.
Consideration of IDLH levels may be a factor in determining the criteria for atmospheric hazards. It means being able to escape without the assistance of respiratory protection, emergency equipment or other devices, or other persons.
Control measures, such as continuous mechanical ventilation to ensure that the concentrations of an atmospheric hazard are controlled or maintained at an appropriate level, would not eliminate the possibility of a potential atmospheric hazard, and therefore the space would be considered a confined space. If measures are implemented to eliminate the possibility that any atmospheric hazards may occur in a space, then the confined space provisions would no longer need to apply.
Elimination of an atmospheric hazard occurring is different from the control of the hazard. If workers must enter the confined space to eliminate the hazards steam cleaning, for example , then the regulation would apply during the cleaning process.
Every confined space can be unique and must be thoroughly evaluated to determine whether or not it is possible to eliminate the potential for an atmospheric hazard to occur. Note that even if a space might not be a confined space under the Confined Space Regulation, the employer must take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances to protect workers entering the space, as required under clause 25 2 h of the OHSA. If the concentration of oxygen falls below the acceptable limit of This hazard is a significant cause of many fatalities in confined spaces.
Oxygen deficiency may occur from biological or chemical reactions such as rusting, or by displacement of oxygen by other gases. Oxygen enrichment may occur from leaking gases, welding equipment, or oxygen lines that have not been blanked. Previous Next. Disclaimer: This web resource has been prepared to assist the workplace parties in understanding some of their obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act OHSA and the regulations.
It is not intended to replace the OHSA or the regulations and reference should always be made to the official version of the legislation. It is the responsibility of the workplace parties to ensure compliance with the legislation.
This web resource does not constitute legal advice. If you require assistance with respect to the interpretation of the legislation and its potential application in specific circumstances, please contact your legal counsel. While this web resource will also be available to Ministry of Labour inspectors, they will apply and enforce the OHSA and its regulations based on the facts as they may find them in the workplace.
This web resource does not affect their enforcement discretion in any way. Table of Contents Print This Page 4. Confined Spaces Confined Spaces Guideline. Do I have a confined space in my workplace?
To determine whether a "space" meets the definition of a confined space consider the following 3 questions: Is the space fully or partially enclosed?
Is the space not both designed and constructed for continuous human occupancy? Might an atmospheric hazard occur? If you have a fully or partially enclosed space: Is it designed and constructed for continuous human occupancy? Is it a confined space? Does this mean that we have to implement a confined space program for this space?
Is there a difference between a "restricted space" and a "confined space"? Does the Confined Spaces Regulation apply to spaces that cannot be entered due to their size? Human Occupancy To determine if a space is designed and constructed for human occupancy, one must look at the intent and construction of the space - what is the purpose of the space, or in other words, what was it intended for, and to what standards has it been designed and constructed to allow people to occupy it?
Some examples of spaces that would not be considered as "both designed and constructed for continuous human occupancy" are: storage tanks, tank cars, process vessels, boilers, pressure vessels, vats, bins, silos, bag-houses and other tank like compartments usually having only a manhole for entry open topped spaces such as pump wells, augured caissons, pits or degreasers pipes, sewers, ducts and similar structures cargo tanks, cellular double bottom tanks, duct keels, ballast and oil tanks and void spaces chutes, mill holes, ore bins, inside of a skip hanging in a shaft, crusher jaws flues, chimneys, ovens or furnaces.
What are examples of spaces that are both designed and constructed for continuous human occupancy? What if I cannot determine if a space is not designed and constructed for human occupancy?
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