This document summarizes a presentation on confined space safety. It defines what a confined space is according to OSHA standards, and categorizes spaces as permit-required or non-permit required. It outlines the hazards associated with permit-required confined spaces including atmospheric, engulfment, and configuration hazards. The presentation reviews entry options and requirements for a permit-required confined space program including identifying hazards, procedures, equipment, responsibilities, permits, and training. It emphasizes the importance of evaluating all spaces, having appropriate entry procedures and equipment, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and a permit system for safely entering permit-required confined spaces.

1. Confined Space Awareness Session
Done By: Eng. Mo`men Muhsen
HSE Engineer - Jordan Terminal Oil Company
Eng.momen22@gmail.com
00962/795771398

2. AGENDA
Overview of Confined Space Standard
Evaluate Your Spaces
Entry Options
PRCS Program
Q&A

3. Standards
Promulgated in 1993 – OSHA

4. The Statistics
2.1 million workers enter permit-required confined
spaces (PRCS) annually:
Routine maintenance, repairs, and inspections.
166 fatalities in 2018
144 in 2017 (15% increase)
Common themes include:
No written program.
Atmospheric hazards (H2S and CO).
Lack of, or improper, training for employees.

5. Agenda
Overview of Confined Space Standard
Evaluate Your Spaces
Entry Options
PRCS Program
Q&A

6. What is a Confined Space?
OSHA defines confined space as a space
that is:
1. Large enough for bodily entry
2. Restricted or limited entry / egress
3. Not designed for continuous occupancy

7. What is a Confined Space?
Examples:
• Tanks
• Silos
• Pits/Manholes
• Underground storage
• Vaults
• Ditches
• Crawl spaces

8. Types of Confined Spaces
Confined spaces can be classified into three main types:
1. Non-Permit Required
2. Temporary Permit-Required
3. Permit-Required
Employers are required to evaluate all spaces to determine if
they are permit-required confined spaces

9. Non-Permit Required Confined Spaces
29 CFR 1910.146(b)
Non-PRCS are confined spaces
that:
• Contain no potential or actual
hazards capable of causing
death or serious harm
• Signs, permits, or special
precautions are not required
to enter non-PRCS
• However, conditions may
arise that causes a non-
PRCS to temporarily
become a permit-space

10. Temporary Re-Classification
• If conditions change within a non-PRCS, employers
must re-classify the space as permit-required as long
as the hazard(s) is present
• Example:
 A non-PRCS is entered by an employee
 Employee cleans inside with a alcohol
 Creates a hazardous atmosphere
 Temporarily becomes a PRCS

11. Permit-Required Confined Space (PRCS)
Confined spaces that have one or more of the following
characteristics:
• Actual or potential hazardous atmosphere
• Engulfment or entrapment
• Internal configuration that can trap or asphyxiate
• Other serious hazards (no specific definition)
 Electrical
 Mechanical
 Temperature
 Noise
 Falling objects

12. PRCS Characteristics - Atmosphere
1. Flammable gasses, vapor, or mist >10% LEL
 Lower Explosive limit
 Concentration required to ignite
2. Combustible dust ≥ its LEL
 5-foot rule of thumb
3. Oxygen
deficient
 >23.5% or <19.5%
4. Toxic substances >PEL
 Permissible exposure limits
5. Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH)

13. PRCS Characteristics - Engulfment
Engulfment is defined as:
• When an employee becomes
surrounded or captured by
solids or liquids that can cause
death by…
 Filling or plugging lungs
 Strangulation
 Constriction or Crushing
 Examples include flour, cement,
pellets, or water/sludge

14. PRCS Characteristics - Configuration
A confined space that
contains
“an internal configuration
such that an entrant can be
trapped or asphyxiated by
inwardly converging walls or
by a floor that slopes
downward and tapers to
smaller cross-section”
Examples
• Hoppers
• Cyclones

15. PRCS Characteristics – Other Hazards
Permit-required confined space standard applies when a
safety or health hazard is serious enough to inhibit an
entrant’s ability to rescue themselves
Examples:

16. Entering a PRCS
After evaluating your spaces, you must decide if employees
will enter the space
No Entry Prevent EntryPost Signs
Inform
Contractors
Entry
Evaluate
Spaces
Options
Maintain
Safety
Emergency
Preparedness

17. Agenda
Overview of Confined Space Standard
Evaluate Your Spaces
Entry Options
PRCS Program
Q&A

18. No Entry Requirements
If you decide your employees are not going to enter PRCS
• Effectively communicate this policy through training
• Inform employees of their existence, location, and hazards
• Ensure they do not enter
If you decide contractors will enter PRCS
• Inform them of existence, location, and hazards of permit-
spaces
• Ensure entry is compliant with a permit-space program
• Debrief upon completion of work

19. Agenda
Overview of Confined Space Standard
Evaluate Your Spaces
Entry Options
PRCS Program
Q&A

20. Permit Required Confined Space Entry Program
If alternative entry and re-classification are not feasible,
employers must develop a written permit space program that
contains:
• Identification of hazards (TRA).
• Required procedures.
• Equipment required.
• Responsibilities.
• A permit system; and Training

21. Identification of Hazards
Inventory of permit-required
spaces that includes:
• An initial evaluation of hazard(s)
• Pre-entry requirements for that space
• Subsequent evaluation(s)
• Changes to the space during work
Electrical
Mechanical
Noise
Falls
Falling Objects
Temperature
Biological

22. Procedures
Programs must include the means,
procedures, and practices necessary for
safe-entry, including but not limited to:
• Acceptable entry conditions
• Testing/monitoring data
• Isolation/LOTO procedures
• Control of hazardous atmosphere; and
• How hazards will remain
controlled throughout the duration
of entry

23. Equipment
Atmospheric testing monitors
• Direct reading instruments
• Alarm/emergency instruments
• Gas Detectors (multi, single, etc.)

24. Equipment
Ventilation
• Forced air blowers
 Fresh air blown into space
• Exhaust (extraction) fans
• Contaminated air is removed

25. Equipment
Communication devices/systems
• Walkie-talkie, signaling devices,
verbal, etc.
Personal Protective Equipment
• Gloves, eye/face, body, respiratory

26. Equipment
Rescue and emergency equipment
• Lifelines
• Harnesses
• Tripods

27. Responsibilities / Duties
Employers with PRCS Programs
must designate responsibilities for
each of the following
• Authorized Entrants
• Attendants
• Entry Supervisors
• Rescue and Emergency

28. Responsibilities / Duties
Authorized Entrants
• Understand the hazards
• Properly use equipment
• Communicate
• Evacuate when necessary
• Attend training

29. Responsibilities / Duties
Attendants
• Understand hazards including
over-exposure symptoms
• Conduct headcount
• Communicate
• Monitor activities (in and out)
• Order evacuations
• Summon emergency response
• Prevent unauthorized access
• Perform non-entry rescue
• Attend training
• Does not
- Leave space unattended
- Enter the space
- Engage in other tasks/distractions

30. Responsibilities / Duties
Entry Supervisors
• Terminate/cancel permits
when work is finished
• Attend training
• May act as attendant or
entrant
 Cross-trained
 Capable of performing
functions

31. Responsibilities / Duties
Onsite Rescue/Emergency Team
• Equipped, trained and proficient in
use of rescue PPE and equipment
• Must be trained to entrant
responsibilities/duties
• Basic CPR and first aid
 1 member must be certified
• Annual mock rescues
• Evaluate your need for an outside
service - onsite rescue teams require
advanced training and equipment

32. Permit Requirements
Employers must develop a system for issuing
permits that describes all information about the
space
• Permits must be written, signed, and posted
prior to entry into PRCS
• Detail the time and task(s); and
 Cancelled when complete (kept for 1 year)
Permits must include
• The space to be entered
• Names of employees entering
 Authorized entrants, attendants, supervisor

33. Permit Requirements
Permits must include
• Hazards (actual and potential)
• Isolation procedures
• Acceptable conditions to enter the
space
 Including monitoring data (initial and
continuous)
• Means for summoning emergency
rescue
• Means of communication (entrants
and attendants

34. Permit Requirements
• Equipment
 PPE, ventilation, rescue, etc.
• Description of additional permits
 hot work, special permits, etc.
• Must be revised or re-issued if
changes occur

35. Agenda
Overview of Confined Space Standard
Evaluate Your Spaces
Entry Options
PRCS Program
Q&A

36. Questions ???