Confined Space Entry Preparation in Plants
- Where practical, all materials, solid, liquid, or gas, which may present a hazard to persons inside the confined space must be considered for removal. Care should be taken with sludge, scale, or other deposits, which may release dangerous fumes when disturbed, heated, or dampened during the work being performed. The space must be purged with an inert fluid (e.g., nitrogen, steam), if necessary, to remove flammables.
- Once purged, the space must be purged with air (and tested) to ensure a safe atmosphere for entry.
- Temperature within the permit-required space is a factor, which must be addressed.
- Pedestrian, vehicle, or other barriers as necessary to protect Entrants from external hazards shall be provided.
- All electrical utility equipment and power tools and lighting must be low voltage (e.g., 30 volts or less) or be protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)/residual current device (RCD) located outside the permit-required space. This requirement does not apply to higher voltage (i.e., 480 volt) equipment such as welders where GFI equipment is not available.
- Lighting equipment shall be provided to enable employees to see well enough to work safely and to exit the space quickly in an emergency.
- Personal protective equipment must be used whenever feasible engineering and work practice controls do not protect Entrants.
- Communications equipment shall be provided, as necessary, to allow communication between the Attendant and Entrants.
- An Attendant must be provided to monitor each permit-required space during the period Entrants are in the permit-required space. One Attendant may not monitor multiple spaces.