Gas Testing

Course Notes
Aim:

To teach students how to

identify confined spaces
and the dangers related
to working in such areas
Confined Space Entry

Objectives

1. Definition of confined spaces

2. Permits
3. Hazards
4. Confined space entry teams
5. Rescue procedures
6. Testing of confined spaces
7. Purging & ventilation
8. Safe working practices
In the United States, the Occupational Safety
And Health Administration Requires Employers
to Develop a Confined Space Safety Program.
The Program, If Properly Implemented, Will
Prevent Injury and Death by Controlling or
Eliminating the Hazards of Confined Spaces.
 Employers must:

Identify all confined spaces that

contain a serious health or safety
hazard and develop a program to
control or eliminate every hazard

Tell employees about the

existence, location and dangers of
all permit spaces, and prevent
entry into those spaces by
unauthorized or unqualified
people.
 Establish a system for issuing entry
permits. The permits document compliance
with all the work practices and procedures
required to make certain that every entry
operation is conducted safely. They also
provide a checklist for an entry team to follow
throughout an entry.

Provide training for all the

employees so they can
properly perform their duties.
Without training before they
begin their duties, and without
re-training when those duties
change, employees are not
qualified to work in confined
spaces.
Provide rescue service whose
personnel have been trained
to make rescues from the
permit spaces.
 Entering confined spaces
safely starts with knowing
whether a permit is
required for entry. Even
though some spaces may
not require a permit, you
may still have to follow
certain procedures both
before and during the
entry.

If a permit is required, an
entry team will oversee the
entire entry operation.
Each member of the team
must be familiar with the
specific hazards of the
space and follow specific
practices and procedures
to control or eliminate
them.
 To be certain entrants
stay safe as they work,
the entry operation must
be continuously
monitored.

Finally, just in case

trouble develops, a pre-
planned rescue effort
must be in place to get
the entrants out of the
space safely.
 WHAT IS A
CONFINED SPACE?

Confined spaces are large enough for

employees to work inside them. They may
contain a hazardous atmosphere or other
recognized safety of health hazards.
They have few ways in or out, and getting
into or out of them may be difficult.
They are not intended to be occupied by
human beings, at least not on a regular
basis.
Most confined spaces have serious safety
and health hazards, many of them will
require a permit to enter. Typically, these
permit spaces contain a hazardous
atmosphere, materials that may engulf
you, a shape that can trap you, or a
mechanical or electrical hazard that can
injure or kill you.
 TYPICAL PERMIT - REQUIRED
CONFINED SPACES

Tanks Diked areas Tunnels

Silos Digestors Sewers

Storage bins Barges Shafts

Hoppers Steam Process

condensers vessels

Underground utility Cisterns Degreasers

vaults

Pits Equipment Boilers

housings

Ducts Manholes Stacks

Pipelines Tank cars Septic tank

Pumping or lift Trenches Vats

stations
Some confined spaces can be entered
without a permit:

Spaces with no hazards at all.

Spaces in which there is no atmospheric hazard

or even the chance of one developing, and all the
hazards can be eliminated before entry. The
space may be temporarily re-classified as a non-
permit space, and you may be able to enter
without a permit as long as the hazards are
eliminated.

Spaces in which the only hazards are

atmospheric, and they can be controlled by
continuous, forced-air ventilation. As long as the
concentration of flammable or toxic gases can be
kept at less than half their hazardous levels,
entry without a permit may be made. However,
atmospheric testing must be done before the entry and
during the entry.
Entering all other confined
spaces requires an entry
permit, an entry team and a
rescue plan.
ENTRY PERMIT
FORMS

Entry permit forms ensure that all the

correct practices and procedures
have been carried out before anyone
enters a permit space.
They are issued for a particular
space, for a definite period of time,
and for a particular purpose.
Sometimes you will carry out all of
the procedure on the permit. But very
often, other people will perform them.
(SEE FIGURE 1-A)
CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PERMIT (Pre-Entry Check List) FIGURE 1-A

Date and Time issued ___________________________________________

Job site: ______________________________________________________
Equipment to be worked on: ______________________________________

Pre-Entry( See Safety Procedure)

1. Atmospheric Checks: Time _____
Oxygen _____%
Explosive _____% L.F.L.
Toxic _____PPM H2S
Toxic _____PPM____ (substance)
Toxic _____PPM____ (substance )

2. Source isolation (No Entry): N/A YES NO

Pumps or lines blinded, Disconnected,
or blocked

3. Ventilation Modification: N/A YES

NO
Mechanical Natural Ventilation only
4. Atmospheric check after isolation and ventilation:
Oxygen % > 19.5 %
Explosive %L.F.L < 10 %
Toxic PPM < 10 PPM H2S
Toxic PPM < _____ PPM____( substance)
Toxic PPM < _____ PPM____( substance)
Time

If conditions are in compliance with the above requirements and there is no

reason to
believe conditions may change adversely, then proceed to the Permit Space Pre-
Entry
Check List. Complete and post with this permit. If conditions are not in
compliance with
the above requirements or there is reason to believe that conditions may change
adversely, proceed to the Entry Check-List portion of this permit.
 Make certain that all procedures to
make the space safe for entry, such
as purging, ventilating or isolating the
space, have been performed.

If someone else has performed pre-

entry atmospheric testing, make
sure it has been signed off as
completed. Be certain you know what
monitoring must be done during the
entry. (SEE FIGURE 1-B)
 CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PERMIT (ENTRY CHECK LIST) FIGURE 1-B

Date and Time:

Expires:
Job Supervisor:
Work to be performed:
Entry ( See Safety Procedure)
YES NO

1. Entry, standby, and backup persons: ( ) ( )

Successfully completed required training? ( ) ( )

Is it current? ( ) ( )

2. Equipment: N/A YES NO

Direct reading gas monitortested ( ) ( )

( )

Safety harnesses and lifelines for entry ( ) ( ) ( )

and standby persons
Hoisting equipment ( ) ( ) ( )
Powered communications ( ) ( ) ( )
SCBAs for entry and standby persons ( ) ( )
( )
Protective clothing ( ) ( ) ( )
All electric equipment listed Class 1, Division 1. ( ) ( )
( )
Group D and Non-sparking tools ( ) ( ) ( )

3. Rescue Procedure:

We have reviewed the work authorized by this permit and the information contained here-in.
Written instructions and safety procedures have been received and are understood.
Entry cannot be approved if any squares are marked in the NO column. This permit is not
valid
unless all appropriate items are completed.

Permit and Check List Prepared by: ( Supervisor)

Approved by: (Unit Supervisor)

Reviewed By: ( Confined Space Operations Personnel):

( Printed name & Signature)

This permit to be kept at job site. Return job site copy to Safety Office following job
completion.
Copies: White Original ( Safety Office) Yellow ( Unit Supervisor) red (Job Site)
 Make sure the entry conditions
required by the permit are in
effect.
Make sure all required safety
equipment, special tools, and
rescue equipment is at the site.
Wear all personal protective
equipment called for. Harnesses
and lifelines are required unless
they increase the risk of entry or
would not help in rescue.
Make sure that communications
between the attendant and all the
entrants will be clear and
understood.

Make certain that the pre-planned

rescue procedure is in place, and
that rescue services can be
summoned.

Make sure any additional permits,

such as a hot work permit, have
been issued.
 HAZARDS

Atmospheric Hazards

Atmospheric hazards
kill more than all other confined space
hazards combined. Except for dusts
and mists, atmospheric hazards are
normally invisible. And they can
overcome you very quickly.
PRE-ENTRY TESTS must check
for oxygen deficiency or excess:
flammable gases or vapors: and toxic
gases or vapors.

The testing is done:

Tofind out what hazards

exist.

Tomake sure any hazards

found have been
removed.

Tomake sure no new

hazards have appeared
during pre-entry
procedures.
Tests must be performed by a well-trained person
who knows the specific test instrument and how
to use it properly.
As long as anyone is in the space,
It must be tested frequently or
monitored continuously:
to make sure old hazards do not
return.

To make sure no new hazards are

created by the work.

To make sure new hazards do not

arise.
After a long break, the space must be
tested again!
 CONTROLLING
ATMOSPHERIC HAZARDS

PURGING
VENTILATION
RESPIRATORS
 PURGING

Purging a space means

removing any hazardous
atmosphere that may be
present. Typically, this is
done by filling the space
with air. However, when
high concentrations of
flammable vapors or other
very hazardous substances
are present, water, stream
or an inert gas is used.
 VENTILATION

Mechanical ventilation systems

are used to circulate fresh air
throughout a confined space.
They are also sometimes used to
carry away any fumes or vapors
created by the work you are
doing. Make certain that
ventilation equipment is in good
working order and used correctly.
 RESPIRATORS

thereare times when

purging and ventilation
can not completely get rid
of a hazard, or when
ventilation is impossible.
You may then need the
protection of a respirator.
If rescue is necessary, YOU
MUST:

Call for rescue services

immediately.
Rescue from outside the
space when possible.
Stay out of the space unless
you have been trained to
enter the space as part of a
coordinated rescue effort.
 THE ENTRY SUPERVISOR

Must:
Verify that all tests, procedures and
equipment required for a safe entry
operation are in place.
Verify that rescue services can be
summoned.
Start the entry operation by signing the
entry permit.
Remove unauthorized people from the
permit space and the area.
Make sure that the operation remains safe.
Terminate the entry and cancel the permit
if conditions arise that are not allowed in
the permit, or when the work is completed.
An entrant or an attendant may also serve
as the Entry Supervisor provided that he
or she is properly trained to perform the
additional duties.

The duties of the entry supervisor may

be passed from one qualified person
to another. When this happens,
( for example, at the end of a work shift),
the new supervisor must be
familiarized with the entry operation.
 AIR PURIFYING
RESPIRATORS

Air purifying respirators

filter the existing air. They
are used for additional
protection in the
atmospheres that are not
classified as hazardous.
They:
must not be used in
oxygen deficient or
otherwise hazardous
atmospheres.
Must be fit tested.
Can not be used where
toxic levels are greater
than the filter can handle.
 Atmosphere
Supplying (Air
Supplied ) Respirators

These respirators are used when the

atmosphere in a confined space can
not be kept at acceptable levels.
There are two types:
AIRLINE
RESPIRATOR
provides air from an external source,
like a compressor.

It must be used with a five minute

emergency escape bottle, in case
something goes wrong and the air
supply is cut off.
 Air Supplied
Respirators
( SCBA )

2. SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING
APPARATUS

It must be a positive pressure respirator.

The air supply must be of breathing quality.
The unit must be thoroughly inspected be for
each use.
The mask must be in place before you enter
the space.
The mask must NEVER be removed while you
are in the space.
You may have to work in an
atmosphere that is immediately
dangerous to life or health
(IDLH).

An IDLH atmosphere can kill you

immediately or cause such an
acute reaction that you will die later
as a result of the exposure.

In addition to an air supplied

respirator, working in such an
atmosphere may require special
protective clothing.
Using a respirator requires
extreme care and thorough
Training.
Never use any type of
respirator unless you have
been trained to use it
properly.
OTHER HAZARDS

When you
enter a
permit
space, you
may
encounter
other
HAZARDS.
ENGULFMENT
Ifyou sink into or get
covered by loose material
such as fine coal, sawdust or
grains, the material can get
into your breathing passages
very quickly, suffocating you.
Wear a harness and lifeline,
and make certain you can
be pulled from the space.
ENTRAPMENT OR
CAPTURE
People have been trapped in
vessels and caught in
machinery, then died of
exposure or suffocation
before anyone even knew
they were missing.
Never enter a permit space
without an attendant
watching out for you.
MECHANICAL
EQUIPMENT
Machinery such as blades,
rotors, or conveyors can shift
because of tensioned
springs, hydraulic pressure
or even gravity.
Mechanically disconnect drives
and belts when necessary, or
physically block anything
which could move.
ISOLATION
PROCEDURES
You also need protection from the
hazards which can enter a
confined space while you are
inside.
Chemical or physical hazards can
come in through open lines:
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
SUFFOCATED WHEN A
PRODUCT (like molasses) OR A
GAS (like nitrogen) WAS
MISTAKENLY PUMPED INTO A
SPACE.
Electrical Energy can enter when someone
throws a switch. Machinery can start up,
crushing you. You can be electrocuted easily
if you are standing on grounded metal.

Standard isolation procedures,include:

Disconnecting lines entering a space.
Inserting a blank or blind in a line to
block it completely.
Locking and/or tagging valves, and
installing a blank in the line.
Using a double block and bleed.
Locking and/or tagging out all electrical
circuits to the space.
Never enter a
confined space
until all required
Isolation procedures
have been completed.
 The Confined Space Entry
Team
Whenever entry into a permit
space is required, a team of
trained personnel an entry
teammust be used. All
members of the team must
understand the hazards that
may be faced during the entry
operation.. This means they
must know:

How an entrant could be exposed to

hazards;
What the signs and symptoms of an
exposure are; and
What the consequences of that
exposure may be.
The entrant, the attendant and the
entry supervisor all have specific
duties.

THE ENTRANT MUST:

Be able to properly use any
equipment required for safe
entry and exit, including
monitoring, communications
and personal protection.
Maintain communication
with the attendant.
Leave the permit space if
ordered to by the attendant or
if an alarm sounds.
 The Entrant also must
be able to:

Alert the attendant and leave the

space if he or she recognizes
any warning sign or symptom of
exposure to a hazard or
dangerous situation. These can
include faintness, shortness of
breath, dizziness, nausea, and
sudden giddiness or euphoria
all of which can indicate an
oxygen deficient atmosphere or
an exposure to a hazardous gas
or vapor.
The Attendant must:

Know who is in the space.

Maintain communication with
the entrants.
Watch for hazards inside AND
outside the space.
Recognize early symptoms of
danger in the space.
Warn unauthorized people out
of the area.
Maintain clear access to and
from the space.
Sometimes, as an attendant, you
may be monitoring operations in
more than one confined space.
Whenever this is done, you must
not perform duties which would
interfere with the protection of
entrants in any permit space. If
you must monitor multiple
operations, you will be trained in
the work practices and procedures
required.
Never enter a permit space for
rescue w/out the proper protective
equipment and without a backup
attendant at the site.
 RESCUE SERVICES

A successful confined space

program is one in which the
rescue plan is never used.
However, since the unexpected
can always happen, a rescue plan
must be in place before a permit
space operation begins.
In an emergency, self-rescue by
the entrant should always be the
primary means of rescue. If an
alarm sounds, or if the entrant
detects any sign of a dangerous
situation, he or she must leave
the space as quickly as possible.
 RESCUE SERVICES

As soon as an attendant
determines that entrants may
need assistance to escape
from the space, rescuers
must be summoned.

The attendant should also

begin any rescue procedures
from outside the space that
are specified by the rescue
plan. This may include using
the retrieval system to pull a
injured or unconscious victim
from the space. It may also
include preparing emergency
rescue equipment for
immediate use by the rescue
service.
The attendant must not enter the
space unless it is called for by the
rescue plan. However, even if
trained and equipped for rescue, the
attendant must not enter the space
until a backup attendant arrives.

In some cases, rescue services

may be provided by an in-plant
emergency team or rescue
brigade. In other cases, outside
rescue services like a municipal
fire department may be used.
In either case, each member of the
rescue service must:

Be trained to enter each space

safely.
Be trained to use the personal
protective equipment and the rescue
equipment necessary to make
rescues; and,
Be trained in basic first aid and CPR
(Cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
One member of the rescue service
must be certified in First Aid and
CPR.
At least once a year, the rescue
service must practice making
simulated rescues from spaces
that are very similar to the ones in
which they may have to work
during an emergency. They must
be certain that the equipment will
work as intended, and that the
planned rescue procedures are
correct and effective in every
detail.
TESTING THE ATMOSPHERE IN A
CONFINED SPACE
requires a thorough knowledge of
the hazards that may be in a space.
Anyone testing confined spaces
must be trained to use the
equipment required, to follow the
correct testing procedures, and to
interpret the results of the testing.
 Why is testing
necessary?

1 .MOST ATMOSPHERIC HAZARDS ARE

INVISIBLE.
They can not be detected by the human
senses. You must use test equipment
designed to detect these hazards.
2 .ATMOSPHERIC HAZARDS CAN
DEVELOP WHILE YOU ARE IN A
CONFINED SPACE.
Testing is an ongoing process. You must
test not only before you enter, but during
the entire process. Conditions can
change. A lot of people have died
because they forgot to continue to test or
monitor throughout an entry.
Many different types of gas
detectors are available to test for the
three kinds of atmospheric hazards:

OXYGEN DEFICIENCY or
EXCESS
FLAMMABLE GASES AND

VAPORS
TOXIC GASES and VAPORS

Whichever instrument

you may be using, use it

properly. Make sure you
understand its capabilities
and its limitations.
 GAS DETECTORS

Most tests will be performed using

direct reading instruments. This
means that tests results can be read
directly from a meter, scale or some
other indicator, and you can tell
within minutes or seconds that a
hazard exists.
Direct reading instruments can be
divided into two general groups: Gas
detector tube systems and electronic
gas detectors.
 GAS DETECTOR TUBE
SYSTEMS:
Consists of a tube and a pump designed to be used
together. If you use gas detector tubes, here are a few
things to remember.
Never mix brands or types.

Store tubes properly.

Do not use outdated tubes.

Test the pump according to the manufacturers

instructions before each use.

Follow the manufacturers instruction included

with each tube you use.

Tests results must be interpreted by taking into

account other substances which have been in

the space.
 ELECTRONIC GAS DETECTORS
Are available in a wide variety of brands &
models. Some will test for one condition
only. Some will test for two conditions,
usually oxygen and inflammability. Some will
detect three or more conditions at the same
time.

Special test equipment is available

for less common gases and vapors.
If you are using this type of
equipment, follow the instructions
carefully.
YOU MUST USE THE
EQUIPMENT AS IT WAS
DESIGNED TO BE USED.
General Characteristics
shared by virtually all
Electronic Gas Detectors:
They must be calibrated for
accuracy by a trained technician
according to the manufacturers
instructions.
They must be well maintained.
They must be field tested before
each use to make sure they are
working properly.
They must be checked for flow and
leaks if they use pumps.
They must have batteries that are
fully charged.
NEVER USE FAULTY
EQUIPMENT!!

TESTING PROCEDURES

Testing procedures can vary

according to the type of space
you are testing, but here are a
few general guidelines:
If possible, begin testing
without disturbing the space.
Test from the top to bottom
and around ductwork and
uneven surfaces.
58
Hazardous gases and vapors may lie in
layers and pockets in confined spaces.
Hydrogen, with a vapor density less
than 1, will rise to the top of the space.
Gasoline fumes, with a vapor density
greater than 1, will settle along the
bottom.

BE SURE YOU TEST THE ENTIRE

SPACE.
 Avoid leaning over the space you are
testing.
Allow time for the sample to reach
the sensors in the equipment.
If you lower test equipment into a
hazardous atmosphere, make certain
it is rated for that environment. (It
must be intrinsically safe.)
REMEMBER THAT MOST
EQUIPMENT DOES NOT LATCH.
This means that it will stop alarming
once it is removed from a hazardous
environment. If you lower the
instrument into a space, make certain
you can see or hear its alarm clearly
while it is inside the space!
NEVER USE EQUIPMENT
DESIGNED FOR ONE
CONDITION TO TEST
FOR ANOTHER.
Each sensor in a piece
of equipment works in a
different way and is
designed for a specific
purpose. Do not an
oxygen sensor to test for
flammability, or a
standard flammability
sensor to test for toxic
gases.
 KEY POINTS TO
CONSIDER:
Oxygen

Low or high oxygen

concentrations can affect
flammability readings, so test
oxygen first.
Oxygen is measured in percent
by volume. Air is about 21%
oxygen at sea level. Oxygen
levels below 19.5% or above
23.5% are hazardous.
 When the atmosphere in a space may
become oxygen deficient during an entry,
it is extremely important to continue
testing or monitoring throughout the
entry.

Oxygen can be used up by the

people, by combustion, and by other
natural and man-made processes.
Oxygen can be displaced by other
gases and vapors.
Oxygen starvation can bring on a
feeling of happiness or well-being
called euphoria. You do not care
that you are in danger.
Lack of oxygen can lead to brain
damage or death.

63
 FLAMMABLE GASES AND
VAPORS
Standard flammable gas detectors read
flammable gases and vapors as a
percentage of the lower flammable limit
(LFL) or the lower explosive limit (LEL).
At the lower explosive limit (100% LEL ) a
vapor-air mixture will explode if a spark or
flame is added.
Most detectors are not designed to detect
conditions in or above the flammable range
accurately. However, they will indicate in
some way that the vapor or gas
concentration is above the lower explosive
limit. Make certain you know when you
instrument is indicating this condition.
Even when flammable materials have not
been used or stored in a space, testing for
flammability may still be required. For
example, decaying organic matter
produces methane, a flammable gas that
has no smell, no taste and cannot be seen.
64
An atmosphere is hazardous when it
contains a flammable gas, vapor or mist
in excess of 10% of its lower explosive
limit.

Too rich

UPPER EXPLOSIVE
LIMIT

Will ignite
FLAMMABLE
or explode
RANGE
LOWER EXPLOSIVE
LIMIT Too Lean
to burn
HAZARDOUS
HAZARDOUS

6
5
 Toxic Gases and
Vapors
When testing for toxic gases, you must
know that you are looking for because toxic
gas detectors are very specific. Most
electronic gas detectors detect carbon
monoxide and /or hydrogen sulfide. Other
instruments are available to test for less
common substances.
Even though some toxic gases are
flammable, they become toxic long before
they become an explosion hazard.
Never test for toxic concentrations of a
substance with a flammability meter.
Most toxic gases must be measured in parts
per million or parts per billion because they
toxic at extremely low concentration--much
too low to detect without the proper gas
detecting device.
If a gas detector alarms, get out -- even if you do
not notice any problems. The equipment is
designed to detect hazardous conditions long
before you can. It can save your life!

Carbon monoxide will combine with

human blood more readily than will
oxygen. As a result, if carbon
monoxide is present, you can die from
lack of oxygen even when the
atmosphere is not oxygen deficient.
When carbon monoxide is a potential
hazard, monitor the atmosphere
closely.
Hydrogen sulfide will cause olfactory
fatigue. Your nose will lost its ability to
smell the gas, even though it is still
present in the space. If you do not
monitor, you will not know it is there.
Working Inside
Confined Spaces

Working safely inside a confined space

requires careful attention to details. You
must follow practices and procedures,
often in a specific order. For example,
confined spaces must often be prepared
for entry through purging and ventilation.
There are special requirements for
working in spaces where a potential fire
or explosion hazard may exist. Even as
you work, you may have to follow special
procedures to avoid creating hazards
while you are in the space. Very often,
safety equipment and protective devices
must be used to protect yourself from
multiple hazards.
Why are safe work
practices so important in
a confined space?

Working safely is always important, but:

Injuries are likely to be more severe

because hazards can be more deadly
and more difficult to avoid when you
are inside a space.
It is often difficult to rescue an injured
person from inside a space.

IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE

SAFE WAY TO PERFORM A TASK, FIND OUT THE
ANSWER BEFORE YOU ENTER A SPACE.
 PURGING AND
VENTILATION
Both natural and man-made processes create
atmospheric hazards in confined spaces. The
processes include:
Rusting Welding
Painting Cleaning with
fumigating solvents
decaying plants inerting
and animals

Controls vary from good housekeeping to

purging and ventilation. Some people
think that the terms purging and
ventilation mean the same thing. In fact,
sometimes the same equipment may be
used for both. But there are differences.
 PURGING;
Takes place before you enter a space.
Displaces the air which is in the space to
begin with.
May be done with steam, air, water, or an
inert gas.

VENTILATION:

Is used after you enter a space.

Continues to circulate fresh air

through the space while people are
inside.
Must be done with fresh or breathing
quality air.
PURGING METHODS will vary with the hazard
of the space and the work to be performed.
With each method, certain limitations must be
considered.
Air is the most common purging
agent, but using air to purge a space
can be hazardous:
When flammable vapors are present above
the upper explosive limit and too rich to
burn, Adding air to the space can create an
explosive mixture.
When the space contains pyrophorics or
other substance that will react with air.

Water displaces vapors, but it too

may react dangerously with certain
substances in the space.
 Steam is a good purging agent, but
special procedures must be used
with substances that have low
ignition temperatures or flashpoints.
Inert gases such as nitrogen may
be used to get rid of flammable
vapors, but the atmosphere in the
space will become oxygen deficient.

NOTE: When you drain and clean a

confined space, be sure to follow your
companys procedure for correct
disposal of its residues.

73
Ventilation systems keep
hazards away after purging has removed
them. They are used to:
Supply fresh air to breathe.
Remove potentially hazardous
conditions before they become
hazardous.
Supply cool air for comfort.

A ventilation system may be either a

forced air system. An exhaust system,
an exhaust system, or a combination
of the two, depending upon the size
and shape of the confined space and
the work to be performed.
VENTILATION is critical where the work in
the space could create a hazardous
atmosphere. Remember, conditions can
change.

As necessary as ventilation systems are,

they can cause problems;
They can feed contaminated air into a
space. MAKE SURE THE AIR
SUPPLY IS CLEAN.
They can block exits. MAKE CERTAIN

THAT PEOPLE CAN GET OUT OF

THE SPACE QUICKLY IN CASE OF
TROUBLE.
In an explosive atmosphere they can be
an ignition source. IF THE SYSTEM IS
EXHAUSTING FLAMMABLE
VAPORS, IT MUST BE EXPLOSION-
PROOF 75
 SAFE WORK PRACTICES
Working in a confined space demands paying
extra attention to certain safe work practices.
Controlling Ignition Sources. Open
flames, heat producing equipment, spark
producing tools, broken light bulbs, damaged
electrical cords, and any ungrounded metal
equipment are all examples of ignition sources.
Whenever you work with a potentially
flammable atmosphere, you must be
certain you control all sources of
ignition.
Bonding and grounding eliminate the

chance of a static spark in a potentially

flammable atmosphere. A bond wire
connects two conductive objects
together. Another wire connects these
two objects to ground.
Bonding and grounding is required by
law in many situations.

76
Some products which produce a lot of static
electricity may have internal bonding; but others do
not. Read instructions and warning labels, and make
sure that the equipment is used safely.
Performing Hot work. Welding or the
use of open flames requires special work
procedures. You may need a hot work permit in
addition to the regular entry permit.
When you are performing hot work:
Check for any flammable materials or liquids in
the area.
Test any adjacent spaces for a flammable
atmosphere.
Use a fire watch ( a person to warn of fires
inadvertently started by the work).
Do not take any compressed gas cylinders into
the space ( other than an SCBA or an emergency
escape bottle).
Take any welding hoses and tips out of the space
during a long break.

77
 USING RESPIRATORS
When ventilation can not control
atmospheric hazards, respirators are
required.
Only fully trained people may use a
respirator.
Only positive pressure atmosphere
supplying respirators are permitted in
hazardous atmospheres.

USING BARRIERS
If pedestrian or vehicular traffic is a potential
hazard during a confined space entry,
barriers must be set up around the entrance.
Barriers can also minimize the chance that
tools or equipment might be dropped into the
space. Always work carefully around an
opening. Many entrants have been seriously
injured by objects falling into a space.
78
 USING LADDERS
SET ladders at the correct
angle.
TIE ladders off at the top.
USE ladders equipped with
safety feet.
DO NOT USE a metal ladder
when working around electricity.
USE fall arresting devices
whenever the potential for a fall
exists.
 WEARING PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
When entering a confined space requires a
permit, entrants will normally have to use
a retrieval system. Harnesses and lifelines
must be used unless they would increase
the risks of entry or would not help in
rescue. The lifeline must be attached to a
fixed point outside the space or to a
retrieval device. Mechanical retrieval
devices must be used if the space is
more than five feet deep.
Many jobs in confined spaces require
protective gear such as hardhats, gloves,
boots, eye protection, hearing protection,
and protective clothing. Read the entry
permit to be certain you know what
protection you need before you go into a
confined space.
80
 AND REMEMBER THAT
INSIDE A SPACE:
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING CAN MAKE
MOVEMENT DIFFICULT. IT MIGHT
ALSO CAUSE YOU TO BECOME
OVERHEATED QUICKLY. DRINK
PLENTY OF LIQUIDS, EVEN IN COLD
WEATHER.
NOISE MIGHT BE LOUD ENOUGH TO
KEEP YOU FROM HEARING AN
ALARM. IT COULD ALSO INTERFERE
WITH COMMUNICATION BETWEEN
YOU AND YOUR ATTENDANT.
MAINTAIN GOOD VISUAL CONTACT,
OR USE SOME OTHER METHOD OF
COMMUNICATION.

81
 USING ELECTRICAL
EQUIPMENT
Ifa confined space presents
an electrocution hazard:
Use ground fault circuit
interrupters or low voltage
isolation transformers.
Use grounded or doubly
insulated tools.
Make certain that all electrical
equipment is in good repair.
 REMEMBER THAT WORKING
SAFELY INSIDE A CONFINED
SPACE ALSO DEPENDS UPON
MAKING THAT SPACE SAFE
BEFORE YOU ENTER.

Make certain that all atmospheric

tests have been completed.
Be sure that electrical lockout and all
of the isolation procedures have
been performed.
Review your entry permit
form carefully before you
enter a space.