Confined Spaces

• Document No.

• Audit Title

• Client / Site

• Conducted on

  Date

• Prepared by

• Location
  Address

• Personnel

The facility must evaluate the workplace to determine if any spaces are permit-required confined spaces.

Permit-required confined spaces must be identified by posting warning signs (or other effective methods) to inform employees of the existence and location of, and the danger posed by the permit spaces.

If the employer decides that employees will not enter confined spaces, the employer must take effective measures to prevent employees from entering confined spaces.

When the employer (host employer) arranges to have contractors perform work that involves permit-required confined space entry the host employer must inform the contractor that the workplace contains permit spaces and that entry is allowed only via compliance with a permit space program.

An employer whose employees enter permit spaces must develop and implement a written permit space program.

The employer's written permit space program must include certain elements.

The employer must provide and maintain the equipment required to safely enter the permit spaces.

The confined space entry program requires monitoring of the atmosphere in the space prior to entry to ensure safe entry conditions exist before entry is authorized, and during entry to insure safe entry conditions are maintained.

An employer may use an alternate program in lieu of a permit-required confined space program.

When using an alternate entry technique, the employer must conduct operations according to certain specific procedures.

The facility can reclassify a permit space as a non-permit space under certain conditions.

Before entry is authorized, the employer must, prior to entry, document the completion of certain measures required in the program.

Procedures must be in place to terminate entry permits.

Canceled entry permits must be retained for at least one year.

Training must be conducted for employees who act as attendants, entrants, supervisors issuing permits, and rescue personnel.

The employer must ensure that authorized entrants know certain duties.

The employer must ensure that authorized attendants know certain duties.

The employer must ensure that entry coordinator (supervisor) know certain duties.

If the facility uses an outside response group to provide rescue services the facility must inform the rescue service of all hazards and provide access to all permit spaces.

If the employer permits employees to enter permit spaces to perform rescue services, these employees must be provided with certain PPE, trained, and must practice assigned duties.

The facility must use retrieval equipment that can be operated by attendants from outside of the confined space, unless the retrieval equipment would increase the overall risk of entry.

Pertinent safety data sheets (SDSs) or other similar written information must be made available to the medical facility treating exposed entrants.

The written permit-required confined space entry program must be reviewed.

Fixed, hand held, and/or personal hydrogen sulfide (H2S) monitor alarm set points must be set to 5 ppm.