Washington State University
SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

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Confined Spaces

Confined spaces may contain atmospheric or physical hazards that can quickly and unpredictably incapacitate an individual. Rescue efforts can be hampered by the configuration of the space, and rescuers can become victims.

Employees who enter confined spaces must understand entry procedures regarding:

• Confined space hazards


• Control of hazards


• Atmospheric testing of confined spaces


• Communications


• Entry


• Rescue

If an employee is incapacitated or injured in a confined space, do not attempt rescue without appropriate training and protective equipment. Call 911 to report a confined space emergency.

A confined space is one which:

• Allows physical entry by personnel, and


• Has limited means of exit/entry, and


• Is not designed for continuous occupancy.

Examples of possible confined spaces at WSU: grain silos, certain utility vaults, boilers, sewage pump lift stations, septic tanks, certain air plenums and ducts, pump access locations, certain steam tunnels, certain sump pits, manure collection pits, and sanitary sewer manholes.

Contact EH&S if there is a question concerning whether or not an area should be considered a confined space.

Access to confined spaces is restricted to personnel who have received training authorized by Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S).

Confined spaces containing serious safety and health hazards are to be certified by a permit prior to entry by employees.

The entry permit process includes written records of the following:

• Hazard assessment of the confined space for serious safety and health hazards;


• Preparation, issuance, use, and cancellation of the permit; and


• Tracking of authorized entrants.

Contact EH&S for assistance with confined space hazard assessment and entry permit procedures; telephone 335-3041.

A permit-required confined space includes one or more of the following characteristics:

• Potential or known hazardous atmosphere (see below),


• Any material capable of engulfing an entrant,


• Inwardly sloping walls which could trap or asphyxiate an entrant, or


• Any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.

Contact EH&S with questions regarding whether or not a hazard should be considered a potential serious threat.

Hazardous atmosphere contains one or more of the following:

• Lower explosive level (LEL) of equal to or greater than 10%.


• Combustible dust equal to or greater than lower flammable level (LFL).


• Oxygen level less than or equal to 19.5%, or equal to or greater than 23.5%.


• Air contaminants equal to or greater than established permissible exposure limits (PEL).


• Any other atmospheric condition immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH).

The supervisor must complete an entry permit for each permit-required confined space that employees need to enter in order to carry out a specific project.

Employees sign a check-in/check-out sheet upon entering or leaving the space covered by the entry permit.

Contact EH&S for more information concerning the permit process and copies of the entry permit.

EH&S:

• Manages the confined space program,


• Identifies and labels permit-required confined spaces, and


• Coordinates with units in developing safe procedures for entering confined spaces.

EH&S provides periodic training to supervisors, attendants, and entrants of permit-required confined spaces. Training covers entry procedures, monitoring requirements, and hazard recognition.

Supervisors must ensure that employees comply with established procedures when entering confined spaces. (WAC 296-809-500) Contact EH&S for copies of the established confined space procedures.

Employees must follow established procedures when entering known or suspected confined spaces. (WAC 296-809-500) Contact EH&S for copies of the established confined space procedures.

When working with contractors, the Capital Planning and Development project manager:

• Informs contractors of the locations of permit-required confined spaces under WSU control;


• Informs contractors that WAC 296-809 Confined Spaces requires compliance with an entry permit program;


• Informs contractors of potential hazards and the procedures used by WSU employees when working in or near these confined spaces;


• Coordinates entry if WSU and contractor employees enter confined spaces; and


• Following entry operations, reviews the permit-required space program followed with contractors and discusses any hazards encountered or created during entry.