ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration defines a confined space as an area that meets all three of the following conditions:
• Large enough for a person to occupy
• Difficult to get into and out of
• Designed only for short-term work
According to OSHA, a permit-required confined space meets all the above criteria and has one or more of the following characteristics:
• A hazardous or potentially hazardous atmosphere
• Material that has the potential for engulfing the entrant
• Inwardly converging walls that could trap or asphyxiate an entrant
• Any serious physical hazards, like unguarded machines or exposed live wires
• Has or could have any other recognized safety or health hazards
Here at Anniston Army Depot, the Safety Office has declared all confined spaces to be permit required. This includes areas such as manholes, pipelines, tanks, sewers, vats, tunnels, utility vaults, hoppers, exhaust ducts and blast booth basements.
Who is authorized to enter permit required confined spaces?
The directorates of Public Works and Production both have employees who perform tasks in confined spaces.
ANAD employees who enter these spaces are trained annually regarding the dangers they may face, required safety gear and procedures for safe entry and work.
One aspect of safe entry and work procedures is notifying the depot's Fire and Emergency Services
Division prior to any confined space entry.
While work in a confined space presents hazards, rescuing an employee in a confined space can be more dangerous.
Nationally, deaths have occurred during confined space rescue operations.
Employees attempting to rescue an entrant without proper training can find themselves caught in the confined space.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel regularly train for confined spaces rescues and are annually evaluated per 1910.145(k)(1). The last evaluation was held April 10.
Authorized entrants must wear harnesses when entering a confined space.
Entrants may or may not be connected to a retrieval line. This depends on whether or not the retrieval line presents additional hazards.
The retrieval equipment must be in place before employees enter the permit space.
At least one member of the rescue team must be certified in basic first aid and CPR.
Want more information?
Contact the Safety Office at Ext. 7541, Industrial Hygiene at Ext. 6865 or refer to ANADR 385-1, Chapter 10.
Additional information can be found in OSHA's permit required confined spaces standard, 29 CFR 1910.146, available online.
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