Confined Space Program

Confined spaces are work areas that are large enough for a person to enter and perform certain tasks but have limited or restricted means of entry or exit, and are not designed for continuous occupancy. Entry into a confined space has occurred if any part of the person's body breaks the plane of an opening to a confined space. Examples of confined spaces include, but are not limited to, manholes, tanks, silos, storage bins, vaults, tunnels, ductwork, pipelines, etc. Entry into confined spaces without proper procedures could result in injury or death due to such things as: lack of oxygen; flammable or explosive atmosphere; toxic materials; or other hazards such as steam or high pressure.

There are two basic types of confined spaces; those that require a written permit to enter and those that do not. There are procedural similarities to enter each type but those requiring a written permit necessitate more stringent controls.Confined spaces that contain, or have a potential contain, a hazardous atmosphere, engulfment, or other hazardous conditions found during the entry evaluation, must comply with the Cal OSHA Permit-Required Confined Space regulations.

It will be the responsibility of each employee to follow the stated guidelines for confined space entry, and practice safe work practices.

Before entering a confined space, the space must be evaluated by a supervisor or Environmental Health & Safety.