(iii) is not designed for continuous employee occupancy;
(iv) and has one or more of the following characteristics:
(A) Contains or has a known potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere;
(B) Contains a material with the potential for engulfment of an entrant;
(C) Has an internal configuation such that an entrant could br trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls, or a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross-section; or,
(D) Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.
Here are some examples of confined spaces which may be encountered in the typical workplace:
Plating tank deeper than 4'
Grain bins and silos
Chemical Storage Tanks
Chemical reactor vessels
Pipe vaults
Utility man holes
Tank trucks and rail cars
Valve pits and pump sumps
Fermentation vats
Calciners and Ovens
Excavations deeper than 4'
Septic tanks and pits
Some of the reasons the above equipment would need to be entered safely are listed below:
Cleaning to remove sludge and waste.
Inspection of physical integrity.
Maintenance such as abrasive blasting.
Application of surface coatings.
Repair including welding.
Rescue of workers who are injured.
Why are confined spaces dangerous?
A condition called Anoxia (lack of oxygen) can result from work in a confined space. Anoxia can be and often is fatal. Multiple fatalities result if rescue attempts are made by untrained individuals. Proper preparation and testing of a confined space is required before safe entry can be ensured. Education of management and workers is required to increase the awareness of these hazards and reduce the incidence of confined space accidents.