Have you identified all the confined spaces in your facility?
Do you know the hazards of each of your confined spaces?
Do you know which of your confined spaces are Permit Required?
Do you know which of your confined spaces may be re-classified to non-Permit Required prior to entry based on inherent hazards and the your ability to eliminate those hazards?
Do you have a rescue protocol for each of your confined space?
If you answered NO to any of these questions, you may be in violation of OSHA standard 1910.146, Permit Required Confined Spaces and you surely are not adequately prepared to provide the level of safety to your employees they deserve if they are required to enter confined spaces at your facility. Safety Compliance Services has assessed thousands of confined spaces for hazards, entry protocols, and rescue planning since we began offering Confined Space Assessment service in 1999. We are firm believers in the value of expert assessment of the inherent hazards associated with a confined space and establishing a rescue protocol for such a space before entry is planned. The importance of conducting such work prior to planned entries is to ensure thorough analysis and planning without the pressure of a time constraint brought on by a pending entry operation. The more that can be assessed, analyzed, and planned in advance, the less chance for oversight at the time of entry.
Our experienced consultants will conduct a comprehensive survey of your facility to identify all confined spaces and determine which are permit required as well as:
- Identifying all entry portals or access points to each space
- Identifying confined spaces that are infeasible to mark with signage as required by OSHA
- Identifying all potential inherent atmospheric hazards associated with each space
- Identifying all potential physical hazards associated with each space
- Identifying which, if any, inherent hazards within each space cannot be eliminated prior to entry
- Identifying those permit required confined spaces whose inherent hazards can be eliminated sufficiently to allow for reclassification as non-permit required prior to entry at the employers discretion
- Identifying what, if any, ventilation methods should be implemented for each confined space
- Identifying the minimum suggested ventilation purge time required prior to entry for those spaces determined to require mechanical ventilation
- Identifying which access point or portals will be designated for rescue of entrants
- Identifying those confined spaces for which non-entry retrieval can be used for entrant rescue
- Identifying the equipment for each confined space entrants are required to wear or utilize to ensure prompt and effective rescue
- Identifying anchorages at each confined space portal or access point designated for rescue to be used by rescuers in executing an entrant rescue
- Identifying any special or unique concerns or pre-entry requirements for each confined space
Having our experienced consultants perform a comprehensive assessment of your confined spaces will not only provide you with specific information on each of your spaces that can be used in safely planning and executing entries, but it will also provide rescue profiles for each space needed to ensure your rescue contingency, whether in-house, contracted, or fire department based, is properly equipped and trained to serve as your OSHA compliant rescue service. Unless your rescue profiles are identified, it is not possible for you to determine if your selected rescue service has the proper equipment and training to safely and effectively execute the types of rescues necessary to extricate an injured or incapacitated entrant from your unique confined spaces as required by OSHA.
Whether you have already surveyed and assessed your confined spaces and would like us to review them and provide rescue planning, or you would like us to conduct a comprehensive survey of your facility and perform a full confined space assessment, feel free to contact us and we would be happy to discuss our services and your needs and work with you to ensure your confined spaces are adequately identified and assessed for access, hazards, and rescue.
