CONFINED SPACE ENTRY

Agreed Ground Rules

 Introductions

• Your Name
• Your Job role/ Discipline
• The Site / Department you work in
• How long have you worked for Cape / in the Industry
• Which countries have you worked in
• What is your Experience
• What is important to you in your life? / Why do you work at Cape?
What is a Confined Space?

A space that:
Is large enough and so configured
that an employee can enter bodily and
perform work;
Has limited or restricted means of entry or
exit;
Is not designed for continuous human
occupancy.

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 Examples of Confined Spaces:

• Tanks • Vaults
• Manholes • Pipes
• Boilers • Trenches
• Furnaces • Tunnels
• Sewers • Ducts
• Silos • Bins
• Hoppers • Pits

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Enclosed Water Tanks

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Pits

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Hoppers

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Fuel Tanks

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Process
Tanks

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Tanker trucks are
also confined
spaces

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Potential Hazards in Confined Spaces

Oxygen Deficiency Toxic Materials

<19.5% or >23.5% oxygen Carbon Monoxide
concentration
Hydrogen Sulfide
Combustibles
Welding fumes
Methane
Corrosives
Hydrogen
Electricity
Acetylene
Mechanical Hazards
Propane
Mixers
Gasoline fumes Crushers

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Oxygen Deficient Atmospheres
19.5 % Minimum acceptable oxygen level.
15 - 19% Decreased ability to work
strenuously. Impair coordination.
Early symptoms.
12-14% Respiration increases. Poor
judgment.
10-12% Respiration increases. Lips blue.
8-10% Mental failure. Fainting. Nausea
Unconsciousness. Vomiting.
6-8% 8 minutes - fatal, 6 minutes –
50% fatal 4-5 minutes – possible
recovery.
4-6% Coma in 40 seconds. Death

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Oxygen Enriched Atmospheres

• Oxygen level above 23.5%.

• Causes flammable and combustible materials to burn
violently when ignited.

• Hair, clothing, materials, etc.

• Oil soaked clothing and materials.
• Never use pure oxygen to ventilate.
• Never store or place compressed tanks in a confined
space.

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Flammable Atmospheres

•2 Critical Factors:
Oxygen content in the air.
Presence of a flammable gas, or vapor
Presence of dust (visibility of 5’ or less)

•Proper air/gas mixture can lead to explosion

•Typical Ignition Sources:
Sparking or electric tool.
Welding / cutting operations.
Smoking

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Toxic Atmospheres
•Product stored in a confined space:
Gases released when cleaning.
Materials absorbed into walls of confined space.
Decomposition of materials in the confined space.
•Work performed in a confined space:
Welding, cutting, brazing, soldering.
Painting, scraping, sanding, degreasing.
Sealing, bonding, melting.
•Areas adjacent to a confined space.

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Hydrogen Sulfide

•Decomposition of materials. Human waste.

•Rotten egg odor at low concentrations.
•Possibly no warning at high concentrations.
PPM Effect Time
10 ppm Permissible Exposure Level 8 Hours
50 - 100 Mild Irritation - eyes, throat 1 Hour
200 - 300 Significant Irritation 1 Hour
500 -700 Unconsciousness, Death 1/2 - 1 Hour
>1000 Unconsciousness, Death Minutes

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Carbon Monoxide
• Odorless, Colorless Gas.
• Combustion By-Product.
• Quickly collapse at high concentrations.
PPM Effect Time
35 Permissible Exposure Level 8 Hours
200 Slight headache, discomfort 3 Hours
600 Headache, discomfort 1 Hour
1000-2000 Confusion, nausea, headache 2 Hours
1000-2000 Tendency to stagger 1 1/2 Hours
1000-2000 Slight heart palpitation 30 Min.
2000-2500 Unconsciousness 30 Min.

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Engulfment Hazards
•Loose, granular materials stored in bins and hoppers - grain,
sand, coal, etc.
•Crusting and bridging below a worker.
•Flooding of confined space.
•Water or sewage flow.

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Other Hazards
•Noise
Amplified due to acoustics within the space.
Damaged hearing, affect communication.
•Slick / Wet Surfaces
Slips and falls.
Increased chance of electric shock.
•Falling Objects
Topside openings expose workers inside confined space to falling
objects.

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Testing The Atmosphere

•Verify presence of safe work atmosphere.

•Test all areas of a confined space.
Top, Middle, Bottom
•Methane is lighter than air.
•Carbon Monoxide is the same as air.
•Hydrogen Sulfide is heavier than air.
•Oxygen Deficiency.

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Test the Atmosphere
In this order:
Check for Oxygen Content:
At least 19.5% and less than 23.5%

Check for Combustibles:

Less than 10% of the LEL

Check for Toxic Gasses:

Most commonly carbon monoxide (PEL <35 ppm)
or any other hazardous materials as determined by the use of the space.

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Ventilation
•First option to correct problems.
•Must be aware of hazards you are trying to correct in the
confined space.
•Air intake in a safe location to draw fresh air only.
•Continuous ventilation whenever possible.
•Retest the confined space before entry.

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Ventilate the Space
Use mechanical ventilation
Fans
Air horns
Ventilate at the rate of at least
twenty (20) volumes per hour
Larger spaces require more ventilation
Make sure air supply is not
contaminated
Ventilation air supply must be from fresh air
uncontaminated with flammables, toxins,
etc.

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Ventilating Confined Spaces

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VENTILATING THE SPACE LESSON 3

Use mechanical ventilation -

such as fans or forced air
blowers
Make sure air supply is not
contaminated - ventilation
air supply must be from
fresh air uncontaminated
with flammables, toxins,
etc.

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Other Control Techniques

Inerting(Note: Inerting with a gas such as

nitrogen or carbon dioxide will result in an
oxygen deficient atmosphere)
Flushing

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Isolate the Space
from all hazards
Close Valves
Double block & bleed, or
Blank flange

Empty the Space

Depressurize, vent & drain

Lockout/Tagout Equipment
Electrical sources
Rotating/reciprocating parts
Hazardous materials

Clean residue from the space

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Conduct a Tailboard Briefing

Entire crew must attend

Attendants, entrants, entry supervisor
Review hazards of entry and work
Review PPE
Review procedure for contacting rescue
verify rescue available
Complete permit

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Complete Entry Permit Form
Permit must be correctly and completely
filled out prior to entry.
Permit must be activated by Entry
Supervisor’s signature to be valid.
No entry is allowed without a valid
permit.
Permits are valid for up to 12 hours.
When work is completed, permit and
tailboard form should be returned to
safety.
Cancelled permits must be kept on file
for at least one year.

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Test the Atmosphere
In this order:
Check for Oxygen Content:
At least 19.5% and less than 23.5%
Check for Combustibles:
Less than 10% of the LEL
Check for Toxic Gasses:
Most commonly carbon monoxide (PEL <35 ppm)
or any other hazardous materials as determined by the use of the space.

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NOTICE:
Any time a limit is exceeded, no matter what the reason,
all personnel shall immediately exit the space, and no
others shall enter until atmospheric conditions are
returned to safe levels.

THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS!

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Atmosphere Testing Shall Be Performed:
Prior to every entry when the space is vacant;
After a 10 minute ventilation period (if ventilation is necessary);
At least hourly for permit-required confined spaces.
More frequently, if conditions or suspicions warrant.

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Enter the Space and Proceed
with work:
An attendant shall be posted near the
entrance for the duration of the work.
He shall be in constant communication with
the entrants while the job is in progress.
All entrants shall sign the sign in log when
entering the space and sign out when
exiting.
The attendant shall maintain the permit and
sign in log for the duration of the work.

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When the Job is Done:

Remove all personnel, tools, and debris from the space. Sign
off the log.
Close the space.
Cancel the permit.
Review the job with the host employer (hazards, problems,
other employers, etc.)

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Confined Space Personnel

Authorized Entrant
Attendant
Entry Supervisor
Rescue
Service Member

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Confined Space Personnel

Authorized
Entrant

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Confined Space Personnel

Attendant

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Confined Space Personnel

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Confined Space Personnel

Rescue
Service
Member
Entrant Responsibilities

To assure that the space has been adequately

ventilated, isolated, emptied, or otherwise made
safe for entry.
To immediately exit a space, without question,
upon word of the attendant, no matter what the
reason.
To follow all safety rules and procedures that
apply to the job.
To be familiar with the work to be performed
and the procedures that apply to the job.
To use the appropriate PPE whenever
necessary.

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Attendant

An individual stationed outside one or more

permit spaces who monitors the authorized
entrants and performs all attendant’s duties
assigned in the employer’s permit space
program

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Duties of Attendants

Knowledge of the hazards of the space

Aware of possible behavioral effects of hazard
exposure in authorized entrants
Continuously maintains an accurate count of
authorized entrants

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Duties of Attendants

Remains outside the space during operations until relieved by

another attendant

Communicates with authorized entrants

Monitors activities inside and outside the space

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Duties of Attendants

Summons rescue and other emergency

services
Performs non-entry rescues as specified by the
employer's rescue procedure
Performs NO duties that might interfere with
monitoring and protecting the entrants

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Supervisor Responsibilities
To assure adequate protection is provided
to the entrants by verifying adequate
lockout/tagout and that all hazards are
securely isolated.
To support the attendant’s authority in
controlling access to a confined space.
To verify that all personnel have exited
prior to closing the space.
To assure that all personnel involved are
aware of the hazards associated with the
space.
To assure that rescue services are
available prior to entry.

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Rescue Operations

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