NOM-033-STPS-2015

Safety conditions to carry outwork in confined spaces

 Index
Here’s what you’ll find in this presentation:

1. Objective
2. Field of application
3. References
4. Employer’s obligations
5. Worker's obligations
6. Confined space classification and risk analysis
7. Administrative requirements to carry out work in confined spaces
8. Security measures to carry out work in confined spaces
9. Emergency care and rescue plan
10. Training
11. Verification units
12. Conformity assessment procedure
13. Surveillance
14. Bibliography
15. Concordance with international standards
“Nothing is so important, or
so urgent, that it cannot be
done safely”
 1. OBJECTIVE
Establish safety conditions to protect the physical integrity
and life of workers who perform work in confined spaces, as
well as prevent alterations to their health.
 2. Application field
It governs the entire national territory This Standard does not apply to diving
and applies in all work centers where activities and underground mines,
work is carried out in confined spaces. unless there are confined spaces
within its facilities.
 3. References

01 NOM-004-STPS-1999 06 NOM-026-STPS-2008

02 NOM-009-STPS-2011 07 NOM-027-STPS-2008

03 NOM-010-STPS-1999 08 NOM-029-STPS-2011

04 NOM-017-STPS-2008 09 NOM-116-STPS-2009
05 NOM-018-STPS-2000 10 NMX-S-002-SCFI-2004
11 NMX-S-054-SCFI-2013
 5. Employer obligations
Identify confined spaces where Appoint a person responsible for
worker access is required to work in confined spaces and at
perform any type of activity. least one lookout

Provide information and training

Have a specific work plan to to workers who carry out
carry out work in confined activities in confined spaces
spaces

Adopt safety measures to carry Keep records of authorized

out work in confined spaces personnel for the development
of work in confined spaces
 6. Worker’s obligations
Observe the safety measures
provided in this Standard, as
well as those established by
the employer
Participate in training, Give immediate notice to the
instruction and information employer and/or the safety
events provided by the and hygiene commission
employer. about the unsafe conditions

Conduct yourself during the Use and keep in good

development of the work in a condition the personal
safe manner to avoid risks. protection equipment
Perform fit tests when using provided by the employer.
respirators as personal
protective equipment.
7. Confined space classification and risk analysis
7.1 Work in confined spaces should preferably be avoided, only you must
enter its interior to carry out activities in those cases in which those who
cannot carry out the activity from abroad and, in any case, must fully
comply with the provisions of this Standard.
7.2 Prior to starting work in the confined space, it must be sampling to
determine the existence or non-existence of a dangerous atmosphere, in
accordance with the provisions of numeral 8.4 of this Standard.
7.3 From the results of the sampling referred to in numeral 7.2 Confined
spaces must be classified as Type I or Type I, of in accordance with the
provisions of Table 1 of this Standard.
 7.5 The risk analysis must consider, at least, the following:
a) The description of the activities to be developed;
b) Hazardous atmosphere risks:
1.- Asphyxiation, due to oxygen deficiency;
2.- Fire or explosion, by oxygen enrichment or by substances with concentrations or percentages greater than or equal
to the 10% of the lower flammability and/or explosive limit, and
3) Intoxication, due to concentrations of chemical substances dangerous, according to the information in the data
sheets of respective security, in accordance with the provisions of NOM-018-STPS-2000, or those that replace it:
i.- For the materials that are introduced to carry out the activities;
ii.- For the products or waste that are generated by the work that is carried out;
iii.- For adjacent areas or processes in which they are handled, process or store toxic substances, and
iv.- Due to the dangerous chemical substances contained or contained in the confined space:
c) Risks by physical agents:
1) Noise;
2) Lighting;
3) Vibrations, and
4) High or low thermal conditions;
d) Risks from biological agents, such as the presence
of fauna harmful or dangerous biological agents;
c) Mechanical, electrical or pneumatic risks;
f) The risks derived from the activities to be carried out that contemplate, as applicable, the
following:
1.-The machinery, equipment, tools and materials at the place of work, with emphasis on the
characteristics and safety conditions and operation in which they should be found;
2.- The dangers and existing risk factors for the activities to be develop and those originating in the
immediate vicinity of space confined by other activities, such as power connection, operation of
machinery or equipment, restoration of flow of substances, floods, among others, and
3.- Carrying out work at height;
g) The risks derived from the characteristics of the confined space, among others:
1.- Due to the conditions in which the surfaces of the confined space: unstable, wet, slippery,
among others, and
2.- Due to the existence of finely divided granular material or such form that may cause the risk of
sinking or immersion in
said material:
h) The estimated duration of the activities to be carried out;
i) The maximum time of permanence of the worker in the space confined, and
j) Possible emergency situations that may arise during the development of work in the confined
space.
 Types of confined spaces

TABLE 1. TYPES OF CONFINED SPACES

Criterion Type I Type II
Serious or imminent risk to the
Characteristic Minimal potential health risk
health of workers
Oxygen concentration in Less than 19.5%, or greater than
percent
Between 19.5 and 23.5%
23.5%

Greater than or equal to 10% of

Flammability Less than 10% of the lower flammability
Characteristics the lower flammability and/or
and/or explosive limit
explosive limit

Toxicity or health hazard Greater than or equal to action

(concentration) Less than action level (0.5 ELV)
level (0.5 ELV)
 Do not forget

Type 1 Type 11
● There is no risk due to oxygen ● Potential to cause
deficiency or enrichment, or occupational injuries and/or
explosive or flammable illnesses
atmospheres, ● May be immediately
● Concentrations of hazardous dangerous to life and health.
chemicals are lower ● May present a hazardous
atmosphere.
8. Administrative requirements to realize
works in confined spaces
1 2
To carry out activities in The security procedure for
confined spaces, safety the activities to be carried
procedures must be in out in confined spaces
place. must consider certain
aspects
4 5
Sampling and monitoring to The authorization to carry
detect hazardous out work in confined
atmospheres in the confined spaces must contain
space shall be performed in certain aspects
accordance with a procedure
 9. Safety measures for working in
confined spaces

1 2 3 4
To work in confined In spaces where it is The watchman of
General safety spaces classified as not possible to the work in the
measures should be Type II, technical maintain breathable confined space must
taken and/or administrative atmospheres, comply with certain
control measures control measures aspects
must be adopted. must be adopted.
10. Emergency and rescue plan

The emergency and

rescue plan must
consider the The emergency care
emergency situations and rescue plan must
that may arise during contain the aspects to
work in the confined be mentioned
space, detected in the
risk analysis
 11. Capacitation

Training and The training provided

Workers involved in
instruction must be must consist of The information
carrying out
reinforced at least theoretical, practical provided to
activities in
once a year or training and workers must
confined spaces
sooner when any evaluation of the contain the results
must be provided
circumstance knowledge and skills of the risk analysis
with training
arises. acquired
 Blibiography
15.1 A Guide to Safety in Confined Spaces, National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health, NIOSH, July 1987. U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
15.2 Confined Spaces Guideline, Health and Safety Guidelines. Ministry of Labour, July
2011. Ontario, Canada.
15.3 Manual de Seguridad en el Trabajo. Fundación MAPFRE, 2011. España.
15.4 NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health, NIOSH, September 2007. U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
15.5 Norma Regulamentadora No. 33: NR-33 Segurana e Saúde nos Trabalhos em
Espaos Confinados, Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego. Brasil.
15.6 NTP 223: Trabajos en recintos confinados, Instituto Nacional de Seguridad e
Higiene en el Trabajo, Ministerio del Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales. España.
15.7 Reglamento Federal de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo, publicado en el Diario
Oficial de la Federación de 13 de noviembre de 2014. México.
15.8 Safe work in confined spaces, Confined Spaces Regulations 1997, Approved Code
of Practice, Regulations and Guidance. Health and Safety Executive, 2009. Great
Britain.
15.9 Working in Confined Spaces. Criteria for a Recommended Standard..., National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH, December 1979. U.S. Department
of Health, Education and Welfare
 Resources
● https://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=
5405659&fecha=31/08/2015#gsc.tab=0
● https://es.slideshare.net/chemanuel05/nomo33stp
s2015
Thank you !
For your attention