Confined spaces - Oregon

Oregon’s requirements for confined spaces are equivalent to the federal requirements; however, the state has rewritten them. Click on the following links to view the state and federal regulations regarding confined spaces:

Confined spaces

Citations

Oregon: Oregon Administrative Rules; Department of Consumer and Business Services; Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division; Division 2; General Occupational Safety and Health Rules; General 437-002-0146 Confined Spaces

Federal: 29 CFR 1910.146 and Appendices A through F

A summary of additional requirements includes the following:

• Oregon’s rule includes additional definitions.
• In Oregon, if the only hazard associated with a confined space is a fall hazard, it is not covered by the Confined Space rule. If the space contains other hazards that make it a permit space, the fall hazard must be addressed on the permit.
• The provisions for evaluating the workplace to identify permit-required confined spaces include exceptions for employers of mobile workers, controlling contractors, sites where confined spaces are being built.
• Oregon’s rule lists topics to include in the written program.
• Oregon’s rule notes that reliance upon “self rescue” does not constitute an acceptable rescue program.
• In Oregon, tagout alone does not eliminate a hazard.
• Oregon employers must develop and implement procedures, as outlined, for each space that can be entered with alternate entry procedures.
• Oregon requires awareness training for all employees whose work operations are or may be in an area where permit spaces are present. There is an exception for employees whose exposure is negligible, such as office workers who walk in a parking lot that has a sewer manhole or workers entering a building with a baghouse near it, as long as those employees have no other exposures to permit spaces. Similarly, when all permit spaces cannot be accessed or opened by employees, awareness training is not required. An example of this are spaces that are locked or require a specialized tool, access to the key or tool is controlled, and access without the key or tool would require extraordinary means (such as a chop saw or cutting torch).
• The Oregon rule applies to construction work sites.