['Confined Spaces']
['Confined Spaces']
07/24/2024
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Most of Washington’s requirements for confined spaces are identical to the federal requirements; however, the state adds further requirements. Click the link(s) below to view the applicable requirements.
Citations
Washington:
WAC 296-62-135 Oxygen Deficient AtmospheresWAC 296-809, Confined spacesRCW 49.24 Underground workers
Federal: 29 CFR 1910.146 and Appendices A through F
A summary of the additional requirements includes the following:
- Identify and evaluate the permit-required confined space (permit space) work to be performed, in addition to the hazards of the space, in order to help develop a written permit space entry program.
- Identify and evaluate the hazards from the work to be performed in the permit space.
- Entry permits and atmospheric monitoring records that show the actual atmospheric conditions to which an employee was exposed are considered employee exposure records which must be kept as such.
- WAC 296-809-50012, Evaluate and Control Hazards for Safe Entry, applies to: employers whose employees use permit entry procedures and employers who provide rescue services.
- When opting to use outside rescue services, make sure at least one member of the rescue service team is currently certified in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
- Choose the number of attendants based on the space and work.
- Assess whether it is appropriate for only one attendant to monitor multiple permit spaces, or whether one will be necessary at each space. Video cameras and radios may aid attendants.
- Attendants may be located anywhere outside the space as long as the attendant can effectively perform his/her duties.
- Attendants must have a way to respond to an emergency affecting one or more of the spaces monitored without neglecting his/her duties for the other monitored spaces.
- When attempting to classify a confined space as a nonpermit confined space, evaluate whether using lockout/tagout (according to WAC 296-803) will fully eliminate the hazard.
- If forced air ventilation alone will control all hazards in a space, employers may use alternate entry procedures in accordance with WAC 296-809-600.
- Every time a permit space is reclassified to a nonpermit space, the employer must certify in writing how the determination was made along with the date, space location, and signature of the person who made the determination.
- An entry permit is required, even for partial body entry, if the opening is large enough for the worker to fully enter the space. However, a permit is not required for partial body entry when the opening is not large enough for full entry.
- Washington state defines “permit-required confined space” differently than federal OSHA.
- Washington state is missing the definition of “permit system.”
- While OSHA requires that a safety data sheet (SDS) or other similar written information be made available to the medical facility treating an injured, exposed entrant, when that information is required to be kept at the worksite, Washington state does not specifically have such a requirement in WAC 296-809.
- See RCW 49.24 for underground worker requirements. Underground workers are persons, firms or corporations constructing, building, or operating a tunnel, quarry, caisson or subway, except in connection with mines, with or without compressed air
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