Section 4 – Permits

    Table of Contents:

    Confined Space Entry Table of Contents

    Special entry permits and practices

    1. Regulations in the following restricted circumstances and conditions, entry permit practices may be altered.
      1. An entry permit may be issued and used for the entire duration of a job if:
        1. Conditions in the space have no known potential for presenting either an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to life or health or an engulfing condition. An engulfing condition exists in which a worker could be captured by finely divided particles or a liquid.
        2. Acceptable conditions for entry exists in the space based on inspection and atmospheric testing done at the beginning of each work shift and that periodic testing done during the work shift continues to confirm that conditions remain acceptable for work.
        3. Only operations, processes and procedures that are specifically authorized by the permit, and which could not increase, or be the source of, a hazard to workers are conducted in the permit entry confined space.
        4. No process or procedure, such as welding, will be conducted if it is not covered by the original permit. The process or procedure may be conducted if a new permit is issued or a special hot work permit is attached to the original permit.
        5. All workers are withdrawn immediately from the space and special permits are voided if inspection and atmospheric testing indicate that a non-permitted condition now exists as a result of the special permit activity, or that conditions outside of the space could pose a hazard to workers inside. In these circumstances, after correcting the hazards, a new special permit must be obtained before re-entering the confined space.
      2. An entry permit of up to one year duration may be issued in operations where workers are required to perform routine repetitive entry into confined spaces which have no known potential for presenting an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to life or health and no potential for an engulfment condition. In this circumstances:
        1. Specific entry practices and procedures must be established and followed. All workers involved in such entries must be trained in these practices and procedures.
        2. The atmosphere must be tested prior to entry using an appropriate direct reading instrument or similar device which quantitatively identifies anticipated contaminants. Using a remote sampling probe, the atmosphere is tested for, in the following order:
          1. oxygen concentration
          2. combustible gas
          3. suspected toxic materials
        3. If continuous positive ventilation, sufficient to maintain the atmosphere within established permit conditions, or appropriate additional atmospheric monitoring is used, entry by one or more workers may be allowed without an attendant.
        4. The permit will be revoked whenever any test reveals that conditions in the space have become more hazardous than contemplated under the permit. In this case, entry then becomes acceptable only after a permit is issued according to the provisions in the section called “Permits”.
      3. Diked storage areas may be entered without using an attendant and without providing ventilation or performing atmospheric tests prior to entry to perform routine operations if:
        1. There is no reason to believe there is or may have been any escape of flammable, toxic or corrosive material in the diked area in sufficient quantity to create an atmosphere immediately dangerous to life or health.
        2. All established linebreaking procedures are followed if linebreaking is to be done in the diked area.
      4. Underground and below-ground permit entry confined spaces may be entered by an annual or a job duration permit without an attendant present at the site where no risk of engulfment exists and where the atmosphere cannot become immediately dangerous to life or health. However, this can done only if:
        1. A mechanically powered ventilator is used continuously during entry.
        2. A combination of appropriate atmospheric testing and mechanically powered ventilation is used; or without the mechanically powered ventilation if appropriate continuous atmospheric monitoring or frequent atmospheric testing assures that permit conditions are maintained.
      5. Routine or repetitive entries into permit entry spaces are permitted without an attendant in spaces which have no known potential for an atmosphere which is immediately dangerous to life or health or an engulfment situation, and in which all known hazards are positively controlled. Such entry can be made by a permit valid for up to a one year period, provided that:
        1. Immediately prior to entry, it is verified that no hazards exist.
        2. The worker takes no materials into the space that could cause a hazard.
        3. The worker will not perform any work that could cause a hazard in the space.
        4. Adherence to the above conditions is assured by established work practices, the use of a checklist, or both.

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