The purpose of The University of Alabama Confined Space Program is to establish procedures and methods for safe entry into confined spaces. This program covers employees, and students who may enter confined spaces in the course of their academic work. A confined space is any location that is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work, has limited or restricted openings for entry and egress, and is not intended for continuous occupancy. In some cases, the space is so enclosed that natural ventilation may not reduce contaminant levels to below acceptable values. Examples may include: manholes, stacks, pipes, storage tanks, boilers, tank cars, pits, sumps, etc. Entry into confined spaces without proper procedures could result in injury or death due to such hazards as: lack of oxygen; flammable or explosive atmosphere; toxic materials; or other recognized serious safety or health hazards, such as steam or high pressure.
Types of Confined Spaces
There are two basic types of confined spaces; those that require a written permit to enter and those that do not. There are procedural similarities to enter each type, but those requiring a written permit necessitate more stringent controls.
Entry Permit Required Spaces (Permit Required Confined Spaces)
Entry permit required spaces meet the definition of a confined space plus any one of the following four characteristics:
- Contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere;
- May contain a material with the potential to engulf someone in the area;
- Has an internal configuration such that a person could be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross-section; or
- Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.
Examples of permit required spaces on campus include:
- Inside boilers
- Sanitary sewer manholes
- Storage tanks
- Air tunnel vessel
- Inside pipes or tunnels
- Energized electrical manholes
- Active steam manholes
Entry Procedures for Permit Required Confined Spaces
Entry procedures for permit required confined spaces are very specific and necessary to prevent serious injury or possible death.
- Do not enter permit required confined spaces without being trained and without having a permit to enter.
- Complete the confined space entry permit. Review, understand, and follow the employer’s procedures before entering the permit-required confined space. Know when and how to exit the confined space.
- Before entry, identify any physical hazards.
- Ventilate the space with a positive pressure blower for 30 minutes before testing the space with a four function gas meter.
- Check the space with a four function (LFL, H2S, CO, O2) gas meter. If the four function gas meter reads safe levels of all four categories (below 10% LFL, CO 35ppm, H2S 10ppm, Minimum 19.5% O2, and Maximum 23.5% O2), prepare to enter the space.
- If after 30 minutes of ventilation the space shows any level of LFL, CO, and H2S other than zero; an O2 % less than 19.5% or above 23.5%, do not enter and contact EHS.
- Prior to entering the space, establish an emergency evacuation system and designate an outside attendant.
- Continuously ventilate and monitor the space for oxygen content, flammability, toxicity or explosive hazards, while occupied.
- If at any time during occupancy of the space the meter goes into alarm mode, exit immediately and contact EHS.
Non-Permit Required Confined Spaces
Non-permit required confined spaces meet the definition of a confined space but do not have any of the four additional characteristics. Examples of non-permit spaces on campus include:
- Telecommunication manholes
- Storm sewers
- Elevator pits
- Mechanical pits
- Non-energized electrical manholes
- Non-active steam manholes
Entry Procedures (Non-Permit Required Confined Spaces)
Entry procedures for non-permit required confined spaces are not as stringent as those for spaces requiring a permit. However they are just as important to protect the health and safety of persons who enter the space.
- Ventilate the space with a positive pressure blower for 30 minutes.
- Check the space with a four function (LFL, CO, H2S, O2) gas meter.
- If the four function gas meter reads safe levels of all four categories (Below 10% LFL, CO 35ppm, H2S 10ppm, Minimum 19.5% O2, and Maximum 23.5% O2), prepare to enter the space.
- Continuously ventilate and monitor the space while occupied.
- If at any time during occupancy of the space the meter goes into alarm mode, exit immediately and contact EHS.
Awareness training related to confined spaces is available online. Contact EHS (205-348-5905) to request online training or to discuss classroom training options pertaining to confined spaces. Specific training, beyond awareness training, is required of all individuals involved in confined space entry operations.