# CONFINED SPACES

## Date:

## Job Name:

*If you have any*  
*questions or*  
*concerns about*  
*confined space*  
*entry, check*  
*with the Safety*  
*Department.*

## Supervisor Signature:

## Primary Potential Health & Physical Hazards

- Insufficient Oxygen - Asphyxiation - Suffocation
- Toxic Air Contaminants - Impairment - Incapacitation - Death
- Flammable Gases & Vapors - Fires & Explosions

## Primary Exposures for Mechanical Construction Workers

- Entry into pipelines, ductwork, equipment housings, boilers, manholes,  
  sewers, vaults, tunnels, shafts, vessels, pits, tanks, etc. that have limited  
  or restricted means for entry or exit, and are not designed for continuous  
  human occupancy
- Hot work inside a confined space that could change what would otherwise  
  be acceptable atmospheric conditions to hazardous atmospheric conditions

## Common Hazardous Gases/Issues in Mechanical Construction

- Oxygen — Levels in confined spaces must be between 19.5% and 23.5%. Levels  
  below 19.5% can lead to immediate organ damage and ultimately death. Levels  
  that are too high can make the space more susceptible to fires and explosions.
- Methane — Is highly flammable (it is the main constituent of natural gas).  
  Methane is not considered to be toxic. However, it can displace oxygen in the  
  lungs leading to asphyxiation and suffocation.
- Carbon Monoxide — Prevents efficient exchange of oxygen in the circulatory  
  system and can be fatal.
- Hydrogen Sulfide — Is highly flammable, and is considered a toxic substance. It is  
  an irritant that can cause respiratory failure over time if it goes undetected.

## Safe Work Practices

- Never enter any confined space until you have the appropriate confined  
  space entry safety training. Before entering any confined space, make sure  
  the Competent Person has tested the atmospheric conditions inside the  
  space and informed you that it is safe to enter.
- Treat every confined space as a Permit-Required space unless your  
  company’s designated Competent Person and Entry Supervisor reclassify  
  the space as Non-Permit Required.
- Once you enter the space, continuously monitor the atmosphere inside for  
  changes that could render the space unsafe.
- Use monitoring equipment with built-in hazard detection alarms. If an  
  alarm sound, exit the space immediately and do not re-enter until the  
  Competent Person informs you that it is safe to do so.

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Vol.25 | No.04 | Week of 01-27-25

## MEETING ATTENDEES

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