What Should You Do Before Entering a Confined Space?

Before entering a permit-required confined space, there’s a number of steps you have to follow to keep everything OSHA-approved. These circumstances present unique and significant hazards that require very specific safety measures. Pre-job briefings, gas detection and assessment, and rescue protocol should all be prepared well before the job begins.

Pre-Job Briefings

Pre-job briefings are key to making sure your team is all on the same page. Workers and managers should discuss all of the potential hazards, work procedures, and each member’s role in maintaining safety. Key components of an effective pre-job briefing include hazard identification, safety procedures, roles and responsibilities, and emergency response. If all of these items are understood and followed by the entering parties, the risk of severe injury or harm is greatly reduced. Martin Safety Professional Malcolm Ritchie says you may also want to consult the written safety program, which is required by OSHA.

“For every hazard that a company has, whether it’s fall arrest, harnesses and lanyards, confined space, hazard communications, you have to have an OSHA-required written safety program and procedure. These are for training and consulting.”

Gas Detection and Assessment

Gas detection is crucial for identifying potentially life-threatening atmospheres within confined spaces. Workers should first conduct a thorough initial assessment using calibrated gas detectors to identify the presence of hazardous gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and flammable vapors. Then, they should continuously monitor the air to ensure the atmosphere remains safe throughout the duration of the work.

“If you have calibrated your meter correctly, as per the manufacturer’s recommendations in the manual that comes with your meter, it should work fine,” Ritchie says. “Be sure when calibrating your meter that, after you’ve done so, you take it into the yard where we know there are no contaminants.”

By testing your calibrated gas detectors in clean air, you can determine whether or not it is reading the atmosphere properly. Then, set detectors to alarm at safe thresholds to provide early warning of dangerous conditions, allowing for timely evacuation or additional ventilation. If you do not have your own gas detectors, or you find that your detectors are not working correctly, you can rent gas detection equipment as a quick and easy substitute as well.

Rescue Protocols

Having a well-defined rescue protocol is necessary for responding to confined space emergencies in a timely and effective manner. Rescue teams should be familiar with the specific confined space and the potential hazards. Rescue equipment, including harnesses, retrieval systems, and breathing apparatuses, need to be kept in good working order. And finally, rescue teams should regularly conduct practice drills where they establish clear communication and work to get in and out efficiently. Ritchie also says that rescue team personnel should be warned about the potential for a rescue well before entrance is made. If no rescue team is available to help in the case of an emergency, entry should be postponed.

“From a perspective of OSHA compliance, they’re supposed to stop and make sure at another time that they have rescue 100% ready to go before that entry is made,” Ritchie says.

Safety in permit-required confined spaces hinges on thorough preparation, continuous monitoring, and having detailed rescue protocols in place. By emphasizing the importance of pre-job briefings, gas detection and assessment, and well-practiced rescue protocols, employers can significantly reduce the risks associated with working in these hazardous environments. To schedule confined space training for your team, contact your Martin Sales Rep or call 800.828.8116.