HAZWOPER: Confined Space Safety

Name: HAZWOPER: Confined Space Safety
Author: KnowledgeCity

Adapt to the unique challenges of working within confined spaces, and learn to protect yourself from the safety hazards they pose.

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Course: On-Demand

Confined space entries are never routine. You may use the same equipment, run the same tests, and even work with the same crew. But the conditions you face inside can be different every time. Tight areas, loose materials, and moving parts are just a few of the things that can complicate an entry. And when hazardous materials are added to the mix, things can become even more dangerous. To protect workers in these situations, OSHA created the permit-required confined space regulation. OSHA defines confined spaces as areas that are large enough for a person to enter and work in, but are not designed for continuous use. These include tanks, silos, storage bins, pits, and hoppers. OSHA requires all facilities that may have employees entering confined spaces to set up written permit-space entry programs. Under these programs, spaces are examined for unsafe conditions, such as hazardous atmospheres containing flammable or toxic gases and vapors, atmospheres with too little or too much oxygen, and tight areas that could trap workers. If these or other hazards are suspected, the area is classified as a permit-required confined space. Before anyone can enter one of these spaces, a safety or management representative must issue a written entry permit. Entry permits list important information, including the location of the space, the duration, purpose, and date of entry, the names of the entry supervisor and personnel entering the space, potential hazards within the space, the dates, times, and results of initial and periodic atmospheric testing. Measures used to isolate the space, such as locking and tagging energy sources, and the emergency rescue procedures that have been put in place. If a welder's torch, grinder, or any other piece of equipment that could cause a fire is to be used in a confined space, a hot work permit is also required. It is important to make sure that all of the safety precautions listed in the permits have been met before anyone enters a confined space.

Essential Provider : KnowledgeCity 5 Lessons · 17m in English

Course Description

Whether it’s a grain silo, an oil tank, or a pit filled with toxic waste, every confined space poses its own unique challenges to working within it safely. Understand how a confined space entry team functions, the permits and regulations that govern them, and the plans and tests they employ.

In these lessons, we’ll introduce you to occupational safety’s formal definition of “confined space” and the permits necessary to work within one. We’ll go over the different roles on a confined space entry team and how each role interacts with the others to keep everyone safe. Then we’ll explain the importance of atmospheric testing in confined spaces not just to ensure safe oxygen levels, but also to hunt for toxic or flammable gases. Finally, you’ll look at the different plans and methods entry teams use to counter such threats. By the end of this course, you should understand the challenges of working in confined spaces and the best practices for overcoming them.

What You'll Learn

Understand occupational safety's formal definition of a confined space
Identify the roles on a confined space entry team and how they interact to keep everyone safe
Recognize the permits and regulations that govern work in confined spaces
Perform atmospheric testing to check oxygen levels and detect toxic or flammable gases
Apply action plans and methods entry teams use to protect entrants from confined space threats

Key Takeaways

Every confined space, such as a grain silo, oil tank, or pit of toxic waste, poses its own unique challenges to working within it safely.
Working in a confined space requires the proper permits and adherence to the regulations that govern such spaces.
A confined space entry team is made up of different roles, each interacting with the others to keep everyone safe.
Atmospheric testing is important not only to ensure safe oxygen levels but also to detect toxic or flammable gases.
Entry teams use specific plans and methods to counter the threats present in confined spaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this course cover?

It covers occupational safety's formal definition of a confined space, the permits and regulations governing confined space work, the roles on a confined space entry team and how they interact, atmospheric testing for oxygen and toxic or flammable gases, and the action plans and methods used to protect entrants.

What will I understand by the end of the course?

By the end of the course, you should understand the challenges of working in confined spaces and the best practices for overcoming them.

What lessons are included?

The course includes five lessons: Introduction, Confined Space Entry Team, Atmospheric Testing in a Confined Space, Action Plan to Protect Entrants, and Conclusion.

Why is atmospheric testing important in confined spaces?

Atmospheric testing is important to ensure safe oxygen levels and to hunt for toxic or flammable gases that may be present in a confined space.

What skills does this course relate to?

It relates to confined spaces regulations, dangerous goods/hazmat transport, hazardous material containment and control, hazardous material storage, the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER), and HAZWOPER certification.