12.4: Safe Entry
- Page ID
- 63577
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Equipment for safe entry
In addition to personal protective equipment, other equipment that employees may require for safe entry into a permit space includes:
■ Testing, monitoring, ventilating, communications and lighting equipment;
■ Barriers and shields;
■ Ladders; and
■ Retrieval devices.
Detection of hazardous conditions
If hazardous conditions are detected during entry, employees must immediately leave the space. The employer must evaluate the space to determine the cause of the hazardous atmosphere and modify the program as necessary.
When entry to permit spaces is prohibited, the employer must take effective measures to prevent unauthorized entry. Non-permit confined spaces must be evaluated when changes occur in their use or configuration and, where appropriate, must be reclassified as permit spaces.
A space with no potential to have atmospheric hazards may be classified as a non-permit confined space only when all hazards are eliminated in accordance with the standard. If entry is required to eliminate hazards and obtain data, the employer must follow specific procedures in the standard.
Informing Contract Employees
Employers must inform any contractors whom they hire to enter permit spaces about:
■ The permit spaces and permit space entry requirements;
■ Any identified hazards;
■ The employer’s experience with the space, such as knowledge of hazardous conditions; and
■ Precautions or procedures to be followed when in or near permit spaces.
When employees of more than one employer are conducting entry operations, the affected employers must coordinate entry operations to ensure that affected employees are appropriately protected from permit space hazards. The employer also must give contractors any other pertinent information regarding hazards and operations in permit spaces and be debriefed at the conclusion of entry operations.