PROCEDURES

Written, understandable operating and rescue procedures shall be developed and provided to all employees involved.

Written operating and rescue procedures will include, at a minimum, the following:

·       An approved site specific Health & Safety Plan.

·       An approved Confined Space Entry Permit.

·       A complete Standby Observer's checklist.

PRE-ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:

·       Lines which may convey flammable, injurious or incapacitating substance into the confined space shall be disconnected, blinded or blocked off by other positive means to prevent the development of dangerous air contamination and/or oxygen deficiency within the confined space.

·       The space shall be emptied, flushed or otherwise purged of flammable, injurious or incapacitating substances.

·       The air shall be tested to determine whether dangerous air contamination and/or oxygen deficiency exists. A written record of the air testing results is required and must be kept on site for the duration of the work within the confined space.  Employees involved shall be provided an opportunity to review and record the testing results.

·       Where interconnected spaces are blinded off as a unit, each space shall be tested and the results recorded. The most hazardous condition found shall govern the procedures to be followed for all the interconnected spaces.

·       If dangerous air contamination and/or oxygen deficiency does not exist within the space, as demonstrated by air testing, then entry into and work within the space may proceed subject to the following:

·       Periodic testing shall be conducted with sufficient frequency to ensure that the development of dangerous air contamination and/or oxygen deficiency does not occur during the performance of any operation.

·       If the development of dangerous air contamination and/or an oxygen deficiency is imminent then the confined space operations requirements prescribed in this section will apply.

·       When the existence of dangerous air contamination and/or an oxygen deficiency is determined by air testing then the existing ventilation shall be augmented to remove the dangerous air contamination concentration and/or oxygen deficiency.

·       When the additional ventilation provided has removed the dangerous air contamination and/or oxygen deficiency as demonstrated by air testing (and results recorded) entry into and work within the space may proceed according to the provisions for periodic testing.

·       No source of ignition shall be introduced into a confined space until the air testing results indicate that explosive or flammable substances are not detected.

·       Ready entry and exit access must be made available whenever possible. Spaces equipped with automatic fire suppression systems which employ harmful concentrations of toxic or oxygen-displacing gases or total foam flooding, then such systems must be deactivated.

SAFE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

·       Confined spaces with side and top openings must be entered from the side openings when practicable.

·       Appropriate, approved respiratory protective equipment shall be provided and must be worn.

·       An approved safety belt with an attached safety line must be used. The free end of the safety line must be secured outside the entry opening. The safety line must be at least 1/2-inch diameter and 2,000 pound test. Exception: Where it can demonstrated that a safety belt and line would further endanger the life of an employee

·        At least one additional employee (who may have other duties) who is within sight or call of the standby employee(s) is required.

The standby employee shall have appropriate, approved, respiratory protective equipment, including an independent source of breathing air available for immediate use, and fall protection equipment.

Adequately outfitted standby employee(s) may enter the confined space only in the case of an emergency and only after informing at least one additional employee (outside of the confined space) of the existing emergency and the standby employee's intent to enter the confined space.

When an entry must be made through a top opening the following equipment is required.

·       A safety harness that suspends a person in an upright position (e.g. parachute harness).

·       A hoisting device for lifting employees out of the space shall be immediately available.

Work involving the use of flame, arc, spark or other source of ignition is prohibited within a confined space that contains or is likely to develop a flammable and/or explosive atmosphere.

Whenever inert gases such as Nitrogen are used to prevent the ignition of flammable gases or vapors for work using flame, arc, spark or other source of ignition will be permitted unless the oxygen concentration is maintained at less than 20% of the concentration that will support combustion.

·       Oxygen testing will be conducted with sufficient frequency to ensure conformance with the procedure requirements.

·       A written record of the oxygen testing results shall be made and maintained at the work site for the duration of the work.

·       All employees may review and record the testing results.

·       Only approved lighting and electrical equipment, Class 1 Division 1, is permitted to be used within a confined space subject to dangerous air contamination by flammable and/or explosive substances.

·       Employees assigned work within a confined space which last contained corrosive or skin absorbed substances shall be provided with and must wear the appropriate personal protective clothing and/or devices.

CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PERMIT

No employee is permitted to enter any confined space without a confined space entry permit that must be completed by the Supervisor and reviewed and approved by the Environmental Safety Coordinator.  A completed permit must have the following:

1.     Required Signatures for a Confined Space Entry Permit

2.     Supervisor of the Project

3.     Standby Observer of the Project

4.     Atmosphere Tester of the Project

5.     Each person entering the confined space

6.     Permit Duration

Each confined space entry permit will be valid for one work shift, or part thereof, only.

On projects requiring more than one shift to complete a project, a new permit shall be completed at the start of each shift prior to entering the confined space.

Permits will be numbered consecutively at each project and/or identified by the location if one time entry. Each entry permit will be identified by the project number followed by the number assigned to that permit or location if one time entry.

All entry permits will be maintained at the project and filed numerically. Upon completion of the project the permits will be filed in the Safety Department at the corporate office.

Each confined space entry permit will be completed in ink and protected from adverse conditions.

The completed permit must be conspicuously displayed near the point of entry in to the confined space.

It will be the primary responsibility of the Supervisor initiating the permit to ensure compliance to all safety requirements for the duration of the work within the confined space.

Atmosphere testing results will be entered legibly on the permit.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

The confined space entry permit becomes void if any of the following event/conditions occur:

·       The work is interrupted for more than 60 minutes, for any reason.

·       An employee becomes ill or injured while working within confined space.

·       A power failure occurs and the lighting or telephone is inoperative.

·       Severe weather conditions are imminent that could endanger the project.

COMPLETING THE CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PERMIT

·       All required signatures must be on the permit initials are not permitted.

·       Employee(s) entering the confined space is (are) the last to sign the permit only after all the safety guidelines listed on the back of the permit have been satisfactorily complied with.

·       Changing of any dates and/or times once written on the permit is strictly prohibited.

·       All spaces must be filled in and not left blank. All safety guidelines on the reverse side of the permit must be addressed and answered "yes" or "not necessary".

STANDBY OBSERVER'S RULES   

·       Employee(s) working within a confined space must be under constant observation and/or communication with a fully instructed standby employee.

·       Any employee assigned as a standby observer must be first aid and CPR trained, with current certification, or comply with the requirements of Precautions for Emergencies Involving Working Confined Space.

·       Before anyone is permitted to enter a confined space a standby observer's checklist must be completed and submitted to the supervisor for review.

·       The standby observer will post the confined space entry permit only after the standby observer's checklist has been completed contains the signatures of the observer and the Supervisor.

·       Standby observer's checklist must be completed for each confined space entry permit. The Supervisor’s name and or project number will identify the checklist.     

·       All standby observer's checklists will be maintained at the project and filed numerically.

·       Upon completion of the project the checklists will be filed in the safety office.

Please contact Sales Dept. for more information  by sending an e-mail or by phone at (626)961-9326