Title: |
Confined Space Hazards and Controls |
Publication date: |
8/18/2020 |
Effective date: |
8/18/2020 |
BRIEF
Policy Summary
The Confined Space Program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) ensures that employees who work in Confined Spaces, including Permit-Required Confined Spaces, are able to perform work safely.
A Confined Space is a space that:
- Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work.
- Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry).
- Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
Who Should Read This Policy
Berkeley Lab employees, visitors, affiliates, and subcontractors who could be performing work that may include entry into a space that has been evaluated for classification as a Permit-Required Confined Space or that may be a Permit-Required Confined Space.
To Read the Full Policy, Go To:
The POLICY tab on this wiki page
To Read the EHS Program Details, Go To:
Contact Information
EHS Subject Matter Expert for Confined Space
EHS Division
Title: |
Confined Space Hazards and Controls |
Publication date: |
8/18/2020 |
Effective date: |
8/18/2020 |
POLICY
A. Purpose
The Confined Space Program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) ensures that employees who work in Confined Spaces, including Permit-Required Confined Spaces, are able to perform work safely.
A Confined Space is a space that:
- Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work.
- Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry).
- Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
B. Persons Affected
This policy applies to Berkeley Lab employees, visitors, affiliates, and subcontractors who could be performing work that may include entry into a space that has been evaluated for classification as a Permit-Required Confined Space or that may be a Permit-Required Confined Space.
C. Exceptions
Pits, excavations, trenches, and Confined Spaces entered by subcontractors under the subcontractor's approved Permit-Required Confined Space Program may be managed by Berkeley Lab's Construction Safety Program under the requirements of Title 8, California Code of Regulations, Construction Safety Orders, and General Industry Safety Orders, Article 108, Confined Spaces, Section 5157, which is the functional equivalent to 29 CFR 1910.146.
D. Policy Statement
- A Confined Space is a space that:
- Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work.
- Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry).
- Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
- During work planning, Activity Leads must review the work area for potential Confined Spaces. Any potential Confined Space must be checked against the Confined Space inventory to determine classification of the space (Work Process A). The classifications will be:
- Not a Confined Space (NCS).
- Non-permit Confined Space (NPCS).
- Permit-Required Confined Space (PRCS).
- If the space is not listed in the inventory, the space must be classified by the Confined Space Manager (Work Process B).
- If the space is classified as NCS, work proceeds according to the Safe Work Authorization process (Work Process C).
- If the space is an NPCS or an Alternate Entry Procedure can be used, review training and qualifications (Work Process D).
- If the space is a PRCS and cannot be reclassified, subcontractors must perform the work (Work Process E).
- Review all Confined Space Entry Training Procedures (Work Process F)
- Berkeley Lab staff, affiliates, visitors, and others who perform work at Berkeley Lab (excluding subcontractors operating under their own approved Permit-Required Confined Space Program) may not enter any PRCS unless:
- The hazards within have been eliminated and the PRCS has been reclassified for non-permit entry or
- The only hazard in the PRCS is an actual or potential hazardous atmosphere, that condition is controlled through continuous ventilation, and the entry is performed under an Alternate Entry Procedure E.
Roles and Responsibilities
Role |
Responsibility |
Division Director |
Assures that entries into PRCSs under his or her division's control are made only in accordance with this chapter. |
Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) Division |
|
Confined Space Manager |
|
Activity Leads |
|
Entry Supervisors |
|
Construction Safety Entry Supervisors |
|
Subcontractors |
|
F. Definitions/Acronyms
Term |
Definition |
Confined Space |
A space that:
|
Non-permit Confined Space |
A Confined Space that does not contain or, with respect to atmospheric hazards, have the potential to contain any hazard capable of causing death or serious physical harm. |
Permit-Required Confined Space |
A Confined Space that has one or more of the following characteristics:
|
Eliminated |
Removed by a means that does not require active intervention to maintain. For example, Lock Out/Tag Out of rotating machinery or physical blocking of a hydraulic ram would be considered elimination. Traffic control or continuous forced-air ventilation would not be considered elimination. |
G. Recordkeeping Requirements
Role |
Recordkeeping Requirement |
Subject Matter Expert |
LBNL Confined Space Inventory |
EHS Division |
Training Records (presentations and rosters) |
Subject Matter Expert |
Program Effectiveness Review and Assurance documents |
Subject Matter Expert |
PRCS Reclassification Certificates |
Subject Matter Expert |
PRCS Alternate Entry Procedure Certificates |
See ES&H Manual Chapter 6, Safe Work Authorizations, for records related to Safe Work Procedures. |
H. Implementing Documents
Document Number |
ES&H Manual Reference |
Title |
Type |
07.07.006.001 |
Ch. 34 |
Program |
|
07.07.006.002 |
Ch. 34, Work Process A |
LBNL Confined Space Inventory |
Work Process |
07.07.006.003 |
Ch. 34, Work Process B |
Classification of Spaces |
Work Process |
07.07.006.004 |
Ch. 34, Work Process C |
Safe Work Procedures |
Work Process |
07.07.006.005 |
Ch. 34, Work Process D |
Entry into Inventoried Spaces by LBNL Employees or Affiliates (Does Not Include Subcontractors) |
Work Process |
07.07.006.006 |
Ch. 34, Work Process E |
Entry into Inventoried Spaces by Subcontractors |
Work Process |
07.07.006.007 |
Ch. 34, Work Process F |
Training |
Work Process |
07.07.006.008 |
Ch. 34, Work Process G |
Program Effectiveness Review and Assurance |
Work Process |
I. Contact Information
EHS Subject Matter Expert for Confined Space
EHS Division
J. Revision History
Date |
Revision |
By Whom |
Revision Description |
Section(s) Affected |
Change Type |
1/2/2012 |
1 |
B. Tuse |
Re-write for wiki |
all |
Minor |
8/18/2020 |
1.2 |
M. Schmidt |
Reference update to Cal/OSHA to reflect 10 CFR 851 variance |
Source requirements |
Minor |
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
Title: |
Confined Space Hazards and Controls |
Document number |
07.07.006.000 |
Revision number |
1.2 |
Publication date: |
8/18/2020 |
Effective date: |
8/18/2020 |
Next review date: |
8/18/2023 |
Policy Area: |
Industrial Hygiene and Safety |
RPM Section (home) |
ESH |
RPM Section (cross-reference) |
None |
Functional Division |
Environment, Health & Safety |
Prior reference information (optional) |
ES&H Manual Chapter 34 |
Source Requirements Documents
- 10 CFR 851.21(a)(5), Hazard Identification and Assessment
Regulations applicable to general industry work, such as maintenance and repair operations:
- Cal/OSHA Title 8 CCR 5156 and 5157 Group 16, Article 108, Permit-Required Confined Spaces, and/or
- Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 29, Part 1910.146, Permit-Required Confined Spaces.
Regulations that are acceptable for contractor submittals, such as written programs and training, on construction-related projects:
- Cal/OSHA Title 8 CCR Subchapter 4, Construction Safety Orders, Article 37 1950–1962 Confined Space in Construction and the additional requirements in this chapter, and/or
- Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 29, Part 1926.1200–1213, Subpart AA, Confined Spaces in the Construction Industry.
Implementing Documents
Document Number |
ES&H Manual Reference |
Title |
Type |
07.07.006.001 |
Ch. 34 |
Program |
|
07.07.006.002 |
Ch. 34, Work Process A |
LBNL Confined Space Inventory |
Work Process |
07.07.006.003 |
Ch. 34, Work Process B |
Classification of Spaces |
Work Process |
07.07.006.004 |
Ch. 34, Work Process C |
Safe Work Procedures |
Work Process |
07.07.006.005 |
Ch. 34, Work Process D |
Entry into Inventoried Spaces by LBNL Employees or Affiliates (Does Not Include Subcontractors) |
Work Process |
07.07.006.006 |
Ch. 34, Work Process E |
Entry into Inventoried Spaces by Subcontractors |
Work Process |
07.07.006.007 |
Ch. 34, Work Process F |
Training |
Work Process |
07.07.006.008 |
Ch. 34, Work Process G |
Program Effectiveness Review and Assurance |
Work Process |
Other References
- DOE Guide 440.1–8, Implementation Guide for use with 10 CFR Part 851, Worker Safety and Health Program, Section 3.3.2.1.5