Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: CONFINED

SECTION 5(A)(1) OF THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1970: THE EMPLOYER DID NOT FURNISH EMPLOYMENT AND A PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WHICH WERE FREE FROM RECOGNIZED HAZARDS THAT WERE CAUSING OR LIKELY TO CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM TO EMPLOYEES IN THAT EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED TO HAZARDS FROM CONFINED SPACE ENTRY: A) AZO DEPARTMENT, 1ST FLOOR; EMPLOYEES WERE EXPOSED TO THE HAZARD OF INHALATION OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES, TO ASPHYXIATION AND/OR FIRE DURING ENTRY AND WORKING IN A CONFINED SPACE SITUATION. ON OR ABOUT 8/2/90, AND EMPLOYEE ENTERED AN APPROXIMATELY 17FT BY 12 FT. CYLINDRICAL PROCESS TANK (#1-2T) TO EFFECT REPAIRS INVOLVING ARC WELDING. EMPLOYEES COULD SUFFER CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DAMAGE AND RESPIRATORY DISORDERS FROM WELDING FUMES, DEATH DUE TO OXYGEN DEFICIENCY, CHEMICAL PNEUMONIA DUE TO RESIDUAL HYDROCHLORIC ACID, AND SEVERE BURNS SHOULD A FIRE RESULT AMONG OTHER HAZARDS WITHIN UNCONTROLLED CONFINED SPACES. EMPLOYEES CAN ALSO BE INJURED DURING IMPROPER RESCUE PROCEDURES. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO: IMPLEMENT A CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PROCEDURE WHICH INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: 1) INSTRUCTION AND TRAINING AS TO THE NATURE OF THE HAZARDS INVOLVED AND NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN RELATIVE TO CONFINED SPACE ENTRY. 2) POSTING OF WRITTEN CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PROCEDURES ADJACENT TO TANKS OR OTHER CONFINED SPACE AREAS WHICH MAY BE ENTERED. 3) IMPLEMENTATION OF ESTABLISHED LOCKOUT/TAGOUT AND ISOLATION PROCEDURES WHERE APPLICABLE, AND ISSUANCE OF A PROPER ENTRY PERMIT PRIOR TO TANK/CONFINED SPACE ENTRY. 4) USE OF ATMOSPHERIC TESTING PROCEDURES TO DETERMINE THE PRESENCE OF HAZARDOUS AIR CONTAMINANTS, POTENTIAL OXYGEN DEFICIENCY AND FLAMMABLE /EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERE PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO TANK/CONFINED SPACE AND AS NEEDED PRIOR TO RE-ENTRY. 5) WHERE IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT CONFINED SPACE CONTAINS A HAZARDOUS CONCENTRATION OF AN AIR CONTAMINANT AND/OR AN OXYGEN DEFICIENCY, USE OF MECHANICALLY INDUCED VENTILATION IN THE CONFINED SPACE/TANK BEFORE ENTRY AND DURING OCCUPANCY AND/OR USE OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WHICH PROVIDES ADEQUATE PROTECTION AGAINST THE HAZARDS ENCOUNTERED. 6) PROVISIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR STANDBY OBSERVER LOCATED OUTSIDE THE CONFINED SPACE AND READILY AVAILABLE EMERGENCY STANDBY EQUIPMENT CONSISTING OF A SAFETY LINE AND HARNESS ARRANGEMENT AND A SELF- -CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS CERTIFIED BY NIOSH. 7) IMPLEMENTATION OF PERIODIC TRAINING SESSIONS RELATIVE TO CONFINED SPACE ENTRY, RESCUE AND FIRST-AID PROCEDURES.