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: The hazard of entering a confined space by maintenance workers when making repairs to piping in tunnels under the floor which could become flooded with sulfur dioxide vapors from leaking pipes or vapors coming from the treatment room causing asphyxiation or possible death. The hazard would be caused by the inadequate or improper mechanical exhausting of the tunnel or the lack of the introduction of adequate fresh air supply in the total combined tunnel length of about 600 feet long by 7 feet high by 4 to 5 feet wide. The piping in the tunnel carries plating fluids back to the treatment room. Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods to correct this hazard would be to write and implement a confined space entry procedure. This procedure should include instruments which would be used to sensor oxygen content, sulfur dioxide and other as required. It should also include the use of 10 minute air emergency escape respirators and standby persons. Exhausting of the tunnel air should be controlled and operated so as to remove toxic vapors away from occupants in the tunnel and adequate fresh air supply provided.