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 methylene chloride vapors: WASTE TREATMENT AREA: EMPLOYEES WERE REQUIRED TO ENTER A CONFINED SPACE (#1 3,000-GALLON WASTE TREATMENT HOLDING TANK) CONTAINING UNKNOWN CONCENTRATIONS OF METHYLENE CHLORIDE AND/OR OXYGEN WHICH COULD RESULT IN UNCONSCIOUSNESS OR ASPHYXIATION. A FEASIBLE AND USEFUL METHOD TO ABATE THIS HAZARD IS TO FOLLOW STANDARD PROCEDURES FOR SAFE CONFINED SPACE ENTRY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: 1) ENTRY INTO THE TANK SHALL BE BY PERMIT ONLY. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE. 2) THE PERMIT SHALL BE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE TYPE OF CONFINED SPACE INVOLVED. THE PERMIT SHALL INCLUDE THINGS, SUCH AS BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING: a) LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK TO BE DONE. b) HAZARDS THAT MAY BE ENCOUNTERED. c) SPECIAL CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT. d) ATMOSPHERIC TEST READING. 1) OXYGEN LEVEL; 2) TOXIC SUBSTANCE LEVELS. e) ATMOSPHERIC MONITORING WHILE WORK IS BEING PERFORMED IN THE TANK ON A CONTINUOUS BASES. f) PERSONNEL TRAINING AND COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THE HAZARDS. g) STANDBY PERSON AS NAMED ON THE PERMIT. h) EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND LOCATION OF FIRST AID EQUIPMENT. 3) THE PERMIT SHALL BE DATED AND CARRY AN EXPIRATION TIME THAT WILL BE VALID FOR ONE SHIFT ONLY. THE PERMIT SHALL BE UPDATED FOR EACH SHIFT WITH THE SAME REQUIREMENTS. 4) WORKERS WHO ENTER THE TANK SHALL HAVE A PREPLACEMENT PHYSICAL E EXAMINATION MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM. THE EMPLOYER SHALL PROVIDE THE PHYSICIAN PERFORMING OR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM INFORMATION, SUCH AS THE TYPE OF CONFINED SPACE THE EMPLOYEE MAY BE REQUIRED TO ENTER, THE TYPE OF SUBSTANCES THE EMPLOYEE MAY ENCOUNTER, AND A DESCRIPTION OF ANY PROTECTIVE DEVICES OR EQUIPMENT THE EMPLOYEE MAY BE REQUIRED TO USE. 5) PERSONNEL WHO WORK IN THE VICINITY OF THE WASTE TREATMENT TANKS SHALL BE MADE AWARE OF THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE CONFINED SPACES DURING ORIENTATION. 6) PERSONNEL WHO ARE REQUIRED TO WORK IN THESE CONFINED SPACES, OR IN SUPPORT OF THOSE WORKING IN THESE CONFINED SPACES SHALL HAVE ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS; a) EMERGENCY ENTRY AND EXIT PROCEDURES; b) FIRST AID; c) SAFETY EQUIPMENT USE; d) RESCUE AND TRAINING DRILLS DESIGNED TO MAINTAIN PROFICIENCY SHALL BE GIVEN AT LEAST ANNUALLY. e) PERMIT SYSTEM; f) PROPER WORK PRACTICES TO BE USED IN A CONFINED SPACE. 7) ENTRY INTO THE TANK IS PROHIBITED UNTIL INITIAL TESTING OF THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BEEN DONE FROM THE OUTSIDE. APPROPRIATE TESTS SHALL BE MADE TO INSURE THAT THE ATMOSPHERE IS SAFE. THE TESTS PERFORMED SHALL INCLUDE THOSE FOR OXYGEN CONTENT AND TOXIC MATERIALS. ANY NECESSARY ADDITIONAL TESTS WILL BE SELECTED AND PERFORMED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE QUALIFIED PERSON. MONITORING SHALL BE DONE ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS. 8) INSTRUMENTS USED FOR TESTING THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE TANK SHALL BE CALIBRATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S GUIDELINES OR MANUALS. EACH CALIBRATION SHALL BE RECORDED, FILED BY THE EMPLOYER, AND AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION FOR ONE YEAR AFTER THE LAST CALIBRATION DATE. 9) THE PERCENTAGE OF OXYGEN FOR ENTRY INTO A CONFINED SPACE SHALL BE NO LESS THAN 19.5% NOR GREATER THAN 25%. 10) ALL ENTRANCES TO THE CONFINED SPACE SHALL BE POSTED. SIGNS SHALL INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: DANGER CONFINED SPACE ENTRY BY PERMIT ONLY 11) EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, INCLUDING PHONE NUMBERS OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SHALL BE POSTED CONSPICUOUSLY WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE WASTE TREATMENT TANK OR AT THE TELEPHONE FROM WHICH HELP WOULD BE SUMMONED. 12) THE EMPLOYER SHALL MAINTAIN A WRITTEN RECORD OF TRAINING, INCLUDING SAFETY DRILLS, INSPECTIONS, TESTS AND MAINTENANCE. 13) RESCUE PROCEDURES SHALL BE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR ENTRY INTO THE TANK. 14) THERE SHALL BE A TRAINED STANDBY PERSON ASSIGNED TO THE TANK WHENEVER ENTRY IS PLANNED. THE STANDBY PERSON WILL MAINTAIN UNOBSTRUCTED LIFELINES AND COMMUNICATIONS TO ALL WORKERS WITHIN THE CONFINED SPACE, AND TO SUMMON RESCUE PERSONNEL IF NECESSARY. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL THE STANDBY PERSON ENTER THE CONFINED SPACE UNTIL HE/SHE IS RELIEVED AND IS ASSURED THAT ADEQUATE ASSISTANCE IS PRESENT HOWEVER, WHILE AWAITING RESCUE PERSONNEL, THE STANDBY PERSON WILL MAKE RESUCE ATTEMPTS UTILIZING THE LIFELINES FROM OUTSIDE THE CONFINED SPACE. RESCUE TEAMS ENTERING THE TANK SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH ALL THE AFOREMENTIONED SAFETY EQUIPMENT OF THE STANDBY PERSON AND REQUIRED LIFELINES. 15) WORKERS WHO ENTER THE TANK SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH SAFETY BELTS, LIFELINES AND HARNESS AT A MINIMUM. ADDITIONAL PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SHALL BE REQUIRED WHENEVER THE CONDITIONS AND THE OPERATION BEING CONDUCTED WOULD WARRANT THEIR USE. THE NEED FOR RESPIRATORY PROTECTION SHALL BE DETERMINED BY A QUALIFIED PERSON. 16) THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS, PLUS ALL OTHER STANDARD RELATING THE CONFINED SPACE ENTRY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THOSE LISTED IN WORKING IN CONFINED SPACES BY NIOSH (PUBLICATION NO. 80-106) SHALL BE COMPLIED WITH WHEN ENTERING CONFINED SPACES. CONFINED SPACES AT THIS LOCATION INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE WASTE TREATMENT TANKS.