Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 003 Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(5)(i): The employer did not test conditions in the permit space to determine if acceptable entry conditions exist before entry is authorized to begin, except that, if isolation of the space is infeasible because the space is large or is part of a continuous system (such as a sewer), pre-entry testing shall be performed to the extent feasible before entry is authorized and, if entry is authorized, entry conditions shall be continuously monitored in the areas where authorized entrants are working; On or about January 11, 2023, an employee entered a vertical heat treating vessel to perform a quality assurance test, in a permit-required confined space. The space exposed the employee to a hazardous nitrogen atmosphere. The employer did not test the conditions on the vessel to ensure there was a safe level of oxygen present. The employee lost consciousness almost immediately upon entering the space and fell approximately 7 feet. Abatement documentation is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).