Lexington Division of Fire and Emergency Services
Confined Space ManualMay 2008
Lexington Division of Fire and Emergency Services
Special Operations Command
Confined Space Manual
May 2008
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Lexington Division of Fire and Emergency Services
Confined Space ManualMay 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Lexington Division of Fire and Emergency Services
Confined Space ManualMay 2008
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
INTRODUCTION...... 1
CERTIFICATION MAINTENANCE...... 1
BACKGROUND...... 2
HAZARDS...... 4
OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS...... 8
CONFINED SPACE TASK OPERATIONS...... 15
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Confined Space ManualMay 2008
VII. CONFINED SPACE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM......
VIII. Appendices......
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I. INTRODUCTION
Purpose
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Confined Space ManualMay 2008
The purpose of this document is to establish standards for organization, safety,
training and operations of confined space operations.
Authority
The Department in accordance with Department Standard Operating Procedures
SOP 572.17
Kentucky’s governing body is Kentucky Occupational Safety & Health (KOSH) as
mandated by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) section 29
CFR 1910.146.
Intent
The intent of this manual is to provide all members a reference material that
establishes department standards that lead to effectively mitigating confined space
emergencies. It is further understood that this document was developed based on
safety considerations for both victim(s) and rescuer(s) in accordance with OSHA
standards.
Due to the potential hazards involved at a confined space operation, the procedures
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outlined in this manual shallpersonnel and victim(s).
be followed to ensure the safety of all emergency
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II. CERTIFICATION MAINTENANCE
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To maintain certification, personnel must follow the guidelines established in the
Technical Rescue Operations Manual. OSHA code 29 CFR 1910.146 (k)(2)(iv) further
requires:
“Employees practice making permit space rescues at least once every 12
months, by means of simulated rescue operations in which they remove
dummies, manikins, or actual persons from the actual permit space or from
representative permit space”.
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III. BACKGROUND
Definition
Confined Space — A space that has the following characteristics:
It is configured so that a person can enter and perform assigned work.
Has limited or restricted means of entry or exit.
Is not designed for continuous human occupancy.
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A Permit Required Confined Space may also have one or more of the following
characteristics:
Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere.
Contains a material that has the potential for engulfment or entrapment.
Has an internal configuration such as that an entrant could be trapped or
asphyxiated by inward converging walls or by a floor that slopes downward and
tapers to a smaller cross section.
Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.
Overview of the Problem
A variety of circumstances exist that cause confined space rescue operations to be
dangerous, difficult and confusing. A confined space that appears to be harmless can
deceive an untrained rescuer, luring them into a potentially fatal situation. Over fifty
percent of deaths in confined space are rescuers. Even after National Institute of
Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) put out and alert of the dangers of confined space
the death rate for rescuers climbed to 60%. Potential for new incidents are increasing
because of:
New utilities being built underground.
Maintenance and repairs of existing underground utilities and storage spaces.
Increased entry into confined space by construction workers, industrial workers, and
utility company personnel and public works employees on adaily basis.
Lack of formal training in confined space hazards and safe work practices in industry
or the private sector.
Unauthorized or accidental entries by mischievous, adventurous or unlucky
individuals.
The infrequency of confined space situations result in limited experience upon which
to base operational decisions.
Lack of formalized training for the rescuers:
Situations can easily develop which are beyond the team’s capability.
Relatively simple rescue situations become complex when they occur within a
confined space.
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III. BACKGROUND
Problem Sites
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The following areas are examples that may present a potentially hazardous situation and
should be treated as a confined space:
Manholes
Utility vaults
Tunnels
Sewer systems, storm/sanitary
Wells/cisterns
Trench/excavations
Open pits
Sump pits/sump rooms
Silos
Storage bins
Hoppers
Brewer vats
Septic tanks
Caves/ mines
Tank cars
Reaction vessels
Industrial smoke stacks/chimneys/boilers
Collapsed structures- below grade basements
Cold storage facilities
Large industrial transformers
Ship holds
Auto repair lift pits
Water treatment plants- carbon tanks, diffusers
Sanitary sewer pumping station
Blind elevator shafts/ elevator pits
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IV. HAZARDS
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Each confined space has its own specific problems and hazards. In order to protect
personnel from being injured or killed they must be well trained and understand the
hazards they encounter. The hazards can be categorized into two parts:
Atmospheric hazards
Physical/Mechanical hazards
Atmospheric Hazards
Atmospheric hazards are not easily seen, smelled, heard or felt and can represent deadly
risks to those who must work around or enter confined spaces. Rescuers must realize
that a 1% drop in oxygen may indicated and increase of 10,000 PPM of another
substance.
Oxygen Deficient or Enriched
Any atmosphere containing less than 19.5 percent oxygen by volume is considered
oxygen deficient. Any atmosphere containing more than 23.5 percent oxygen by volume
is considered oxygen enriched. Oxygen concentrations can change for four main reasons.
Consumption:
Combustion operations such as furnaces, smoke stacks and boilers. The exposed
area can remain low in oxygen long after fire and combustion operations are over.
Bacterial action in oxygen rich sewer systems. An aerobic bacterium eats the
oxygen.
Fermentation actions such as those in brewer vats, grain silos and feed storage bins.
Chemical reaction such as the slow oxidation process, which takes place during
rusting of steel and iron tanks, consumes oxygen.
Displacement:
Gases that form within a confined space such as the build up of CO2 and methane in
sewer systems, silos, vats, bins and hoppers, displace oxygen.
Gases introduced from outside the space such as leaking storage tanks or pipelines
and illegal dumping.
Purging operations.
Absorption:
Oxygen can be absorbed by a second substance/product such as in carbon storage
tanks and activated charcoal filtering systems
Enrichment:
An atmosphere containing more than 23.5% of oxygen is considered oxygen
enriched and enhances the flammability of combustibles.
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IV. HAZARDS
Flammable/Combustible Atmosphere
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OSHA regulation states that a flammable/combustible atmosphere is present when
flammable gas, vapor or mist is present in excess of 10 percent of the lower flammable
limits (LFL) or the LEL. These atmospheres can occur for the following reasons.
Biological:
Decaying vegetation/ organic matter which produces methane
Fermentation process such as those in wine vats, storage bins, grain elevators also
produce methane.
Anaerobic bacterial systems such as those in sewer systems, sewage treatment
plants and sanitary landfills have a bacterial metabolic process to deprive area of
oxygen and produce methane.
Normal Product Storage:
Where storage of flammable liquids, chemicals and toxins are in a confined space.
Maintenance Procedures:
Paints, solvents and residue created.
Cleaning, scaling and painting processes.
Inappropriate Presence:
Illegal dumping.
Storage tank leakage entering into a confined space enclosures.
Ruptured pipeline breaks resulting in a product entering a confined space.
Airborne Combustible Dust:
An atmosphere is considered hazardous when it has a concentration of combustible
dust that meets or exceeds its lower explosive limits. This condition may be
approximated as a condition in which dust obscures vision at a distance of five feet
or less.
Toxic Atmospheres
A substance is considered toxic if the concentrate or dose exceeds the permissible
exposure limit as published in Subpart G, Occupational Health and Environmental
Control, or in Subpart Z, Toxic and hazardous Substances. Each toxic substance has its
own unique guidelines and are too numerous to list.
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IV. HAZARDS
Toxic Atmospheres (continued)
Naturally Occurring – Biological Decay:
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Hydrogen Sulfide – Results from the natural decomposition of sulfur bearing organic
matter. Concentrations in raw sewage are high. Virtually as toxic as hydrogen
cyanide. Recognized as a major hazard in the oil refining and sewage treatment
industries. Has a classic rotten egg odor. Rotten egg odor may not be present at
high concentrations due to paralysis of the olfactory nerve, which controls the sense
of smell.
CO2– Found in aerobic bacteria systems, which produce CO2 as an end product of
its metabolic process.
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Methane –
Becomes a simple asphyxiate in high concentrations. Can be found in
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areas such as sewers, storage bins, grain elevators, caves, wells and mines.
Normal Product Storage and Operation:
Carbon Monoxide - One of the most common asphyxiates encountered in industry.
Sulfur Dioxide – Is the manufacturing by product in some industries. Particularly in
the paper and plastic industry sulfur dioxide is enormous.
Nitrogen Compounds– Widely used in various industrial applications and can affect
the respiratory tract.
Inappropriate Presence:
Illegal dumping.
Accidental introduction– pipeline/storage tank leak.
Atmospheric Considerations
Atmospheres that test or appear safe initially can suddenly change for a variety of reasons
including:
Disturbance of airflow:
During ventilation or initial opening of a confined space can disturb the natural
airflow.
Humidity and Temperature:
Change in temperature and/or humidity can affect the atmosphere.
Depletion of Oxygen:
Oxygen levels can become fatally low in a brief period of time in a confined space.
Do not be lulled into a false sense of security by the presence of a conscious patient.
The oxygen levels within the confined space may not support needs of additional
persons (rescuers) entering the confined space. The carbon dioxide from exhaled
breath can displace the available oxygen.
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IV. HAZARDS
Atmospheric Considerations (continued)
Maintenance Operations:
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Scaling operations used to remove loose rust and sediment from tanks. The
petroleum industry has experienced instances where storage tanks were rinsed and
vented for several days. They were tested with monitoring devices that indicated no
hazardous atmosphere. When workers began scaling operations, oxygen deficiency
arose or flammable vapors were released and/or ignited.
Disturbance of Residue:
Maintenance workers or rescuers disturb sediment and/or sludge, which may
release flammable or toxic vapors.
Stratification of Gases:
Due to vapor densities the atmosphere may result in multiple gases at different
levels within the space. This will directly influence the ventilation and monitoring
techniques.
Physical/Mechanical Hazards
The type of physical/mechanical hazard will depend on the specific space encountered
and its primary function. The following are examples of the physical/mechanical hazards
that may be present in or around a confined space:
Electrical
High Water
Steam
Collapse
Smoke/fire
Darkness
Animals, Insects, Reptiles
Moving parts/operating machinery
Flowing product/Engulfment
Unstable contents
Slippery surfaces
Tapered floors/ Converging walls
Hypothermia
Thermal
High Noise Levels
Vibrations
Exposure to Raw Sewage/ Chemicals
Limitations of Rescuers, Skills, Equipment
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V. OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS
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This portion of the confined space manual is written to provide all members with a
reference manual that establishes department standards for effective procedures at
confined space operations. Due to the potential hazards involved at a confined space
operation, the procedures outlined in this manual must be followed to ensure the safety
of all emergency personnel and victim(s).
First Responders
Establish Command.
Size-up:
Recognize that a confined space emergency exists.
Gather information from onsite contacts:
Confined space permit
Number and location of victims
Type of confined space
On site preplans
Determine nature of the emergency:
Trapped
Lost/unaccounted
Injured/medical problem
Body recovery
Site control and scene management:
Isolate the space and deny entry.
Establish hot zone of 150 feet in diameter.
Establish staging area for incoming units.
Position non-SOC/TR apparatus outside of the hot zone.
Maintain access for the SOC/TR apparatus.
Control utilities that negatively affect victim (i.e. leaking gas, flowing water or
product, operating machinery, etc.).
Request/confirm resources
As every emergency is different, the situation will dictate the need for additional
resources.
Technical Rescue Response
Utility company
Hazardous materials team
Specialized equipment
Research capabilities
Special PPE
Decon if necessary
Police department assistance
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V. OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS
First Responders (continued)
Recognize and identify hazards:
Hazardous or potential hazardous atmospheres.
Hazardous materials.
Temperature extremes.
Physical and mechanical hazards.
Establish communications with victim(s).
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Communications should only be attempted if it can be done without entering the
space. All personnel approaching the entrance to the space to make contact shall
don all PPE including SCBA. Under no circumstance shall any part of the first
responder enter the space.
SOC/TR Operations
Report to command.
Recon the site.
Institute the Technical Rescue Operations Incident Command System.
As outlined in the Technical Rescue Operations Manual.
Develop action plan:
Evaluate actions and information gathered by the first responder.
Evaluate the confined space permit if applicable.
Answer the following questions:
What is normally stored in the confined space?
What operations are normally performed in the confined space?
What atmosphere could be formed in the confined space?
What has been done differently in the current operation as compared to normal
operations?
Risk benefit analysis– viability of victim/rescuers safety.
Note weather and time of day.
Consult any available preplans:
Blue prints, maps, on site resources.
Number of entry points.
MSDA sheets.
Confined Space Rescue Pre-plan.
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V. OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS
SOC/TR Operations (continued)
Request additional resources as needed:
Light and air unit
Additional technical rescue units/personnel
Cranes, back hoe, etc
Heating/cooling units
Industrial purging systems
Shelter
Rehab supplies
Haz-Mat Unit
Re-assess apparatus positioning:
Ensure exhaust from apparatus not contributing to the problem.
Ensure all nonSOC/TR units are clear of the site.
Ensure the scene is accessible for additional TROT resources.
Team Briefing:
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Clearly define the incident action plan to all rescue team members. The plan and
briefing should include the following:
Site description, including illustration.
Team assignments for the operation.
Personal protective gear requirements.
Communication plan.
Rehabilitation/decontamination procedures.
Emergency evacuation signals and procedures.
Pre-entry Procedures:
Rescue Officer (entry supervisor) fills out entry permit
Monitoring:
Approach entry point in full PPE and on breathing air.
Monitor space as described in the monitoring procedures under the Task
Operations Section.
Ventilation:
Begin ventilation as early as possible but not prior to initial monitoring being
completed.
Consider the potential for changing UEL atmosphere into and explosive
atmosphere due to the ventilation.
Consider using on site ventilation system if they are safe to use to supplement
ventilating the space.
Open all openings to the confined space to assist the ventilation process
Use positive pressure ventilation.
Set up fan as described in the ventilation procedures under the task operations
section.
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V. OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS
SOC/TR Operations (continued)
Lockout/tag out:
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