EXCAVATION &

TRENCHING
COMPETENT PERSON COURSE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE
2
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Printing and Saving Instructions

TLC recommends that you download and save this pdf document and
assignment to your computer desktop and open it with Adobe Acrobat
DC reader.

Adobe Acrobat DC reader is a free computer software program and you

can find it at Adobe Acrobat’s website.

You can complete the course by viewing the course on your computer
or you can print it out. This course booklet does not have the
assignment (the test). Please visit our website and download the
assignment (the test).

Printing Instructions: Once you have purchased the program, we will

give you permission to print this document. If you are going to print this
document, it was designed to be printed double-sided or duplexed but
can be printed single-sided.

Internet Link to Assignment…

http://www.abctlc.com/downloads/PDF/Competant%20Person%20Assignment.pdf

State Approval Listing Link, check to see if your State accepts or has
pre-approved this course. Not all States are listed. Not all courses are
listed. Do not solely trust our list for it may be outdated. It is your sole
responsibility to ensure this course is accepted for credit. No refunds.

Professional Engineers; Most states will accept our courses for credit
but we do not officially list the States or Agencies acceptance or
approvals.

State Approval Listing URL…

http://www.tlch2o.com/PDF/CEU%20State%20Approvals.pdf
You can obtain a printed version from TLC for an additional $69.95
plus shipping charges.

All downloads are electronically tracked and monitored for security

purposes.

3
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
4
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
United States Library of Congress Number TX 6-600-030
ISBN 978-0-9799928-9-6
All Rights Reserved.

Some States and many employers require the final exam to be proctored.

Do not solely depend on TLC’s Approval list for it may be outdated.

Most of our students prefer to do the assignment in Word and e-mail or fax the
assignment back to us. We also teach this course in a conventional hands-on class.
Call us and schedule a class today.

5
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
6
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Copyright Notice
1999-2018 Technical Learning College (TLC) No part of this work may be reproduced or distributed in
any form or by any means without TLC’s prior written approval. Permission has been sought for all
images and text where we believe copyright exists and where the copyright holder is traceable and
contactable. Other materials including text and artwork are in the public domain or fair use (the state
of belonging or being available to the public as a whole, and therefore not subject to copyright.) All
material that is not credited or acknowledged or referenced in the rear of this course is the copyright of
Technical Learning College. Most unaccredited photographs have been taken by TLC instructors or
TLC students. All written, graphic, photographic or other material is provided for educational
information only. We will be pleased to hear from any copyright holder and will make good on your
work if any unintentional copyright infringements were made as soon as these issues are brought to
the editor's attention.

This educational training course and assignment is intended for educational purposes only. Every
possible effort was made to ensure that all information provided in this course is accurate. Therefore,
Technical Learning College accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever for the application or
misuse of any information included herein.

Requests for acknowledgements or permission to make copies shall be made to the following address:

TLC
P.O. Box 3060
Chino Valley, AZ 86323

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. TLC is not liable for errors or
omissions appearing in this document.

Contributing Editors
James L. Six Received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Akron
in June of 1976, Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio, Number 45031 (Retired), Class
IV Water Supply Operator issued by Ohio EPA, Number WS4-1012914-08, Class II Wastewater
Collection System Operator issued by Ohio EPA, Number WC2-1012914-94

Joseph Camerata has a BS in Management with honors (magna cum laude). He retired as a Chemist
in 2006 having worked in the field of chemical, environmental, and industrial hygiene sampling and
analysis for 40 years. He has been a professional presenter at an EPA analytical conference at the
Biosphere in Arizona and a presenter at an AWWA conference in Mesa, Arizona. He also taught safety
classes at the Honeywell and City of Phoenix, and is a motivational/inspirational speaker nationally
and internationally.

James Bevan, Water Quality Inspector S.M.E. Twenty years of experience in the environmental field
dealing with all aspects of water regulations on the federal, state, and local levels. Experience in the
water/wastewater industry includes operation of a wastewater facility, industrial pretreatment program
compliance sampling, cross-connection control program management, storm water management,
industrial and commercial facility inspections, writing inspection reports for industry, and technical
reports per EPA permit requirements. Teacher and Proctor in Charge for Backflow Certification Testing
at the ASETT Center in Tucson for the past 15 years and possess an Arizona Community College,
Special Teaching Certificate in Environmental Studies. Extensive knowledge and experience in college
course and assignment/assessment writing.

Dr. Pete Greer S.M.E., Retired biology instructor, chemistry and biological review.

Jack White, Environmental, Health, Safety expert, City of Phoenix. Art Credits.

7
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
8
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
NOTICE
THIS MATERIAL WAS PREPARED BY TECHNICAL LEARNING COLLEGE.
THIS PUBLICATION IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE BASIC INFORMATION IN THE
REGARD TO THE SUBJECT OF AWARENESS ONLY.

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IS NOT DESIGNED TO INTERPRET THE

FEDERAL RULES OR STATE LAWS, STANDARDS, RULES OR REGULATIONS
OR TO REPLACE THE LEGAL ADVICE OF AN ATTORNEY.

TECHNICAL LEARNING COLLEGE WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBLY FOR

ANY INJURIES, DEATHS, OR TO DAMAGE PROPERTY, REAL OR
OTHERWISE CONNECTED TO THIS TRAINING.

EXCAVATION WORK IS VERY DANGEROUS. IF THERE IS ANY MATERIAL

WHICH YOU DO NOT CLEARLY UNDERSTAND, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
TO HAVE THOSE AREAS EXPLAINED TO YOU BY YOUR SUPERVISOR.

TECHNICAL LEARNING COLLEGE AND THE INSTRUCTOR ARE NOT

RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY PERSONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE OR FOR
YOUR COMPANY'S SAFETY POLICES OR PROCEDURES.

TECHNICAL LEARNING COLLEGE IS NOT LIABLE IN ANY WAY FOR ANY

INJURIES, DEATHS, LOSS OF WAGES, OR LOSS OF PROPERTY.

I HAVE READ THE ABOVE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS ONLY A

TRAINING AWARENESS OR REVIEW SESSION.

I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT EXCAVATION WORK IS VERY DANGEROUS

AND THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW AND FOLLOW ALL
PERTINENT SAFETY POLICES AND PROCEDURES.

NAME: _________________________________________DATE: ____________

Submit this document with your assignment.

9
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
10
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Technical Learning College’s Scope and Function
Welcome to the Program,

Technical Learning College (TLC) offers affordable continuing education for today’s working
professionals who need to maintain licenses or certifications. TLC holds several different
governmental agency approvals for granting of continuing education credit.

TLC’s delivery method of continuing education can include traditional types of classroom
lectures and distance-based courses or independent study. TLC’s distance based or
independent study courses are offered in a print - based distance educational format. We
will beat any other training competitor’s price for the same CEU material or classroom
training.

Our courses are designed to be flexible and for you do finish the material on your leisure.
Students can also receive course materials through the mail. The CEU course or e-manual
will contain all your lessons, activities and instruction to obtain the assignments. All of TLC’s
CEU courses allow students to submit assignments using e-mail or fax, or by postal mail.
(See the course description for more information.)

Students have direct contact with their instructor—primarily by e-mail or telephone. TLC’s
CEU courses may use such technologies as the World Wide Web, e-mail, CD-ROMs,
videotapes and hard copies. (See the course description.) Make sure you have access to
the necessary equipment before enrolling, i.e., printer, Microsoft Word and/or Adobe
Acrobat Reader. Some courses may require proctored closed-book exams depending upon
your state or employer requirements.

Flexible Learning
At TLC, there are no scheduled online sessions or passwords you need contend with, nor
are you required to participate in learning teams or groups designed for the "typical" younger
campus based student. You can work at your own pace, completing assignments in time-
frames that work best for you. TLC's method of flexible individualized instruction is designed
to provide each student the guidance and support needed for successful course completion.

Course Structure
TLC's online courses combine the best of online delivery and traditional university
textbooks. You can easily find the course syllabus, course content, assignments, and the
post-exam (Assignment). This student friendly course design allows you the most flexibility
in choosing when and where you will study.

Classroom of One
TLC offers you the best of both worlds. You learn on your own terms, on your own time, but
you are never on your own. Once enrolled, you will be assigned a personal Student Service
Representative who works with you on an individualized basis throughout your program of
study. Course specific faculty members (S.M.E.) are assigned at the beginning of each
course providing the academic support you need to successfully complete each course.
Please call or email us for assistance.

11
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Satisfaction Guaranteed
We have many years of experience, dealing with thousands of students. We assure you,
our customer satisfaction is second to none. This is one reason we have taught more than
20,000 students.

We welcome you to do the electronic version of the assignment and submit the answer key
and registration to us either by fax or e-mail. If you need this assignment graded and a
certificate of completion within a 48-hour turn around, prepare to pay an additional rush
charge of $50.

We welcome you to complete the assignment in Word.

Once we grade it, we will mail a certificate of completion to you. Call us

if you need any help.

Contact Numbers
Fax (928) 468-0675
Email [email protected]
Telephone (866) 557-1746

12
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Course Description
EXCAVATION & TRENCHING CEU TRAINING COURSE
Review of the dangers of trenching and excavation and related safety fundamentals. This
course will cover the basic requirements of OSHA’s Competent Person 29 CFR 1926.650
Subpart F and other related federal safety rules. The Competent Person Program, as it is
called, will require formal training and on-the-job experience.

The intent of the course is to ensure a qualified workforce and reduce the possibility of
incidents caused by human error.

You will not need any other materials for this course.

Final Examination for Credit

Opportunity to pass the final comprehensive examination is limited to three attempts per
course enrollment.

Course Procedures for Registration and Support

All of Technical Learning College’s correspondence courses have complete registration and
support services offered. Delivery of services will include, e-mail, web site, telephone, fax
and mail support. TLC will attempt immediate and prompt service.

When a student registers for a distance or correspondence course, he/she is assigned a

start date and an end date. It is the student's responsibility to note dates for assignments
and keep up with the course work. If a student falls behind, he/she must contact TLC and
request an end date extension in order to complete the course. It is the prerogative of TLC
to decide whether to grant the request.

All students will be tracked by a unique number assigned to the student.

Instructions for Written Assignments

The Excavation & Trenching Training CEU training course (Competent Person) uses a fill-
in-the-blank and multiple choice answer key.

You can write your answers in this manual or type out your own answer key. TLC would
prefer that you type out and e-mail the final exam to TLC, but it is not required.

Feedback Mechanism (examination procedures)

Each student will receive a feedback form as part of their study packet. You will find this
form in the front of the course assignment or lesson.

Security and Integrity

All students are required to do their own work. All lesson sheets and final exams are not
returned to the student to discourage sharing of answers. Any fraud or deceit and the
student will forfeit all fees and the appropriate agency will be notified.

Grading Criteria
TLC will offer the student either pass/fail or a standard letter grading assignment. If TLC is
not notified, you will only receive a pass/fail notice.

Required Texts
The Excavation and Trenching CEU training course will not require any other materials.
This course comes complete.
13
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Recordkeeping and Reporting Practices
TLC will keep all student records for a minimum of seven years. It is the student’s
responsibility to give the completion certificate to the appropriate agencies.

ADA Compliance
TLC will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities.
Students should notify TLC and their instructors of any special needs.

Course content may vary from this outline to meet the needs of this particular group.

You will have 90 days from receipt of this manual to complete this course in order to receive
your Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or Professional Development Hours (PDHs). A
score of 70% or better is necessary to pass this course.

If you should need any assistance, please email all concerns and the final test to
[email protected].

Educational Mission
The educational mission of TLC is:
To provide TLC students with comprehensive and ongoing training in the theory and skills
needed for the environmental education field,

To provide TLC students with opportunities to apply and understand the theory and skills
needed for operator certification,

To provide opportunities for TLC students to learn and practice environmental educational
skills with members of the community for the purpose of sharing diverse perspectives and
experience,

To provide a forum in which students can exchange experiences and ideas related to
environmental education,

To provide a forum for the collection and dissemination of current information related to
environmental education, and to maintain an environment that nurtures academic and
personal growth.

14
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Excavation Chapter……………………………………………………………. 17
Competent Person........................................................................................ 19
Competent Person Duties………………………………………………………. 25
Personnel Protective System........................................................................ 27
Excavation Protection Systems................................................................... 29
Excavation and Trenching Guidelines........................................................ 31
Shoring Systems………………………………………………………………... 33
Aluminum Hydraulic Shoring…………………………………………………... 35
Hazards…………………………………………………………………………... 37
Shoring Diagram # 1…………………………………………………………… 39
Soil Classification........................................................................................ 53
Shoring Diagram # 2…………………………………………………………… 55
Sloping........................................................................................................ 57
Inspections................................................................................................... 59
Checklist………………………...................................................................... 61
Shoring Diagram # 3…………………………………………………………… 63
One Call Centers......................................................................................... 65
Natural Gas Safety...................................................................................... 69
Glossary…………………………………………………………………………. 71
Excavation Rule………………………………………………………………... 75
Soil Mechanics…………………………………………………………………... 85
Shoring Types…………………………………………………………………… 89
Post Quiz………………………………………………………………………... 93

Confined Space Chapter……………………………………………...……... 97

Hazardous Incident #1……………………………………………………...…... 99
Hazardous Incident #2……………………………………………...…….……. 101
Hazardous Incident #3…………………………………………………...….…... 103
Confined Space Program………………………………………………......…... 111
Confined Space Hazards…………………………………………………........ 113
Unusual Conditions...................................................................................... 119
Entry Program.............................................................................................. 121
Entry Permit.................................................................................................. 123
Duties and Responsibilities.......................................................................... 125
Entering a Confined Space......................................................................... 129
Charge of Entry............................................................................................ 133
General Rules.............................................................................................. 137
Training Requirements................................................................................. 141
Entrant’s Log................................................................................................ 143
Entry Procedure Permit................................................................................. 145
Other Hazards……........................................................................................ 147
Atmospheric Testing.................................................................................... 149
Multi Gas Meters.......................................................................................... 151
Policy Example.............................................................................................. 155
Irritant Atmospheres.................................................................................... 157

15
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Protective Clothing....................................................................................... 161
Equipment Policy Example.......................................................................... 163
Summary………………………………………………………………………... 165
Post Quiz………………………………………………………………………... 167
OSHA Construction Standard………………………………………………… 169
Post Quiz Answers………………………………………………………………. 182
References………………………………………………………………………... 183

OSHA's General Industry Regulation, §1910.146 Permit-required confined spaces,

contains requirements for practices and procedures to protect employees in general
industry from the hazards of entry into permit-required confined spaces. This
regulation does not apply to construction.

On May 4, 2015, OSHA issued a new standard for construction work in confined
spaces, which became effective August 3, 2015. Confined spaces can present
physical and atmospheric hazards that can be avoided if they are recognized and
addressed prior to entering these spaces to perform work. The new standard,
Subpart AA of 29 CFR 1926 will help prevent construction workers from being hurt
or killed by eliminating and isolating hazards in confined spaces at construction sites
similar to the way workers in other industries are already protected.

16
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Excavation and Trenching Chapter
Section Focus: You will learn the basics of proper excavation and trenching safety. At
the end of this section, you the student will be able to understand and describe commonly
found trench safety procedures and devices. There is a post quiz at the end of this section
to review your comprehension and a final examination in the Assignment for your contact
hours.

Scope/Background: The OSHA SUBPART P - 29 CFR 1926.650-652 requires the

employer to set up an excavation safety program to protect employees from cave-in and
other excavation dangers.

Competent Person - Proper person

Everybody has an idea of what this phrase means, but for somebody in the EHS field –
more specifically, for somebody whose career revolves in some way around OSHA –
“Competent Person” has a very specific two-part meaning:

A Competent Person is somebody that has both the knowledge to recognize a hazard
and the authority to correct it.

Consider the following example: You may be the most knowledgeable excavator on the
planet. You may have 25 years of experience under your belt and a degree in soil
mechanics, but if you need to pick up a phone to ask somebody to come instruct the
backhoe operator to fix the slope of his trench, you are not a Competent Person.

The converse is true as well: you could be the owner of the company strolling through the
site with everybody quaking in fear at your feet, ready to heed your every command, but if
you can’t tell that the parallel fracturing at the top edges of your excavation indicate that a
collapse is imminent, you are not a Competent Person.
17
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Normal day for an excavation professional, inadequate traffic barricades to crane
operation. Be prepared, take the time and be safe.

A large, deep un-shored, unprotected trench.

18
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
OSHA SUBPART P - 29 CFR 1926.650-652

Competent Person Introduction

Anyone who has done excavation work will tell you that once the first bucket of dirt is out of
the ground, you never know what surprises await. Tales of unmarked utilities, unexpected
rock and other nightmares are common. The greatest variable, however, is the type of
excavation or trenching will be done and how to protect yourself for a cave-in.

The OSHA excavation standard was revised because excavating is the most dangerous of
all construction operations. More workers are killed or seriously injured in and around
excavations than in any other construction work. The second reason that OSHA revised the
existing standard was to clarify the requirements.

The revised standard makes the standard easier to understand. The new standard uses
performance criteria where ever possible. This added flexibly provides employers with
options when classifying soil and when selecting methods to protect the employee from
cave-ins.

Although the standard

has been clarified and
employers have options
when meeting some of
the requirements,
employers must realize
that the employee must
be protected at all times.

Some employers have a

mindset of not needing
this training until they are
caught by OSHA, which
is equivalent to buying
car insurance only after a
car collision.

Excavation decisions will

have to be made right from the planning stages through completion of the work. Some
sections of the standard require that documentation be kept. TLC will provide a sample of
this type of documentation.

In some situations, professional engineers will be required to plan or design the excavation
and/or method of protecting the worker (such as when an excavation exceeds 20 feet in
depth).

The purpose of this session is to provide you with information about the OSHA excavation
standard. This program is not designed or intended to provide participants with all the
information, rules, regulations, and methods that they may need to know to perform all
excavation work safety. Every plan involving excavation must be studied carefully to
determine the specific hazards for each job.

19
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Supporting Utilities is mandatory.

Major OSHA Violation. Do not operate equipment in unprotected trenches. This

guy is trying hard to get to Heaven before his time is up.

20
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Excavation Facts
Every year in the United States:
 100 to 500 people are killed in an excavation cave-in.
 1000 to 5000 employees are seriously injured.

The average worker that is killed by a cave-in is a 20 to 30-year-old male who has had little
or no training at all. Most deaths occur in trenches 5 feet to 15 feet in depth.

Cave-ins cause deaths and injuries by:

 Suffocation
 Crushing
 Loss of circulation
 Falling objects

One cubic foot (12" x 12" x 12") can weigh

between 90 and 140 pounds. Therefore,
one cubic yard (3' x 3' x 3') weights as
much as a backhoe (approximately 3000
pounds).

Subpart P applies to all open excavations in

the earth's surface.
 All trenches are excavations.
 All excavations are not trenches.

21
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Notice that employees are wearing hard hats but no ladders are present. Spoil
piles are too close to the hole. Almost looks like they over did the shores for the
photograph but no ladder for miles.

Notice the ladder is partially properly tied down. Three rungs out and tied but not
staked.

22
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Competent Person - Defined
Competent person means one who is capable of identifying existing hazards in the
surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to
employees and has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.

In order to be a "Competent Person" for the purpose of this standard, one must have
specific training in and be knowledgeable about soils analysis, the use of protective systems
and the requirements of 29 CFR Part 1926.650-652 Subpart P.

Rescue training exercises are essential. Everyone is required to practice once a

year. Yes, once a year.

23
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
How would you make this excavation safe to work inside? The trench is 9 feet
deep. OSHA Violations include no hard hats, no ladders, and no daily inspection
form.

24
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Competent Person Duties

 Performs daily inspections of the protective equipment, trench conditions, safety

equipment and adjacent areas.
 Inspections shall be made prior to the start of work and as needed throughout the
shift.
 Inspections shall be made after every rainstorm or other hazard occurrence.
 Knowledge of emergency contact methods, telephone or radio dispatch.
 Removes employees and all other personnel from hazardous conditions and
makes all changes necessary to ensure their safety.
 Insures all employees have proper protective equipment, hard-hats, reflective
vests, steel-toed boots, harnesses, eye protection, hearing protection and drinking
water.
 Categorize soil conditions and conduct visual and manual tests.
 Determine the appropriate protection system to be used.
 Maintain on-site records of inspections and protective systems used.
 Maintain on-site Hazard Communication program, Material Safety Data Sheets
and a Risk Management Plan, if necessary.
 Maintain current First Aid and CPR certifications. Maintain current Confined
Space certification training.

Scope of Work
1. During excavation work a competent person shall be on the job site at all times when
personnel are working within or around the excavation. This is necessary in order to
monitor soil conditions, equipment and protection systems employed.
2. The estimated locations of utility installations, such as sewer, telephone, fuel, electric,
water lines, or any other underground installation that reasonably may be expected to
be encountered during excavation work, shall be determined prior to opening an
excavation.
3. Adequate precautions shall be taken to protect employees working in excavations,
against the hazards posed by water accumulation.
4. Employees shall be protected from excavated or other materials or equipment that could
pose a hazard by falling or rolling into excavations. Protection shall be provided by
placing and keeping such material or equipment at least two (2') feet from the edge of
excavations.
5. A stairway, ladder, or ramp shall be used as a means of access or egress in trench
excavations that are four (4') feet or more in depth. The ladder(s), stairway(s), or ramp shall
be spaced so that no employee in the trench excavation is more than twenty-five (25') feet
from a means of egress. When ladder(s) are employed, the top of the ladder shall extend
a minimum of three (3') feet above the ground and shall be properly secured.
6. When excavations are exposed to vehicular traffic, each employee shall wear a warning
vest made with reflective material or highly visibility material. All personnel within the
construction area shall wear a hard-hat at all times.
7. Employees shall not be permitted underneath loads handled by lifting or digging
equipment. Employees shall be required to stand away from any vehicle being loaded
or unloaded to avoid being struck by any spillage or falling materials.
8. In excavations where oxygen deficiency or gaseous conditions exist, or could be
reasonably expected to exist, air in the excavation shall be tested.
9. Where oxygen deficiency (atmospheres containing less than 19.5 percent oxygen)
exists, the area must be continuously ventilated until the oxygen levels are above 19.5
percent.

25
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
10. Where a gaseous condition exists, the area shall be ventilated until the flammable gas
concentration is below 20 percent of the lower flammable limit.
11. Whenever oxygen deficiency or gaseous conditions exist or could reasonably exist, the
area shall be monitored continuously to assure that employees are protected.
12. Where the stability of adjoining buildings, walls or other structures are endangered by
excavation operations, support systems such as shoring, bracing, or underpinning shall
be provided to ensure the stability of such structures for the protection of employees.
13. Sidewalks, pavement and appurtenant structures shall not be undermined unless a
support system such as shoring is provided to protect employees from the possible
collapse of such structures.

Always wait for the buried utilities to be marked before excavation begins. Believe
it or not, this crew dug 9 feet deep before the Locator showed up and marked fiber
optics in the same trench.

Notice that the employees do not have hard hats, ladders, or any protective
systems. Major OSHA violations.

26
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Personnel Protective Systems
Employees in excavations shall be protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective
system, which shall be inspected by a competent person.

The use of protective systems is required for all excavations, in excess of five (5') feet,
except when excavation is within stable rock.

Trench excavation less than five (5') feet in depth may not require the use of protective
systems, unless there is evidence of a potential cave-in. The competent person shall
determine the need for the use of protective systems when such conditions exist.

When sloping, benching or protective systems are required, refer to requirements in CFR
1926.652 (OSHA Construction Standards).

Whenever support systems, shield systems, or other protective systems are being used, a
copy of the manufacturer's specifications, recommendations, and limitations sheet shall be
in written form and maintained at the job site.

This poor soul is probably going to be a short timer here on earth. He is sitting on
the sewer main in a bell shaped hole under a steel plate which cars are driving over.
No protection at all. There was a ladder in the trench was about 50 feet away. He
wouldn’t make it out of a cave-in unless he had wings.

27
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Posing a Hazard
Excavation below the level of the base or footing of any foundation or retaining wall that
could be reasonably expected to pose a hazard to employees shall not be permitted except
when:

(i) A support system, such as underpinning, is provided to ensure the safety of employees
and the stability of the structure; or

(ii) The excavation is in stable rock; or

(iii) A registered professional engineer has approved the determination that the structure is
sufficiently removed from the excavation so as to be unaffected by the excavation activity;
or

(iv) A registered professional engineer has approved the determination that such excavation
work will not pose a hazard to employees.

28
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Excavation Protection Systems
The three basic protective systems for excavations and trenches are sloping and benching
systems, shoring, and shields. The protective systems shall have the capacity to resist
without failure all loads that are intended or could reasonably be expected to be applied to
or transmitted to the system. Every employee in an excavation shall be protected from cave-
ins by an adequate protective system.

Exceptions to Using Protective System:

 Excavations are made entirely in stable rock.
 Excavations are less than 5 feet deep and declared safe by a competent person.

Sloping and Benching Systems

There are four options for sloping:
 Slope to the angle required by the standard for Type C, which is the most unstable soil
type.
 The table provided in Appendix B of the standard may be used to determine the
maximum allowable angle (after determining the soil type).
 Tabulated data prepared by a registered professional engineer can be utilized.
 A registered professional engineer can design a sloping plan for a specific job.

Sloping and benching systems for excavations five (5) to twenty (20) feet in depth must be
constructed under the instruction of a designated competent person. Sloping and benching
systems for excavations greater than twenty (20) feet must be designed and stamped by a
registered professional engineer. Sloping and benching specifications can be found in
Appendix B of the OSHA Standard (Subpart P).

Shoring Systems
Shoring is another protective system or support system. Shoring utilizes a framework of
vertical members (uprights), horizontal members (whales), and cross braces to support the
sides of the excavation to prevent a cave-in. Metal hydraulic, mechanical or timber shoring
are common examples.

This is my favorite photo of all. Here are two men in a 30-foot-deep trench without
any protection or ladders. They are lucky to have a rope. Please do not work in
this dangerous environment.

29
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
The different examples of shoring are found in the OSHA Standard under these
appendices:

APPENDIX C - Timber Shoring for Trenches

APPENDIX D - Aluminum Hydraulic Shoring for Trenches
APPENDIX E - Alternatives to Timber Shoring

Shield Systems (Trench Boxes)

Shielding is the third method of providing a safe workplace. Unlike sloping and shoring,
shielding does not prevent a cave-in. Shields are designed to withstand the soil forces
caused by a cave-in and protect the employees inside the structure. Most shields consist of
two flat, parallel metal walls that are held apart by metal cross braces.

Shielding design and construction is not covered in the OSHA Standards. Shields must be
certified in design by a registered professional engineer and must have either a registration
plate on the shield or registration papers from the manufacturer on file at the jobsite office.

ANY REPAIRS OR MODIFICATIONS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

Safety Precautions for Shield Systems

 Shields must not have any lateral movement when installed.
 Employees will be protected from cave-ins when entering and exiting the shield
(examples - ladder within the shield or a properly sloped ramp at the end).
 Employees are not
allowed in the shield during
installation, removal, or
during any vertical
movement.
 Shields can be 2 ft.
above the bottom of an
excavation if they are
designed to resist loads at
the full depth and if there are
no indications of caving
under or behind the shield.
 The shield must extend
at least 18 inches above the
point where proper sloping
begins (the height of the
shield must be greater than the depth of the excavation).
 The open end of the shield must be protected from the exposed excavation wall. The
wall must be sloped, shored, or shielded. Engineer designed end plates can be mounted
on the ends of the shield to prevent cave-ins.

Personal Protective Equipment

It is OSHA policy for you to wear a hard hat, safety glasses, and work boots on the jobsite.
Because of the hazards involved with excavations, other personal protective equipment
may be necessary, depending on the potential hazards present (examples-goggles, gloves,
and respiratory equipment).

30
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Excavation & Trenching Guidelines
This section outlines procedures and guidelines for the protection of employees working in
and around excavations and trenches. This section requires compliance with OSHA
Standards described in Subpart P (CFR 1926.650) for the construction industry.

Safety compliance is mandatory to ensure employee protection when working in or around

excavations.

The competent person(s) must be trained in accordance with the OSHA Excavation
Standard, and all other programs that may apply (examples Hazard Communication,
Confined Space, and Respiratory Protection), and must demonstrate a thorough
understanding and knowledge of the programs and the hazards associated.

All other employees working in and around the excavation must be trained in the recognition
of hazards associated with trenching and excavating.

REFERENCES
 29 CFR 1926.650, Subpart P - Excavations
 Excavation Equipment Manufacturer Safety Procedures

31
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Trench Shields and Boxes

32
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Shoring Systems
The word Shoring means a structure such as metal hydraulic, mechanical or timber-shoring
system that supports the sides of an excavation and which is designed to prevent cave-ins.
The key to this definition is the word "supports". Unlike other protective systems, shoring is
meant by design, to exert enough force on the trench walls to prevent a cave-in.

As diagramed in the Soil

Classification Chapter of
this manual, unsupported
trench walls have vertical,
lateral and angled forces
pressing toward the
excavation.

Through proper
employment of a shoring
system, loads are placed
back within the trench
walls. In effect, the
trench walls are deceived
into "believing" that the
excavation never took
place.

Within the OSHA regulations are Appendixes C and D, with tables and limitations for use of
timber shoring and aluminum hydraulic shoring as a support system. Other shoring systems
may be used if they are accompanied by tabulated data signed by a registered professional
engineer or a specific shoring plan has been developed and signed by a registered
professional engineer.

Timber Shoring
Provisions have been made in Appendix C for the use of hardwood timber shoring systems
within different soil classifications. The timber required is a mixed oak or equivalent with a
bending strength not less than 850 psi.

Manufactured members of equivalent strength may be substituted for wood, but must also be
accompanied by tabulated data or a shoring plan developed and signed by a registered
professional engineer.

Installation of timber shoring shall begin from the top and proceed downward. In turn, removal
must begin at the bottom and proceed to the top of the trench. When acquiring timber
components, make certain that each piece meets the minimum required bending strength (850
psi) within the OSHA standards. Knots, holes or warping of each component may decrease
required strength of individual lengths.

Complete Rule and further instructions are in the rear of this manual.

33
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Carbon dioxide and argon, with specific gravities greater than air, may lie in a tank
or manhole for hours or days after opening. Since these gases are colorless and
odorless, they pose an immediate hazard to health unless appropriate oxygen
measurements and ventilation are adequately carried out.

34
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Aluminum Hydraulic Shoring Systems
Within the current OSHA Standards use Appendix D for the use of aluminum hydraulic
shoring systems. In the early 1960's a
former military airplane mechanic worked
with a utility contractor to develop a more
reliable means of shoring trench walls.
Using a design incorporating aircraft
aluminum alloys (6061-T6) and the use of
hydraulic power, a secure method was
invented that could often be installed and
removed by one person. Installation and
removal of aluminum hydraulic shoring takes
place while personnel are above the
excavation. It is the only shoring system that
renders uniform preloading on the trench
walls.

When the shores are hydraulically activated

to the same pressure (psi) shown on the
pump gauge, then each cylinder is exerting a
uniform axial compressive load on the trench
walls. For many types of cohesive soils, the
load is dispersed within the trench walls into
an arching effect. It is from this arching
effect, used in conjunction with the rail
strengths, that the horizontal and vertical distance between crossbraces (hydraulic
cylinders) is calculated.

When using aluminum hydraulic shoring systems, maintain a copy of the manufacturer's
tabulated data on the jobsite (see sample within manual). If that data is not available, use
the tables in Appendix D of the OSHA excavation standards. Deviation from the
specifications, recommendations and limitations issued by the manufacturer, other than the
use of Appendix D, shall only be allowed after the manufacturer issues specific written
approval. A competent person can use manufacturers' data in the design of an excavation
safety plan.

Key Definitions
EXCAVATION. An Excavation is any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an
earth surface that is formed by earth removal. A Trench is a narrow excavation (in relation
to its length) made below the surface of the ground. In general, the depth of a trench is
greater than its width, and the width (measured at the bottom) is not greater than 15 ft (4.6
m). If a form or other structure installed or constructed in an excavation reduces the distance
between the form and the side of the excavation to 15 ft (4.6 m) or less (measured at the
bottom of the excavation), the excavation is also considered to be a trench.
HAZARDOUS ATMOSPHERE is an atmosphere that, by reason of being explosive,
flammable, poisonous, corrosive, oxidizing, irritating, oxygen-deficient, toxic, or otherwise
harmful, may cause death, illness, or injury to persons exposed to it.
INGRESS AND EGRESS mean "entry" and "exit," respectively. In trenching and excavation
operations, they refer to the provision of safe means for employees to enter or exit an
excavation or trench.
PROTECTIVE SYSTEM refers to a method of protecting employees from cave-ins, from
material that could fall or roll from an excavation face or into an excavation, and from the
35
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
collapse of adjacent structures. Protective systems include support systems, sloping and
benching systems, shield systems, and other systems that provide the necessary
protection.

OSHA Violation. Never utilize bent, cracked, or hydraulic shores as a ladder. Every
one of these shores had a serious defect. Bent cross braces are not braces, they
are hinges. Any bent or deformed structural member must be repaired or replaced
according to the manufacturers’ guidelines. We like to point out the fact that if an
employee is injured or killed, you probably will be charged with a criminal offense
as well as an OSHA violation. We have seen criminal fines in the million dollar range
with prison sentences to boot.

36
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Hazards
One of the reasons OSHA requires a
competent person on-site during
excavation & trenching are the
numerous potential hazardous that may
be encountered or created. Hazards
include:
Electrocution
Gas Explosion
Entrapment
Struck by equipment
Suffocation

Hazard Controls
Before any work is performed and
before any employees enter the excavation, a number of items must be checked and
insured:
 Before any excavation, underground installations must be determined. This can be
accomplished by either contacting the local utility companies or the local "one-call' center
for the area. All underground utility locations must be documented on the proper forms. All
overhead hazards (surface encumbrances) that create a hazard to employees must be
removed or supported to eliminate the hazard.
 If the excavation is to be over 20 feet deep, it must be designed by a registered
professional engineer who is registered in the state where the work will be performed.
 Adequate protective systems will be utilized to protect employees. This can be
accomplished through sloping, shoring, or shielding.
 The worksite must be analyzed in order to design adequate protection systems and
prevent cave-ins. There must also be an excavation safety plan developed to protect
employees.
 Workers must be supplied with, and wear, any personal protective equipment deemed
necessary to assure their protection.
 All spoil piles will be stored a minimum of two (2) feet from the sides of the excavation.
The spoil pile must not block the safe means of egress.
 If a trench or excavation is 4 feet or deeper, stairways, ramps, or ladders will be used
as a safe means of access and egress. For trenches, the employee must not have to travel
any more than 25 feet of lateral travel to reach the stairway, ramp, or ladder.
 No employee will work in an excavation where water is accumulating unless adequate
measures are used to protect the employees.
 A competent person will inspect all excavations and trenches daily, prior to employee
exposure or entry, and after any rainfall, soil change, or any other time needed during the
shift. The competent person must take prompt measures to eliminate any and all hazards.
 Excavations and trenches 4 feet or deeper that have the potential for toxic substances
or hazardous atmospheres will be tested at least daily. If the atmosphere is inadequate,
protective systems will be utilized.
 If work is in or around traffic, employees must be supplied with and wear orange
reflective vests. Signs and barricades must be utilized to ensure the safety of employees,
vehicular traffic, and pedestrians.

37
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
OSHA Violation--No ladders, but the best part is the homemade trench box using
waterlines as the cross-braces. Remember, trench boxes and shields are a
manufactured and engineered safety device that cannot be modified, especially by
the competent person. This box collapsed in the hole. Workers must enter and
leave the shield in a protected manner, such as by ladder within the shield or a
properly sloped ramp at the end.

38
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Shoring Diagram # 1

39
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
How many safety violations can you find in this photo?

40
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Excavation Safety Plan
An excavation safety plan is required in written form. This plan is to be developed to the
level necessary to insure complete compliance with the OSHA Excavation Safety Standard
and state and local safety standards.

Excavation Safety Plan Factors:

 Utilization of the local one-call system.
 Determination of locations of all underground utilities.
 Consideration of confined space atmosphere potential.
 Proper soil protection systems and personal protective equipment and clothing.
 Determination of soil composition and classification.
 Determination of surface and subsurface water.
 Depth of excavation and length of time it will remain open.
 Proper adherence to all OSHA Standards, this excavation and trenching safety
program, and any other coinciding safety programs.

1. Warning system for mobile equipment, methods to help prevent vehicles and
equipment from falling in the trench can be accomplished by providing:
A. Barricades.
B. Hand or mechanical signals.
C. Stop logs.
D. Grade away from the excavation.

All equipment with an obstructed rear view is required to have a back-up alarm or an
observer when backing {1926.601 (b) (4).}

2. Hazardous atmospheres, you must limit all exposures to hazardous

atmospheres.
A. Oxygen deficient is anything less than 19.5% oxygen. Symptoms will include
dizziness, increased heart rate or may experience a buzzing in the ears.
B. Normal is 21% oxygen.
C. Oxygen enriched atmospheres increase flammability of combustible materials.
D. Carbon monoxide causes oxygen starvation and can be fatal at a concentration of
1% for one minute. This is equal to 10,000 PPM. The Threshold Limit Value (TLV)
is only 50 PPM.
E. If there is a possibility that a hazardous atmosphere exists or could be reasonably
expected to exist, test the atmosphere before the employee enters an excavation.
Some areas of concern include; digging near gas lines, sewers, landfills and near
areas of high traffic.
F. Provide respirators or ventilation when needed. All personnel must be fit tested
before wearing a respirator and all personnel must be training how to use ventilation.

The use of any respirator by employees will require a written respirator program
form the employer {1926.103).
A. Ventilate trench if flammable gas exceeds 20% of the lower flammable limit.
B. Test the atmosphere often--this will ensure that the trench remains safe.
C. Perform regular maintenance on gas meters. Calibrate and change out filters
regularly.
D. Never enter a hazardous atmosphere to rescue an employee unless you have been
trained in rescue techniques and have proper rescue equipment. More than half the
deaths occur while attempting a rescue.

41
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
3. Emergency rescue equipment must be available when a hazardous
atmosphere exists or could be reasonably expected to exist.
A. Respirator must be suitable for the exposure. An air supplied or self-contained
breathing apparatus is preferable
B. Harness and lifeline is required when an employee enters bellbottom piers and other
deep confined spaces. The lifeline must be attended at all times.

Employees entering confined spaces must be trained. {1926.21 (b) (6) I}

Specific requirements for welding in confined spaces {1926.352 (g) and 1926.653 (b)}.

4. Protection from hazards associated with water accumulation is necessary to

prevent cave-ins.
A. Methods for controlling accumulated water vary with each situation.
B. Employees are not permitted to work in trenches were water accumulation exists.
C. Special support system or shield systems may be used to protect employees from
cave-ins.
D. Water removal equipment may be used and must be monitored by a competent
person to prevent water accumulation.
E. Safety harness and lifeline may be used to protect employees.
F. Surface water must be diverted and controlled.
G. Trench must be inspected after rain.

5. Stability of adjacent structures to protect employees from cave-ins.

A. Support systems such as shoring, bracing, or underpinning must be used to support
structures that may be unstable due to excavation operations.
B. Excavation below the base or footing of a foundation or wall is not permitted unless:
i. Support system is provided to ensure the stability of the structure.
ii. The excavation is in stable rock.
iii. A Registered Professional Engineer approves the operation.
C. Support systems must be provided for sidewalks, pavements and other structures
that may be affected by the excavation operations.

6. Protection of employees from loose rock or soil.

A. Employees must be protected from being struck by materials falling or rolling from
the edge and the face of the trench.
B. Spoils and equipment must be set back at least 2 feet from the edge of the trench
and/or a retaining device must be installed.
7. Fall protection is required for walkways and bridges over trenches. Other fall
protection may also be required.
8. Remotely located excavations shall be backfilled, covered, or barricaded (for
example wells, pits, shafts, etc.)

Inspections must be made:

A. Daily prior to starting work
B. As needed throughout the shift by a competent person.
C. After every rainstorm.
D. After other hazard increasing occurrence (snowstorm, windstorm, thaw,
earthquake, etc.).
E. Inspect the trench for indications of possible cave-ins (fissures, tension cracks,
sloughing, undercutting, water seepage, bulging at the bottom).
F. Inspect adjacent areas (spoil piles, structures).

42
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
G. To protective systems and their components (uprights, wales sheeting, shields
hydraulics) before and after use.
H. Check for indications of a hazardous or potentially hazardous atmosphere.
I. Test the atmosphere if a hazard could reasonably be expected to exist.

Remove employees from the trench when there are indications of possible cave-
ins, protective system failures, or other potentially hazardous conditions. Never
work in water without proper protection. You will have to wear a Lifeline with a
rope to drag your dead body out of these hazardous conditions.

43
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
It is not a legal place for ladder storage.

44
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Protection of Employees in Excavations
I. All employees must be protected from cave-ins, by shields, sloping or
shoring except:

1. When the excavations are made in solid rock that is not fractured.

2. Excavations are made less than five (5) feet deep and there is no
indication of a possible cave-in as determined by a competent
person.

a. A competent person is required even when the trench is less

than five (5) feet deep.

b. Shallow trench cave-ins could be fatal or cause serious

injuries.

A. Protective systems must have the strength to resist all intended or

expected loads.

B. Employees must be protected from cave-ins when entering and exiting

trenches and shields.

C. Employees are not permitted in shields when the shields are being
installed, removed or moved vertically.

1. Employees may remain in the shield when the shield is moved

horizontally without lifting it.

II. Design of sloping and benching systems must be selected and

constructed by the employer or his designee when using one or more
of the four alternative methods.

A. Option 1 – Allowable configurations and slopes.

1. Sloped at an angle of 34 degrees = 1½ to 1.

2. Use of other configurations described in Appendix B for Type C soil

classifications.

B. Option 2 – Determination of sloping and benching configurations using

Appendices A and B.

1. Soil and rock must be classified.

a. Based on site and environmental conditions.

b. Based on the composition of the soil.

c. Based on acceptable visual and manual tests for classifying

soils. Tests are described in Appendix A.

45
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
d. Select sloping or benching configuration from Appendix B
based on soil type.

C. Option 3 – Designs using other tabulated data, such as tables and charts,
may be used to select sloping and benching configurations.

1. Identity of the RPE who has approved the data must be stamped on
the data.

2. The tabulated data must be in written form, describing detailed

information on its use and limitations.

3. Tabulated data must be at the job site during the construction of the
protective system.

4. After construction of the protective system, the tabulated data may

be kept off-site, but it must be available for inspection.

D. Option 4 – Sloping and/or benching designs prepared and approved by a

RPE may be used.

1. Identity of the RPE who has approved the data must be stamped on
the sloping and/or benching designs.

2. Designs must clearly identify the project.

3. The configurations must be determined safe for the project.

4. Design must be at the job site during construction of the sloping

and/or benching configuration.

5. After construction of the sloping configuration, the design may be

kept off-site, but must be available for inspection.

III. Excavations greater than twenty (20) feet in depth must be designed
by an RPE and the tabulated data and design must be available for
inspection.

IV. Design of support systems, shield systems, and other protective

systems must be selected and constructed by the employer or his
designee using one or more of the alternative methods.

A. Option 1 – Designs using Appendices A, C, and D may be used by the

competent person.

1. Timber shoring is designed by using Appendices A and C.

2. Appendix A and D may be used for hydraulic shoring if the

manufacturer’s tabulated data is not available or cannot be used.

46
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
B. Option 2 – Designs using pre-manufactured protective systems (shoring,
shields, or other) and components must be prepared using the
manufacturer’s tabulated data.

1. Deviations from the use of the manufacturer’s specifications must

be approved by the manufacturer.

2. Manufacturer’s written approval to deviate from the specifications

must be on-site during construction of the system.

3. After construction of the system, the written approval may be kept

off site, but must be available for inspection.

C. Option 3 – Designs using other tabulated data, such as tables and charts,
may be used to design support systems, shield systems, or other protective
systems.

1. There must be enough information necessary to make an accurate

selection of the protective system.

2. Identity of the RPE who has approved the data must be stamped on
the data.

3. The tabulated data must be in written form, describing detailed

information on its use and limitations.

4. Tabulated data must be at the jobsite during construction of the

protective system.

5. After construction of the protective system, the tabulated data may

be kept off-site, but must be available for inspection.

D. Option 4 – Protective systems designed and approved by an RPE may be

used:

1. The plan must include the size, types, and configurations of the
materials to be used.

2. Identity of the RPE who approved the data must be stamped on the
sloping and/or benching designs.

3. Designs must identify the project.

4. The design configurations must be determined safe for the project.

5. Design must be at the jobsite during construction of the protective

systems.

6. After construction of the protective system, the design may be kept

off-site, but must be available for inspection.

V. Materials and equipment used for protective systems:

47
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
A. Must be free from damage or defects.

B. Must be maintained in good condition.

C. Damaged equipment or materials must be inspected by a

competent person and removed from use if determined unsafe.

D. Once equipment or materials are determined by a competent

person to be unsafe, an RPE must evaluate and approve the
equipment or materials before returning the equipment to service.

VI. Installation and removal of supports.

A. Members of the support system securely connected together.

B. Employees must be protected from cave-ins and other hazards

during installation and removal.

C. Members of the support system may not be overloaded.

D. Precautions must be taken to prevent cave-ins during removal of

structural supports. Removal must start at the bottom.

E. Observe structure for indications of failure during removal of

support systems.

F. Backfill as removal of support systems progress.

VII. Additional requirements for support systems for trench excavations:

A. Removal of materials to a depth two (2’) feet below the bottom of

the support system is permitted if:

1. The system is designed to resist loads at the full depth of the

trench.

2. There are no indications of the possible collapse of soil from behind

or below the bottom of the support system.

B. Support systems must be installed as the excavation of the trench

proceeds.

VIII. Sloping and benching systems:

A. Employees are not permitted to work on the faces of sloped or

benched excavations above other employees unless the employees
at the lower levels are protected from being struck by materials or
equipment.

48
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
IX. Shield systems (trench boxes)

A. Shall not be overloaded.

B. Lateral or hazardous movement restricted.

C. Employees must be protected from cave-ins when entering and

exiting the shields.

D. Employees are not permitted in shields during installation, removal,

or vertical movement.

E. Employees may remain in shield during horizontal movement as

long as the shield is not lifted in any way.

F. Removal of materials to a depth two (2’) feet below the bottom of

the support system is permitted if:

1. The system is designed to resist loads at the full depth of

the trench.

2. There are no indications of possible collapse of soil from

behind or below the bottom of the support system.

Complete Rule and further instructions are in the rear of this manual.

OSHA Violation. It is difficult to see, but this poor soul is inside a death trap. He
is in a deep trench sitting in a bell-shaped hole, sitting on a sewer main. He has
good shade from a steel plate that is covering the road with cars driving on top.
No protection at all. There was a ladder about 50 feet away. Good luck!

49
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
50
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Various Trench Boxes

Daily inspections of excavations, the adjacent areas, and protective systems shall
be made by a competent person for evidence of a situation that could result in
possible cave-ins, indications of failure of protective systems, hazardous
atmospheres, or other hazardous conditions. An inspection shall be conducted by
the competent person prior to the start of work and as needed throughout the shift.
Inspections shall also be made after every rainstorm or other hazard increasing
occurrence. These inspections are only required when employee exposure can be
reasonably anticipated.

51
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Equipment and Injuries
If activation of electrical or mechanical equipment would cause injury, each piece of
equipment should be manually isolated to prevent inadvertent activation before
workers enter or while they work in a confined space.

The interplay of hazards associated with a confined space, such as the potential of
flammable vapors or gases being present, and the build-up of static charge due to
mechanical cleaning, such as abrasive blasting, all influence the precautions which
must be taken.

52
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Soil Classification and Identification
The OSHA Standards define soil classifications within the Simplified Soil Classification
Systems, which consist of four categories: Stable rock, Type A, Type B, and Type C.
Stability is greatest in stable rock and decreases through Type A and B to Type C, which is
the least stable.

Appendix A of the standard provides soil mechanics terms and types of field tests used to
determine soil classifications. Stable rock is defined as natural solid mineral matter that can
be excavated with vertical sides and remain intact while exposed.

Type A soil is defined as:

 Cohesive soils with an unconfined compressive strength of 1.5 tons per square foot
(TSF) or greater.
 Cemented soils like caliche and hardpan are considered Type A.

Soil is NOT Type A if:

 It is fissured.
 The soil is subject to vibration from heavy traffic, pile driving or similar effects.
 The soil has been previously disturbed.
 The material is subject to other factors that would require it to be classified as a less
stable material.
 The exclusions for Type A most generally eliminate it from most construction
situations.

Type B soil is defined as:

 Cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength greater than .5 TSF, but less
than 1.5 TSF.
 Granular cohesion-less soil including angular gravel, silt, silt loam, and sandy loam.
 The soil has been previously disturbed except that soil classified as Type C soil.
 Soil that meets the unconfined compressive strength requirements of Type A soil, but
is fissured or subject to vibration.
 Dry rock that is unstable.

Type C soil is defined as:

 Cohesive soil with an unconfined
compressive strength of .5 TSF
or less.
 Granular soils including gravel,
sand and loamy sand.
 Submerged soil or soil from
which water is freely seeping.
 Submerged rock that is not
stable.

53
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Soil Test & Identification
The competent person will classify the soil type in accordance with the definitions in
Appendix A based on at least one visual and one manual analysis. These tests should be
run on freshly excavated samples from the excavation and are designed to determine
stability based on a number of criteria: the cohesiveness, the presence of fissures, the
presence and amount of water, the unconfined compressive strength, and the duration of
exposure, undermining, and the presence of layering, prior excavation and vibration.

The cohesion tests are based on methods to determine the presence of clay. Clay, silt, and
sand are size classifications, with clay being the smallest sized particles, silt intermediate
and sand the largest.

Clay minerals exhibit good cohesion and plasticity (can be molded). Sand exhibits no
elasticity and virtually no cohesion unless surface wetting is present. The degree of
cohesiveness and plasticity depend on the amounts of all three types and water.

When examining the soil, three questions must be asked: Is the sample granular or
cohesive? Is it fissured or non-fissured? What is the unconfined compressive strength
measured in TSF?

The competent person will perform several tests of the excavation to obtain consistent,
supporting data along its depth and length. The soil is subject to change several times within
the scope of an excavation and the moisture content will vary with weather and job
conditions. The competent person must also determine the level of protection based on
what conditions exist at the time of the test, and allow for changing conditions.

Ribbon Soil Test

54
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Shoring Diagram #2

55
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
56
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Sloping
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SLOPES

SOIL TYPE SLOPE (H:V) ANGLE( º )

Stable Rock Vertical 90º

Type A 3/4 : 1 53º

Type B 1:1 45º

Type C 1 1/2 : 1 34º

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SLOPE means the steepest incline of an excavation face that is
acceptable for the most favorable site conditions as protection against cave-ins and is
expressed as the ratio of horizontal distance to vertical rise (H:V).

The tables and configurations within Appendix B may be used to a maximum depth of twenty
(20') feet deep. Jobs more than twenty (20') feet in depth require the design of a sloping
plan by a registered professional engineer (RPE). If configurations are used for depths less
than 20 feet other than those found in Appendix B, they must also be designed by a
registered professional engineer.

Shielding
The third method of providing a safe workplace in excavations is shielding. Shielding is
different from shoring and sloping in that it does not prevent cave-ins. Instead, it protects
the workers in the event of a cave-in. Its
function is therefore somewhat similar to
that of a bomb shelter.

Shields are simply devices that, when

placed in an excavation, have sufficient
structural strength to support the force
of a cave-in should one occur. Shields
take a number of different shapes and
sizes. Most shields consist of two flat,
parallel metal walls which are held apart
by metal cross braces which are placed
at the ends of the "Box" to allow for the
installation of pipe within its interior
dimensions.

These boxes are used to greatest effect in what is known as "cut and cover" operations
where a contractor excavates just enough trench to install the shield, then sets a joint of
pipe, then excavates further, then pulls the shield forward to install another joint while the
first is being backfilled. This method is extremely cost effective in that it is fast, safe, requires
minimum excavation and minimum open trench. It has become the preferred method of
laying pipe in most instances. While original shields were quite large, smaller shields have
gained in popularity with public works maintenance crews and contractors working in
shallow excavations because of their ease of use. Recently, round shields, made of
corrugated metal have appeared. The sizes, shapes and possibilities for the applications of
shields are endless. If they are to be used, however, several points must be borne in mind.

57
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
1. Shield construction is not covered by the standard. Users must rely on
manufacturers' requirements. For this reason, it is critical that you know your
supplier. Reputable manufacturers supply boxes designed by registered
professional engineers, and the standard requires that they are certified for their
applications. Do not make the mistake of having the neighborhood welder fabricate
one. A user must know that their shield is appropriate for the situation.

2. Bent cross braces are not braces, they are hinges. Any bent of deformed structural
member must be repaired or replaced according to the manufactures' guidelines.

3. The manufacturer must approve any modification to the shields.

4. Shields must be installed so as to prevent lateral movement in the event of a cave-

in.

5. Shields may ride two feet above the bottom of an excavation, provided they are
calculated to support the full depth of the excavation and there is no caving under
or behind the shield.

6. Workers must enter and leave the shield in a protected manner, such as by ladder
within the shield or a properly sloped ramp at the end.

7. Workers may not remain in the shield during its installation, removal or during
vertical movement.

8. Do not forget about the open

end of the shield if it exposes
a wall of the excavation. The
wall should be sloped,
shored or shielded off to
prevent a cave-in from the
end.

9. If the excavation is deeper

than the shield is tall,
attached shields of the
correct specifications may be
used or the excavation may
be sloped back to maximum
allowable angle from a point
18 inches below the top of
the shield.

Complete Rule and further instructions are located in TLC’s

Competent Person Course.

All of this text is credited to OSHA.

58
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Inspections
Daily inspection of excavations, the adjacent areas and protective systems shall be made
by the competent person for evidence of a situation that could result in a cave-in, indications
of failure of protective systems, hazardous atmospheres or other hazardous conditions.
 All inspections shall be conducted by the competent person prior to the start of work
and as needed throughout the shift.
 Inspections will be made after every rainstorm or any other increasing hazard.
 All documented inspections will be kept on file in the jobsite safety files and forwarded
to the Safety Director weekly.
 A copy of the Daily Excavation Inspection form is located at the end of this program.
The competent person(s) must be trained in accordance with the OSHA Excavation
Standard, and all other programs that may apply (examples Hazard Communication,
Confined Space, and Respiratory Protection), and must demonstrate a thorough
understanding and knowledge of the programs and the hazards associated. All other
employees working in and around the excavation must be trained in the recognition of
hazards associated with trenching and excavating.

59
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Two unsafe excavation examples: Top, notice the man in a 6-foot-deep trench with no
ladder or shoring, and the placement of spoil. Bottom picture, utilities are marked after
the excavation has begun, no hard hats, no ladders, no protective system, incorrect
spoil placement.

60
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
DAILY EXCAVATION CHECKLIST
Client Date
Project Name Approx. Temp.
Project Location Approx. Wind Dir.
Job Number Safety Rep
Excavation Depth &
Soil Classification
Width
Protective System Used
Activities In Excavation
Competent Person

Excavation > 4 feet deep? ___Yes ___No

NOTE: Trenches over 4 feet in depth are considered excavations. Any items marked
NO on this form MUST be remediated prior to any employees entering the
excavation.

YES NO N/A DESCRIPTION

GENERAL
Employees protected from cave-ins & loose rock/soil that could roll into the
excavation
Spoils, materials & equipment set back at least 2 feet from the edge of the
excavation.
Engineering designs for sheeting &/or manufacturer's data on trench box
capabilities on site
Adequate signs posted and barricades provided
Training (toolbox meeting) conducted w/ employees prior to entering
excavation
UTILITIES
Utility company contacted & given 24 hours’ notice &/or utilities already located
& marked
Overhead lines located, noted and reviewed with the operator
Utility locations reviewed with the operator, & precautions taken to ensure
contact does not occur
Utilities crossing the excavation supported, and protected from falling materials
Underground installations protected, supported or removed when
excavation is open
WET CONDITIONS
Precautions taken to protect employees from water accumulation (continuous
dewatering)
Surface water or runoff diverted /controlled to prevent accumulation in the
excavation
Inspection made after every rainstorm or other hazard increasing occurrence

61
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
HAZARDOUS ATMOSPHERES
Air in the excavation tested for oxygen deficiency, combustibles, other
contaminants
Ventilation used in atmospheres that are oxygen rich/deficient &/or
contains hazardous substances
Ventilation provided to keep LEL below 10 %
Emergency equipment available where hazardous atmospheres could or
do exist
Safety harness and lifeline used
Supplied air necessary (if yes, contact safety department)
ENTRY & EXIT
Exit (i.e. ladder, sloped wall) no further than 25 feet from ANY employee
Ladders secured and extend 3 feet above the edge of the trench
Wood ramps constructed of uniform material thickness, cleated together @ the
bottom
Employees protected from cave-ins when entering or exiting the excavation

Explain how you have secured the site and made it safe to work inside (if possible)

62
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Shoring Diagram #3

63
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
64
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
One-call Center or Bluestakes
You are required to locate or call for proper buried utility locations before you dig or
excavate. You will usually need a 48-hour notice before you excavate. Please check with
your local one-call system.

Red spray marks-Electricity, Yellow-Gas, Blue-Water

Orange spray marks - Telephone & Fiber Optics

65
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
One Call Program
According to federal safety statistics, damage from unauthorized digging is the major cause of
natural gas pipeline failures. To prevent excavation damage to all utilities, including pipelines,
all 50 states have instituted "One Call" Programs. The programs provide telephone numbers for
excavation contractors to call before excavation begins.

The one-call operator will notify a pipeline company of any planned excavation in the vicinity of
its pipeline so that the company can flag the location of the pipeline and assign personnel to be
present during excavation, if necessary.

In a related effort, a joint government-industry team has developed a public education program
entitled "Dig Safely". The team involved representatives from the U.S. Department of
Transportation, gas and liquid pipeline companies, distribution companies, excavators, the
insurance industry, one-call systems and the telecommunications industry. This campaign
provides information to the general public concerning underground utilities and the danger of
unknowingly digging into buried lines and cables.

The program has posters, brochures and other printed materials available for use by interested
organizations. For more information, contact www.digsafely.com.

Telephone Cables, difficult to dig around, just as with as electrical lines.

66
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
One-Call Center, Underground Utilities
One Call Centers were established as a one-call notification system by underground facility
owners to assist excavators with statutory requirements to notify underground facility owners
prior to excavation. This damage prevention service is provided free of charge to any individual
or company planning to excavate. By participating in the program and getting underground
facilities located, you can:

 Comply with Federal Law

 Avoid Injuries

 Prevent costly damages and interruptions of facility services

 Save time and money

 Avoid hazards

 Eliminate construction delays

Color Codes for marking underground utility lines.

Red Electric Power

Yellow Gas-Oil- Product Lines
Orange Communication, Cable television
Blue Water systems, slurry pipelines
Green Sanitary sewer system
Pink Temporary survey markings

Example of a One-Call Center’s Rules

Excavations: determining location of underground facilities; providing information; excavator
marking; on-site representative; validity period of markings.

A. A person shall not make or begin any excavation in any public street, alley, right-of-way
dedicated to the public use or utility easement or on any express or implied private
property utility easement without first determining whether underground facilities will be
encountered, and if so where they are located from each and every public utility,
municipal corporation or other person having the right to bury such underground facilities
within the public street, alley, right-of-way or utility easement and taking measures for
control of the facilities in a careful and prudent manner.

B. Every public utility, municipal corporation or other person having the right to bury
underground facilities shall file with the corporation commission the job title, address and
telephone number of the person or persons from whom the necessary information may
be obtained. Such person or persons shall be readily available during established
business hours. The information on file shall also include the name, address and
telephone number of each one-call notification center to which the owner of the facility
belongs. Upon receipt of inquiry or notice from the excavator, the owner of the facility
shall respond as promptly as practical, but in no event later than two days, by marking
such facility with stakes, paint or in some customary manner. No person shall begin

67
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
excavating before the location and marking are complete or the excavator is notified that
marking is unnecessary.

C. On a timely request by the owner of a facility, the excavator shall mark the boundaries
of the location requested to be excavated in accordance with a color code designated by
the commission or by applicable custom or standard in the industry. A request under
this subsection for excavator marking does not alter any other requirement of this
section.

D. In performing the marking required by subsection B of this section, the owner of an

underground facility installed after December 31, 1988 in a public street, alley or right-
of–way dedicated to public use, but not including any express or implied private property
utility easement, shall locate the facility by referring to installation records of the facility
and utilizing one of the following methods:

1. Vertical line or facility markers.

2. Locator strip or locator wire.
3. Signs or permanent markers.
4. Electronic or magnetic location or tracing techniques.
5. Electronic or magnetic sensors or markers.
6. Metal sensors or sensing techniques.
7. Sonar techniques.
8. Underground electrical or radio transmitters.
9. Manual location techniques, including pot-holing.
10. Surface extensions of underground facilities.
11. Any other surface or subsurface location technique at least as accurate as the other
marking methods in this subsection not prohibited by the commission or by federal or
state law.

E. For an underground facility other than one installed after December 31, 1988, in a public
street, alley or right-of-way dedicated to public use, in performing the marking required
by subsection B of this section, the owner may refer to installation or other records
relating to the facility to assist in locating the facility and shall locate the facility utilizing
one of the methods listed under subsection D of this section.

If an underground facility owner is unable to complete the location and marking within the time
period provided by subsection B of this section, the facility owner shall satisfy the requirements
of this section by proving prompt notice of these facts to the excavator.

Assigning one or more representatives to be present on the excavation site at all pertinent times
as requested by the excavator to provide facility location services until the facilities have been
located and marked.

The underground facility owner shall bear all of its costs associated with assigning
representatives. If representatives are assigned under this subsection, the excavator is not
responsible or liable for damage or repair of the owner’s underground facility while acting under
the direction of an assigned representative of the owner, unless the damage or need for repair
was caused by the excavator’s negligence.

68
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Natural Gas Safety
That familiar blue flame that plays such an important role in our lives should, like other sources
of energy, be treated with respect. Following a few simple guidelines can help ensure that you
can safely enjoy all the benefits natural gas has to offer.

Natural gas is colorless and invisible. When it burns it should appear as a clear, blue flame.
Because natural gas has no odor, a special chemical called mercaptan is added to make it easy
to detect gas leaks from pipes or appliances. This odor is commonly described as a rotten-egg
smell.

Natural gas is clean-burning. When burned completely, it produces only water vapor and carbon
dioxide, just as you do when you breathe. Natural gas is such a safe and dependable fuel that
it's easy to take for granted. But please, never take safety for granted. As with any source of
energy, you should follow certain safety measures when using natural gas.

When it's taken from the ground, natural gas is tasteless, colorless and odorless. To make it
easier to detect, a harmless but strong-smelling odorant is added, Ethyl Mercaptan. If you ever
smell this "rotten egg-like" odor, it may mean there is a gas leak.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SMELL GAS:

 Do not smoke. Do not use lighters or matches.
 Do not turn on/off any switches or appliances.
 Our personnel are available 24 hours a day to respond to any emergency call.

Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is produced when burning any fuel incompletely, such as charcoal, gasoline
or wood. Carbon monoxide is highly poisonous and it has no odor, taste or color. If natural gas
equipment is not maintained, adjusted and operated properly, it could produce carbon
monoxide.

Your natural gas appliances should produce a clear, steady blue flame. If your gas appliances
exhibit an unusual behavior or produce a yellowish-color flame, that may be a warning sign that
your appliance is producing carbon monoxide.

A licensed professional should inspect appliances annually to insure safe operation. An

inspection will accomplish the following:
 Make sure the appliance is installed properly and that it is in good working condition.
 Ensure that there is enough fresh air circulating for the fuel to burn properly.
 Check that vents are in good condition and are not blocked with debris.

Other helpful tips:

 The area surrounding your gas appliances should be clear from clutter or trash.
 Carbon monoxide detectors may be helpful in your home or business. But remember, a
carbon monoxide detector should never be substituted for using equipment safely -
which includes having your heating and cooking equipment inspected once a year by a
trained professional.

69
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
OSHA's General Industry Regulation, §1910.146 Permit-required confined spaces,
contains requirements for practices and procedures to protect employees in general
industry from the hazards of entry into permit-required confined spaces. This regulation
does not apply to construction.

On May 4, 2015, OSHA issued a new standard for construction work in confined spaces,
which became effective August 3, 2015. Confined spaces can present physical and
atmospheric hazards that can be avoided if they are recognized and addressed prior to
entering these spaces to perform work. The new standard, Subpart AA of 29 CFR 1926
will help prevent construction workers from being hurt or killed by eliminating and
isolating hazards in confined spaces at construction sites similar to the way workers in
other industries are already protected.

70
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Excavation Glossary
Barricades: Visible warning barriers that keep vehicles and pedestrians from entering a
construction site.

Braces: Devices that hold or fasten two or more parts together or in place. Braces are diagonal
or horizontal. They may be made of wood or metal.

Bracing System: A system of braces which applies pressure against trench walls to stabilize
them. A bracing system is part of a trench shoring system used to prevent trench walls from
collapsing.

Benching: A method of cutting back the sides of a trench into horizontal steps to prevent cave-
ins.

Bulge: An outward swelling in the soil of a trench; may be a warning sign of trench failure.

Buried Structures: Manholes, junction boxes or catch basins beneath the ground or any other
installations that may be encountered during trenching.

Clay: Fine-grained natural soil that is plastic when moist and hard and brittle when dry. Clay is
made up of particles smaller than .0002 millimeters.

Clumps: Heavy lumps or thick groupings of soil.

Cohesion: The relative ability to clump together, the force holding two like substances
together.

Cohesive: When a soil has grains that hold together and clump well.

Competent Person: One who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the
surroundings, or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous to
employees. Has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate hazards. The
Competent Person is trained and knowledgeable about soil analysis and the use of protective
systems.

Confined Space: Has limited or restricted means of entry or exit, is large enough for an
employee to enter and perform assigned work, and is not designed for continuous occupancy
by the employee. These spaces may include, but are not limited to, underground vaults, tanks,
storage bins, pits, and diked areas, vessels, and silos.

Diversion Ditches: A ditch cut around the work site to keep water from entering the trench.

Drainage System: Pumps, pipe or channel used to drain off rain or groundwater from inside
the trench.

Excavation: Any man-made cut, cavity trench or depression in an earth surface, formed by
earth removal.

71
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Fissure: A long narrow opening or crack in the rock or soil. Fissures are often a sign of trench
wall failure.

Grain: Particles that once were large rocks, but have been broken down through time and the
effects of weathering. The size of the grain of a soil determines the stability and cohesiveness
of a soil. The larger the grain is, the more unstable the soil is.

Gravel: A loose mixture of pebbles and rock fragments, which is coarser than sand.

Hardpan: A layer of hard subsoil or clay that does not allow water in. Hardpan is classified as
a Type A soil.

Heaving: The swelling of a soil.

Jacks: Jacks are braces or supports within a shoring system. They are placed against beams
to resist the pressure of the earth.

Loamy Sand: Soil composed of a mixture of sand, clay and silt, with more sand grains than
clay or silt. It is classified as a Type C soil.

Manufacturer's Tabulated Data: Tables and charts approved by a registered professional

engineer and used to design and construct a protective system.

Permit Required Confined Space: Meets the definition of a confined space and has one or
more of these characteristics: (1) contains or has potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere,
(2) contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant, (3) has an internal
configuration that might cause an entrant to be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging
walls or by a floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross section, and/or (4)
contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazards.

Personal Protective Equipment: Safety goggles and glasses, reflective clothing, work gloves,
hard hat, safety shoes, rubber boots, earplugs or protectors, face shield and face mask or
respirator.

Registered Professional Engineer: A person who is registered as a professional engineer in

the state where the work is to be performed.

Sand: A type C soil with small, loose grains of disintegrated rock.

Sandy Loam: Granular soil with enough silt and clay to make it slightly cohesive

Saturation: The process of a soil being filled to capacity with moisture.

Shear: A phenomenon which happens when a trench wall is subjected to stress. Fissured
cracks widen until a portion of the trench wall breaks off and slides into the trench.

Sheeting: Durable sheets of metal or wood, which are held firmly against a trench wall to
prevent it from caving-in. Sheeting is a component of a trench shoring system.

Shielding: A device which provides adequate protection from falling or collapsing earth loads.
The trench box is a common form of shielding.

72
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Shoring: Main method of stabilizing and supporting a trench wall to prevent cave-ins. It
consists of uprights, stingers and braces.

Silt: A soil which contains fine particles and is very smooth.

Silty Clay: A plastic soil that will appear rough or broken when rubbed over the thumb and
finger.

Sloping: The process of cutting back the sides of a trench to avoid a cave-in.

Sloughing: When loose soil begins to run in from the lower part of the wall into the excavation.
It is the first step to a wall collapse.

Soil Type: A system of classifying soils and rock deposits. Soil must be classified by a qualified
person as: Stable rock, Type-A, Type-B, Type-C.

Spall: When a soil begins to crack or flake due to pressure, or from moisture from within the
trench.

Spoil Pile/Spoilage: Rock waste, banks and dumps from the excavation.

Supports: Part of a shoring system which helps to bear the weight of braces and other parts
of the shoring system.

Trench Box: A prefabricated moveable box usually constructed of metal plates welded to a
heavy steel frame. The box is moved along as work progresses. It is able to withstand the forces
imposed on it by a cave-in and thereby protects trench workers.

Type-A Soil: The most stable and cohesive type of soil while working at a trench site. Examples
are clay, silty clay and hardpan.

Type-B Soil: Type-B soil is next to the most stable soil. Silt, silt loam, sandy loam, medium
clay and unstable rock would be good examples of Type-B soils.

Type-C Soil: The least stable type of soil. Examples of Type-C soils are gravel, loamy sand,
soft clay, submerged silt and heavy unstable rock.

Unconfined Compressive Strength: Through a variety of tests, a soil’s strength is found. The
unconfined compressive strength is the soil’s measure of bearing capacity and shearing
resistance. Measured as the amount of weight per square foot needed to collapse a soil sample.

Uprights: Vertical members of a trench shoring system placed in context with the earth. These
members usually are not placed in direct contact with one another.

Vibration: When a soil or excavation site trembles and shakes rapidly due to forces such as
loud noises or heavy equipment or traffic.

Voids: Voids are empty spaces between particles of rocks.

Wales: Wales are parts of a shoring system. They are positioned horizontally and help to brace
vertical beams and supports. Wales can be fastened to studs with nails, clips or brackets.

73
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Wall Stability: The relative strength and capacity of walls of a trench.

74
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
SUBPART P – EXCAVATION RULE
§ 1926.650 Scope, application, and definitions applicable to this subpart.
§ 1926.651 Specific excavation requirements.
§ 1926.652 Requirements for protective systems.
APPENDIX A -- SOIL CLASSIFICATION
APPENDIX B -- SLOPING AND BENCHING
APPENDIX C -- TIMBER SHORING FOR TRENCHES
APPENDIX D -- ALUMINUM HYDRAULIC SHORING FOR TRENCHES
APPENDIX E TO SUBPART P -- ALTERNATIVES TO TIMBER SHORING
APPENDIX F TO SUBPART P -- SELECTION OF PROTECTIVE SYSTEMS
Notes
Sec. 107, Contract Worker Hours and Safety Standards Act (Construction Safety Act) (40 U.S.C. 333);
secs. 4, 6, 8, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 657); Secretary of Labor's
Order No. 12-71 (36 FR 8754), 8-76 (41 FR 25059), or 9-83 (48 FR 35736), as applicable, and 29 CFR
part 1911.

§ 1926.650 Scope, application, and definitions applicable to this subpart.

(a) Scope and application. This subpart applies to all open excavations made in the earth's surface.
Excavations are defined to include trenches.
(b) Definitions applicable to this subpart.

Accepted engineering practices means those requirements which are compatible with standards of
practice required by a registered professional engineer.

Aluminum Hydraulic Shoring means a pre-engineered shoring system comprised of aluminum hydraulic
cylinders (crossbraces) used in conjunction with vertical rails (uprights) or horizontal rails (walers). Such
system is designed, specifically to support the sidewalls of an excavation and prevent cave-ins.

Bell-bottom pier hole means a type of shaft or footing excavation, the bottom of which is made larger than
the cross section above to form a belled shape.

Benching (Benching system) means a method of protecting employees from cave-ins by excavating the
sides of an excavation to form one or a series of horizontal levels or steps, usually with vertical or near-
vertical surfaces between levels.

Cave-in means the separation of a mass of soil or rock material from the side of an excavation, or the
loss of soil from under a trench shield or support system, and its sudden movement into the excavation,
either by falling or sliding, in sufficient quantity so that it could entrap, bury, or otherwise injure and
immobilize a person.

Competent person means one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the
surroundings, or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and
who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.

Cross braces mean the horizontal members of a shoring system installed perpendicular to the sides of
the excavation, the ends of which bear against either uprights or wales.

Excavation means any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth surface, formed by earth
removal.

Faces or sides means the vertical or inclined earth surfaces formed as a result of excavation work.

Failure means the breakage, displacement, or permanent deformation of a structural member or

connection so as to reduce its structural integrity and its supportive capabilities.

75
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Hazardous atmosphere means an atmosphere which by reason of being explosive, flammable,
poisonous, corrosive, oxidizing, irritating, oxygen deficient, toxic, or otherwise harmful, may cause death,
illness, or injury.

Kickout means the accidental release or failure of a cross brace.

Protective system means a method of protecting employees from cave-ins, from material that could fall
or roll from an excavation face or into an excavation, or from the collapse of adjacent structures. Protective
systems include support systems, sloping and benching systems, shield systems, and other systems that
provide the necessary protection.

Ramp means an inclined walking or working surface that is used to gain access to one point from another,
and is constructed from earth or from structural materials such as steel or wood.

Registered Professional Engineer means a person who is registered as a professional engineer in the
state where the work is to be performed. However, a professional engineer, registered in any state is
deemed to be a "registered professional engineer" within the meaning of this standard when approving
designs for "manufactured protective systems" or "tabulated data" to be used in interstate commerce.

Sheeting means the members of a shoring system that retain the earth in position and in turn are
supported by other members of the shoring system.

Shield (Shield system) means a structure that is able to withstand the forces imposed on it by a cave-in
and thereby protect employees within the structure. Shields can be permanent structures or can be
designed to be portable and moved along as work progresses. Additionally, shields can be either
premanufactured or job-built in accordance with § 1926.652 (c)(3) or (c)(4). Shields used in trenches are
usually referred to as "trench boxes" or "trench shields."

Shoring (Shoring system) means a structure such as a metal hydraulic, mechanical or timber shoring
system that supports the sides of an excavation and which is designed to prevent cave-ins.

Sides. See "Faces."

Sloping (Sloping system) means a method of protecting employees from cave-ins by excavating to form
sides of an excavation that are inclined away from the excavation so as to prevent cave-ins. The angle of
incline required to prevent a cave-in varies with differences in such factors as the soil type, environmental
conditions of exposure, and application of surcharge loads.

Stable rock means natural solid mineral material that can be excavated with vertical sides and will remain
intact while exposed. Unstable rock is considered to be stable when the rock material on the side or sides
of the excavation is secured against caving-in or movement by rock bolts or by another protective system
that has been designed by a registered professional engineer.

Structural ramp means a ramp built of steel or wood, usually used for vehicle access. Ramps made of soil
or rock are not considered structural ramps.
Support system means a structure such as underpinning, bracing, or shoring, which provides support to
an adjacent structure, underground installation, or the sides of an excavation.

Tabulated data means tables and charts approved by a registered professional engineer and used to
design and construct a protective system.

Trench (Trench excavation) means a narrow excavation (in relation to its length) made below the surface
of the ground. In general, the depth is greater than the width, but the width of a trench (measured at the
bottom) is not greater than 15 feet (4.6 m). If forms or other structures are installed or constructed in an
excavation so as to reduce the dimension measured from the forms or structure to the side of the

76
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
excavation to 15 feet (4.6 m) or less (measured at the bottom of the excavation), the excavation is also
considered to be a trench.

Trench box. See "Shield."

Trench shield. See "Shield."

Uprights means the vertical members of a trench shoring system placed in contact with the earth and
usually positioned so that individual members do not contact each other. Uprights placed so that individual
members are closely spaced, in contact with or interconnected to each other, are often called "sheeting."

Wales means horizontal members of a shoring system placed parallel to the excavation face whose sides
bear against the vertical members of the shoring system or earth.

§ 1926.651 Specific excavation requirements.

(a) Surface encumbrances. All surface encumbrances that are located so as to create a hazard to
employees shall be removed or supported, as necessary, to safeguard employees.
(b) Underground installations. (1) The estimated location of utility installations, such as sewer, telephone,
fuel, electric, water lines, or any other underground installations that reasonably may be expected to be
encountered during excavation work, shall be determined prior to opening an excavation.
(2) Utility companies or owners shall be contacted within established or customary local response times,
advised of the proposed work, and asked to establish the location of the utility underground installations
prior to the start of actual excavation. When utility companies or owners cannot respond to a request to
locate underground utility installations within 24 hours (unless a longer period is required by state or local
law), or cannot establish the exact location of these installations, the employer may proceed, provided the
employer does so with caution, and provided detection equipment or other acceptable means to locate
utility installations are used.
(3) When excavation operations approach the estimated location of underground installations, the exact
location of the installations shall be determined by safe and acceptable means.
(4) While the excavation is open, underground installations shall be protected, supported or removed as
necessary to safeguard employees.
(c) Access and egress -- (1) Structural ramps. (i) Structural ramps that are used solely by employees as
a means of access or egress from excavations shall be designed by a competent person. Structural
ramps used for access or egress of equipment shall be designed by a competent person qualified in
structural design, and shall be constructed in accordance with the design.
(ii) Ramps and runways constructed of two or more structural members shall have the structural members
connected together to prevent displacement.
(iii) Structural members used for ramps and runways shall be of uniform thickness.
(iv) Cleats or other appropriate means used to connect runway structural members shall be attached to
the bottom of the runway or shall be attached in a manner to prevent tripping.
(v) Structural ramps used in lieu of steps shall be provided with cleats or other surface treatments on the
top surface to prevent slipping.
(2) Means of egress from trench excavations. A stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of egress
shall be located in trench excavations that are 4 feet (1.22 m) or more in depth so as to require no more
than 25 feet (7.62 m) of lateral travel for employees.
(d) Exposure to vehicular traffic. Employees exposed to public vehicular traffic shall be provided with, and
shall wear, warning vests or other suitable garments marked with or made of reflectorized or high-visibility
material.
(e) Exposure to falling loads. No employee shall be permitted underneath loads handled by lifting or
digging equipment. Employees shall be required to stand away from any vehicle being loaded or unloaded
to avoid being struck by any spillage or falling materials. Operators may remain in the cabs of vehicles
being loaded or unloaded when the vehicles are equipped, in accordance with § 1926.601(b)(6), to
provide adequate protection for the operator during loading and unloading operations.
(f) Warning system for mobile equipment. When mobile equipment is operated adjacent to an excavation,
or when such equipment is required to approach the edge of an excavation, and the operator does not

77
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
have a clear and direct view of the edge of the excavation, a warning system shall be utilized such as
barricades, hand or mechanical signals, or stop logs. If possible, the grade should be away from the
excavation.
(g) Hazardous atmospheres -- (1) Testing and controls. In addition to the requirements set forth in
subparts D and E of this part (29 CFR 1926.50-1926.107) to prevent exposure to harmful levels of
atmospheric contaminants and to assure acceptable atmospheric conditions, the following requirements
shall apply:
(i) Where oxygen deficiency (atmospheres containing less than 19.5 percent oxygen) or a hazardous
atmosphere exists or could reasonably be expected to exist, such as in excavations in landfill areas or
excavations in areas where hazardous substances are stored nearby, the atmospheres in the excavation
shall be tested before employees enter excavations greater than 4 feet (1.22 m) in depth.
(ii) Adequate precautions shall be taken to prevent employee exposure to atmospheres containing less
than 19.5 percent oxygen and other hazardous atmospheres. These precautions include providing proper
respiratory protection or ventilation in accordance with subparts D and E of this part respectively.
(iii) Adequate precaution shall be taken such as providing ventilation, to prevent employee exposure to
an atmosphere containing a concentration of a flammable gas in excess of 20 percent of the lower
flammable limit of the gas.
(iv) When controls are used that are intended to reduce the level of atmospheric contaminants to
acceptable levels, testing shall be conducted as often as necessary to ensure that the atmosphere
remains safe.
(2) Emergency rescue equipment. (i) Emergency rescue equipment, such as breathing apparatus, a
safety harness and line, or a basket stretcher, shall be readily available where hazardous atmospheric
conditions exist or may reasonably be expected to develop during work in an excavation. This equipment
shall be attended when in use.
(ii) Employees entering bell-bottom pier holes, or other similar deep and confined footing excavations,
shall wear a harness with a life-line securely attached to it. The lifeline shall be separate from any line
used to handle materials, and shall be individually attended at all times while the employee wearing the
lifeline is in the excavation.
(h) Protection from hazards associated with water accumulation. (1) Employees shall not work in
excavations in which there is accumulated water, or in excavations in which water is accumulating, unless
adequate precautions have been taken to protect employees against the hazards posed by water
accumulation. The precautions necessary to protect employees adequately vary with each situation, but
could include special support or shield systems to protect from cave-ins, water removal to control the level
of accumulating water, or use of a safety harness and lifeline.
(2) If water is controlled or prevented from accumulating by the use of water removal equipment, the water
removal equipment and operations shall be monitored by a competent person to ensure proper operation.
(3) If excavation work interrupts the natural drainage of surface water (such as streams), diversion ditches,
dikes, or other suitable means shall be used to prevent surface water from entering the excavation and
to provide adequate drainage of the area adjacent to the excavation. Excavations subject to runoff from
heavy rains will require an inspection by a competent person and compliance with paragraphs (h)(1) and
(h)(2) of this section.
(i) Stability of adjacent structures. (1) Where the stability of adjoining buildings, walls, or other structures
is endangered by excavation operations, support systems such as shoring, bracing, or underpinning shall
be provided to ensure the stability of such structures for the protection of employees.
(2) Excavation below the level of the base or footing of any foundation or retaining wall that could be
reasonably expected to pose a hazard to employees shall not be permitted except when:
(i) A support system, such as underpinning, is provided to ensure the safety of employees and the stability
of the structure; or
(ii) The excavation is in stable rock; or
(iii) A registered professional engineer has approved the determination that the structure is sufficiently
removed from the excavation so as to be unaffected by the excavation activity; or
(iv) A registered professional engineer has approved the determination that such excavation work will not
pose a hazard to employees.
(3) Sidewalks, pavements, and appurtenant structure shall not be undermined unless a support system
or another method of protection is provided to protect employees from the possible collapse of such
structures.

78
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(j) Protection of employees from loose rock or soil. (1) Adequate protection shall be provided to protect
employees from loose rock or soil that could pose a hazard by falling or rolling from an excavation face.
Such protection shall consist of scaling to remove loose material; installation of protective barricades at
intervals as necessary on the face to stop and contain falling material; or other means that provide
equivalent protection.
(2) Employees shall be protected from excavated or other materials or equipment that could pose a hazard
by falling or rolling into excavations. Protection shall be provided by placing and keeping such materials
or equipment at least 2 feet (.61 m) from the edge of excavations, or by the use of retaining devices that
are sufficient to prevent materials or equipment from falling or rolling into excavations, or by a combination
of both if necessary.
(k) Inspections. (1) Daily inspections of excavations, the adjacent areas, and protective systems shall be
made by a competent person for evidence of a situation that could result in possible cave-ins, indications
of failure of protective systems, hazardous atmospheres, or other hazardous conditions. An inspection
shall be conducted by the competent person prior to the start of work and as needed throughout the shift.
Inspections shall also be made after every rainstorm or other hazard increasing occurrence. These
inspections are only required when employee exposure can be reasonably anticipated.
(2) Where the competent person finds evidence of a situation that could result in a possible cave-in,
indications of failure of protective systems, hazardous atmospheres, or other hazardous conditions,
exposed employees shall be removed from the hazardous area until the necessary precautions have
been taken to ensure their safety.
(l) Walkways shall be provided where employees or equipment are required or permitted to cross over
excavations. Guardrails which comply with § 1926.502(b) shall be provided where walkways are 6 feet
(1.8 m) or more above lower levels.

§ 1926.652 Requirements for protective systems.

(a) Protection of employees in excavations. (1) Each employee in an excavation shall be protected from
cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with paragraph (b) or (c) of this
section except when:
(i) Excavations are made entirely in stable rock; or
(ii) Excavations are less than 5 feet (1.52m) in depth and examination of the ground by a competent
person provides no indication of a potential cave-in.
(2) Protective systems shall have the capacity to resist without failure all loads that are intended or could
reasonably be expected to be applied or transmitted to the system.
(b) Design of sloping and benching systems. The slopes and configurations of sloping and benching
systems shall be selected and constructed by the employer or his designee and shall be in accordance
with the requirements of paragraph (b)(1); or, in the alternative, paragraph (b)(2); or, in the alternative,
paragraph (b)(3), or, in the alternative, paragraph (b)(4), as follows:
(1) Option (1)--Allowable configurations and slopes. (i) Excavations shall be sloped at an angle not steeper
than one and one-half horizontal to one vertical (34 degrees measured from the horizontal), unless the
employer uses one of the other options listed below.
(ii) Slopes specified in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, shall be excavated to form configurations that
are in accordance with the slopes shown for Type C soil in Appendix B to this subpart.
(2) Option (2)--Determination of slopes and configurations using Appendices A and B. Maximum allowable
slopes, and allowable configurations for sloping and benching systems, shall be determined in accordance
with the conditions and requirements set forth in appendices A and B to this subpart.
(3) Option (3)--Designs using other tabulated data. (i) Designs of sloping or benching systems shall be
selected from and be in accordance with tabulated data, such as tables and charts.
(ii) The tabulated data shall be in written form and shall include all of the following:
(A) Identification of the parameters that affect the selection of a sloping or benching system drawn from
such data;
(B) Identification of the limits of use of the data, to include the magnitude and configuration of slopes
determined to be safe;
(C) Explanatory information as may be necessary to aid the user in making a correct selection of a
protective system from the data.

79
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(iii) At least one copy of the tabulated data which identifies the registered professional engineer who
approved the data, shall be maintained at the jobsite during construction of the protective system. After
that time the data may be stored off the jobsite, but a copy of the data shall be made available to the
Secretary upon request.
(4) Option (4)--Design by a registered professional engineer. (i) Sloping and benching systems not utilizing
Option (1) or Option (2) or Option (3) under paragraph (b) of this section shall be approved by a registered
professional engineer.
(ii) Designs shall be in written form and shall include at least the following:
(A) The magnitude of the slopes that were determined to be safe for the particular project;
(B) The configurations that were determined to be safe for the particular project; and
(C) The identity of the registered professional engineer approving the design.
(iii) At least one copy of the design shall be maintained at the jobsite while the slope is being constructed.
After that time the design need not be at the jobsite, but a copy shall be made available to the Secretary
upon request.
(c) Design of support systems, shield systems, and other protective systems. Designs of support systems
shield systems, and other protective systems shall be selected and constructed by the employer or his
designee and shall be in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (c)(1); or, in the alternative,
paragraph (c)(2); or, in the alternative, paragraph (c)(3); or, in the alternative, paragraph (c)(4) as follows:
(1) Option (1)--Designs using appendices A, C and D. Designs for timber shoring in trenches shall be
determined in accordance with the conditions and requirements set forth in appendices A and C to this
subpart. Designs for aluminum hydraulic shoring shall be in accordance with paragraph (c)(2) of this
section, but if manufacturer's tabulated data cannot be utilized, designs shall be in accordance with
appendix D.
(2) Option (2)--Designs Using Manufacturer's Tabulated Data. (i) Design of support systems, shield
systems, or other protective systems that are drawn from manufacturer's tabulated data shall be in
accordance with all specifications, recommendations, and limitations issued or made by the manufacturer.
(ii) Deviation from the specifications, recommendations, and limitations issued or made by the
manufacturer shall only be allowed after the manufacturer issues specific written approval.
(iii) Manufacturer's specifications, recommendations, and limitations, and manufacturer's approval to
deviate from the specifications, recommendations, and limitations shall be in written form at the jobsite
during construction of the protective system. After that time this data may be stored off the jobsite, but a
copy shall be made available to the Secretary upon request.
(3) Option (3)--Designs using other tabulated data. (i) Designs of support systems, shield systems, or
other protective systems shall be selected from and be in accordance with tabulated data, such as tables
and charts.
(ii) The tabulated data shall be in written form and include all of the following:
(A) Identification of the parameters that affect the selection of a protective system drawn from such data;
(B) Identification of the limits of use of the data;
(C) Explanatory information as may be necessary to aid the user in making a correct selection of a
protective system from the data.
(iii) At least one copy of the tabulated data, which identifies the registered professional engineer who
approved the data, shall be maintained at the jobsite during construction of the protective system. After
that time the data may be stored off the jobsite, but a copy of the data shall be made available to the
Secretary upon request.
(4) Option (4)--Design by a registered professional engineer. (i) Support systems, shield systems, and
other protective systems not utilizing Option 1, Option 2 or Option 3, above, shall be approved by a
registered professional engineer.
(ii) Designs shall be in written form and shall include the following:
(A) A plan indicating the sizes, types, and configurations of the materials to be used in the protective
system; and
(B) The identity of the registered professional engineer approving the design.
(iii) At least one copy of the design shall be maintained at the jobsite during construction of the protective
system. After that time, the design may be stored off the jobsite, but a copy of the design shall be made
available to the Secretary upon request.
(d) Materials and equipment. (1) Materials and equipment used for protective systems shall be free from
damage or defects that might impair their proper function.

80
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(2) Manufactured materials and equipment used for protective systems shall be used and maintained in
a manner that is consistent with the recommendations of the manufacturer, and in a manner that will
prevent employee exposure to hazards.
(3) When material or equipment that is used for protective systems is damaged, a competent person shall
examine the material or equipment and evaluate its suitability for continued use. If the competent person
cannot assure the material or equipment is able to support the intended loads or is otherwise suitable for
safe use, then such material or equipment shall be removed from service, and shall be evaluated and
approved by a registered professional engineer before being returned to service.
(e) Installation and removal of support--(1) General. (i) Members of support systems shall be securely
connected together to prevent sliding, falling, kickouts, or other predictable failure.
(ii) Support systems shall be installed and removed in a manner that protects employees from cave-ins,
structural collapses, or from being struck by members of the support system.
(iii) Individual members of support systems shall not be subjected to loads exceeding those which those
members were designed to withstand.
(iv) Before temporary removal of individual members begins, additional precautions shall be taken to
ensure the safety of employees, such as installing other structural members to carry the loads imposed
on the support system.
(v) Removal shall begin at, and progress from, the bottom of the excavation. Members shall be released
slowly so as to note any indication of possible failure of the remaining members of the structure or possible
cave-in of the sides of the excavation.
(vi) Backfilling shall progress together with the removal of support systems from excavations.
(2) Additional requirements for support systems for trench excavations. (i) Excavation of material to a
level no greater than 2 feet (.61 m) below the bottom of the members of a support system shall be
permitted, but only if the system is designed to resist the forces calculated for the full depth of the trench,
and there are no indications while the trench is open of a possible loss of soil from behind or below the
bottom of the support system.
(ii) Installation of a support system shall be closely coordinated with the excavation of trenches.
(f) Sloping and benching systems. Employees shall not be permitted to work on the faces of sloped or
benched excavations at levels above other employees except when employees at the lower levels are
adequately protected from the hazard of falling, rolling, or sliding material or equipment.
(g) Shield systems--(1) General. (i) Shield systems shall not be subjected to loads exceeding those which
the system was designed to withstand.
(ii) Shields shall be installed in a manner to restrict lateral or other hazardous movement of the shield in
the event of the application of sudden lateral loads.
(iii) Employees shall be protected from the hazard of cave-ins when entering or exiting the areas protected
by shields.
(iv) Employees shall not be allowed in shields when shields are being installed, removed, or moved
vertically.
(2) Additional requirement for shield systems used in trench excavations. Excavations of earth material to
a level not greater than 2 feet (.61 m) below the bottom of a shield shall be permitted, but only if the shield
is designed to resist the forces calculated for the full depth of the trench, and there are no indications
while the trench is open of a possible loss of soil from behind or below the bottom of the shield.

81
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
APPENDIX A -- SOIL CLASSIFICATION
(ii) Dry strength. If the soil is dry and crumbles on its own or with moderate pressure into individual grains
or fine powder, it is granular (any combination of gravel, sand, or silt). If the soil is dry and falls into clumps
which break up into smaller clumps, but the smaller clumps can only be broken up with difficulty, it may
be clay in any combination with gravel, sand or silt. If the dry soil breaks into clumps which do not break
up into small clumps and which can only be broken with difficulty, and there is no visual indication the soil
is fissured, the soil may be considered unfissured.
(iii) Thumb penetration. The thumb penetration test can be used to estimate the unconfined compressive
strength of cohesive soils. (This test is based on the thumb penetration test described in American Society
for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard designation D2488 -- "Standard Recommended Practice for
Description of Soils (Visual -- Manual Procedure).") Type A soils with an unconfined compressive strength
of 1.5 tsf can be readily indented by the thumb; however, they can be penetrated by the thumb only with
very great effort. Type C soils with an unconfined compressive strength of 0.5 tsf can be easily penetrated
several inches by the thumb, and can be molded by light finger pressure. This test should be conducted
on an undisturbed soil sample, such as a large clump of spoil, as soon as practicable after excavation to
keep to a minimum the effects of exposure to drying influences. If the excavation is later exposed to
wetting influences (rain, flooding), the classification of the soil must be changed accordingly.
(iv) Other strength tests. Estimates of unconfined compressive strength of soils can also be obtained by
use of a pocket penetrometer or by using a hand-operated Shearvane.
(v) Drying test. The basic purpose of the drying test is to differentiate between cohesive material with
fissures, unfissured cohesive material, and granular material. The procedure for the drying test involves
drying a sample of soil that is approximately one inch thick (2.54 cm) and six inches (15.24 cm) in diameter
until it is thoroughly dry:
(A) If the sample develops cracks as it dries, significant fissures are indicated.
(B) Samples that dry without cracking are to be broken by hand. If considerable force is necessary to
break a sample, the soil has significant cohesive material content. The soil can be classified as a
unfissured cohesive material and the unconfined compressive strength should be determined.
(C) If a sample breaks easily by hand, it is either a fissured cohesive material or a granular material. To
distinguish between the two, pulverize the dried clumps of the sample by hand or by stepping on them. If
the clumps do not pulverize easily, the material is cohesive with fissures. If they pulverize easily into very
small fragments, the material is granular.

APPENDIX B -- SLOPING AND BENCHING

(a) Scope and application. This appendix contains specifications for sloping and benching when used as
methods of protecting employees working in excavations from cave-ins. The requirements of this
appendix apply when the design of sloping and benching protective systems is to be performed in
accordance with the requirements set forth in § 1926.652(b)(2).
(b) Definitions.
Actual slope means the slope to which an excavation face is excavated.
Distress means that the soil is in a condition where a cave-in is imminent or is likely to occur. Distress is
evidenced by such phenomena as the development of fissures in the face of or adjacent to an open
excavation; the subsidence of the edge of an excavation; the slumping of material from the face or the
bulging or heaving of material from the bottom of an excavation; the spalling of material from the face of
an excavation; and raveling, i.e., small amounts of material such as pebbles or little clumps of material
suddenly separating from the face of an excavation and trickling or rolling down into the excavation.
Maximum allowable slope means the steepest incline of an excavation face that is acceptable for the most
favorable site conditions as protection against cave-ins, and is expressed as the ratio of horizontal
distance to vertical rise (H:V).
Short term exposure means a period of time less than or equal to 24 hours that an excavation is open.
(c) Requirements -- (1) Soil classification. Soil and rock deposits shall be classified in accordance with
appendix A to subpart P of part 1926.
(2) Maximum allowable slope. The maximum allowable slope for a soil or rock deposit shall be determined
from Table B-1 of this appendix.
(3) Actual slope. (i) The actual slope shall not be steeper than the maximum allowable slope.

82
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(ii) The actual slope shall be less steep than the maximum allowable slope, when there are signs of
distress. If that situation occurs, the slope shall be cut back to an actual slope which is at least 1/2
horizontal to one vertical ( 1/2 H:1V) less steep than the maximum allowable slope.
(iii) When surcharge loads from stored material or equipment, operating equipment, or traffic are present,
a competent person shall determine the degree to which the actual slope must be reduced below the
maximum allowable slope, and shall assure that such reduction is achieved. Surcharge loads from
adjacent structures shall be evaluated in accordance with § 1926.651(i).
(4) Configurations. Configurations of sloping and benching systems shall be in accordance with Figure B-
1.

APPENDIX C -- TIMBER SHORING FOR TRENCHES

(B) When vertical loads imposed on cross braces exceed a 240-pound gravity load distributed on a one-
foot section of the center of the crossbrace.
(C) When surcharge loads are present from equipment weighing in excess of 20,000 pounds.
(D) When only the lower portion of a trench is shored and the remaining portion of the trench is sloped or
benched unless: The sloped portion is sloped at an angle less steep than three horizontal to one vertical;
or the members are selected from the tables for use at a depth which is determined from the top of the
overall trench, and not from the toe of the sloped portion.
(e) Use of Tables. The members of the shoring system that are to be selected using this information are
the cross braces, the uprights, and the wales, where wales are required. Minimum sizes of members are
specified for use in different types of soil. There are six tables of information, two for each soil type. The
soil type must first be determined in accordance with the soil classification system described in appendix
A to subpart P of part 1926. Using the appropriate table, the selection of the size and spacing of the
members is then made. The selection is based on the depth and width of the trench where the members
are to be installed and, in most instances, the selection is also based on the horizontal spacing of the
crossbraces. Instances where a choice of horizontal spacing of crossbracing is available, the horizontal
spacing of the crossbraces must be chosen by the user before the size of any member can be determined.
When the soil type, the width and depth of the trench, and the horizontal spacing of the crossbraces are
known, the size and vertical spacing of the crossbraces, the size and vertical spacing of the wales, and
the size and horizontal spacing of the uprights can be read from the appropriate table.
(f) Examples to Illustrate the Use of Tables C-1.1 through C-1.3.
(1) Example 1.
A trench dug in Type A soil is 13 feet deep and five feet wide.
From Table C-1.1, for acceptable arrangements of timber can be used.
Arrangement #1
Space 4 X 4 crossbraces at six feet horizontally and four feet vertically.
Wales are not required.
Space 38 uprights at six feet horizontally. This arrangement is commonly called "skip shoring."
Arrangement #2
Space 4 X 6 crossbraces at eight feet horizontally and four feet vertically.
Space 8 X 8 wales at four feet vertically.
Space 2 X 6 uprights at four feet horizontally.
Arrangement #3
Space 6 X 6 crossbraces at 10 feet horizontally and four feet vertically.
Space 8 X 10 wales at four feet vertically.
Space 2 X 6 uprights at five feet horizontally.
Arrangement #4
Space 6 X 6 crossbraces at 12 feet horizontally and four feet vertically.
Space 10 X 10 wales at four feet vertically.
Spaces 3 X 8 uprights at six feet horizontally.
(2) Example 2.
A trench dug in Type B soil in 13 feet deep and five feet wide. From Table C-1.2 three acceptable
arrangements of members are listed.
Arrangement #1
Space 6 X 6 crossbraces at six feet horizontally and five feet vertically.

83
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Space 8 X 8 wales at five feet vertically.
Space 2 X 6 uprights at two feet horizontally.
Arrangement #2
Space 6 X 8 crossbraces at eight feet horizontally and five feet vertically.
Space 1010 wales at five feet vertically.
Space 2 X 6 uprights at two feet horizontally.
Arrangement #3
Space 8 X 8 crossbraces at 10 feet horizontally and five feet vertically.
Space 10 X 12 wales at five feet vertically.
Space 2 X 6 uprights at two feet vertically.
(3) Example 3.
A trench dug in Type C soil is 13 feet deep and five feet wide.
From Table C-1.3 two acceptable arrangements of members can be used.
Arrangement #1
Space 8 X 8 crossbraces at six feet horizontally and five feet vertically.
Space 10 X 12 wales at five feet vertically.
Position 2 X 6 uprights as closely together as possible.
If water must be retained use special tongue and groove uprights to form tight sheeting.
Arrangement #2
Space 8 X 10 crossbraces at eight feet horizontally and five feet vertically.
Space 12 X 12 wales at five feet vertically.
Position 2 X 6 uprights in a close sheeting configuration unless water pressure must be resisted. Tight
sheeting must be used where water must be retained.
(4) Example 4.
A trench dug in Type C soil is 20 feet deep and 11 feet wide. The size and spacing of members for the
section of trench that is over 15 feet in depth is determined using Table C-1.3. Only one arrangement of
members is provided.
Space 8 X 10 crossbraces at six feet horizontally and five feet vertically.
Space 12 X 12 wales at five feet vertically.
Use 3 X 6 tight sheeting.
Use of Tables C-2.1 through C-2.3 would follow the same procedures.
(g) Notes for all Tables.
1. Member sizes at spacings other than indicated are to be determined as specified in § 1926.652(c),
"Design of Protective Systems."
2. When conditions are saturated or submerged use Tight Sheeting. Tight Sheeting refers to the use of
specially-edged timber planks (e.g., tongue and groove) at least three inches thick, steel sheet piling, or
similar construction that when driven or placed in position provide a tight wall to resist the lateral pressure
of water and to prevent the loss of backfill material. Close Sheeting refers to the placement of planks side-
by-side allowing as little space as possible between them.
3. All spacing indicated is measured center to center.
4. Wales to be installed with greater dimension horizontal.
5. If the vertical distance from the center of the lowest crossbrace to the bottom of the trench exceeds two
and one-half feet, uprights shall be firmly embedded or a mudsill shall be used. Where uprights are
embedded, the vertical distance from the center of the lowest crossbrace to the bottom of the trench shall
not exceed 36 inches. When mudsills are used, the vertical distance shall not exceed 42 inches. Mudsills
are wales that are installed at the toe of the trench side.
6. Trench jacks may be used in lieu of or in combination with timber crossbraces.
7. Placement cf crossbraces. When the vertical spacing of crossbraces is four feet, place the top
crossbrace no more than two feet below the top of the trench. When the vertical spacing of crossbraces
is five feet, place the top crossbrace no more than 2.5 feet below the top of the trench.

84
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
OVERVIEW: SOIL MECHANICS
A number of stresses and deformations can occur in an open cut or trench. For example,
increases or decreases in moisture content can adversely affect the stability of a trench or
excavation. The following diagrams show some of the more frequently identified causes of
trench failure.

TENSION CRACKS. Tension cracks FIGURE 5:2-1. TENSION CRACK.

usually form at a horizontal distance of 0.5
to 0.75 times the depth of the trench,
measured from the top of the vertical face
of the trench. See the accompanying
drawing for additional details.

SLIDING or sluffing may occur as a result FIGURE 5:2-2. SLIDING.

of tension cracks, as illustrated below.

TOPPLING. In addition to sliding, tension FIGURE 5:2-3. TOPPLING.

cracks can cause toppling. Toppling
occurs when the trench's vertical face
shears along the tension crack line and
topples into the excavation.

SUBSIDENCE AND BULGING. An FIGURE 5:2-4. SUBSIDENCE

unsupported excavation can create an AND BULGING.
unbalanced stress in the soil, which, in
turn, causes subsidence at the surface and
bulging of the vertical face of the trench. If
uncorrected, this condition can cause face
failure and entrapment of workers in the
trench.

85
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
FIGURE 5:2-5. HEAVING OR
SQUEEZING.
HEAVING OR SQUEEZING. Bottom
heaving or squeezing is caused by the
downward pressure created by the weight
of adjoining soil. This pressure causes a
bulge in the bottom of the cut, as illustrated
in the drawing above. Heaving and
squeezing can occur even when shoring or
shielding has been properly installed.

BOILING is evidenced by an upward water FIGURE 5:2-6. BOILING.

flow into the bottom of the cut. A high
water table is one of the causes of boiling.
Boiling produces a "quick" condition in the
bottom of the cut, and can occur even
when shoring or trench boxes are used.

UNIT WEIGHT OF SOILS refers to the weight of one unit of a particular soil. The weight of soil varies
with type and moisture content. One cubic foot of soil can weigh from 110 pounds to 140 pounds or
more, and one cubic meter (35.3 cubic feet) of soil can weigh more than 3,000 pounds.

DETERMINATION OF SOIL TYPE.

OSHA categorizes soil and rock deposits into four types, A through D, as follows:

STABLE ROCK is natural solid mineral matter that can be excavated with vertical sides and remain
intact while exposed. It is usually identified by a rock name such as granite or sandstone. Determining
whether a deposit is of this type may be difficult unless it is known whether cracks exist and whether
or not the cracks run into or away from the excavation.

TYPE A SOILS are cohesive soils with an unconfined compressive strength of 1.5 tons per square
foot (tsf) (144 kPa) or greater. Examples of Type A cohesive soils are often: clay, silty clay, sandy
clay, clay loam and, in some cases, silty clay loam and sandy clay loam. (No soil is Type A if it is
fissured, is subject to vibration of any type, has previously been disturbed, is part of a sloped, layered
system where the layers dip into the excavation on a slope of 4 horizontal to 1 vertical (4H:1V) or
greater, or has seeping water.

TYPE B SOILS are cohesive soils with an unconfined compressive strength greater than 0.5 tsf (48
kPa) but less than 1.5 tsf (144 kPa). Examples of other Type B soils are: angular gravel; silt; silt loam;
previously disturbed soils unless otherwise classified as Type C; soils that meet the unconfined
compressive strength or cementation requirements of Type A soils but are fissured or subject to
vibration; dry unstable rock; and layered systems sloping into the trench at a slope less than 4H:1V
(only if the material would be classified as a Type B soil).

TYPE C SOILS are cohesive soils with an unconfined compressive strength of 0.5 tsf (48 kPa) or
less. Other Type C soils include granular soils such as gravel, sand and loamy sand, submerged soil,
soil from which water is freely seeping, and submerged rock that is not stable. Also included in this

86
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
classification is material in a sloped, layered system where the layers dip into the excavation or have
a slope of four horizontal to one vertical (4H:1V) or greater.

LAYERED GEOLOGICAL STRATA. Where soils are configured in layers, i.e., where a layered
geologic structure exists, the soil must be classified on the basis of the soil classification of the weakest
soil layer. Each layer may be classified individually if a more stable layer lies below a less stable layer,
i.e., where a Type C soil rests on top of stable rock.

TEST EQUIPMENT AND METHODS FOR EVALUATING SOIL TYPE.

Many kinds of equipment and methods are used to determine the type of soil prevailing in an area, as
described below.

POCKET PENETROMETER. Penetrometers are direct-reading, spring-operated instruments used to

determine the unconfined compressive strength of saturated cohesive soils. Once pushed into the
soil, an indicator sleeve displays the reading. The instrument is calibrated in either tons per square
foot (tsf) or kilograms per square centimeter (kPa). However, Penetrometers have error rates in the
range of ± 20-40%.

Shearvane (Torvane). To determine the unconfined compressive strength of the soil with a
shearvane, the blades of the vane are pressed into a level section of undisturbed soil, and the torsional
knob is slowly turned until soil failure occurs. The direct instrument reading must be multiplied by 2 to
provide results in tons per square foot (tsf) or kilograms per square centimeter (kPa).

Thumb Penetration Test. The thumb penetration procedure involves an attempt to press the thumb
firmly into the soil in question. If the thumb makes an indentation in the soil only with great difficulty,
the soil is probably Type A. If the thumb penetrates no further than the length of the thumb nail, it is
probably Type B soil, and if the thumb penetrates the full length of the thumb, it is Type C soil. The
thumb test is subjective and is therefore the least accurate of the three methods.

Dry Strength Test. Dry soil that crumbles freely or with moderate pressure into individual grains is
granular. Dry soil that falls into clumps that subsequently break into smaller clumps (and the smaller
clumps can be broken only with difficulty) is probably clay in combination with gravel, sand, or silt. If
the soil breaks into clumps that do not break into smaller clumps (and the soil can be broken only with
difficulty), the soil is considered unfissured unless there is visual indication of fissuring.

PLASTICITY OR WET THREAD TEST. This test is conducted by molding a moist sample of the soil
into a ball and attempting to roll it into a thin thread approximately 1/8 inch (3 mm) in diameter (thick)
by 2 inches (50 mm) in length. The soil sample is held by one end. If the sample does not break or
tear, the soil is considered cohesive.

VISUAL TEST. A visual test is a qualitative evaluation of conditions around the site. In a visual test,
the entire excavation site is observed, including the soil adjacent to the site and the soil being
excavated. If the soil remains in clumps, it is cohesive; if it appears to be coarse-grained sand or
gravel, it is considered granular. The evaluator also checks for any signs of vibration.

During a visual test, the evaluator should check for crack-line openings along the failure zone that
would indicate tension cracks, look for existing utilities that indicate that the soil has previously been
disturbed, and observe the open side of the excavation for indications of layered geologic structuring.

The evaluator should also look for signs of bulging, boiling, or sluffing, as well as for signs of surface
water seeping from the sides of the excavation or from the water table. If there is standing water in the
cut, the evaluator should check for "quick" conditions (see Paragraph III. F. in this chapter).

87
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
88
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
SHORING TYPES
Shoring is the provision of a support system for trench faces used to prevent movement of soil,
underground utilities, roadways, and foundations. Shoring or shielding is used when the location or
depth of the cut makes sloping back to the maximum allowable slope impractical. Shoring systems
consist of posts, wales, struts, and sheeting. There are two basic types of shoring, timber and
aluminum hydraulic.

FIGURE V:2-7. TIMBER SHORING.

HYDRAULIC SHORING. The trend today is toward the use of hydraulic shoring, a prefabricated
strut and/or wale system manufactured of aluminum or steel. Hydraulic shoring provides a critical
safety advantage over timber shoring because workers do not have to enter the trench to install or
remove hydraulic shoring. Other advantages of most hydraulic systems are that they:

Are light enough to be installed by one worker;

Are gauge-regulated to ensure even distribution of pressure along the trench line;

Can have their trench faces "preloaded" to use the soil's natural cohesion to prevent movement;
and

 Can be adapted easily to various trench depths and widths.

 All shoring should be installed from the top down and removed from the bottom up.
Hydraulic shoring should be checked at least once per shift for leaking hoses and/or
cylinders, broken connections, cracked nipples, bent bases, and any other damaged or
defective parts.

89
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
SHORING VARIATIONS:

TYPICAL ALUMINUM HYDRAULIC SHORING INSTALLATIONS

PNEUMATIC SHORING works in a manner similar to hydraulic shoring. The primary difference is
that pneumatic shoring uses air pressure in place of hydraulic pressure. A disadvantage to the use
of pneumatic shoring is that an air compressor must be on site.

90
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
FIGURE V:2-13. SLOPE CONFIGURATIONS: EXCAVATIONS IN LAYERED SOILS.

FIGURE V:2-14. EXCAVATIONS MADE IN TYPE A SOIL.

BENCHING. There are two basic types of benching, simple and multiple. The type of soil determines the
horizontal to vertical ratio of the benched side.

As a general rule, the bottom vertical height of the trench must not exceed 4 ft (1.2 m) for the first bench.
Subsequent benches may be up to a maximum of 5 ft (1.5 m) vertical in Type A soil and 4 ft (1.2 m) in
Type B soil to a total trench depth of 20 ft (6.0 m). All subsequent benches must be below the maximum
allowable slope for that soil type. For Type B soil the trench excavation is permitted in cohesive soil only.

91
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
FIGURE V:2-15. EXCAVATIONS MADE IN TYPE B SOIL.

SPOIL

TEMPORARY SPOIL. Temporary spoil must be placed no closer than 2 ft (0.61 m) from the surface edge
of the excavation, measured from the nearest base of the spoil to the cut. This distance should not be
measured from the crown of the spoil deposit. This distance requirement ensures that loose rock or soil
from the temporary spoil will not fall on employees in the trench.

Spoil should be placed so that it channels rainwater and other run-off water away from the excavation.
Spoil should be placed so that it cannot accidentally run, slide, or fall back into the excavation.

FIGURE V:2-16. TEMPORARY SPOIL.

PERMANENT SPOIL. Permanent spoil should be placed at some distance from the excavation.
Permanent spoil is often created where underpasses are built or utilities are buried. The improper
placement of permanent spoil, i.e. insufficient distance from the working excavation, can cause an
excavation to be out of compliance with the horizontal-to-vertical ratio requirement for a particular
excavation. This can usually be determined through visual observation. Permanent spoil can change
undisturbed soil to disturbed soil and dramatically alter slope requirements.

92
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Excavation Chapter Post Quiz
Answers are found in the rear after the OSHA Rule Section
Internet Link to Assignment…
http://www.abctlc.com/downloads/PDF/Competant Person Assignment.pdf

1. A competent person is one who is capable of __________________existing hazards in the

surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to
employees; and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.

2. In order to be a "Competent Person" for the purpose of this standard, one must have
specific training in and be _____________about soils analysis, the use of protective systems
and the requirements of 29 CFR Part 1926.650-652 Subpart P.

Competent Person Duties

3. __________________daily inspections of the protective equipment, trench conditions,
safety equipment and adjacent areas.

4. ________________ shall be made prior to the start of work and as needed throughout the
shift.

5. _______________shall be made after every rainstorm or other hazard occurrence.

6. _______________of emergency contact methods, telephone or radio dispatch.

7. ________________ the appropriate protection system to be used.

8. _________________on-site records of inspections and protective systems used.

9. ______________ current First Aid and CPR certifications. Maintain current confined space
certification training.

10. During excavation work, a competent person shall be on the job site at all times when
personnel are working within or around the excavation. This is necessary in order to
_____________soil conditions, equipment and protection systems employed.

11. The estimated locations of utility installations, such as sewer, telephone, fuel, electric,
water lines, or any other underground installation that reasonably may be expected to be
encountered during excavation work, shall be _____________ prior to opening an excavation.

93
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
12. Adequate _______________shall be taken to protect employees working in excavations,
against the hazards posed by water accumulation.

13. ________________shall be protected from excavated or other materials, or equipment,

that could pose a hazard by falling or rolling into excavations.

14. Protection shall be provided by placing and keeping such material or equipment at least
two (2') feet from the edge of __________________.

15. A stairway, ladder, or ramp shall be used as a means of _________________in trench

excavations that are four (4') feet or more in depth.

16. The ladder(s), stairway(s), or ramp shall be spaced so that no employee in the trench
excavation is more than twenty (25') feet from a _________________.

17. When ladder(s) are employed, the top of the ladder shall extend a minimum of three (3')
feet above the ground and shall be __________________.

18. When ___________________ are exposed to vehicular traffic, each employee shall wear
a warning vest made with reflective material or high visibility material.

94
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Excavation References
29 CFR 1926, Subpart P. Excavations.
Construction Safety Association of Ontario. Trenching Safety. 74 Victoria St., Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5C2A5.
International Labour Office (ILO). Building Work: A Compendium of Occupational Safety and
Health Practice. International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS): ILO,
Geneva, Switzerland.
National Safety Council. Accident Prevention Manual for Industrial Operations, Engineering
and Technology, 9th ed., Chicago, IL: National Safety Council.
National Safety Council. Protecting Worker's Lives: A Safety and Health Guide for Unions.
Chicago, IL: National Safety Council.
National Safety Council. Industrial Data Sheets: I-482, General Excavation, and I-254, Trench
Excavation, Chicago, IL: National Safety Council.
National Utility Contractors Association, Competent Person Manual-1991.
NBS/NIOSH, Development of Draft Construction Safety Standards for Excavations. Volume I,
April 1983. NIOSH 83-103, Pub. No. 84-100-569. Volume II, April 1983. NIOSH 83-2693, Pub.
No. 83-233-353.
Scardino, A.J., Jr. 1993. Hazard Identification and Control--Trench Excavation. Lagrange, TX:
Carlton Press.

Melissa Durbin, Author and Dean of Instruction.

95
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
96
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Chapter
Section Focus: You will learn the basics of proper confined space entry. At the end of this
section, you the student will be able to understand and describe confined space and permit
required confined spaces. There is a post quiz at the end of this section to review your
comprehension and a final examination in the Assignment for your contact hours.

Scope/Background: The Confined Space Entry Program is provided to protect authorized

employees that will enter confined spaces and may be exposed to hazardous atmospheres,
engulfment in materials, conditions which may trap or asphyxiate due to converging or sloping
walls, or contains any other safety or health hazards.
Reference: OSHA-Permit-Required Confined Spaces (29 CFR 1910.146).

97
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Scenario. A fixed ladder drops deep inside a permit required or type II confined space. One
man goes inside and passes out from hazardous fumes. A second man goes in and dies within
seconds trying to help his buddy.

A third man goes in to save the others and dies on the spot. Only the first man survives, that
is if you can say that being brain dead is surviving. Never try to rescue your buddies unless
you are trained and have proper equipment. Never! Call 911 first. This scenario actually
happened inside a sewer system. Don’t be the next victim.

98
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Hazardous Incident Number 1

A man was overcome by carbon dioxide gas after entering a 4,500-liter wine vat containing
crushed grape skins and seeds. He entered through a 15 inch opening at the top of the vat.

The juice from the crushed grapes had been drained off through the drainer at the bottom of
the tank. The atmosphere was inert due to the presence of a large amount of carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide is added to the winemaking process as an antioxidant to displace oxygen

during the winemaking process.

Contributing Factors
 Lack of atmospheric monitoring equipment to test the internal atmosphere in the wine
vats. (Non-scientific methods such as the sniff test are not satisfactory and expose
workers to harmful gases).
 The employee appeared to have a lack of appreciation of the risks associated with
carbon dioxide; that is, the rapidity of symptoms, the onset of euphoria, loss of muscle
control and was dead within four (4) minutes.

99
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Entry Permits

 Confined Space Entry Permits must be completed before any employee enters a
permit-required confined space. The permit must be completed and signed by an
authorized member of management before entry.
 Permits will expire before the completion of the shift or if any pre-entry conditions
change.
 Permits will be maintained on file for 12 months.

100
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Hazardous Incident Number 2 - Three Sanitation Workers and One
Policeman Die in an Underground Pumping Station in Kentucky
Introduction
On July 5, 1985, a police officer and two sewer workers died in an attempt to rescue a third
sewer worker, who had been overcome by sewer gas at the bottom of an underground
pumping station. All four persons were pronounced dead upon removal from the station.

Synopsis of Events
On July 5, 1985, at approximately 10 a.m., two sewer workers (27 and 28 years of age) entered
a 50-foot-deep underground pumping station. The station is 1 of 12 that pump sewage to the
city's waste water treatment plant. The workers entered through a metal shaft (3 feet in
diameter) on a fixed ladder that leads to an underground room (8 feet by 8 feet by 7 feet).

The ventilating fan was not functioning correctly. The workers were not wearing personal
protective clothing or equipment.

The two workers proceeded to remove the bolts of an inspection plate from a check valve. The
plate blew off, allowing raw sewage to flood the chamber, overwhelming one of the workers.
The second worker exited the pumping station and radioed the police department, requesting
assistance.

He again entered the station and was also overcome. Two police officers responded to the call
at approximately 10:09 a.m. and one officer entered the pumping station. Later the sewage
systems field manager arrived on the scene and followed the officer into the pumping station.
None of the rescuers returned to the top of the ladder.

A construction worker, who was passing by the site, stopped and entered the station in a
rescue attempt. After descending approximately 10 feet into the shaft, he called for help. The
second police officer assisted the construction worker out of the shaft. None of the responding
men wore respirators.

Fire department personnel arrived at the accident site at approximately 10:11 a.m. One
fireman, wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), entered the shaft, but could
not locate the four men. By this time sewage had completely flooded the underground room.

The fireman exited the pumping station. A second volunteer fireman (6'8", 240 lbs.) entered
the shaft wearing a SCBA and a life line. As he began his descent he apparently slipped from
the ladder and became wedged in the shaft approximately 20 feet down. (His body was folded
with his head and feet facing upward.) Not being able to breathe, he removed the face mask
and lost consciousness.

Rescuers at the site extricated the fireman after a 30-minute effort. No further rescue attempts
were made, until professional divers were required to enter the station and removed the bodies.
Autopsy results revealed a considerable amount of sewage in the lungs of the sewer workers
and only a trace of sewage in the lungs of the field manager and police officer.

101
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Recommendations/Discussion
Recommendation #1: Employers should develop proper work procedures and should
adequately train employees to maintain and repair the sewage system. This training should
include recognition of potential hazards associated with failures within those systems.

Discussion: The sewer workers did not have an understanding of the pumping station's
design; therefore, mechanical failures and hazards associated with those failures were not
adequately identified. Records were not kept of mechanical failures or repairs. The sewer
workers "believed" that a malfunctioning valve had previously been repaired.

This valve permitted the pumping station to flood. The lack of training resulted in the employee
not being able to properly isolate the work area from fumes and sewage seepage.

Recommendation #2: Employers should develop comprehensive policies and procedures for
confined space entry.

Discussion: Prior to confined space entry, all procedures should be documented. All types of
emergencies and potential hazardous conditions should be addressed.

These procedures should minimally include the following:

1. Air quality testing to assure adequate oxygen supply, adequate ventilation, and the absence
of all toxic air contaminants;
2. Employee and supervisory training in the selection and usage of respiratory protection;
3. Development of site-specific working procedures and emergency access and egress plans;
4. Emergency rescue training;
5. Availability, storage, and maintenance of emergency rescue equipment.

The air quality was not determined before the sewer workers entered the confined space and
the ventilation system was not functioning properly. One respirator was available for use;
however, it was not appropriate for the chemical contamination (sewer gas) present. Life lines
were not available.

Once confined space pre-entry procedures are developed, employees should be trained to
follow them.

Recommendation #3: Fire fighters, police officers, and others responsible for emergency
rescue should be trained for confined space rescue.

Discussion: A police officer died in the rescue attempt of the sewer workers. The police officer
was not trained in confined space rescue techniques and did not recognize the hazards
associated with the confined space.

The volunteer fireman, who attempted the rescue and wedged himself inside the shaft, should
not have been allowed to enter. His size alone created a potential hazard for himself and the
incident delayed possible rescue of the victims. Emergency rescue teams must be cognizant
of all hazards associated with confined spaces, including rescue hindrances, and they should
wear proper personal protection and devices for emergency egress.

102
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Hazardous Incident Number 3
Unnecessary Confined Space Deaths
Two self-employed well cleaners (the victims) drowned while cleaning a residential well. Victim
#1 was a 40-year-old male and victim #2 was a 43-year-old male. The well was 36 inches in
diameter and 40-feet deep. Concrete casings supported the sides of the well, while the well
floor was left as exposed soil to allow flow of ground water.

At the time of the incident, victim #1 was at the well bottom brushing down the concrete casings
and shoveling muck from the well floor; he apparently became disoriented and was unable to
exit the well. Victim #2 then entered the well in a rescue attempt. However, the two were unable
to exit the well due to inadequate rescue equipment. The homeowner called 911 and
emergency rescue units arrived within approximately 10 minutes. Victim #2 was removed from
the well approximately 20 minutes after the first rescue unit arrived. He was transported to the
local hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Victim #1 was pulled from the well approximately 4 hours after the 911 call. He was pronounced
dead at the scene. NIOSH investigators determined that, to prevent similar occurrences,
employers, including the self-employed involved in well cleaning operations, should:
 Develop and implement a comprehensive confined space entry program.
 NIOSH investigators also determined, for the protection of rescue personnel, volunteer
fire departments should:
 identify the types of confined spaces within their jurisdictions and develop and
implement confined space entry and rescue programs
 develop and implement a respiratory protection program to protect firefighters from
respiratory hazards
 Develop and implement a general safety program to help firefighters recognize,
understand, and control hazards.

On May 1, 1993, two self-employed well cleaners (the victims) drowned while conducting well
cleaning operations at a residential well site. On June 23, 1993, the Maryland Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (MOSH), notified the Division of Safety Research (DSR) of
these deaths and requested technical assistance. On July 12, 1993, an environmental health
and safety specialist and an engineering intern from DSR conducted a field investigation of
this incident.

Interviews were conducted with the MOSH investigator, the county confined space rescue
team, the county volunteer fire department, and the son of victim #2. Photographs were
obtained of the incident site. Medical examiner's reports for both victims were also obtained.
No atmospheric testing was conducted as the well site had been filled in and sealed.

The investigation was complicated in part by certain factors: the time lapse between the
incident and the investigation, the number of emergency responders, the particular sequence
of events, and the time frames of these events, and differing perceptions of the series of events
occurring in a crisis situation.

Therefore, a scenario of this incident was developed after carefully evaluating a diverse mixture
of information. The victims in this incident worked part-time as self-employed well cleaners and
grave diggers.

103
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
This was the only source of employment for victim #1. Victim #2 was employed full-time as a
truck driver for the county in which the incident occurred. Neither victim had any safety or
confined space training. However, both victims were aware that well cleaning was a dangerous
job, according to the son of victim #2.

In summarizing this confined space investigation, there were three major hazards identified:
(1) oxygen deficient atmosphere (NIOSH, 1979), (2) toxic (carbon monoxide) atmosphere
(NIOSH, 1972), and (3) cold water exposure (Golden, 1976). The medical examiner listed the
blood carboxyhemoglobin saturation levels as 37% in victim #1 and 13% in victim #2.

The bacterial action and biomass in the well could have been a source for a small percentage
of the carbon monoxide. However, an external source was probably responsible for the largest
percentage of carbon monoxide. Testing conducted by the volunteer fire unit indicated that the
oxygen level (only gas tested) at the 20-foot level was 17% by volume. When the well was
pumped to the bottom, the oxygen level would have likely decreased to 12 to 15% by volume.
Under conditions of reduced ambient oxygen concentration, such as the reduced oxygen level
in the well, the exposure to carbon monoxide was even more critical. The water temperature
in the well was reported to be between 35 and 40 degrees F. Survival time in water at 32
degrees F is predicted to be less than 15 minutes (Golden, 1976).

Cause of Death
The medical examiner listed the cause of death for
victim #1 as "drowning complicating carbon monoxide
poisoning," and the cause of death for victim #2 as
drowning.

Recommendation #1: Employers involved in well

cleaning operations, including the self-employed,
should develop and implement a comprehensive
confined space entry program.

Discussion: There was no confined space entry

program in effect at the residential well site at the time
of the incident. The atmosphere was not tested before
entry, no mechanical ventilation or respiratory
protection was provided, and no rescue plans were
developed.

Employers, even self-employed well cleaning

operations, should develop and implement a written
confined space entry program to address all provisions
outlined in the following NIOSH Publications: Working in Confined Spaces: Criteria for a
Recommended Standard (Pub. No. 80-106); NIOSH Alert, Request for Assistance in
Preventing Occupational Fatalities in Confined Spaces (Pub. No. 86-110); A Guide to Safety
in Confined Spaces (Pub. No. 87-113); and NIOSH Guide to Industrial Respiratory Protection
(Pub. No. 87-116).

Most of this text is credited to OSHA.

104
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Spaces are
Smart Safety Rules
-large enough to allow entry of any body part, and
-limited or restricted entry or exit, and Know what you are getting
-not designed for continuous employee occupancy into.
Permit Required Confined Spaces are confined spaces that Know how to get out in an
have any of the following emergency.
-potential hazardous atmosphere Know the hazards & how they
-material inside that may engulf or trap you are controlled.
-internal design that could trap or asphyxiate you Only authorized & trained
-any other serious safety or health hazard personnel may enter a
Confined Space or act as an
Entry Permits are required before you enter any attendant.
“Permit Required Confined Space” No smoking in Confined
Space or near entrance or exit
Hazards include area.
 Fire & Explosion Attendant must be present at
 Engulfment all times.
Constant visual or voice
 Asphyxiation
communication must be
 Entrapment
maintained between the
 Slips & Falls attendant and entrants.
 Electric Shock No bottom or side entry will be
 Noise & Vibration made, or work conducted
 Chemical Exposure below the level any hanging
 Toxic Atmospheres material or material which
 Thermal / Chemical Burns could cause engulfment.
Engineering Controls Air and oxygen monitoring is
 Ventilation required before entering a
 Locked Access Permit-Required Confined
 Lighting Space.
Administrative Controls Ventilation & oxygen
 Controlled Access monitoring is required when
 Hazard Assessments welding is performed.
 Entry Permits & Procedures
 Signs & Lockout Tagout
 Training

105
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
106
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Terms
"Acceptable entry conditions" means the conditions that must exist in a permit space to allow
entry and to ensure that employees involved with a permit-required confined space entry can
safely enter into and work within the space.

"Attendant" means an individual stationed outside one or more permit spaces who monitors
the authorized entrants and who performs all attendant's duties assigned in the employer's
permit space program.

"Authorized entrant" means an employee who is authorized by the employer to enter a permit
space.

"Blanking or blinding" means the absolute closure of a pipe, line, or duct by the fastening of a
solid plate (such as a spectacle blind or a skillet blind) that completely covers the bore and that
is capable of withstanding the maximum pressure of the pipe, line, or duct with no leakage
beyond the plate.

"Confined space" means a space that:

(1) Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned
work; and

(2) Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage
bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry.); and

(3) Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

"Double block and bleed" means the closure of a line, duct, or pipe by closing and locking or
tagging two in-line valves and by opening and locking or tagging a drain or vent valve in the
line between the two closed valves.

"Emergency" means any occurrence (including any failure of hazard control or monitoring
equipment) or event internal or external to the permit space that could endanger entrants.

"Engulfment" means the surrounding and effective capture of a person by a liquid or finely
divided (flowable) solid substance that can be aspirated to cause death by filling or plugging
the respiratory system or that can exert enough force on the body to cause death by
strangulation, constriction, or crushing.

"Entry" means the action by which a person passes through an opening into a permit-required
confined space. Entry includes ensuing work activities in that space and is considered to have
occurred as soon as any part of the entrant's body breaks the plane of an opening into the
space.

"Entry permit (permit)" means the written or printed document that is provided by the employer
to allow and control entry into a permit space and that contains the information specified in
paragraph (f) of this section.

107
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
"Entry supervisor" means the person (such as the employer, foreman, or crew chief)
responsible for determining if acceptable entry conditions are present at a permit space where
entry is planned, for authorizing entry and overseeing entry operations, and for terminating
entry as required by this section.

NOTE: An entry supervisor also may serve as an attendant or as an authorized entrant, as

long as that person is trained and equipped as required by this section for each role he or she
fills. Also, the duties of entry supervisor may be passed from one individual to another during
the course of an entry operation.

"Hazardous atmosphere" means an atmosphere that may expose employees to the risk of
death, incapacitation, impairment of ability to self-rescue (that is, escape unaided from a permit
space), injury, or acute illness from one or more of the following causes:

(1) Flammable gas, vapor, or mist in excess of 10 percent of its lower flammable limit (LFL);

(2) Airborne combustible dust at a concentration that meets or exceeds its LFL;

NOTE: This concentration may be approximated as a condition in which the dust obscures
vision at a distance of 5 feet (1.52 m) or less.

(3) Atmospheric oxygen concentration below 19.5 percent or above 23.5 percent;

(4) Atmospheric concentration of any substance for which a dose or a permissible exposure
limit is published in Subpart G, Occupational Health and Environmental Control, or in Subpart
Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances, of this Part and which could result in employee exposure
in excess of its dose or permissible exposure limit;

NOTE: An atmospheric concentration of any substance that is not capable of causing death,
incapacitation, impairment of ability to self-rescue, injury, or acute illness due to its health
effects is not covered by this provision.

(5) Any other atmospheric condition that is immediately dangerous to life or health.

NOTE: For air contaminants for which OSHA has not determined a dose or permissible
exposure limit, other sources of information, such as Material Safety Data Sheets that comply
with the Hazard Communication Standard, section 1910.1200 of this Part, published
information, and internal documents can provide guidance in establishing acceptable
atmospheric conditions.

"Hot work permit" means the employer's written authorization to perform operations (for
example, riveting, welding, cutting, burning, and heating) capable of providing a source of
ignition.

"Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH)" means any condition that poses an immediate
or delayed threat to life or that would cause irreversible adverse health effects or that would
interfere with an individual's ability to escape unaided from a permit space.

108
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
NOTE: Some materials -- hydrogen fluoride gas and cadmium vapor, for example -- may
produce immediate transient effects that, even if severe, may pass without medical attention,
but are followed by sudden, possibly fatal collapse 12-72 hours after exposure. The victim
"feels normal" from recovery from transient effects until collapse. Such materials in hazardous
quantities are considered to be "immediately" dangerous to life or health.

"Inerting" means the displacement of the atmosphere in a permit space by a noncombustible

gas (such as nitrogen) to such an extent that the resulting atmosphere is noncombustible.

NOTE: This procedure produces an IDLH oxygen-deficient atmosphere.

"Isolation" means the process by which a permit space is removed from service and completely
protected against the release of energy and material into the space by such means as: blanking
or blinding; misaligning or removing sections of lines, pipes, or ducts; a double block and bleed
system; lockout or tagout of all sources of energy; or blocking or disconnecting all mechanical
linkages.

"Line breaking" means the intentional opening of a pipe, line, or duct that is or has been
carrying flammable, corrosive, or toxic material, an inert gas, or any fluid at a volume, pressure,
or temperature capable of causing injury.

"Non-permit confined space" means a confined space that does not contain or, with respect to
atmospheric hazards, have the potential to contain any hazard capable of causing death or
serious physical harm.

"Oxygen deficient atmosphere" means an atmosphere containing less than 19.5 percent
oxygen by volume.

"Oxygen enriched atmosphere" means an atmosphere containing more than 23.5 percent
oxygen by volume.

"Permit-required confined space (permit space)" means a confined space that has one or more
of the following characteristics:

(1) Contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere;

(2) Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant;

(3) Has an internal configuration such that an entrant could be trapped or asphyxiated by
inwardly converging walls or by a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross-
section; or

(4) Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.

"Permit-required confined space program (permit space program)" means the employer's
overall program for controlling, and, where appropriate, for protecting employees from, permit
space hazards and for regulating employee entry into permit spaces.

"Permit system" means the employer's written procedure for preparing and issuing permits for
entry and for returning the permit space to service following termination of entry.

109
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
"Prohibited condition" means any condition in a permit space that is not allowed by the permit
during the period when entry is authorized.

"Rescue service" means the personnel designated to rescue employees from permit spaces.

"Retrieval system" means the equipment (including a retrieval line, chest or full-body harness,
wristlets, if appropriate, and a lifting device or anchor) used for non-entry rescue of persons
from permit spaces.

"Testing" means the process by which the hazards that may confront entrants of a permit space
are identified and evaluated. Testing includes specifying the tests that are to be performed in
the permit space.

Would you consider this a confined space? How about a permit required?
Think about the various chemicals that we use inside confined spaces.

110
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Entry Program - Introduction
Purpose
The Confined Space Entry Program is provided to protect authorized employees that
will enter confined spaces and may be exposed to hazardous atmospheres, engulfment
in materials, conditions which may trap or asphyxiate due to converging or sloping walls,
or contains any other safety or health hazards.
Reference: OSHA-Permit-Required Confined Spaces (29 CFR 1910.146).
Scope
You are required to recognize the dangers and hazards associated with confined
spaces, and this program is designed to assist you in the safety of and compliance with
the OSHA standards associated with such.

Most communities will utilize the Fire Department for all rescues and additional
assistance dealing with confined spaces, understanding that most Fire Department
operations utilize additional in house SOG's/SOP’s pertaining to such operations.

Definitions
Confined space:
 Is large enough or so configured that an employee can bodily enter and
perform work.
 Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (i.e. tanks, vessels, silos,
storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited
means of entry).
 Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
 Permit required confined space (permit space), is a confined space that has
one or more of the following
characteristics:
1. Contains or has a potential to contain a
hazardous atmosphere.
2. Contains a material that has the
potential for engulfing an entrant.
3. Has an internal configuration such that
an entrant could be trapped or
asphyxiated by inwardly covering walls or
by a floor which slopes downward and
tapers to a smaller cross-section.
4. Contains any other recognized serious
safety or health hazard.

Each Permit-Required Confined Space will be marked

"Confined Space - Entry Permit Required".
Most of this text is credited to OSHA.

111
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
112
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Hazards
Fatalities and injuries constantly occur among construction workers who, during the course
of their jobs, are required to enter confined spaces. In some circumstances, these workers
are exposed to multiple hazards, any of which may cause bodily injury, illness, or death.

Newspaper and magazine articles abound with stories of workers injured and killed from a
variety of atmospheric factors and physical agents. Throughout the construction jobsite,
contractors and workers encounter both inherent and induced hazards within confined
workspaces.

Inherent Hazards
Inherent hazards, such as electrical, thermal, chemical, mechanical, etc., are associated
with specific types of equipment and the interactions among them.

Examples include high voltage (shock or corona discharge and the resulting burns),
radiation generated by equipment, defective design, omission of protective features (no
provision for grounding non-current-carrying conductive parts), high or low temperatures,
high noise levels, and high-pressure vessels and lines (rupturing with resultant release of
fragments, fluids, gases, etc.).

Inherent hazards usually cannot be eliminated without degrading the system or equipment,
or without making them inoperative. Therefore, emphasis must be placed on hazard control
methods.

Induced Hazards
Induced hazards arise, and are induced from, a multitude of incorrect decisions and actions
that occur during the actual construction process. Some examples are: omission of
protective features, physical arrangements that may cause unintentional worker contact
with electrical energy sources, oxygen-deficient atmospheres created at the bottom of pits
or shafts, lack of safety factors in structural strength, and flammable atmospheres.

Typical Examples of Confined Workspaces

Following are typical examples of confined workspaces in
construction which contain both inherent and induced hazards.

Vaults
A variety of vaults are found on the construction jobsite. On
various occasions, workers must enter these vaults to perform
a number of functions.

The restricted nature of vaults and their frequently below-

grade location can create an assortment of safety and health
problems.

Oxygen-Deficient Atmosphere
One of the major problems confronting construction workers
while working in vaults is the ever-present possibility of an
oxygen-deficient atmosphere.

113
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Explosive or Toxic Gases, Vapors, or Fumes
While working in an electrical vault, workers may be exposed to the build-up of explosive
gases such as those used for heating (propane). Welding and soldering produce toxic
fumes which are confined in the limited atmosphere.

Electrical Shock
Electrical shock is often encountered from power tools, line cords, etc. In many instances,
such electrical shock results from the fact that the contractor has not provided an approved
grounding system or the protection afforded by ground-fault circuit interrupters or low-
voltage systems.

Purging
In some instances, purging agents such as nitrogen and argon may enter the vault from
areas adjacent to it. These agents may displace the oxygen in the vault to the extent that it
will asphyxiate workers almost immediately.

Materials Falling In and On

A hazard normally considered a problem associated with confined spaces is material or
equipment which may fall into the vault or onto workers as they enter and leave the vault.

Vibration could cause the materials on top of the vault to roll off and strike workers. If the
manhole covers were removed, or if they were not installed in the first place, materials could
fall into the vault, causing injury to the workers inside.

Condenser Pits
A common confined space found in the construction of nuclear power plants is the
condenser pit. Because of their large size, they are often overlooked as potentially
hazardous confined spaces.

These below-grade areas create large containment areas for the accumulation of toxic
fumes, gases, and so forth, or for the creation of oxygen-deficient atmospheres when
purging with argon, Freon, and other inert gases.

Other hazards will be created by workers above dropping equipment, tools, and materials
into the pit.

Manholes
Throughout the construction site, manholes are commonplace. As means of entry into and
exit from vaults, tanks, pits, and so forth, manholes perform a necessary function. However,
these confined spaces may present serious hazards which could cause injuries and
fatalities.

A variety of hazards are associated with manholes. To begin with, the manhole could be a
dangerous trap into which the worker could fall. Often covers are removed and not replaced,
or else they are not provided in the first place.

Pipe Assemblies
One of the most frequently unrecognized types of confined spaces encountered throughout
the construction site is the pipe assembly. Piping of sixteen to thirty-six inches in diameter
is commonly used for a variety of purposes.

114
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
For any number of reasons, workers will enter the pipe. Once inside, they are faced with
potential oxygen-deficient atmospheres, often caused by purging with argon or another inert
gas. Welding fumes generated by the worker in the pipe, or by other workers operating
outside the pipe at either end, subject the worker to toxic atmospheres.

The generally restricted dimensions of the pipe provide little room for the workers to move
about and gain any degree of comfort while performing their tasks. Once inside the pipe,
communication is extremely difficult. In situations where the pipe bends, communication
and extrication become even more difficult. Electrical shock is another problem to which the
worker is exposed.

Ungrounded tools and equipment or inadequate line cords are some of the causes. As well,
heat within the pipe run may cause the worker to suffer heat prostration.

Ventilation Ducts
Ventilation ducts, like pipe runs, are very common at the construction site. These sheet
metal enclosures create a complex network which moves heated and cooled air and
exhaust fumes to desired locations in the plant.

Ventilation ducts may require that workers enter them to cut out access holes, install
essential parts of the duct, etc. Depending on where these ducts are located, oxygen
deficiency could exist. They usually possess many bends, which create difficult entry and
exit and which also make it difficult for workers inside the duct to communicate with those
outside it. Electrical shock hazards and heat stress are other problems associated with work
inside ventilation ducts.

Tanks
Tanks are another type of confined workspace commonly found in construction. They are
used for a variety of purposes, including the storage of water, chemicals, etc.

Tanks require entry for cleaning and repairs. Ventilation is always a problem. Oxygen-
deficient atmospheres, along with toxic and explosive atmospheres created by the
substances stored in the tanks, present hazards to workers. Heat, another problem in tanks,
may cause heat prostration, particularly on a hot day.

Since electrical line cords are often taken into the tank, the hazard of electrical shock is
always present. The nature of the tank's structure often dictates that workers must climb
ladders to reach high places on the walls of the tank.

Sumps
Sumps are commonplace. They are used as collection places for water and other liquids.
Workers entering sumps may encounter an oxygen-deficient atmosphere.

Also, because of the wet nature of the sump, electrical shock hazards are present when
power tools are used inside. Sumps are often poorly illuminated. Inadequate lighting may
create an accident situation.

115
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Containment Cavities
These large below-grade areas are characterized by little or no air movement. Ventilation
is always a problem. In addition, the possibility of oxygen deficiency exists. As well, welding
and other gases may easily collect in these areas, creating toxic atmospheres. As these
structures near completion, more confined spaces will exist as rooms are built off the
existing structure.

Electrical Transformers
Electrical transformers are located on the jobsite. They often contain a nitrogen purge or
dry air. Before they are opened, they must be well vented by having air pumped in. Workers,
particularly electricians and power plant operators, will enter these transformers through
hatches on top for various work-related reasons. Testing for oxygen deficiency and for toxic
atmospheres is mandatory.

Heat Sinks
These larger pit areas hold cooling water
in the event that there is a problem with
the pumps located at the water supply to
the plant--normally a river or lake--which
would prevent cooling water from
reaching the reactor core.

When in the pits, workers are exposed to

welding fumes and electrical hazards,
particularly because water accumulates in
the bottom of the sink.

Generally, it is difficult to communicate

with workers in the heat sink, because the
rebar in the walls of the structure deaden
radio signals.

116
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
117
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
118
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Unusual Conditions
Confined Space within a Confined Space
By the very nature of construction, situations are created which illustrate one of the most
hazardous confined spaces of all--a confined space within a confined space.

This situation appears as tanks within pits, pipe assemblies or vessels within pits, etc. In
this situation, not only do the potential hazards associated with the outer confined space
require testing, monitoring, and control, but those of the inner space also require similar
procedures.

Often, only the outer space is evaluated. When workers enter the inner space, they are
faced with potentially hazardous conditions.

A good example of a confined space within a confined space is a vessel with a nitrogen
purge inside a filtering water access pit. Workers entering the pit and/or the vessel should
do so only after both spaces have been evaluated and proper control measures established.

Hazards in One Space Entering another Space

During an examination of confined spaces in
construction, one often encounters situations which
are not always easy to evaluate or control. For
instance, a room or area which classifies as a
confined space may be relatively safe for work.

However, access passages from other areas outside

or adjacent to the room could, at some point, allow
the transfer of hazardous agents into the "safe" one.
One such instance would be a pipe coming through
a wall into a containment room.

Welding fumes and other toxic materials generated

in one room may easily travel through the pipe into
another area, causing it to change from a safe to an
unsafe workplace.

A serious problem with a situation such as this is

that workers working in the "safe" area are not
aware of the hazards leaking into their area. Thus,
they are not prepared to take action to avoid or
control it.

Session Conclusion
In this discussion, we have defined inherent and induced hazards in confined spaces. We
have examined typical confined spaces on construction sites and we have described
representative hazards within these confined spaces.

Most of this text is credited to OSHA.

119
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
120
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Permitted Confined Space Entry Program
Definition of Confined Spaces Requiring an Entry Permit
Confined space:
 Is large enough or so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform work.
 Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (i.e. tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins,
hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry).
 Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

Purpose
The Permit Required Space (PRCS) Program is provided to protect authorized employees
that will enter confined spaces and may be exposed to hazardous atmospheres, engulfment
in materials, conditions which may trap or asphyxiate due to converging or sloping walls, or
contains any other safety or health hazards.

Many workplaces contain confined spaces not designed for human occupancy which due
to their configuration hinder employee activities including entry, work and exit. Asphyxiation
is the leading cause of death in confined spaces.

Subpart P applies to all open excavations in the earth's surface.

 All trenches are excavations.
 All excavations are not trenches.

Permit Required Confined Space Entry General Rules

During all confined space entries, the following safety rules must be strictly
enforced:
1. Only authorized and trained employees may enter a confined space or act as safety
watchmen/attendants.

2. No smoking is permitted in a confined space or near entrance/exit area.

3. During confined space entries, a watchmen or attendant must be present at all times.

4. Constant visual or voice communication will be maintained between the safety watchmen
and employees entering a confined space.

5. No bottom or side entry will be made or work conducted below the level any hanging
material or material which could cause engulfment.

6. Air and oxygen monitoring is required before entering any permit-required confined
space. Oxygen levels in a confined space must be between 19.5 and 23.5 percent. Levels
above or below will require the use of an SCBA or other approved air supplied respirator.
Additional ventilation and oxygen level monitoring is required when welding is performed.
The monitoring will check oxygen levels, explosive gas levels and carbon monoxide levels.
Entry will not be permitted if explosive gas is detected above one-half the Lower Explosive
Limit (LEL).

7. To prevent injuries to others, all openings to confined spaces will be protected by a

barricade when covers are removed.

121
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Appendix A to §1910.146
Permit-Required Confined Space Decision Flow Chart
Note: Appendices A through F serve to provide information and non-mandatory guidelines
to assist employers and employees in complying with the appropriate requirements of this
section.

[58 FR 4549, Jan. 14, 1993; 58 FR 34846, June 29, 1993; 63 FR 66039, Dec. 1,
1998]

122
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Entry Permit Example
Date & Time Issued Date & time Expires
Space I.D. Supervisor
Equipment Affected Task
Standby Team
Time (am - pm)
Pre-Entry
Atmospheric
Checks

Oxygen
Explosive ( % LEL)
Toxic (PPM)
Testers Signature
Pre-entry Fluid System Isolation Yes No
Pumps /lines blinded, blocked, disconnected
Ventilation Source Established
Mechanical Forced Air
Natural Ventilation
Post Ventilation Pre-Entry Atmospheric Checks
Time
Oxygen (%)
Explosive ( % LEL
Toxic (PPM)
Tester Signature
Communication Procedures Established per specific Confined Space SOP
Rescue Procedures established per specific Confined Space SOP

Training Verification - for the following persons & space to be YES NO

entered
All persons entering Confined Space
All persons acting as Supervisor for the Entry
All persons assigned backup positions
All persons assigned to monitor access and interior activities
All persons assigned to emergency rescue team
Equipment on Scene YES NO NA YES NO NA
Gas Monitor Life Line
Safety Harness Hoisting
Equipment
Fall Arrest Gear Powered
Comm Eq.
SCBAs Air Line
Respirators
123
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Protective Clothing Elect Gear
Properly Rated
Periodic Atmospheric Checks
Time (am - pm)
Oxygen
Explosive ( % LEL)
Toxic (PPM)
Testers Signature

A review of the work authorized by this permit and the information contained on this Entry
Permit. Written instructions and safety procedures have been received and are understood.
Entry cannot be approved if any squares are marked in the "No" column. This permit is not
valid unless all appropriate items are completed.

Permit Prepared By: (Supervisor) _______________________________

Approved By: (Unit Supervisor) _________________________________

This permit to be kept at job site.
Return job site copy to Safety Office following job completion.

Copies: Safety Office, Unit Supervisor, Job site

124
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Duties & Responsibilities
Examples of assignments
Employees
 Follow program requirements.
 Report any previously un-identified hazards
associated with confined spaces.
 Do not enter any confined spaces that have not
been evaluated for safety concerns.

Management
 Provide annual Confined Space training to all
employees that may need confined space
training.
 Ensure confined space assessments have
been conducted.
 Annually review this program and all Entry
Permits.

Rescue or Training Department

 Ensure proper training for entry & rescue
teams.
 Provide proper equipment for entry & rescue
teams.
 Ensure all permit required confined spaces are
posted.
 Evaluate rescue teams and service to ensure they are adequately trained and
prepared.
 Ensure rescue team at access during entry into spaces with Immediately
Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) atmospheres.
 Provide annual confined space awareness training to all
employees that may need confined space awareness training.

Entry Supervisor
Entry supervisors are responsible for the overall permit space entry and
must coordinate all entry procedures, tests, permits, equipment and
other relevant activities.

The following entry supervisor duties are required:

Know the hazards that may be faced during entry, including information
on the mode, signs or symptoms, and consequences of the exposure.

Verify by checking that the appropriate entries have been made on the permit, all tests
specified by the permit have been conducted, and that all procedures and equipment
specified by the permit are in place before endorsing the permit and allowing entry to
begin.
Terminate the entry and cancel the permit when the entry is complete or there is a need
for terminating the permit.
Verify that rescue services are available and that the means for summoning them are
operable.

125
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Remove unauthorized persons who enter or attempt to enter the space during entry
operations.
Determine whenever responsibility for a permit space entry operation is transferred and
at intervals dictated by the hazards and operations performed within the space that entry
operations remain consistent with the permit terms and that acceptable entry conditions
are maintained.
Entry Attendants
At least one attendant is required outside the permit space into which entry is authorized
for the duration of the entry operation.

Responsibilities include:
 To know the hazards that may be faced during entry, including information on the
mode, signs or symptoms, and consequences of the exposure
 To be aware of possible behavioral effects of hazard exposure on entrants
 To continuously maintain an accurate count of entrants in the permit space and
ensures a means to accurately identify authorized entrants
 To remain outside the permit space during entry operations until relieved by another
attendant (once properly relieved, they may participate in other permit space
activities, including rescue if they are properly trained and equipped).
 To communicate with entrants as necessary to monitor entrant status and alert
entrants of the need to evacuate.
 To monitor activities inside and outside the space to determine if it is safe for
entrants to remain in the space; orders the entrants to immediately evacuate if: the
attendant detects a prohibited condition, detects entrant behavioral effects of hazard
exposure, detects a situation outside the space that could endanger the entrants; or
if the attendant cannot effectively and safely perform all the attendant duties.
 To summon rescue and other emergency services as soon as the attendant
determines the entrants need assistance to escape the permit space hazards.
 To perform non-entry rescues as specified by that rescue procedure and entry
supervisor and not to perform duties that might interfere with the attendants' primary
duty to monitor and protect the entrants.

Most of this text is credited to OSHA.

126
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Is Entry Necessary?
Can the task be accomplished from the outside? For example, measures that
eliminate the need for employees to enter confined spaces should be carefully
evaluated and implemented if at all possible before considering human entry into
confined spaces to perform non-emergency tasks.

127
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
128
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Entering a Confined Space Procedures

This space requires an

emergency retrieval system,
continuous air monitoring,
and safety watch or two-way
communication for safe
entry.

Donning the personal

protective equipment (PPE)
necessary for confined space
entry.
The full-body harness
provides fully adjustable leg
and shoulder straps for
worker comfort and proper fit.
Stamped steel sliding back
D-ring and sub-pelvic strap
provide optimum force
distribution.

129
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Example of a "D-Ring" and
fall protection harness used
when entering a confined
space. The D-Ring provides
a compatible anchor point for
connecting devices such as
lanyards or retractable
lifelines. The shock
absorbing lanyard provides a
deceleration distance during
a fall to reduce fall arrest
forces for extra protection
against injury.

Tripod-retrieval assembly in
use for an entry into one of
the many confined spaces.

130
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Checking the cable tension
and inertial locking
mechanism of the retrieval
assembly.

Correct use of this device

prevents free-falls greater
than 2 feet.

The entrant descends into

the space as the attendant
critiques the operation.

131
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Dramatic rescue simulation
using the tripod-retrieval
system.

The entrant is now safely out

of the space and is ready to
return to his many other
projects after this simulated
exercise.

132
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Duties of the Person Authorizing or in Charge of the Entry
The person who authorizes or is in charge of the permit entry confined space must
comply with the following:

1. Make certain that all pre-entry requirements as outlined on the permit have been
completed before any worker is allowed to enter the confined space.
2. Make certain that any required pre-entry conditions are present.
3. If an in-plant/facility rescue team is to be used in the event of an emergency, make sure
they would be available. If your Employer does not maintain an in-plant rescue team, dial
911 on any telephone for the Rescue Squad.
4. Make sure that any communication equipment which would be used to summon either
the in-plant rescue team or other emergency assistance is operating correctly.
5. Terminate the entry upon becoming aware of a condition or set of conditions whose
hazard potential exceeds the limits authorized by the entry permit.

If the person who would otherwise issue an entry permit is in charge of the entry and present
during the entire entry, then a written permit is not required if that person uses a checklist
as provided in the section on "Permits".

This person may also serve as the attendant at the site.

Special Considerations During A Permit Required Entry

Certain work being performed in a permit entry confined space could cause the atmosphere
in the space to change.

Examples of this are welding, drilling, or sludge removal. In these situations, air monitoring
of the confined space should be conducted on a continuous basis throughout the time of
the entry.

If the workers leave the confined space for any significant period of time, such as for a lunch
or other break, the atmosphere of the confined space must be retested before the workers
reenter the confined space.

Unauthorized Persons
Take the following actions when unauthorized persons approach or enter a permit
space while entry is under way:
1. Warn the unauthorized persons that they must stay away from the permit space,
2. Advise unauthorized persons that they must exit immediately if they have
entered the space, and
3. Inform the authorized entrants and the entry supervisor if unauthorized persons
have entered the permit space.

133
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Entrants
All entrants must be authorized by the entry supervisor to
enter permit spaces, have received the required training,
have used the proper equipment, and observed the entry
procedures and permit requirements.

The following entrant duties are required:

Know the hazards that may be faced during entry, including
information on the mode, signs or symptoms, and
consequences of the exposure;

Properly use the equipment required for safe entry;

Communicate with the attendant as necessary to enable the
attendant to monitor the status of the entrants and to enable
the attendant to alert the entrants of the need to evacuate the
space if necessary;

Alert the attendant whenever; the entrant recognizes any

warning signs or symptoms of exposure to a dangerous
situation, or any prohibited condition is detected; and Exit the
permit space as quickly as possible whenever the attendant or entry supervisor gives
an order to evacuate the permit space, the entrant recognizes any warning signs or
symptoms of exposure to a dangerous situation, the entrant detects a prohibited
condition, or an evacuation alarm is activated.

134
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Hazards
 Explosive / Flammable Atmospheres
 Toxic Atmospheres
 Engulfment
 Asphyxiation
 Entrapment
 Slips & falls
 Chemical Exposure
 Electric Shock
 Thermal / Chemical Burns
 Noise & Vibration

Hazard Control
Engineering Controls
 Locked entry
points
 Temporary ventilation
 Temporary Lighting

Administrative Controls
 Signs
 Employee training
 Entry procedures
 Atmospheric Monitoring
 Rescue procedures
 Use of prescribed Personal Protective Equipment

Entry Standard Operating Procedures

This program outlines:
 Hazards
 Hazard Control & Abatement
 Acceptable Entry Conditions
 Means of Entry
 Entry Equipment Required
 Emergency Procedures

135
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
136
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Permit Required Confined Space Entry General Rules
During all confined space entries, the following safety rules must be strictly
enforced:
1. Only authorized and trained employees may enter a confined space or act as safety
watchman/attendant.

2. No smoking is permitted in a confined space or near entrance/exit area.

3. During confined space entries, a watchman must be present at all times.

4. Constant visual or voice communication will be maintained between the safety

watchman/attendant and employees entering a confined space.

5. No bottom or side entry will be made or work conducted below the level of any hanging
material or material which could cause engulfment.

6. Air and oxygen monitoring is required before entering any permit-required confined
space. Oxygen levels in a confined space must be between 19.5 and 23.5 percent. Levels
above or below will require the use of an SCBA or other approved air supplied respirator.

Additional ventilation and oxygen level monitoring is required when welding is performed.
The monitoring will check oxygen levels, explosive gas levels and carbon monoxide levels.
Entry will not be permitted if explosive gas is detected above one-half the Lower Explosive
Limit (LEL), or 10% of a specific gas explosive limit.

7. To prevent injuries to others, all openings to confined spaces will be protected by a

barricade when covers are removed.

Confined Space Entry Procedures

Each employee who enters or is involved in the entry must:
1. Understand the procedures for confined space entry
2. Know the Hazards of the specific space
3. Review the specific procedures for each entry
4. Understand how to use entry and rescue equipment

Confined Space Entry Permits

 Confined Space Entry Permits must be completed before any employee enters
a permit-required confined space. The permit must be completed and signed by
an authorized member of management before entry.
 Permits will expire before the completion of the shift or if any pre-entry
conditions change.
 Permits will be maintained on file for 12 months.

137
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Contractor Entry
All work by non-company employees that involves the entry into confined spaces will
follow the procedures of this program. The information of this program and specific
hazards of the confined spaces to be entered will be provided to contractor management
prior to commencing entry or work.

Important Rescue Service Questions

What is the availability of the rescue service?

Is it unavailable at certain times of the day or in certain situations?

What is the likelihood that key personnel of the rescue service might be unavailable at
times?

If the rescue service becomes unavailable while an entry is underway, does it have the
capability of notifying the employer so that the employer can instruct the attendant to abort
the entry immediately?

138
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Training

Training for Confined Space Entry includes:

1. Duties of entry supervisor, entrant and attendants
2. Confined space entry permits
3. Hazards of confined spaces
4. Use of air monitoring equipment
5. First aid and CPR training
6. Emergency action & rescue procedures
7. Confined space entry & rescue equipment
8. Rescue training, including entry and removal from representative spaces

Confined Space Training and Education

OSHA's General Industry Regulation, §1910.146 Permit-required confined spaces,
contains requirements for practices and procedures to protect employees in general
industry from the hazards of entry into permit-required confined spaces. This regulation
does not apply to construction.

OSHA's Construction Safety and Health Regulations Part 1926 do not contain a permit-
required confined space regulation. Subpart C, §1926.21 Safety training and education
specifies training for personnel who are required to enter confined spaces and defines a
"confined or enclosed space." These requirements are shown below.

§1926.21 Safety training and education. (Partial)

(b)(6)(i) All employees required to enter into confined or enclosed spaces shall be instructed
as to the nature of the hazards involved, the necessary precautions to be taken, and in the
use of protective and emergency equipment required. The employer shall comply with any
specific regulations that apply to work in dangerous or potentially dangerous areas.

(ii) For purposes of paragraph (b)(6)(i) of this section, "confined or enclosed space"
means any space having a limited means of egress, which is subject to the accumulation
of toxic or flammable contaminants or has an oxygen deficient atmosphere. Confined or
enclosed spaces include, but are not limited to, storage tanks, process vessels, bins,
boilers, ventilation or exhaust ducts, sewers, underground utility vaults, tunnels pipelines,
and open top spaces more than 4 feet in depth such as pits, tubs, vaults, and vessels.

OSHA's Construction Regulations also contain requirements dealing with confined space
hazards in underground construction (Subpart S), underground electric transmission and
distribution work (§1926.956), excavations (Subpart P), and welding and cutting (Subpart
J).

Further guidance may be obtained from American National Standard ANSI Z117.1-1989,
Safety Requirements for Confined Spaces. This standard provides minimum safety
requirements to be followed while entering, exiting and working in confined spaces at
normal atmospheric pressure.

This standard does not pertain to underground mining, tunneling, caisson work or other
similar tasks that have established national consensus standards.

139
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
140
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Your Employer is Responsible for Certain Training Requirements
These are as follows:

1. GENERAL: As an employer, your employer must ensure that all workers who must enter
a permit entry confined space in the course of their work are informed of appropriate
procedures and controls for entry into such spaces. These workers must be made aware of
the fact that an unauthorized entry could be fatal, and that their senses are unable to detect
and evaluate the severity of atmospheric hazards.

2. TRAINING FOR AUTHORIZED ENTRANTS: Your employer must ensure that all
authorized entrants know the emergency action plan and have received training covering
the following subjects prior to entering any permit entry confined space:

a. Hazard Recognition: Each worker must understand the nature of the hazard before
entering and the need to perform appropriate testing to determine if it is safe to enter.

b. Use of Personal Protective Equipment: Each employee must be taught the proper use
of all personal protective equipment required for entry or rescue, and the proper use of
protective barriers and shields.

c. Self-Rescue: Each worker must be trained to get out of the confined space as rapidly as
possible without help whenever an order to evacuate is given by the attendant, whenever
an automatic evacuation alarm is activated, or whenever workers recognize the warning
signs of exposure to substances that could be found in the confined space.

They must also be made aware of the toxic effects or symptoms of exposure to hazardous
materials he could encounter in the confined space. This includes anything that could be
absorbed through the skin or which could be carried through the skin by any solvents that
are used. They must be trained to relay an alarm to the attendant and to attempt self- rescue
immediately upon becoming aware of these effects.

d. Special Work Practices or Procedures: Each worker must be trained in any

modifications of normal work practices that are necessary for permit entry confined space
work.

3. TRAINING FOR PERSONS AUTHORIZING OR IN CHARGE OF ENTRY: In addition

to other requirements already covered, the person authorizing or in charge of entry shall be
trained to recognize the effects of exposure to hazards that could be in the confined space.
They must also carry out all duties that the permit assigns to them.

Rescue practice training. This photo is

showing a sand bag being utilized as a dummy.

141
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
4. TRAINING FOR ATTENDANT Any worker functioning as an attendant at a permit entry
confined space must be trained in the company's emergency action plan, the duties of the
attendant, and in;

a. Proper use of the communications equipment furnished for communicating with

authorized workers entering the confined space or for summoning emergency or rescue
services.

b. Authorized procedures for summoning rescue or other emergency services.

c. Recognition of the unusual actions of a worker which could indicate that they could be
experiencing a toxic reaction to contaminants that could be present in the space.

d. Any training for rescuers, if the attendant will function as a rescuer also.

e. Any training for workers who enter the confined space, if the permit specifies that the
duty of the attendant will rotate among the workers authorized to enter the confined space.

142
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
CONFINED SPACE AUTHORIZED ENTRANT’S LOG EXAMPLE

CONFINED SPACE: DATE:

TIME:

ENTRANT’S NAME (PRINT) TIME IN TIME OUT

ENTRY Attendant:

ENTRY Supervisor Review:

143
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
What do you think? Is this a dangerous confined space? Would you weld inside a
large pipe all alone? I am sure he is paid well, but is he safe and sound?

144
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Entry Procedure
Space _________________ Date Last Modified _____________
Place check mark in all applicable areas
Hazards Personal Protective Equipment
Explosive / Combustion Hazard Air supplied Respirator
Exposed Electrical Circuits Air Purifying Respirator
Unguarded Machine Parts Welding Protection
Atmospheric Hazard Gloves
Potential Atmospheric Hazard Hard Hat
Thermal Hazard Ventilation Requirements
Chemical Hazard Continuous ___cu.ft/min
Note: See Ventilation Guidelines for Confined Spaces for typical
ventilation configurations and formulas.
Fall Hazard
Engulfment hazard Note: Additional ventilation may be required for hot work, grinding or other
operations that would produce airborne fumes, mist or dust. Entry Supervisor
must assess additional ventilation requirements base on tasks to be
performed in the space
Converging Walls
Floors slope-small cross-section
Slip Hazard
Entry Path Vent Exhaust Point:
Side entry Vent Supply Point:
Bottom entry Space Volume
Door Initial Purge Time= 7.5 X _____ (space volume)
Effective Blower Capacity
Top open entry
Top manhole entry 20 Air Changes per Hour (ACH) for duration of entry
Hinged hatch Minimum initial Purge Time= 20 Minutes
Entry & Rescue Equipment Adequate Blower Capacity (ABC) = ________
ABC = Space Volume x 20 ACH
60 minutes
Life Line
Floor level opening barrier Acceptable Entry Conditions
Body Harness Confined Space Entry permit posted
Tripod Oxygen 19.5 23.5%
Man Winch Lower Explosive Level %
Fall Arrest Unit Toxic fumes/vapors Less than PEL
Emerg Retrieval Line No engulfing material in space
Atmospheric Monitor No hazardous chemicals or material
Blower /Saddle / Trunks Drained - Flushed
Drop Light Rescue Team Available on Site
Communication Gear Ventilation Established & Maintained
Ladder LOTO Electrical components in space
Hand held radios LOTO Mechanical Components in space
Portable Lighting LOTO All pipes to and from space

145
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
146
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Other Hazards
Flammable Atmospheres
A flammable atmosphere generally arises from enriched oxygen atmospheres,
vaporization of flammable liquids, byproducts of work, chemical reactions, concentrations
of combustible dusts, and desorption of chemical from inner surfaces of the confined space.

An atmosphere becomes flammable when the ratio of oxygen to combustible material in

the air is neither too rich nor too lean for combustion to occur. Combustible gases or vapors
will accumulate when there is inadequate ventilation in areas such as a confined space.

Flammable gases such as acetylene, butane, propane, hydrogen, methane, natural or

manufactured gases or vapors from liquid hydrocarbons can be trapped in confined
spaces, and since many gases are heavier than air, they will seek lower levels as in pits,
sewers, and various types of storage tanks and vessels. In a closed top tank, it should also
be noted that lighter than air gases may rise and develop a flammable concentration if
trapped above the opening.

The byproducts of work procedures can generate flammable or explosive conditions within
a confined space. Specific kinds of work such as spray painting can result in the release of
explosive gases or vapors. Welding in a confined space is a major cause of explosions in
areas that contain combustible gas.

Chemical reactions forming flammable atmospheres occur when surfaces are initially
exposed to the atmosphere, or when chemicals combine to form flammable gases. This
condition arises when dilute sulfuric acid reacts with iron to form hydrogen or when calcium
carbide makes contact with water to form acetylene.

Other examples of spontaneous chemical reactions that may produce explosions from
small amounts of unstable compounds are acetylene-metal compounds, peroxides, and
nitrates. In a dry state, these compounds have the potential to explode upon percussion or
exposure to increased temperature.

Another class of chemical reactions that form flammable atmospheres arise from deposits
of pyrophoric substances (carbon, ferrous oxide, ferrous sulfate, iron, etc.) that can be
found in tanks used by the chemical and petroleum industry. These tanks containing
flammable deposits will spontaneously ignite upon exposure to air.

Combustible dust concentrations are usually found during the process of loading,
unloading, and conveying grain products, nitrated fertilizers, finely ground chemical
products, and any other combustible material.

High charges of static electricity, which rapidly accumulate during periods of relatively low
humidity (below 50%) can cause certain substances to accumulate electrostatic charges
of sufficient energy to produce sparks and ignite a flammable atmosphere.

These sparks may also cause explosions when the right air or oxygen to dust or gas mixture
is present.

147
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Toxic Atmospheres
The substances to be regarded as toxic in a confined space can cover the entire spectrum
of gases, vapors, and finely-divided airborne dust in industry. The sources of toxic
atmospheres encountered may arise from the following:
1. The manufacturing process (for example, in producing polyvinyl chloride, hydrogen
chloride is used as well as vinyl chloride monomer, which is carcinogenic).
2. The product stored [removing decomposed organic material from a tank can liberate
toxic substances, such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S)].
3. The operation performed in the confined space (for example, welding or brazing with
metals capable of producing toxic fumes).
During loading, unloading, formulation, and production, mechanical and/or human error
may also produce toxic gases which are not part of the planned operation.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a hazardous gas that may build up in a confined space. This
odorless, colorless gas that has approximately the same density as air is formed from
incomplete combustion of organic materials such as wood, coal, gas, oil, and gasoline; it
can be formed from microbial decomposition of organic matter in sewers, silos, and
fermentation tanks.
CO is an insidious toxic gas because of its poor warning properties. Early stages of CO
intoxication are nausea and headache. CO may be fatal at as little as 1000 ppm or 10% in
air, and is considered dangerous at 200 ppm or 2%, because it forms Carboxyhemoglobin
in the blood which prevents the distribution of oxygen in the body.
CO is a relatively abundant colorless, odorless gas. Therefore, any untested atmosphere
must be suspect. It must also be noted that a safe reading on a combustible gas indicator
does not ensure that CO is not present. CO must be tested for specifically.
The formation of CO may result from chemical reactions or work activities, therefore
fatalities due to CO poisoning are not confined to any particular industry. There have been
fatal accidents in sewage treatment plants due to decomposition products and lack of
ventilation in confined spaces.
Another area where CO results as a product of decomposition is in the formation of silo
gas in grain storage elevators. In another area, the paint industry, varnish is manufactured
by introducing the various ingredients into a kettle, and heating them in an inert
atmosphere, usually town gas, which is a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
In welding operations, oxides of nitrogen and ozone are gases of major toxicological
importance, and incomplete oxidation may occur and carbon monoxide can form as a
byproduct.
Another poor work practice, which has led to fatalities, is the recirculation of diesel exhaust
emissions. Increased CO levels can be prevented by strict control of the ventilation and the
use of catalytic converters.

148
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Procedures for Atmospheric Testing. - 1910.146 App B
OSHA Requirement

Sub-Part Title: General Environmental Controls

Atmospheric testing is required for two distinct purposes:
evaluation of the hazards of the permit space and verification that acceptable entry
conditions for entry into that space exist.

(1) Evaluation testing. The atmosphere of a confined space should be analyzed using
equipment of sufficient sensitivity and specificity to identify and evaluate any hazardous
atmospheres that may exist or arise, so that appropriate permit entry procedures can be
developed and acceptable entry conditions stipulated for that space.

Evaluation and interpretation of these data, and development of the entry procedure, should
be done by, or reviewed by, a technically qualified professional (e.g., OSHA consultation
service, or certified industrial hygienist, registered safety engineer, certified safety
professional, certified marine chemist, etc.) based on evaluation of all serious hazards.

(2) Verification testing. The atmosphere of a permit space which may contain a hazardous
atmosphere should be tested for residues of all contaminants identified by evaluation testing
using permit specified equipment to determine that residual concentrations at the time of
testing and entry are within the range of acceptable entry conditions.

Results of testing (i.e., actual concentration, etc.) should be recorded on the permit in the
space provided adjacent to the stipulated acceptable entry condition.

(3) Duration of testing. Measurement of values for each atmospheric parameter should be
made for at least the minimum response time of the test instrument specified by the
manufacturer.

(4) Testing stratified atmospheres. When monitoring for entries involving a descent into
atmospheres that may be stratified, the atmospheric envelope should be tested a distance
of approximately 4 feet (1.22 m) in the direction of travel and to each side. If a sampling
probe is used, the entrant's rate of progress should be slowed to accommodate the
sampling speed and detector response.

(5) Order of testing. A test for oxygen is performed first because most combustible gas
meters are oxygen dependent and will not provide reliable readings in an oxygen deficient
atmosphere.

Combustible gases are tested for next because the threat of fire or explosion is both more
immediate and more life threatening, in most cases, than exposure to toxic gases and
vapors. If tests for toxic gases and vapors are necessary, they are performed last.

149
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
This is a ten-minute escape air pack or emergency air supply. The plastic bag
with go over your head during an emergency and provide enough air to get out of
the hole. There are smaller versions of this system.

150
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Program Multi-gas Meter Instructions

Functional Buttons:

Press black button and hold until display tells you to RELEASE.
On/Off
Turn on in a clean-air environment.
Mode Press "mode" button at display prompt.
E Button Press (E) button at display prompt.
Red lights flash and unit beeps. Beeps are more frequent at higher
Alarm Mode
contaminant levels, or lower oxygen level.

Forced air ventilation with a disposable air shaft.

151
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Typical Display of the TMX412

Location of gases on
display.

Example of a clean
air display. Carbon
monoxide (CO) and
hydrogen sulfide
(H2S) are in ppm;
oxygen (O2) and
lower explosive limit
(LEL) readings are
percentage values.
The battery-life
indicator is just right
of the oxygen display
(i.e., 20.9); each line
represents about one
hour of service
remaining.

152
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Peak Display Function

Example Display for Peak Mode: The

display reads 2 ppm peak value for
CO and 10 ppm peak value for H2S
(top line);
15.2 % for oxygen and 0 % for LEL
(bottom line).

 Use the PEAK function to display highest recorded readings for CO, H2S, and
LEL, and the lowest reading for O2.
 Readings are not erased when you turn the unit off. You must use the PEAK
CLEAR function to erase the memory.
 Make sure you check the peak readings have been cleared before you start your
monitoring session.
 Press mode button until display reads "P" (top line), and "K" (bottom line) (see
photo).
Peak Clear Function

 Use the PEAK CLEAR function to clear peak readings from the internal memory.
Readings are not erased when you turn the unit off. You must use the PEAK
CLEAR function to erase the memory.
 Press mode button until display reads "PK CLR PRESS (E) TO RESET". After you
press the (E) button, press mode button again until peak reading appears. Unit
should now read 0,0 (top line), and 21, 0 (bottom line) assuming this was
performed in a clean-air environment.

153
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Zero Function and Calibration Function:
 Zero and Calibration Functions are performed by Attendant or as specified by the
Supervisor or manufacturer.
 Special equipment and experience is necessary to properly perform these
functions.

Documentation and Training:

 Make sure you are familiar with all of our confined space entry equipment,
including the multi-gas monitor, before use.
 Make sure to document your air monitoring data (e.g., peak values and other
relevant data) on the Confined Space Air Monitoring Data Form.

You need continued atmospheric monitoring during the entry in any confined
space. Most entrants will carry two gas monitors for increased safety.

154
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Atmospheric Testing Policy Example
Before entry, it is necessary to test the atmosphere in the confined space for oxygen levels,
flammability, and/or any contaminants that have a potential to be present in that confined
space. This testing must be done by a qualified person using equipment which has been
approved for use in such areas.

The testing equipment itself should be checked to make sure it is working properly before
using it. Follow the manufacturer's recommended procedures.

Testing of the confined spaces should be conducted throughout the entire portion of the
space that workers will occupy during the entry. This testing shall be done without the use
of ventilation systems.

Where the entry is vertical into the confined space, it is recommended that remote probes
be used to measure the atmosphere at various levels. This is necessary because some
gases and vapors are lighter or heavier than air and can accumulate at different levels in
the confined space. Test outside the confined space to make sure the surrounding air is not
contaminated.

Atmospheric conditions are considered unacceptable if oxygen levels are less than 19.5%
or greater than 23.5%. Regulations define the following unacceptable levels of other
hazards monitored:
1. A flammable gas, vapor or mist greater than 10% of its lower flammable limit
(LFL). LFL means the minimum concentration of the flammable material which
will ignite if an ignition source is present.
2. An airborne combustible dust at a concentration that obscures vision at a
distance of five feet or less.
3. An atmospheric concentration of a substance greater than the allowed limit in
the Material Safety Data Sheet for that substance.

If test results conclude that the atmospheric condition of the confined space is
unacceptable, entry is prohibited until such conditions are brought into acceptable limits.
This may be done by purging, cleaning and/or ventilating the space.
Purging refers to the method by which gases, vapors, or other airborne impurities are
displaced from a confined space.

The confined space may also be made non-flammable, non-explosive or otherwise

chemically non-reactive by displacing or diluting the original atmosphere with steam or gas
that is non-reactive with respect to that space, a process referred to as "inerting".

155
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Fire, Explosion, and Reactivity Hazards
Some chemicals present physical hazards such as the potential for fire, explosion, and
reactivity. The SDS formerly called the MSDS explains these physical hazards.
Flammable chemicals—catch fire easily. The SDS will tell if it's flammable.
Flash point—the minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapors to burn.
The lower the flash point, the more flammable the substance.
Flammable limits—the range of concentration of a substance in the air within which a
substance can readily catch fire. Concentrations below or above the limits are less likely
to ignite or burn.

156
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Irritant (Corrosive) Atmospheres
Irritant or corrosive atmospheres can be divided into primary and secondary groups. The
primary irritants exert no systemic toxic effects (effects on the entire body).

Examples of primary irritants are chlorine, ozone, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid,
sulfuric acid, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, and sulfur dioxide. A secondary irritant is one that
may produce systemic toxic effects in addition to surface irritation. Examples of secondary
irritants include benzene, carbon tetrachloride, ethyl chloride, trichloroethane,
trichloroethylene, and chloropropene.

Irritant gases vary widely among all areas of industrial activity. They can be found in plastics
plants, chemical plants, the petroleum industry, tanneries, refrigeration industries, paint
manufacturing, and mining operations.

Prolonged exposure at irritant or corrosive concentrations in a confined space may produce

little or no evidence of irritation. This may result in a general weakening of the defense
reflexes from changes in sensitivity. The danger in this situation is that the worker is usually
not aware of any increase in his/her exposure to toxic substances.

Asphyxiating Atmospheres
The normal atmosphere is composed approximately of 20.9% oxygen and 78.1% nitrogen,
and 1% argon with small amounts of various other gases. Reduction of oxygen in a
confined space may be the result of either consumption or displacement.

The consumption of oxygen takes place during combustion of flammable substances, as

in welding, heating, cutting, and brazing. A more subtle consumption of oxygen occurs
during bacterial action, as in the fermentation process.

Oxygen may also be consumed during chemical reactions as in the formation of rust on the
exposed surface of the confined space (iron oxide). The number of people working in a
confined space and the amount of their physical activity will also influence the oxygen
consumption rate.

A second factor in oxygen deficiency is displacement by another gas. Examples of gases

that are used to displace air, and therefore reduce the oxygen level are helium, argon, and
nitrogen.

Carbon dioxide may also be used to displace air and can occur naturally in sewers, storage
bins, wells, tunnels, wine vats, and grain elevators.

Aside from the natural development of these gases, or their use in the chemical process,
certain gases are also used as inerting agents to displace flammable substances and retard
pyrophoric reactions.

Gases such as nitrogen, argon, helium, and carbon dioxide, are frequently referred to as
non-toxic inert gases but have claimed many lives. The use of nitrogen to inert a confined
space has claimed more lives than carbon dioxide.

The total displacement of oxygen by nitrogen will cause immediate collapse and death.

157
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide and argon, with specific gravities greater than air, may lie in a tank or
manhole for hours or days after opening. Since these gases are colorless and odorless,
they pose an immediate hazard to health unless appropriate oxygen measurements and
ventilation are adequately carried out.

Oxygen Deprivation
Oxygen deprivation is one form of asphyxiation. While it is desirable to maintain the
atmospheric oxygen level at 21% by volume, the body can tolerate deviation from this ideal.
When the oxygen level falls to 17%, the first sign of hypoxia is deterioration to night vision,
which is not noticeable until a normal oxygen concentration is restored.

Physiologic effects are increased breathing volume and accelerated heartbeat.

Between 14-16% physiologic effects are increased breathing volume, accelerated

heartbeat, very poor muscular coordination, rapid fatigue, and intermittent respiration.

Between 6-10% the effects are nausea, vomiting, inability to perform, and
unconsciousness. Less than 6%, the effects are spasmodic breathing, convulsive
movements, and death in minutes.

Mechanical Hazards
If activation of electrical or mechanical equipment would cause injury, each piece of
equipment should be manually isolated to prevent inadvertent activation before workers
enter or while they work in a confined space. The interplay of hazards associated with a
confined space, such as the potential of flammable vapors or gases being present, and the
build-up of static charge due to mechanical cleaning, such as abrasive blasting, all
influence the precautions which must be taken.

To prevent vapor leaks, flashbacks, and other hazards, workers should completely isolate
the space. To completely isolate a confined space, the closing of valves is not sufficient.

All pipes must be physically disconnected or isolation blanks bolted in place. Other special
precautions must be taken in cases where flammable liquids or vapors may re-contaminate
the confined space.

The pipes blanked or disconnected should be inspected and tested for leakage to check
the effectiveness of the procedure. Other areas of concern are steam valves, pressure
lines, and chemical transfer pipes. A less apparent hazard is the space referred to as a
void, such as double walled vessels, which must be given special consideration in blanking
off and inerting.

Thermal Effects
Four factors influence the interchange of heat between people and their environment. They
are: (1) air temperature, (2) air velocity, (3) moisture contained in the air, and (4) radiant
heat. Because of the nature and design of most confined spaces, moisture content and
radiant heat are difficult to control.

As the body temperature rises progressively, workers will continue to function until the body
temperature reaches approximately 102oF.

158
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
When this body temperature is exceeded, the workers are less efficient, and are prone to
heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat stroke. In a cold environment, certain physiologic
mechanisms come into play, which tend to limit heat loss and increase heat production.

The most severe strain in cold conditions is chilling of the extremities so that activity is
restricted. Special precautions must be taken in cold environments to prevent frostbite,
trench foot, and general hypothermia.

Proper signage is essential.

159
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
What types of dangerous gases are inside this sewer manhole? Who knows
unless you have a gas meter.

160
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Protective Insulated Clothing
Protective insulated clothing for both hot and cold environments will add additional bulk to
the worker and must be considered in allowing for movement in the confined space and
exit time. Therefore, air temperature of the environment becomes an important
consideration when evaluating working conditions in confined spaces.

Noise
Noise problems are usually intensified in confined spaces because the interior tends to
cause sound to reverberate and thus expose the worker to higher sound levels than those
found in an open environment.

This intensified noise increases the risk of hearing damage to workers, which could result
in temporary or permanent loss of hearing. Noise in a confined space which may not be
intense enough to cause hearing damage may still disrupt verbal communication with the
emergency standby person on the exterior of the confined space.

If the workers inside are not able to hear commands or danger signals due to excessive
noise, the probability of severe accidents can increase.

Vibration
Whole body vibration may affect multiple body parts and organs, depending upon the
vibration characteristics. Segmental vibration, unlike whole body vibration, appears to be
more localized in creating injury to the fingers and hands of workers using tools, such as
pneumatic hammers, rotary grinders or other hand tools which cause vibration.

Other Hazards
Some physical hazards cannot be eliminated because of the nature of the confined space
or the work to be performed. These hazards include such items as scaffolding, surface
residues, and structural hazards.

The use of scaffolding in confined spaces has contributed too many accidents caused by
workers or materials falling, improper use of guard rails, and lack of maintenance to insure
worker safety.

The choice of material used for scaffolding depends upon the type of work to be performed,
the calculated weight to be supported, and the surface on which the scaffolding is placed,
as well as the substance previously stored in the confined space.

Surface residues in confined spaces can increase the already hazardous conditions of
electrical shock, reaction of incompatible materials, liberation of toxic substances, and
bodily injury due to slips and falls. Without protective clothing, additional hazards to health
may arise due to surface residues.

Structural hazards within a confined space such as baffles in horizontal tanks, trays in
vertical towers, bends in tunnels, overhead structural members, or scaffolding installed for
maintenance constitute physical hazards, which are exacerbated by the physical
surroundings. In dealing with structural hazards, workers must review and enforce safety
precautions to assure safety.

161
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Abbreviations:
PEL - permissible exposure limit: Average concentration that must not be exceeded during 8-
hour work shift of a 40-hour workweek.
STEL - Short-term exposure limit: 15-minute exposure limit that must not be exceeded during
the workday.
REL - Recommended exposure limit: Average concentration limit recommended for up to a
10-hour workday during a 40-hour workweek.
IDLH - Immediately dangerous to life or health: Maximum concentration from which person
could escape (in event of respiratory failure) without permanent or escape-impairing effects
within 30 minutes.

SCBA Storage Box

162
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Required Confined Space Equipment Policy Example
Air Testing Equipment
All air-testing equipment should be calibrated in accordance with the manufacturer's instruction.

Oxygen Meters and Monitors

The oxygen content of the air in a confined space is the first and most important constituent to
measure before entry is made. The acceptable range of oxygen is between 19.5 and 23.5
percent. This content is measured before flammability is tested because rich mixtures of
flammable gases or vapors give erroneous measurement results.

For example, a mixture of 90 percent methane and 10 percent air will test nonflammable
because there is not enough oxygen to support the combustion process in the flammability
meters. This mixture will not support life and will soon become explosive if ventilation is provided
to the space. Before entry, spaces must be ventilated until both oxygen content and flammability
are acceptable.

Flammability Meters
Flammability meters are used to measure the amount of flammable vapors or gases in the
atmosphere as a percent of the LEL/LFL. The oxygen content must be near 21 percent for
results to be meaningful.

Toxic Air Contamination Testers

Tests for toxic contaminants must be specific for the target toxin. The instrument manufacturer
should be consulted for interferences. Therefore, it is important to know the history of the
confined space so proper tests can be performed. Part of hazard assessment is to identify all
possible contaminants that could be in the confined space.

Protective Devices
Fall-Protection Equipment
Fall-protection equipment for confined spaces should be the chest-waist harness type to
minimize injuries from uncontrolled movements when it arrests a worker's fall. This type of
harness also permits easier retrieval from a confined space than a waist belt. Adjustable
lanyards should be used to limit free fall to two feet before arrest.

Respirators
An industrial hygienist should select respirators on the basis of his or her evaluation of possible
confined-space hazards. NIOSH-approved respirators should be identified in the approved
procedure required by the confined-space entry permit. It is important to note that air-purifying
respirators cannot be used in an oxygen deficient atmosphere.

Lockout/Tagout Devices
Lockout/tagout devices permit employees to work safely on de-energized equipment without
fear that the devices will be accidentally removed. Lock and tag devices are required to
withstand a 50-pound pull without failure.

Devices used to block or restrain stored mechanical energy devices must be engineered for
safety.

163
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Safety Barriers
Safety barriers separate workers from hazards that cannot reasonably be eliminated by other
engineering controls.

Required barriers will be identified in the approved confined-space entry procedure.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters

Ground fault circuit interrupter must be used for all portable electrical tools and equipment in
confined spaces because most workers will be in contact with grounded surroundings.

Emergency Response Equipment

Fire Extinguishers
"Hot work" inside a confined space requires that an approved fire extinguisher and a person
trained in its use be stationed in the confined space or in a suitable vantage point where he or
she could effectively suppress any fire that might result from the work.

First Aid Equipment

Blankets, first-aid kit, Stokes stretchers, and any other equipment that may be needed for first-
response treatment must be available just outside the confined space. Medical and safety
professionals should select equipment on the basis of their evaluations of the potential hazards
in the confined space.

Retrieval Equipment
A tripod or another suitable anchorage, hoisting device, harnesses, wristlets, ropes, and any
other equipment that may be needed to make a rescue must be identified in the confined-space
safe-entry procedures.

It is important that this equipment be available for immediate use. Harnesses and
retrieval ropes must be worn by entrants unless they would increase hazards to the
entrants or impede their rescue.

164
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Summary
A Confined Space Entry Program
Should Include the Following:

 Written confined space entry procedures

 Evaluation to determine whether entry is necessary
 Issuance of a confined space entry permit
 Evaluation of the confined space by a qualified person
 Testing and monitoring the air quality in the confined space to ensure:
 Oxygen level is at least 19.5%
 Flammable range is less than 10% of the LFL (lower flammable limit)
 Training of workers and supervisors in the selection and use of:
o safe entry procedures
o respiratory protection
o lifelines and retrieval systems
o protective clothing
 Training of employees in safe work procedures in and around confined spaces
 Training of employees in confined space rescue procedures
 Conducting safety meetings to discuss confined space safety
 Availability and use of proper ventilation equipment
 Monitoring the air quality while workers are in the confined space.

Recommendation #2: Employers should identify the types of confined spaces within their
jurisdiction and develop and implement confined space entry and rescue programs.

Discussion: Employers may be required to enter confined spaces to perform either non-
emergency tasks or emergency rescue.

Therefore, employers should identify the types of confined spaces within their jurisdiction and
develop and implement confined space entry and rescue programs that include written
emergency rescue guidelines and procedures for entering confined spaces. A confined space
program, as outlined in NIOSH Publications 80-106 and 87-113, should be implemented. At a
minimum, the following should be addressed:

1. Is entry necessary? Can the task be accomplished from the outside? For example, measures
that eliminate the need for employees to enter confined spaces should be carefully evaluated
and implemented if at all possible before considering human entry into confined spaces to
perform non-emergency tasks.

2. If entry is to be made, has the air quality in the confined space been tested for safety based
on the following:
 oxygen supply at least 19.5%
 flammable range for all explosive gases less than 10% of the lower flammable limit
 absence of toxic air contaminants?

3. Is ventilation equipment available and/or used?

4. Is appropriate rescue equipment available?

165
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
5. Are supervisors being continuously trained in the selection and use of appropriate rescue
equipment such as:
 SCBA's
 lifelines
 human hoist systems offering mechanical advantage
 protective clothing
 ventilation systems

6. Are employees being properly trained in confined space entry procedures?

7.Are confined space safe work practices discussed in safety meetings?

8. Are employees trained in confined space rescue procedures?

9. Is the air quality monitored when the ventilation equipment is operating?

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard Z117.1-1989 (Safety Requirements
for Confined Spaces), 3.2 and 3.2.1 state, "Hazards shall be identified for each confined
space. The hazard identification process shall include, ... the past and current uses of the
confined space which may adversely affect the atmosphere of the confined space; ... The
hazard identification process should consider items such as ... the operation of gasoline
engine powered equipment in or around the confined space."

D-Ring on the rear of the harness is necessary for the entrant to be retrieved from the
confined space.

166
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Confined Space Post Quiz
Confined Space Hazards
1. Fatalities and injuries constantly occur among construction workers who are required to
enter __________________.

2. ______________ are associated with specific types of equipment and the interactions
among them. These hazards can be electrical, thermal, chemical, mechanical, etc.

Confined space:
3. A confined space is large enough or so configured that an employee can _____________.

4. A confined space is not designed for ______________________.

5. A permit required confined space (permit space) contains a material that has __________.

Typical Examples of Confined Workspaces

6. Confined workspaces in construction contain _____________________.

7. Workers must enter ________________ found on the construction jobsite to perform a

number of functions.

8. The ever-present possibility of ______________________ is one of the major problems

confronting construction workers while working in vaults.

9. According to the text, a _______________ normally considered a problem associated with

confined spaces is material or equipment which may fall into the vault.

10. Manholes are necessary to provide a means of entry into and exit from vaults, tanks, and
pits, but these confined spaces may present _________________ which could cause injuries
and fatalities.

11. The pipe assembly is one of the _____________________ encountered throughout the
construction site,

12. Once inside a pipe assembly, workers are faced with ___________________, often
caused by purging with argon or another inert gas.

167
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
13. _____________ is another problem to which the worker is exposed when inside a pipe
assembly.

14. The worker may suffer _______________ caused by heat within the pipe run.

15. Tanks are ______________________ that are used for a variety of purposes, including
the storage of water and chemicals.

16. According to the text, oxygen-deficient atmospheres, along with toxic and explosive
atmospheres created by the substances stored in the tanks, present hazards to workers.
A. True B. False

17. Heat in tanks may cause _________________, particularly on a hot day.

18. Entry supervisors must coordinate all entry procedures, tests, ___________, equipment,
and other activities related to the permit space entry.

19. Before endorsing the permit and allowing entry to begin, the ________________ must
check that all appropriate entries have been made on the permit, all tests specified by the
permit have been conducted, and that all procedures and equipment specified by the permit
are in place.

20. A responsibility of the entry attendant is to know the hazards that may be faced during
entry, including information on the mode, signs or symptoms, and consequences of the
exposure.
A. True B. False

168
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
OSHA Construction Confined Space Standard
On May 4, 2015, OSHA issued a new standard for construction work in confined spaces,
which became effective August 3, 2015. Confined spaces can present physical and
atmospheric hazards that can be avoided if they are recognized and addressed prior to
entering these spaces to perform work. The new standard, Subpart AA of 29 CFR 1926
will help prevent construction workers from being hurt or killed by eliminating and
isolating hazards in confined spaces at construction sites similar to the way workers in
other industries are already protected.

§1926.1203 General requirements.

(a) Before it begins work at a worksite, each employer must ensure that a competent person
identifies all confined spaces in which one or more of the employees it directs may work, and
identifies each space that is a permit space, through consideration and evaluation of the
elements of that space, including testing as necessary.
(b) If the workplace contains one or more permit spaces, the employer who identifies, or
who receives notice of, a permit space must:
(1) Inform exposed employees by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective
means, of the existence and location of, and the danger posed by, each permit space; and
Note to paragraph §1926.1203(b)(1). A sign reading “DANGER -- PERMITREQUIRED
CONFINED SPACE, DO NOT ENTER” or using other similar language would satisfy the
requirement for a sign.
(2) Inform, in a timely manner and in a manner other than posting, its employees’ authorized
representatives and the controlling contractor of the existence and location of, and the danger
posed by, each permit space.
(c) Each employer who identifies, or receives notice of, a permit space and has not authorized
employees it directs to work in that space must take effective measures to prevent those
employees from entering that permit space, in addition to complying with all other applicable
requirements of this standard.
(d) If any employer decides that employees it directs will enter a permit space, that employer
must have a written permit space program that complies with §1926.1204 implemented at the
construction site. The written program must be made available prior to and during entry
operations for inspection by employees and their authorized representatives.
(e) An employer may use the alternate procedures specified in paragraph
§1926.1203(e)(2) for entering a permit space only under the conditions set forth in
paragraph §1926.1203(e)(1).
(1) An employer whose employees enter a permit space need not comply with §§1926.1204
through 1206 and §§1926.1208 through 1211, provided that all of the following conditions are
met:
(i) The employer can demonstrate that all physical hazards in the space are eliminated or
isolated through engineering controls so that the only hazard posed by the permit space is an
actual or potential hazardous atmosphere;
(ii) The employer can demonstrate that continuous forced air ventilation alone is sufficient to
maintain that permit space safe for entry, and that, in the event the ventilation system stops
working, entrants can exit the space safely;

169
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(iii) The employer develops monitoring and inspection data that supports the demonstrations
required by paragraphs §1926.1203(e)(1)(i) and §1926.1203(e)(1)(ii);
(iv) If an initial entry of the permit space is necessary to obtain the data required by paragraph
§1926.1203(e)(1)(iii), the entry is performed in compliance with §§1926.1204 through 1211 of
this standard;
(v) The determinations and supporting data required by paragraphs §1926.1203(e)(1)(i),
(e)(1)(ii), and (e)(1)(iii) are documented by the employer and are made available to each
employee who enters the permit space under the terms of paragraph §1926.1203(e) or to that
employee’s authorized representative; and
(vi) Entry into the permit space under the terms of paragraph §1926.1203(e)(1) is performed in
accordance with the requirements of paragraph §1926.1203(e)(2).
Note to paragraph §1926.1203(e)(1). See paragraph §1926.1203(g) for reclassification of a
permit space after all hazards within the space have been eliminated.
(2) The following requirements apply to entry into permit spaces that meet the conditions set
forth in paragraph §1926.1203(e)(1):
(i) Any conditions making it unsafe to remove an entrance cover must be eliminated before the
cover is removed.
(ii) When entrance covers are removed, the opening must be immediately guarded by a railing,
temporary cover, or other temporary barrier that will prevent an accidental fall through the
opening and that will protect each employee working in the space from foreign objects entering
the space.
(iii) Before an employee enters the space, the internal atmosphere must be tested, with a
calibrated direct-reading instrument, for oxygen content, for flammable gases and vapors, and
for potential toxic air contaminants, in that order. Any employee who enters the space, or that
employee’s authorized representative, must be provided an opportunity to observe the
pre-entry testing required by this paragraph.
(iv) No hazardous atmosphere is permitted within the space whenever any employee is inside
the space.
(v) Continuous forced air ventilation must be used, as follows:
(A) An employee must not enter the space until the forced air ventilation has eliminated any
hazardous atmosphere;
(B) The forced air ventilation must be so directed as to ventilate the immediate areas where an
employee is or will be present within the space and must continue until all employees have left
the space;
(C) The air supply for the forced air ventilation must be from a clean source and must not
increase the hazards in the space.
(vi) The atmosphere within the space must be continuously monitored unless the entry
employer can demonstrate that equipment for continuous monitoring is not commercially
available or periodic monitoring is sufficient. If continuous monitoring is used, the employer
must ensure that
the monitoring equipment has an alarm that will notify all entrants if a specified atmospheric
threshold is achieved, or that an employee will check the monitor with sufficient frequency to
ensure that entrants have adequate time to escape. If continuous monitoring is not used,
periodic monitoring is required. All monitoring must ensure that the continuous forced air
ventilation is preventing the accumulation of a hazardous atmosphere. Any employee who
enters the space, or that employee’s authorized representative, must be provided with an
opportunity to observe the testing required by this paragraph.
(vii) If a hazard is detected during entry:

170
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(A) Each employee must leave the space immediately;
(B) The space must be evaluated to determine how the hazard developed; and
(C) The employer must implement measures to protect employees from the hazard before any
subsequent entry takes place.
(viii) The employer must ensure a safe method of entering and exiting the space.
If a hoisting system is used, it must be designed and manufactured for personnel hoisting;
however, a job-made hoisting system is permissible if it is approved for personnel hoisting by a
registered professional engineer, in writing, prior to use.
(ix) The employer must verify that the space is safe for entry and that the pre-entry measures
required by paragraph §1926.1203(e)(2) have been taken, through a written certification that
contains the date, the location of the space, and the signature of the person providing the
certification. The certification must be made before entry and must be made available to
each employee entering the space or to that employee’s authorized representative.
(f) When there are changes in the use or configuration of a non-permit confined space
that might increase the hazards to entrants, or some indication that the initial evaluation of the
space may not have been adequate, each entry employer must have a competent person re-
evaluate that space and, if necessary, reclassify it as a permit required
confined space.
(g) A space classified by an employer as a permit-required confined space may only be
reclassified as a non-permit confined space when a competent person determines that
all of the applicable requirements in paragraphs §1926.1203(g)(1) through (g)(4) have been
met:
(1) If the permit space poses no actual or potential atmospheric hazards and if all hazards
within the space are eliminated or isolated without entry into the space (unless the employer
can demonstrate that doing so without entry is infeasible), the permit space may be
reclassified as a non-permit confined space for as long as the non-atmospheric hazards
remain eliminated or isolated;
(2) The entry employer must eliminate or isolate the hazards without entering the space,
unless it can demonstrate that this is infeasible. If it is necessary to enter the permit space to
eliminate or isolate hazards, such entry must be performed under §§1926.1204 through 1211
of this standard. If testing and inspection during that entry demonstrate that the hazards within
the permit space have been eliminated or isolated, the permit space may be reclassified as a
non-permit confined space for as long as the hazards remain eliminated or isolated; Note to
paragraph §1926.1203(g)(2). Control of atmospheric hazards through forced air ventilation
does not constitute elimination or isolation of the hazards. Paragraph §1926.1203(e) covers
permit space entry where the employer can demonstrate that forced air ventilation alone will
control all hazards in the space.
(3) The entry employer must document the basis for determining that all hazards in a permit
space have been eliminated or isolated, through a certification that contains the date, the
location of the space, and the signature of the person making the determination. The
certification must be made available to each employee entering the space or to that
employee’s authorized representative; and
(4) If hazards arise within a permit space that has been reclassified as a non-permit space
under paragraph §1926.1203(g), each employee in the space must exit the space. The entry
employer must then reevaluate the space and reclassify it as a permit space as appropriate in
accordance with all other applicable provisions of this standard.
(h) Permit Space Entry Communication and Coordination:

171
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(1) Before entry operations begin, the host employer must provide the following information, if
it has it, to the controlling contractor:
(i) The location of each known permit space;
(ii) The hazards or potential hazards in each space or the reason it is a permit space; and
(iii) Any precautions that the host employer or any previous controlling contractor or entry
employer implemented for the protection of employees in the permit space.
(2) Before entry operations begin, the controlling contractor must:
(i) Obtain the host employer’s information about the permit space hazards and previous entry
operations; and
(ii) Provide the following information to each entity entering a permit space and any other entity
at the worksite whose activities could foreseeably result in a hazard in the permit space:
(A) The information received from the host employer;
(B) Any additional information the controlling contractor has about the subjects listed in
paragraph (h)(1) of this section; and
(C) The precautions that the host employer, controlling contractor, or other entry employers
implemented for the protection of employees in the permit spaces.
(3) Before entry operations begin, each entry employer must:
(i) Obtain all of the controlling contractor’s information regarding permit space hazards and
entry operations; and
(ii) Inform the controlling contractor of the permit space program that the entry employer will
follow, including any hazards likely to be confronted or created in each permit space.
(4) The controlling contractor and entry employer(s) must coordinate entry operations when:
(i) More than one entity performs permit space entry at the same time; or
(ii) Permit space entry is performed at the same time that any activities that could foreseeably
result in a hazard in the permit space are performed.
(5) After entry operations:
(i) The controlling contractor must debrief each entity that entered a permit space regarding
the permit space program followed and any hazards confronted or created in the permit
space(s) during entry operations;
(ii) The entry employer must inform the controlling contractor in a timely manner of the permit
space program followed and of any hazards confronted or created in the permit space(s)
during entry operations; and
(iii) The controlling contractor must apprise the host employer of the information exchanged
with the entry entities pursuant to this subparagraph.
Note to paragraph §1926.1203(h). Unless a host employer or controlling contractor has or will
have employees in a confined space, it is not required to enter any confined space to collect
the information specified in this paragraph (h).
(iv) If there is no controlling contractor present at the worksite, the requirements for, and role
of, controlling contactors in §1926.1203 must be fulfilled by the host employer or other
employer who arranges to have employees of another employer perform work that involves
permit space
entry.

172
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
§1926.1204 Permit-Required Confined Space Program.
Each entry employer must:
(a) Implement the measures necessary to prevent unauthorized entry;
(b) Identify and evaluate the hazards of permit spaces before employees enter them;
(c) Develop and implement the means, procedures, and practices necessary for safe
permit space entry operations, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) Specifying acceptable entry conditions;
(2) Providing each authorized entrant or that employee’s authorized representative
with the opportunity to observe any monitoring or testing of permit spaces;
(3) Isolating the permit space and physical hazard(s) within the space;
(4) Purging, inerting, flushing, or ventilating the permit space as necessary to eliminate or
control atmospheric hazards;
Note to paragraph §1204(c)(4). When an employer is unable to reduce the atmosphere below
10 percent LFL, the employer may only enter if the employer inerts the space so as to render
the entire atmosphere in the space noncombustible, and the employees use PPE to address
any other atmospheric hazards (such as oxygen deficiency), and the employer eliminates or
isolates all physical hazards in the space.
(5) Determining that, in the event the ventilation system stops working, the monitoring
procedures will detect an increase in atmospheric hazard levels in sufficient time for the
entrants to safely exit the permit space;
(6) Providing pedestrian, vehicle, or other barriers as necessary to protect entrants from
external hazards;
(7) Verifying that conditions in the permit space are acceptable for entry throughout the
duration of an authorized entry, and ensuring that employees are not allowed to enter into, or
remain in, a permit space with a hazardous atmosphere unless the employer can demonstrate
that personal protective equipment (PPE) will provide effective protection for each employee in
the permit space and provides the appropriate PPE to each employee; and
(8) Eliminating any conditions (for example, high pressure) that could make it unsafe to
remove an entrance cover.
(d) Provide the following equipment (specified in paragraphs §1926.1204(d)(1) through
(d)(9)) at no cost to each employee, maintain that equipment properly, and ensure that each
employee uses that equipment properly:
(1) Testing and monitoring equipment needed to comply with paragraph §1926.1204(e);
(2) Ventilating equipment needed to obtain acceptable entry conditions;
(3) Communications equipment necessary for compliance with paragraphs §1926.1208(c) and
§1926.1209(e), including any necessary electronic communication equipment for attendants
assessing entrants’ status in multiple spaces;
(4) Personal protective equipment insofar as feasible engineering and work-practice controls
do not adequately protect employees;
Note to paragraph §1926.1204(d)(4). The requirements of subpart E of this part and other PPE
requirements continue to apply to the use of PPE in a permit space. For example, if employees
use respirators, then the respirator requirements in §1926.103 (Respiratory protection) must
be met.
(5) Lighting equipment that meets the minimum illumination requirements in §1926.56, that is
approved for the ignitable or combustible properties of the specific gas, vapor, dust, or fiber
that will be present, and that is sufficient to enable employees to see well enough to work
safely and to exit the space quickly in an emergency;

173
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(6) Barriers and shields as required by paragraph §1926.1204(c)(4);
(7) Equipment, such as ladders, needed for safe ingress and egress by authorized
entrants;
(8) Rescue and emergency equipment needed to comply with paragraph §1926.1204(i),
except to the extent that the equipment is provided by rescue services; and
(9) Any other equipment necessary for safe entry into, safe exit from, and rescue from, permit
spaces.
(e) Evaluate permit space conditions in accordance with the following paragraphs (e)(1)
through (6) of this section when entry operations are conducted:
(1) Test conditions in the permit space to determine if acceptable entry conditions exist before
changes to the space’s natural ventilation are made, and before entry is authorized to begin,
except that, if an employer demonstrates that isolation of the space is infeasible because the
space is large or is part of a continuous system (such as a sewer), the employer must:
(i) Perform pre-entry testing to the extent feasible before entry is authorized;
and,
(ii) If entry is authorized, continuously monitor entry conditions in the areas where authorized
entrants are working, except that employers may use periodic monitoring in accordance with
paragraph §1926.1204(e)(2) for monitoring an atmospheric hazard if they can demonstrate
that equipment for continuously monitoring that hazard is not commercially available;
(iii) Provide an early-warning system that continuously monitors for non-isolated engulfment
hazards. The system must alert authorized entrants and attendants in sufficient time for the
authorized entrants to safely exit the space.
(2) Continuously monitor atmospheric hazards unless the employer can demonstrate that the
equipment for continuously monitoring a hazard is not commercially available or that periodic
monitoring is of sufficient frequency to ensure that the atmospheric hazard is being controlled
at safe levels. If continuous monitoring is not used, periodic monitoring is required with
sufficient frequency to ensure that acceptable entry conditions are being
maintained during the course of entry operations;
(3) When testing for atmospheric hazards, test first for oxygen, then for combustible gases and
vapors, and then for toxic gases and vapors;
(4) Provide each authorized entrant or that employee’s authorized representative an
opportunity to observe the pre-entry and any subsequent testing or monitoring of permit
spaces;
(5) Reevaluate the permit space in the presence of any authorized entrant or that employee’s
authorized representative who requests that the employer conduct such reevaluation because
there is some indication that the evaluation of that space may not have been adequate; and
(6) Immediately provide each authorized entrant or that employee’s authorized representative
with the results of any testing conducted in accordance with §1926.1204 of this standard.
(f) Provide at least one attendant outside the permit space into which entry is authorized
for the duration of entry operations;
(1) Attendants may be assigned to more than one permit space provided the duties described
in §1926.1209 of this standard can be effectively performed for each permit space.
(2) Attendants may be stationed at any location outside the permit space as long as the duties
described in §1926.1209 of this standard can be effectively performed for each permit space to
which the attendant is assigned.
(g) If multiple spaces are to be assigned to a single attendant, include in the permit program
the means and procedures to enable the attendant to respond to an emergency affecting one
or more of those permit spaces without distraction from the attendant’s responsibilities under
§1926.1209 of this standard;

174
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(h) Designate each person who is to have an active role (as, for example, authorized entrants,
attendants, entry supervisors, or persons who test or monitor the atmosphere in a permit
space) in entry operations, identify the duties of each such employee, and provide each such
employee with the training required by §1926.1207 of this standard;
(i) Develop and implement procedures for summoning rescue and emergency services
(including procedures for summoning emergency assistance in the event of a failed
non-entry rescue), for rescuing entrants from permit spaces, for providing necessary
emergency services to rescued employees, and for preventing unauthorized personnel from
attempting a rescue;
(j) Develop and implement a system for the preparation, issuance, use, and cancellation
of entry permits as required by this standard, including the safe termination of entry
operations under both planned and emergency conditions;
(k) Develop and implement procedures to coordinate entry operations, in consultation
with the controlling contractor, when employees of more than one employer are working
simultaneously in a permit space or elsewhere on the worksite where their activities could,
either alone or in conjunction with the activities within a permit space, foreseeably result in a
hazard within the confined space, so that employees of one employer do not endanger the
employees of any other employer;
(l) Develop and implement procedures (such as closing off a permit space and canceling
the permit) necessary for concluding the entry after entry operations have been completed;
(m) Review entry operations when the measures taken under the permit space program
may not protect employees and revise the program to correct deficiencies found to exist before
subsequent entries are authorized; and
Note to paragraph §1926.1204(m). Examples of circumstances requiring the review of the
permit space program include, but are not limited to: any unauthorized entry of a permit space,
the detection of a permit space hazard not covered by the permit, the detection of a condition
prohibited by the permit, the occurrence of an injury or near-miss during entry, a change in the
use or configuration of a permit space, and employee complaints about the effectiveness of
the program.
(n) Review the permit space program, using the canceled permits retained under paragraph
§1926.1205(f), within 1 year after each entry and revise the program as necessary to ensure
that employees participating in entry operations are protected from permit space hazards.
Note to paragraph §1926.1204(n). Employers may perform a single annual review covering all
entries performed during a 12-month period. If no entry is performed during a 12-month period,
no review is necessary.

175
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
§1926.1205 Permitting Process.
(a) Before entry is authorized, each entry employer must document the completion of
measures required by paragraph §1926.1204(c) of this standard by preparing an entry permit.
(b) Before entry begins, the entry supervisor identified on the permit must sign the entry permit
to authorize entry.
(c) The completed permit must be made available at the time of entry to all authorized entrants
or their authorized representatives, by posting it at the entry portal or by any other equally
effective means, so that the entrants can confirm that pre-entry preparations have been
completed.
(d) The duration of the permit may not exceed the time required to complete the assigned task
or job identified on the permit in accordance with paragraph §1926.1206(b) of this standard.
(e) The entry supervisor must terminate entry and take the following action when any of
the following apply:
(1) Cancel the entry permit when the entry operations covered by the entry permit have been
completed; or
(2) Suspend or cancel the entry permit and fully reassess the space before allowing reentry
when a condition that is not allowed under the entry permit arises in or near the permit space
and that condition is temporary in nature and does not change the configuration of the space
or create any new hazards within it; and
(3) Cancel the entry permit when a condition that is not allowed under the entry permit arises
in or near the permit space and that condition is not covered by subparagraph (e)(2) of this
section.
(f) The entry employer must retain each canceled entry permit for at least 1 year to facilitate
the review of the permit-required confined space program required by paragraph
§1926.1204(n) of this standard. Any problems encountered during an entry operation must be
noted on the pertinent permit so that appropriate revisions to the permit space program can be
made.

§1926.1206 Entry permit.

The entry permit that documents compliance with this section and authorizes entry to a
permit space must identify:
(a) The permit space to be entered;
(b) The purpose of the entry;
(c) The date and the authorized duration of the entry permit;
(d) The authorized entrants within the permit space, by name or by such other means (for
example, through the use of rosters or tracking systems) as will enable the attendant to
determine quickly and accurately, for the duration of the permit, which authorized entrants are
inside the permit space;
Note to paragraph §1926.1206(d). This requirement may be met by inserting a reference on
the entry permit as to the means used, such as a roster or tracking system, to keep track of the
authorized entrants within the permit space.
(e) Means of detecting an increase in atmospheric hazard levels in the event the ventilation
system stops working;
(f) Each person, by name, currently serving as an attendant;
(g) The individual, by name, currently serving as entry supervisor, and the signature or
initials of each entry supervisor who authorizes entry;
(h) The hazards of the permit space to be entered;

176
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(i) The measures used to isolate the permit space and to eliminate or control permit
space hazards before entry;
Note to paragraph §1926.1206(i). Those measures can include, but are not limited to,
the lockout or tagging of equipment and procedures for purging, inerting, ventilating,
and flushing permit spaces.
(j) The acceptable entry conditions;
(k) The results of tests and monitoring performed under paragraph §1926.1204(e) of this
standard, accompanied by the names or initials of the testers and by an indication of when the
tests were performed;
(l) The rescue and emergency services that can be summoned and the means (such as
the equipment to use and the numbers to call) for summoning those services;
(m) The communication procedures used by authorized entrants and attendants to
maintain contact during the entry;
(n) Equipment, such as personal protective equipment, testing equipment,
communications equipment, alarm systems, and rescue equipment, to be provided
for compliance with this standard;
(o) Any other information necessary, given the circumstances of the particular confined
space, to ensure employee safety; and
(p) Any additional permits, such as for hot work, that have been issued to authorize
work in the permit space.

§1926.1207 Training.
(a) The employer must provide training to each employee whose work is regulated by this
standard, at no cost to the employee, and ensure that the employee possesses the
understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties
assigned under this standard. This training must result in an understanding of the hazards in
the permit space and the methods used to isolate, control or in other ways protect employees
from these hazards, and for those employees not authorized to perform entry rescues, in the
dangers of attempting such rescues.
(b) Training required by this section must be provided to each affected employee:
(1) In both a language and vocabulary that the employee can understand;
(2) Before the employee is first assigned duties under this standard;
(3) Before there is a change in assigned duties;
(4) Whenever there is a change in permit space entry operations that presents a hazard about
which an employee has not previously been trained; and
(5) Whenever there is any evidence of a deviation from the permit space entry procedures
required by paragraph §1926.1204(c) of this standard or there are inadequacies in the
employee’s knowledge or use of these procedures.
(c) The training must establish employee proficiency in the duties required by this standard
and must introduce new or revised procedures, as necessary, for compliance
with this standard.
(d) The employer must maintain training records to show that the training required by
paragraphs §1926.1207(a) through (c) of this standard has been accomplished. The training
records must contain each employee’s name, the name of the trainers, and the dates of
training. The documentation must be available for inspection by employees and their
authorized representatives, for the period of time the employee is employed by that employer.

177
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
§1926.1208 Duties of authorized entrants.
The entry employer must ensure that all authorized entrants:
(a) Are familiar with and understand the hazards that may be faced during entry, including
information on the mode, signs or symptoms, and consequences of the exposure;
(b) Properly use equipment as required by paragraph §1926.1204(d) of this standard;
(c) Communicate with the attendant as necessary to enable the attendant to assess entrant
status and to enable the attendant to alert entrants of the need to evacuate the space as
required by paragraph §1926.1209(f) of this standard;
(d) Alert the attendant whenever:
(1) There is any warning sign or symptom of exposure to a dangerous situation; or
(2) The entrant detects a prohibited condition; and
(e) Exit from the permit space as quickly as possible whenever:
(1) An order to evacuate is given by the attendant or the entry supervisor;
(2) There is any warning sign or symptom of exposure to a dangerous situation;
(3) The entrant detects a prohibited condition; or
(4) An evacuation alarm is activated.

§1926.1209 Duties of attendants.

The entry employer must ensure that each attendant:
(a) Is familiar with and understands the hazards that may be faced during entry, including
information on the mode, signs or symptoms, and consequences of the exposure;
(b) Is aware of possible behavioral effects of hazard exposure in authorized entrants;
(c) Continuously maintains an accurate count of authorized entrants in the permit space
and ensures that the means used to identify authorized entrants under paragraph
1926.1206(d) of this standard accurately identifies who is in the permit space;
(d) Remains outside the permit space during entry operations until relieved by another
attendant;
Note to paragraph §1926.1209(d). Once an attendant has been relieved by another attendant,
the relieved attendant may enter a permit space to attempt a rescue when the employer’s
permit space program allows attendant entry for rescue and the attendant has been trained
and equipped for rescue operations as required by paragraph §1926.1211(a).
(e) Communicates with authorized entrants as necessary to assess entrant status and to alert
entrants of the need to evacuate the space under paragraph §1926.1208(e);
(f) Assesses activities and conditions inside and outside the space to determine if it is safe for
entrants to remain in the space and orders the authorized entrants to evacuate the permit
space immediately under any of the following conditions:
(1) If there is a prohibited condition;
(2) If the behavioral effects of hazard exposure are apparent in an authorized entrant;
(3) If there is a situation outside the space that could endanger the authorized entrants; or
(4) If the attendant cannot effectively and safely perform all the duties required under
§1926.1209 of this standard;
(g) Summons rescue and other emergency services as soon as the attendant determines
that authorized entrants may need assistance to escape from permit space hazards;
(h) Takes the following actions when unauthorized persons approach or enter a permit space
while entry is underway:

178
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(1) Warns the unauthorized persons that they must stay away from the permit space;
(2) Advises the unauthorized persons that they must exit immediately if they have
entered the permit space; and (3) Informs the authorized entrants and the entry supervisor if
unauthorized persons
have entered the permit space;
(i) Performs non-entry rescues as specified by the employer’s rescue procedure; and
(j) Performs no duties that might interfere with the attendant’s primary duty to assess
and protect the authorized entrants.

§1926.1210 Duties of entry supervisors.

The entry employer must ensure that each entry supervisor:
(a) Is familiar with and understands the hazards that may be faced during entry, including
information on the mode, signs or symptoms, and consequences of the exposure;
(b) Verifies, by checking that the appropriate entries have been made on the permit, that
all tests specified by the permit have been conducted and that all procedures and equipment
specified by the permit are in place before endorsing the permit and allowing entry to begin;
(c) Terminates the entry and cancels or suspends the permit as required by paragraph
1926.1205(e) of this standard;
(d) Verifies that rescue services are available and that the means for summoning them
are operable, and that the employer will be notified as soon as the services become
unavailable;
(e) Removes unauthorized individuals who enter or who attempt to enter the permit
space during entry operations; and
(f) Determines, whenever responsibility for a permit space entry operation is transferred, and
at intervals dictated by the hazards and operations performed within the space, that entry
operations remain consistent with terms of the entry permit and that acceptable entry
conditions are maintained.

§1926.1211 Rescue and emergency services.

(a) An employer who designates rescue and emergency services, pursuant to paragraph
§1926.1204(i) of this standard, must:
(1) Evaluate a prospective rescuer’s ability to respond to a rescue summons in a
timely manner, considering the hazard(s) identified;
Note to paragraph §1926.1211(a)(1). What will be considered timely will vary according to the
specific hazards involved in each entry.

For example, §1926.103—Respiratory Protection requires that employers provide a standby

person or persons capable of immediate action to rescue employee(s) wearing respiratory
protection while in work areas defined as IDLH atmospheres.
(2) Evaluate a prospective rescue service’s ability, in terms of proficiency with rescue-related
tasks and equipment, to function appropriately while rescuing entrants from the particular
permit space or types of permit spaces identified;
(3) Select a rescue team or service from those evaluated that:
(i) Has the capability to reach the victim(s) within a time frame that is appropriate for the permit
space hazard(s) identified;
(ii) Is equipped for, and proficient in, performing the needed rescue services;

179
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(iii) Agrees to notify the employer immediately in the event that the rescue service becomes
unavailable;
(4) Inform each rescue team or service of the hazards they may confront when called on to
perform rescue at the site; and
(5) Provide the rescue team or service selected with access to all permit spaces from which
rescue may be necessary so that the rescue team or service can develop appropriate rescue
plans and practice rescue operations.
(b) An employer whose employees have been designated to provide permit space rescue
and/or emergency services must take the following measures and provide all equipment and
training at no cost to those employees:
(1) Provide each affected employee with the personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to
conduct permit space rescues safely and train each affected employee so the employee is
proficient in the use of that PPE;
(2) Train each affected employee to perform assigned rescue duties. The employer must
ensure that such employees successfully complete the training required and establish
proficiency as authorized entrants, as provided by §§1926.1207 and 1926.1208 of this
standard;
(3) Train each affected employee in basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The employer must ensure that at least one member of the rescue team or service holding a
current certification in basic first aid and CPR is available; and
(4) Ensure that affected employees practice making permit space rescues before attempting
an actual rescue, and 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
spaces or from representative permit spaces, except practice rescue is not required where the
affected employees properly performed a rescue operation during the last 12 months in the
same permit space the authorized entrant will enter, or in a similar permit space.
Representative permit spaces must, with respect to opening size, configuration, and
accessibility, simulate the types of permit spaces from which rescue is to be performed.
(c) Non-entry rescue is required unless the retrieval equipment would increase the overall risk
of entry or would not contribute to the rescue of the entrant. The employer must designate an
entry rescue service whenever non-entry rescue is not selected. Whenever non-entry rescue is
selected, the entry employer must ensure that retrieval systems or methods are used
whenever an authorized entrant enters a permit space, and must confirm, prior to entry, that
emergency assistance would be available in the event that non-entry rescue fails. Retrieval
systems must meet the following requirements:
(1) Each authorized entrant must use a chest or full body harness, with a retrieval line attached
at the center of the entrant’s back near shoulder level, above the entrant’s head, or at another
point which the employer can establish presents a profile small enough for the successful
removal of the entrant. Wristlets or anklets may be used in lieu of the chest or full body
harness if the employer can demonstrate that the use of a chest or full body harness is
infeasible or creates a greater hazard and that the use of wristlets or anklets is the safest and
most
effective alternative.
(2) The other end of the retrieval line must be attached to a mechanical device or fixed point
outside the permit space in such a manner that rescue can begin as soon as the rescuer
becomes aware that rescue is necessary. A mechanical device must be available to retrieve
personnel from vertical type permit spaces more than 5 feet (1.52 meters) deep.

180
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
(3) Equipment that is unsuitable for retrieval must not be used, including, but not limited to,
retrieval lines that have a reasonable probability of becoming entangled with the retrieval lines
used by other authorized entrants, or retrieval lines that will not work due to the internal
configuration of the permit space.
(d) If an injured entrant is exposed to a substance for which a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
or other similar written information is required to be kept at the worksite, that SDS or written
information must be made available to the medical facility treating the exposed entrant.

§1926.1212 Employee participation.

(a) Employers must consult with affected employees and their authorized representatives on
the development and implementation of all aspects of the permit space program required by
§1926.1203 of this standard.
(b) Employers must make available to each affected employee and his/her authorized
representatives all information required to be developed by this standard.

§1926.1213 Provision of documents to Secretary.

For each document required to be retained in this standard, the retaining employer must
make the document available on request to the Secretary of Labor or the Secretary’s
designee.

181
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
Post Quiz Answers
Excavation Chapter Post Quiz Answers
1. Performs, 2. Inspection(s) or Inspect, 3. Identifying, 4. Knowledgeable,
5. Inspection(s) or Inspect, 6. Knowledge, 7. Determine(s), 8. Maintain(s),
9. Maintain(s), 10. Monitor, 11. Determine(d), 12. Precautions,13. Employees,
14. Excavation(s), 15. Access or egress, 16. Means of egress, 17. Properly secured, 18.
Excavation(s)

Confined Space Chapter Answers

1. Confined spaces, 2. Inherent hazards, 3. Bodily enter and perform work, 4. Continuous
employee occupancy, 5. The potential for engulfing an entrant, 6. Both inherent and induced
hazards, 7. A variety of vaults,8. An oxygen-deficient atmosphere, 9. Hazard, 10. Serious
hazards, 11. Most frequently unrecognized types of confined spaces,
12. Potential oxygen-deficient atmospheres, 13. Electrical shock, 14. Heat prostration, 15.
Another type of confined workspace, 16. True, 17. Heat prostration,
18. Permits, 19. Entry supervisor, 20. True

182
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
REFERENCES
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Criteria for a Recommended Standard,
Working in Confined Spaces. DHEW (NIOSH) Publication No. 80-106, December 1979.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Criteria for a Recommended Standard,
Occupational Exposure to Carbon Monoxide, HSM Publication 73-11000, 1972.

Golden, F. Hypothermia: A Problem for North Sea Industries, J. Soc. Occup. Med. 1976;
26:85-88.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Alert - Request for Assistance in
Preventing Occupational Fatalities in Confined Spaces. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 86-
110, January, 1986.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, A Guide to Safety in Confined Spaces.
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 87-113, July, 1987.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Guide to Industrial Respiratory
Protection. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 87-116, September, 1987.

American National Standards Institute, Inc. (ANSI), Safety Requirements for Confined Spaces,
ANSI Z117.1-1989.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Fire Department Self-Contained Breathing

Apparatus Program, NFPA 1404, 3-1, 1989.

National Fire Protection Association, (NFPA), Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health
Program, NFPA 1500, 3-1, 1987.

183
Competent Person © 8/9/2018
We welcome you to complete the assignment in Microsoft Word. You can easily find
the assignment at www.abctlc.com.

Once complete, just simply fax or e-mail the answer key along with the registration page
to us and allow two weeks for grading.

Once we grade it, we will e-mail a certificate of completion to you. Call us if you need
any help.

If you need your certificate back within 48 hours, you may be asked to pay a rush service
fee of $50.00.

You can download the assignment in Microsoft Word from TLC’s website under the
Assignment Page. www.abctlc.com

You will have 90 days in order to successfully complete this assignment with a score of
70% or better.

If you need any assistance, please contact TLC’s Student Services. Once you are
finished, please mail, e-mail or fax your answer sheet along with your registration form.

184
Competent Person © 8/9/2018