SafetyShare-7-6-2015-OSHAs-new-Confined-Space-Standard-for-Construction.pdfVIP专享VIP免费原创优质

WeekofJuly6,2015–OSHA’sNewConfinedSpaceRegulationfortheConstructionIndustryBackin1993,theOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)issuedaregulationforconfinedspacesforthoseemployeesworkingwithinageneralindustryenvironment(aswellasforthoseworkingintheshipyardindustries).Thegeneralindustryregulation,29CFR1910.146requiresemployerstodeterminewhetheraconfinedspaceneedstoclassifiedas“permit-required”whileimplementingspecificproceduresforthesafetyofthosethatenterthem.Meanwhilethesafetyandhealthofthoseworkinginconfinedspaceswithinconstructionindustryhavebeenperformingsuchtaskswithminimumrequirementstoensuretheirwell-being.Whilethe“permit-requiredconfinedspace”regulationforgeneralindustryismanypages,OSHA’sconstructioncounterpartis2smallparagraphsunder“SafetyTrainingandEducation”(29CFR1926.21):Paragraphs1926.21(b)(6)(i)and(ii).Thefirstparagraphstates:“Allemployeesrequiredtoenterintoconfinedorenclosedspacesshallbeinstructedastothenatureofthehazardsinvolved,thenecessaryprecautionstobetaken,andintheuseofprotectiveandemergencyequipmentrequired.Theemployershallcomplywithanyspecificregulationsthatapplytoworkindangerousorpotentiallydangerousareas.”Thesecondparagraphmerelydefineswhataconfinedorenclosedspaceis,providinganumberofexamples(storagetanks,undergroundutilityvaults,etc).StartingonAugust3,2015,theconstructionindustrywillhaveanewregulationforwhichworkersshallbeprotectedinthesamemannerthatworkersinotherindustriesarealreadyprotected.ThenewstandardwillbelocatedwithinSubpartAAof29CFR1926.(29CFR19261200-1213).AccordingtoTheAssistantSecretaryoflabor,Dr.DavidMichaels,confinedspacesintheconstructionindustrydiffersfrommostgeneralindustryworksites,“…asconstructionsitesarecontinuallyevolving,withthenumberandcharacteristicsofconfinedspaceschangingasworkprogresses.Thisruleemphasizestraining,continuousworksiteevaluationandcommunicationrequirementstofurtherprotectworkers’safetyandhealth."Underthisregulation,employerswouldberequiredtofirstdeterminewhetherthereisaconfinedspaceatthejobsite.Ifthereisaconfinedspace,theemployerwouldthenassesstheareaforexistingorpotentialhazardswithinthespace.Iftherearesuchhazards,theemployerwouldthenclassifythespaceaccordingtothephysicalandatmospherichazardsidentified.Therearefourclassificationsandare:Isolated-HazardConfinedSpaceControlled-AtmosphereConfinedSpacePermit-RequiredConfinedSpace(thisisonesimilartotheexistingtypeinGeneralIndustry)ContinuousSystem-Permit-RequiredConfinedSpaceTheproposedrequirementsforeachtypeofconfinedspacearetailoredtocontrolthedifferenttypesofhazards.Thereare5keyprovisionswithinthenewconstructionrule,aswellasseveralareaswhereOSHAhasclarifiedexistingrequirements.Thefivenewrequirementsinclude:1.Moredetailedprovisionsrequiringcoordinatedactivitieswhentherearemultipleemployersattheworksite.Thiswillensurehazardsarenotintroducedintoaconfinedspacebyworkersperformingtasksoutsidethespace.Anexamplewouldbeageneratorrunningneartheentranceofaconfinedspacecausingabuildupofcarbonmonoxidewithinthespace.2.Requiringacompetentpersontoevaluatetheworksiteandidentifyconfinedspaces,includingpermitspaces.3.Requiringcontinuousatmosphericmonitoringwheneverpossible.4.Requiringcontinuousmonitoringofengulfmenthazards.Forexample,whenworkersareperformingworkinastormsewer,astormupstreamfromtheworkerscouldcauseflashflooding.Anelectronicsensororobserverpostedupstreamfromtheworksitecouldalertworkersinthespaceatthefirstsignofthehazard,givingtheworkerstimetoevacuatethespacesafely.5.Allowingforthesuspensionofapermit,insteadofcancellation,intheeventofchangesfromtheentryconditionslistonthepermitoranunexpectedeventrequiringevacuationofthespace.Thespacemustbereturnedtotheentryconditionslistedonthepermitbeforere-entry.Inaddition,OSHAhasaddedprovisionstothenewrulethatclarifiesexistingrequirementsintheGeneralIndustrystandard.Theseinclude:1.Requiringthatemployerswhodirectworkerstoenteraspacewithoutusingacompletepermitsystempreventworkers’exposuretophysicalhazardsthrougheliminationofthehazardorisolationmethodssuchaslockout/tagout.2.Requiringthatemployerswhoarerelyingonlocalemergencyservicesforemergencyservicesarrangeforresponderstogivetheemployeradvancenoticeiftheywillbeunabletorespondforaperiodoftime(becausetheyarerespondingtoanotheremergency,attendingdepartment-widetraining,etc.).3.Requiring.employerstoprovidetraininginalanguageandvocabularythattheworkerunderstands.Thenewstandardalsohasseveraltermshavebeenaddedtothedefinitionsfortheconstructionrule,suchas"entryemployer"todescribetheemployerwhodirectsworkerstoenteraspace,and"entryrescue",addedtoclarifythedifferencesinthetypesofrescueemployerscanuse.Inaddition,Controllingcontractorsandhostemployersmustdiscussspacesonthesiteandtheirhazardswithentryemployersandeachotherbeforeandafterentry.SimilartotheGeneralIndustryRequirements,awrittenprogramwillberequired.FormoreinformationvisittheOSHAwebpageat:https://www.osha.gov/confinedspaces/faq.html.Avoidingafightisamarkofhonor;onlyfoolsinsistonquarrelingProverbs20:3