Overview Presentation

In Support of
The Lorain County Chamber of Commerce

5/31/2016 1
 CONFINED SPACE STATISTICS (OSHA and other various sources)

There were 431 confined space incidents with 530 fatalities in the US due to oxygen deficient
and/or toxic atmospheres from 1992-2005

65% of all confined space fatalities are due to hazardous atmosphere

In 139 of these fatalities, there were no detectors nor ventilation utilized

25% of spaces were toxic before entry

In 2010, there were 63 worker fatalities and 28 hospitalizations related to confined spaces.

From 01/01/2011 to 08/01/2011, there were 22 worker fatalities and 3 worker hospitalizations
related to confined spaces.

Repair & Maintenance and cleaning & inspection activities account for almost one-quarter of
confined space-related fatalities.

Construction and manufacturing industries experience the most fatalities.

 "Confined space" means a space that:

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

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

Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

 Part Number:1910
Part Title: Occupational Safety and Health Standards
Subpart: J
Subpart Title: General Environmental Controls
Standard Number:1910.146
Title: Permit-required confined spaces
Appendix: A , B , C , D , E , F
Definition A PRCS means a CONFINED SPACE that has one or more of
the following characteristics:
Contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere,
Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant,
Contains 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,
Contains any other serious safety or health hazard.
Hazardous Atmosphere is 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:

Flammable gas, vapor, or mist in excess of 10 percent of its lower flammable limit
(LFL);
Airborne combustible dust at a concentration that meets or exceeds its LFL;
Atmospheric oxygen concentration below 19.5 percent or above 23.5 percent;
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 PEL;
Any other atmospheric condition that is immediately dangerous to life or health.
 OSHA indicates that the entrant is to provide the following equipment at no cost to
employees, maintain that equipment properly, and ensure that employees use that
equipment properly:

Testing and monitoring equipment needed to comply with regulations;

Ventilating equipment needed to obtain acceptable entry conditions;

Communications equipment necessary for compliance with regulations;

Personal protective equipment insofar as feasible engineering and work practice

controls do not adequately protect employees;
 Lighting equipment needed to enable employees to see well enough to work safely
and to exit the space quickly in an emergency;

Barriers and shields as required by regulations;

Equipment, such as ladders, needed for safe ingress and egress by authorized
entrants;

Rescue and emergency equipment needed to comply with regulations, and;

Any other equipment necessary for safe entry into and rescue from permit spaces.
 The forced air ventilation should be so directed as to ventilate the
immediate areas where an employee is or will be present within
the space and shall continue until all employees have left the
space;

The air supply for the forced air ventilation should be from a clean
source and may not increase the hazards in the space.

The atmosphere within the space should be periodically tested as

necessary to ensure that the continuous forced air ventilation is
preventing the accumulation of a hazardous atmosphere.
Tripod Rescue System (Model T-100S)
Each Tripod system is composed of a Tripod, 3-Way
fall arrest device with lowering and retrieval capabilities
and a Personnel or Material Winch.

Model : T100-7 T100-9 T100-10

Height, ft. 7 9 10

Working Load, lbs. 310 310 620

Distance between legs, in. 61 74 90

Weight, lbs. 41 47 72

Tested static load 5400 5400 10000

Personnel Winch (Model 142)
Designed for raising or lowering an employee into a
work position or for use in rescue operations.

Working Load, lbs 310

Lifeline Cable Galvanized, Stainless Steel, Synthetic Rope

Cable Diameter, in. 3/16

Length of Cable, ft. 50 - 100

Weight, lbs. 36

Locking Speed, ft./sec. 4-5

 A variety of PPE may be required depending on the environment
and conditions of work.

Dupont Tyvek, Tychem, Nomex, Rainfair and Beta brand

protective coveralls and suits
Crew brand protective eyewear and goggles
Beta and Lacrosse brand overshoe and overboot foot protection
Microflex, Semperguard, and Best N-Dex latex and nitrile gloves
MSA and North respirators and respirator cartridges
 To select the instruments that will
most Accurately Identify and
Measure those hazards, you must
understand:

o the environmental conditions and

potential hazards present

o the exposure limits and thresholds of

those hazards
 Before an employee enters the space, the internal
atmosphere should 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.
Evaluation Testing Analyze atmosphere with the proper equipment to
identify and evaluate any hazardous atmospheres that may arise or exist..
Have a qualified professional interpret and evaluate results to develop the
proper entry procedures including other potential physical hazards
Verification Testing Conducted at the time of entry to determine that
atmospheric conditions are within the range of acceptable entry
conditions prior to entry of the space.
Duration of Testing Minimum response time for the sensors and additional
tubing, hoses, or probe length
Layered Atmosphere Testing Test and a variety of levels stratigraphically
to detect for potential layers of hazardous atmosphere
Retesting and Continual Testing Test the atmosphere frequently and/or
continually to monitor for changes in atmospheric conditions.
 Most units are

standard 4 Gas configurations, Passive/Diffusion or Pump equipped, with

O2, LEL, CO, and H2S sensors installed
available with Infrared LEL sensors to operate when O2 is absent
compact in size and light weight for use in tight confined spaces
supported by a separate calibration/bump test docking station for automated
calibration capability (not required)
easily calibrated by a manual process independent of docking stations
designed to utilize a calibration gas mixture to eliminate need for multiple gas
cylinders
powered by both Lithium Ion and Alkaline batteries and continuously operate
when plugged into charger or 12 V automotive adapter
engineered with an Internal pump option to provide quick response and
remote sampling with 10-12 hours of run time
capable of data logging and storing a significant amount of information
outfitted with a data library of response factors for wide variety of
combustibles and volatile compounds
 Sensors robust construction and high quality
engineering will yield best performance and longevity
O2, CO and H2S sensors operate on similar principles
and expire over time (electrochemical by design)
LEL sensors have two primary types; Catalytic Bead or
Non-Dispersive Infrared
Catalytic Bead LEL sensors require O2 to operate and
NDIR LEL sensors do not
CO and H2S Electrochemical Sensors have different
ranges and life expectancy.
Cross sensitivity to other toxic gasses is possible when
monitoring for CO and H2S or other toxic gasses
Oxygen Content (% by Vol.) - Effects and Symptoms (At
Atmospheric Pressure)

> 23.5% Oxygen enriched, extreme fire hazard

20.9% Oxygen concentration in normal air
19.5% Minimum permissible oxygen level (still may represent an issue)
15% to 19% Decreased ability to work strenuously; may impair coordination and
may cause early symptoms for persons of coronary, pulmonary or
circulatory problems
10% to 12% Respiration further increases in rate and depth; poor judgment, blue
lips
8% to 10% Mental failure, fainting, unconsciousness, ashen face, nausea, and
vomiting
6% to 8% Recovery still possible after four to five minutes. 50% fatal after six
minutes. Fatal after eight minutes.
4% to 6% Coma in 40 seconds, convulsions, respiration ceases, death

These values are approximate and vary, due to an individuals state of health and
physical activity.
activity.
 METHANE

Too Lean to Burn LEL (Flammable Range) UEL Too Rich to Burn

100% LEL 100% UEL 100%

0%
or 5% or 15% (by Volume)
(by Volume)
by Volume by Volume

Understanding the Meter Reading

Methane (ppm) % Methane (by Volume) % LEL Meter Reading

10,000 1.0% 20.0%
20,000 2.0% 40.0%
30,000 3.0% 60.0%
40,000 4.0% 80.0%
50,000 5.0% 100.0%
A meter reading of 2.5% would = 50% LEL (25,000 ppm Methane)

% LEL or % by Volume You NEED to KNOW and UNDERSTAND what the instrument is
displaying!
 An atmospheric concentration of any toxic compound above the
permissible exposure limit established by OSHA, NIOSH or
ACGIH. Here are examples of common toxic gases found in a
confined space. (NIOSH references)

Toxic Gas TWA STEL Ceiling IDLH

Ammonia 25 ppm 35 ppm -- 300 ppm
Carbon monoxide 35 ppm -- 200 ppm 1,200 ppm
Chlorine 0.5 ppm 1 ppm -- 30 ppm
Hydrogen cyanide -- -- 4.7 ppm 50 ppm
Hydrogen sulfide 10 ppm 15 ppm -- 100 ppm
Nitric oxide 25 ppm -- -- 100 ppm
Sulphur dioxide 2 ppm 5 ppm -- 100 ppm
 Threatening Effects: CO and H2S
Effects Of Carbon Monoxide Exposure
ppm Time Effects & Symptoms
35 8 hours Permissible Exposure Level
(NIOSH)
200 3 hours Slight headache, discomfort
400 2 hours Headache, discomfort
600 1 hours Headache, discomfort
1000 to 2000 2 hours Confusion, discomfort
1000 to 2000 to 1 hour Tendency to stagger
1000 to 2000 30 Slight heart palpitations
2000 to 2500 30 Unconsciousness
4000 > 1 hour Fatal
 Threatening Effects: CO and H2S
Effects Of Hydrogen Sulfide Exposure
ppm Time Effects & Symptoms
10 8 hour Permissable exposure level
50 to 100 1 hour Mild eye and respiratory
irritation
200 to 300 1 hour Marked eye and respiratory
irritation
500 to 700 - 1 hour Unconsciousness, death
> 1000 Minutes Unconsciousness, death
 Improper storage in harsh environments expecting no significant
performance issues
Improper training on calibration procedures and performance bump
testing
Poor maintenance program and understanding sensor operation
Identifying end of life behaviors for sensors and replacing in a timely
manner
Dismissing performance issues as insignificant
Verifying pump performance using effective measuring devices
Identifying sensor response times when using instruments and
additional tubing
Sensor poisoning with silicone lubricants, sulfur compounds, chlorine
and heavy metals
Oversaturation of catalytic bead sensors which damages the sensors
and produce false readings
 When utilizing tubing to extend the nose of your
instrument, remember to utilize non absorbing brands
such as Tygon or Teflon
Certain VOCs and other toxic gases can be absorbed
by polyethylene, vinyl or silicon based tubing
Make sure your tripods and winches are fully operable,
tested and certified
Calibration and maintenance of equipment is not an
option and make sure the gasses and standards used
are current and not expired.