Osha Confined Space Construction

Visit the confined spaces in construction final rule page for information on the final rule.

Osha confined space construction. This osha certification online course will cover traditional confined space topics as they relate specifically to the construction industry. 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. The occupational safety and health administration osha has not published regulations dealing specifically with confined spaces found in the construction industry.

Osha uses the term permit required confined space permit space to describe a confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics. Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere. Go back to the construction safety orders table of contents.

People working in confined spaces face life threatening hazards including toxic substances electrocutions explosions and asphyxiation. Confined spaces such as manholes crawl spaces and tanks are not designed for continuous occupancy and are difficult to exit in the event of an emergency. Permit required confined space program.

The new osha confined space construction standard puts in place requirements for practices and procedures to protect workers engaged in construction activities at a job site with a confined space. This section does not apply to agriculture to construction or to shipyard employment parts 1928 1926 and 1915 of this chapter respectively. This section highlights osha standards and documents related to confined spaces.

However the construction standard relating to safety training and education 29 cfr 1926 21 places an affirmative duty on the employer to train employees who enter confined or enclosed spaces. Osha has developed a standard for confined spaces in construction 29 cfr 1926 subpart aa that applies to spaces such as attics basements and crawl spaces. Confined spaces in residential construction.

Or contains any other recognized safety or health hazard such as unguarded. Has walls that converge inward or floors that slope downward and taper into a smaller area which could trap or asphyxiate an entrant. The osha confined space standard 29 cfr 1910 146 is written for general industry and states that it is not applicable to construction.