INTRODUCTION The purpose of this program is to establish procedures for protecting employees from hazards encountered during confined space entry work and for compliance with the following Washington Administrative Codes (WAC). General Safety and Health Standards, Chapter 296-24 - WAC 296-24-69507, Confined Spaces - WAC 296-24-70007, Work in Confined Spaces - WAC 296-24-71507, Work In Confined Spaces - WAC 296-24-71509 through -71519, Ventilation in Confined Spaces - WAC 296-24-960(10), Working on or near Exposed Energized Parts Safety Standards for Telecommunication, Chapter 296-32 - WAC 296-32-340, Underground lines and cable vaults Safety Standards for Electrical Workers, Chapter 296-45 - WAC 296-45-205, Enclosed Spaces - WAC 296-45-215, Underground Electrical Installations Safety Standards for Construction Work, Chapter 296-155 - WAC 296-155- 203 and 20307, Confined Spaces - WAC 296-155-280 (1)(b) and 280(5)(d)(ii), Temporary Heating Devices - WAC 296-155-410(7), Welding and Cutting Fire Prevention - WAC 296-155-415(2), Ventilation and Protection in Welding, Cutting, and Heating - WAC 296-155-415(3), Ventilation and Protection in Welding, Cutting, and Heating - WAC 296-155-655, General Protection Requirements - WAC 296-155-657, Requirements for Protective Systems - WAC 296-155 part Q, Underground Construction This procedure is designed for compliance with Washington Industrial Health and Safety Act (WISHA) Regional Directives establish for safe work practices during confined space entry. WISHA Regional Directive (WRD) 12.55 deals with confined spaces in elevator pits. It is the supervisor s responsibility to read and understand the WACs and WRD applicable to the work being performed. Each department head/shop supervisor is responsible for ensuring implementation of confined space entry procedures. Each supervisor is responsible for ensuring trained, qualified individuals are assigned to confined space entry work, and for ensuring implementation of confined space entry Page 1 of 5
procedures. Employees must comply with the confined space entry procedures in order to protect themselves from confined space entry hazards. GENERAL PRECAUTIONS FOR Air monitoring is required for all confined spaces before entering. Emergency Rescue. Emergency response and rescue will be provided by the Cheney Fire Department. University personnel are not to enter the confined space in order to rescue the entrant. Call or radio for rescue using channels one. Retrieval by life line or similar means is appropriate to certain confined space entry. Emergencies in the tunnel systems will require entrants to contact the central radio base for assistance or emergency rescue. In any confined space entry (confined spaces other then the tunnel system), there shall be at least two people involved; typically, one attendant and one entrant. Entering and working in utility tunnels will require two people both with radios and both within sight of one another. All workers shall have a radio and shall be in contact with the central radio base or with Police Department dispatcher. Tunnel s All workers shall have a radio and shall be in contact with the central radio base or with Police Department dispatcher. Because of conditions within the tunnel system, only channel one will be used. If channel one fails, or is not available, then entrants must vacate tunnels or any confined space and contact the central radio base to request use and monitoring of channel seven (backup communication channel). Only upon central base s acknowledgement to monitor channel seven will entry to confined spaces be permitted. If the central radio base cannot make contact with personnel working in the tunnel system, or any confined space, the radio base will contact 911 for rescue assistance. Permit Required Confined Space Entry s The permit is an authorization and approval specifying the location and type of work to be done. It certifies that all existing hazards have been evaluated by a qualified person and that necessary measures have been taken to ensure the safety and health of each entrant. The entry permit must be available at the worksite, outside of the confined space and a second copy must be available at the Rozell Plant office. The permit must be dated and shall carry an expiration time that is valid for one shift only. The names of entrants must be included on the permit. The permit shall be updated for each shift. See Confined Space Entry Permit attached. Continuous air monitoring, using a four gas meter is required for all permit required confined spaces. Meters are located at Rozell. Page 2 of 5
Permit Required Confined Spaces on including Turnbull Space Location Hazards Pool Drain Manhole Aquatics Building Sewer Manholes Steam Manholes, Electrical Slippery Surfaces Water Vaults Crawl Spaces Huston Hall, Martin, PUB, Toxic Atmosphere, Oxygen Electrical Vaults & Substations Propane Tank Vault Hot Water Tank, Red Barn, Rozell Pavilion Pearce Hall, High Voltage Electricity Toxic/Flammable Atmosphere, Oxygen, Tight Spaces Mechanical Room Pit Reid School Oxygen Boiler - Fire Side Boiler - Water Side Rozell Heating Plant Rozell Heating Plant, Tight Spaces, Heat Oxygen, Water Engulfment, Tight Spaces, Heat Boiler - Breaching Rozell Heating Plant Toxic Atmosphere, Heat Boiler - Exhaust Stack Rozell Heating Plant Toxic Atmosphere, Heat De-aeration Tank Rozell Heating Plant Toxic Atmosphere, Oxygen, Slippery Surfaces, Heat, Fall Protection, Biohazard Hot Well Tank Rozell Heating Plant Oxygen, Toxic Atmosphere, Water Engulfment, Heat Toxic/Flammable Atmosphere, Oxygen Oil Tanks & Oil Rozell Heating Plant, Slippery Surfaces, Tripping Tanks Service Vaults Hazards Grease Pits Tawanka & PUB Vault Turnbull Page 3 of 5
This list may not be complete. If you find a confined space not listed notify Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) for a determination on safety. If there is a change in condition in a non permit confine space then it must be treated as a Permit Required Confined Space until a determination can be made by EH&S that it is not. Hot Work All hot work, welding, cutting, brazing, done in a confined space requires an additional hot work permit. The hot work permit must be kept with the confined space entry permit. Hot work requires that all combustible materials be removed from the area of work and that a fire extinguisher be available at the site. The atmospheric contamination which emanates from hot work must be controlled with local exhaust ventilation. If local exhaust ventilation is not available, appropriate respiratory protection may be used. Air monitoring is required during respiratory use. The permit must specify ventilation and personal protective equipment. See Hot Work Permit Attached. WARNING! Do NOT weld on equipment, vessels, or piping that has come into contact with MECL2, FREON, or H2SO4 due to hazardous fumes! Contact your Supervisor before doing so. Non-Permit Confined Spaces In any non-permit confined space; flooding, welding, combustion engine operation, or use of solvents or solvent based materials in or adjacent to the confined space will require reevaluation through air monitoring of that space. Air monitoring using a four gas meter will be performed before entering a non permit confined space. Space Air Tunnel Non-Permit Confined Spaces on Location Aquatics Filter Pit Aquatics (Room. 109) Utility Tunnels Crawl Space & Pipe Chase Dryden Pipe Chase Fieldhouse (Room 102) Crawl Space Elevator Pits (no flooding) Martin, Monroe, Senior, Showalter, Sutton Page 4 of 5
- (LO/TO) required Compactors (LO/TO) required Air handling units (May require LO/TO) May not be a complete list. LO/TO Lock Out/Tag Out Recycling and Waste Disposal Attachments: Confined Entry Permit Hot Work Permit Page 5 of 5