Is large enough and configured so an employee can enter and perform assigned work
Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit
Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
Some examples of spaces that usually meet the criteria for confined spaces:
· Tanks
· Manholes
· Boilers
· Furnaces
· Sewers
· Silos
· Hoppers
· Vaults
· Pipes
· Trenches
· Tunnels
· Ducts
· Bins
· Pits
List of other hazards that could be encountered while working in a confined space:
Space configurations such as small openings and inwardly converging walls, which can trap an entrant, restrict easy entry and exit, or impede rescue.
Atmospheric hazards such as gasoline tank vapors, combined with limited ventilation. Such conditions can cause asphyxiation or explosion.
Physical hazards, such as unstable grain contained in silos, which can engulf a worker.
All other serious hazards associated with general industry, such as electrical equipment, moving machinery, falling objects, and wet or slippery surfaces.
List of potential hazards to be aware of when working in a confined space:
No ventilation (pits and vaults seldom opened).
Leaking chlorine gas (which is heavier than air) can accumulate in low-lying spaces.
Oxygen depletion; which can be caused by:
Rotting vegetation and decaying dead animals.
Corroding or rusting machinery.