Confined Spaces

Sometimes, workers are required to work in confined spaces. A confined space is any area that is large enough for a person to enter, but small enough so that a person has limited or restricted entry or exit, and that is not designed for someone to stay in for long periods of time. The constricted dimensions of these areas make them more dangerous simply because they are more difficult to leave in an emergency, and also because smaller spaces do not typically have the same air flow that a larger room would have. These conditions can allow for a toxic gas build-up or oxygen deprivation. It is also easier to get trapped in a confined space, since in the event of a cave-in or flood, there are fewer options for escape. Examples of confined spaces include manholes, elevators, tanks, ducts, vaults, and many others.

A confined space is any space that meets the following three criteria:

• The space is large enough for a person's whole body to enter.
• The space has limited or restricted entry or exit (for instance, the space has a small opening, requires entry by ladder, has electric doors that do not operate in a power outage, or anything else that could make escape or entry difficult).
• The space is not designed to be occupied for long periods of time.

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