Confined Space Hazards

OSHA investigations into worker deaths in confined spaces almost always reveal that the deaths could have been prevented had the employers installed safety systems (such as air monitoring devices), required personal protective equipment, and trained their workers to follow proper safety procedures. Knowing that injuries and deaths from confined space hazards can indeed be prevented by taking safety precautions should encourage employers and workers to become informed about confined space hazards and how to protect against them.

OSHA considers confined spaces to be spaces that meet the following criteria:

• The space is large enough to permit a worker to enter.
• The space has limited means of entry or exit.
• The space is not designed for continuous occupancy.

Workers in the oil and gas extraction industry must often enter confined spaces, such as:

• Tanks that store petroleum and other substances
• Containers that store sand and other materials
• Mud pits, reserve pits, and other excavated areas
• Confined spaces around wellheads

Confined spaces can expose workers to what OSHA calls "atmospheric hazards."

To learn more about Oil & Gas Extraction visit our Oil & Gas Extraction Safety Online Training web page.