confined

9 Confined Spaces B. Identification and Evaluation Each university department must survey their workplace to determine if confined spaces, as defined by OSHA, are present in areas under their administrative control. The confined spaces must be identified by name, location and description, then evaluated by a trained person to determine if the spaces are non-permit or permit-required confined spaces. The Confined Space Inventory form , or equivalent, should be used to document this identification and evaluation process. A list of all identified confined spaces and their hazards must be sent to EH&S. Upon request, EH&S will assist departments in their determination of confined space categorization (permit versus non-permit required) and identification of potential and/or actual hazards present in the spaces. If entry is required to categorize a confined space, the entry must be conducted by following all requirements of the permit system. Definition of Confined Spaces Confined Space means a space which: • Is large enough and configured for a person to bodily enter and perform work. • Has limited or restricted means for entry and exit. • Is not designed for continuous worker occupancy. Examples of confined spaces include: Sanitary sewers Well pits Boilers Coal bunkers Sewer lift stations Tanks Silos Vessels Grain bins Grain dryers Storage hoppers Vaults Permit-Required Confined Space A permit-required confined space has one or more of the following characteristics: • Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere. • Contains a material with the potential for engulfment of an entrant. • Has an internal configuration such that an entrant could be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls, or a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross-section.