BLOCK 5: PHYSICAL/BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS AND CONTROLS - Unit 7: Confined Space (complete)

Question 1

Identify this statement:

“To ensure that all confined spaces on an installation are adequately identified, analyzed, and classified to protect the health of all workers entering these spaces.”

Answer 1

CONFINED SPACE PROGRAM PURPOSE STATEMENT

Question 2

What OSHA guidance discusses the definitions and requirements for permit-required confined spaces?

Answer 2

29 CFR 1910.146, Permit-required Confined Spaces

29 CFR 1910.146, Appendix C, Examples of Permit-required Confined Space Programs, discusses the various requirements for a permit-required confined space program.

Question 3

The source used to conduct a Confined Space Program on an Air Force base. It combines basic elements from several sources of information and refers to other references to find other information. It also dictates information that may not be specific in 29 CFR 1910.146.

Answer 3

AFMAN 91-203 Air Force Consolidated Occupational Safety Instruction

Other Guidance: ANSI Z117.1 gives more detailed information on evaluating respiratory protection, emergency response, and PPE requirements when dealing with confined spaces.

Question 4

A space that is large enough to enter, has limited/restricted means of entry or exit, and is not designed for continuous employee occupancy. (All of these criteria need to be met)

Answer 4

CONFINED SPACE

Question 5

Confined space that contains no hazardous atmosphere or potentially serious safety hazard, and entrants will not perform any work that could cause a hazardous atmosphere. The space does not have a potential for engulfment, is not configured in a way that would cause entrapment or asphyxiation, or does not contain any other serious safety hazard.

Answer 5

NON-PERMIT CONFINED SPACE

Question 6

Confined spaces that may contain hazards that are immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) or have a potential for or contain a hazardous atmosphere.

Answer 6

PERMIT-REQUIRED CONFINED SPACES

Question 7

Atmosphere that has an oxygen level below 19.5 percent and can result in asphyxiation.

Answer 7

OXYGEN-DEFICIENT ATMOSPHERE

Oxygen-deficient atmospheres may occur in confined spaces because of ambient oxygen being
* consumed by chemical reactions like oxidation (rusting and naturally occurring fermentation);
* displaced by inert gases like argon, carbon dioxide and nitrogen; or
* adsorbed by porous surfaces like activated charcoal.

Question 8

Atmospheres that have an oxygen level above 23.5%.

Answer 8

OXYGEN-ENRICHED ATMOSPHERES

Oxygen alters the burning characteristics of many materials, making them both easier to ignite and faster burning once they are ignited. These atmospheres also permit flammable gases and vapors to ignite over a much wider range of concentrations than is possible in ordinary (normal) air.

Question 9

The lowest concentration of a gas or vapor that must be present to support combustion in the presence of an ignition source.

Answer 9

LOWER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT (LEL)

Question 10

The highest concentration of a gas or vapor that will support combustion.

Answer 10

UPPER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT (UEL)

Question 11

A condition that poses an immediate or delayed threat to life that would cause immediate or delayed adverse health effects, or that would interfere with a worker’s ability to escape unaided from a permit-required space.

Answer 11

IMMEDIATELY DANGEROUS TO LIFE AND HEALTH (IDLH)

Question 12

A written document— renewed annually—that authorizes entry supervisors to issue entry permits. They must be signed by Occupational Safety, Civil Engineering Fire Emergency Services (FES), and BE Flight. It allows functional managers and commanders to appoint entry supervisors who can issue entry permits.

Answer 12

MASTER ENTRY PLAN (MEP)

As long as it is issued from an approved MEP, the entry permit is a written authorization for entry into a confined space under defined conditions for a stated purpose during a specified time.

Question 13

The ____________________ authorizes entry into permit-required confined spaces.

Answer 13

ENTRY SUPERVISOR

This individual has overall responsibility for checking the accuracy of the permit and for evaluating conditions in and around the space to determine that all necessary precautions have been taken to protect the entrant(s).

Question 14

The Entry Supervisor’s duties include:

Answer 14

• Verifying that all tests/measurements required by the permit have been made
• Verifying that all procedures and equipment listed on the permit are in place
• Verifying that rescue services are available
• Determining that conditions are acceptable for entry and that they remain acceptable throughout the duration of the entry
• Ensuring that workers are properly trained and qualified on safe operating and emergency procedures, the hazards of entry, and the use of PPE
• Issuing entry permits consistent with the MEP

Question 15

Attendants cannot enter a space to provide assistance until after additional help arrives on-scene, and then only if they are “qualified” as emergency responders.

Answer 15

TRUE

They are charged with keeping track of the workers authorized to be in the space and with assuring continuous and effective contact with those in the space.

Question 16

Emergency rescue team members must receive hands-on practice in removing simulated victims (such as dummies, mannequins, or actual persons) from actual or representative confined spaces that have openings and portals like the types from which rescues are likely to be performed. This practice training is conducted initially for each team member and again every __________ months (at a minimum) thereafter for as long as the individual remains on the rescue team.

Answer 16

12 months minimum

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT one of the BE responsibilities to the Confined Space Program?

a.) Certify organizational personnel, as required, to test confined spaces.
b.) Maintain confined space records that are provided by the organization.
c.) Document the location of each confined space in DOEHRS.
d.) Evaluate worker exposure to hazardous chemicals.
e.) Assist in the selection of appropriate PPE, to include any respiratory equipment.

Answer 17

b.) Maintain confined space records that are provided by the organization.

This is a responsibility of Occupational Safety. They also assist in providing training to workers who would enter confined spaces.

Question 18

The purpose of the _________________________ is to assist the functional managers or commanders in developing and administering confined space programs.

Answer 18

CONFINED SPACE PROGRAM TEAM (CSPT)

The team consists of:
* Occupational Safety
* Fire Emergency Services (FES)
* Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE)

Question 19

Confined space work areas pose inherent hazards to workers because of _______________ access and ________________ natural ventilation.

Answer 19

RESTRICTED ; DIMINISHED

Question 20

____________________ is among the most common atmospheric hazards associated with confined space entry.

Answer 20

OXYGEN DEFICIENCY

Oxygen-deficient atmospheres may occur in confined spaces because ambient oxygen is consumed by chemical reactions like oxidation; displaced by inert gases like argon, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen; or adsorbed by porous surfaces like activated charcoal.

Question 21

Oxygen content in normal air is ________%.

Answer 21

20.9%

Question 22

A gas, vapor, or mist is flammable when it is in excess of _____% of its lower explosive limit (LEL) or is an airborne combustible dust at a concentration ____________________ its LEL.

Answer 22

10% ; EQUAL TO OR GREATER

Question 23

TRUE OR FALSE:

A gas is flammable in concentrations between its LEL and UEL.

Answer 23

TRUE

Monitoring instruments analyze air samples and alarm at a predetermined concentration, usually 10% of the LEL.

Question 24

The degree to which an atmospheric concentration of any chemical substance is capable of causing death, incapacitation, or impairment of the ability to self-rescue. It can cause acute illness due to its health effects at doses in excess of its OEEL.

Answer 24

TOXICITY

Question 25

The best way to control the hazards of a confined space is to ______________________________.

Answer 25

ELIMINATE THE NEED TO ENTER THE SPACE

Question 26

The decision to force air into a confined space to continuously move fresh air through it, which maintains an adequate level of oxygen in the space, dilutes or removes toxic air contaminants, and improves comfort by controlling temperature, humidity, and nuisance odors.

Answer 26

PURGING AND VENTILATING

Question 27

If there are confined spaces designated as permit-required and workers and other employees could inadvertently enter, personnel must be informed of the existence, location, and the danger(s) of the space by posting _______________.

Answer 27

DANGER SIGNS

Administrative control for confined spaces along with training in which the need to enter could not be removed.

Question 28

Personnel should never enter a confined space without the proper protective equipment. The process where a confined space entry occurs is assessed by BE. BE performs a Health Risk Assessment and certifies the PPE worn by entrants. BE recommends PPE to include _____________________________________ (3 PPE examples are listed in Study Guide).

Answer 28

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION, CHEMICAL OVER GARMENTS, AND GLOVES

Occupational Safety may require entrants to wear additional PPE.

Question 29

To be considered a confined space, the area must meet the following criteria:

Answer 29

• Be large enough to enter
• Have limited/restricted means of entry or exit
• Not be designed for continuous employee occupancy