Confined Space Entry Permit Request

Approved permits must be posted onsite along with confined space entrant attendant log.

Applicability

UNT policy requires a Confined Space Entry Evaluation prior to any confined space entry.

Confined space entry permits must be completed before entering a confined space, defined as:

1. Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and
2. Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (e.g., tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry.); and
3. Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

And has any of the following:

1. Contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere;
2. Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant;
3. Has an internal configuration such that an entrant could be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross-section; or
4. Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.

General

Confined Space Entry Permits are effective for one work period. Should the confined space be abandoned for more than one hour, the atmosphere must be tested prior to reentry. The permit is issued for a specific site and must be printed and posted in a conspicuous place, close to the entrance of the confined space. The “specific site” must be described on the permit. A new permit shall be issued (with a new evaluation completed) whenever work activities or the job site conditions introduce new hazards or when work must continue beyond the expiration date and time.

Communication and Emergency Action

The attendant must be able to communicate with authorized entrants at all times. Whatever communication method is chosen, all members of the confined space entry operation must be able to use and understand the method, including emergency signals. Rescue action is best taken from outside the confined space utilizing retrieval equipment. This is especially true for vertical entries over four (4) feet in depth. The use of full body harnesses, lifelines, and rescue winches are examples of retrieval equipment. The specific type of retrieval equipment needed will depend on specific circumstances, such as the size and location of openings, number of entrants, and/or the internal configuration of the confined space. A rescue team must be designated for all confined space entry operations.