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In 1993, more than thirty years ago, OSHA published its standard codifying procedures and mandating use of a permit system for entering confined spaces in general industry, 29 Code of Federal Regulations 1910.146. In 2015, OSHA published 29 CFR 1926, Subpart AA, which expanded the requirements for use of a permit-based system for confined space entries to include the construction industry. In addition to these OSHA standards, organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association and the American National Standards Institute have published best practice guidelines such as NFPA 350, Guide for Safe Confined Space Entry and Work and ANSI/ASSP Z117, Safety Requirements for Entering Confined Spaces to provide additional guidance.

Unfortunately, the statistics for fatalities in confined spaces have not significantly changed since these standards have been established. Although the hazards of confined spaces are well understood, hundreds of workers continue to be killed or injured every year in confined space accidents. According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report released in 2020, there were an average of 129 fatal occupational injuries involving confined spaces every year from 2011 to 2018. BLS found that the three occupations with the most confined space-related occupational fatalities during this period were construction laborers, with a total of 173 fatalities; farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers, with a total of 79 fatalities; and first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers, with a total of 63 fatalities.

A 2018 article published in Occupational Safety & Health Magazine included the following statistics on confined space fatalities:

• In 85 percent of fatalities, a supervisor was present at the time of the accident.
• In 29 percent of fatalities, the workers killed were supervisors.
• In 31 percent of fatalities, the workers killed had written confined space entry procedures available for their use.
• In 15 percent of fatalities, the workers killed had received confined space training.
• In 60 percent of fatalities, the workers killed had been attempting to rescue others.
• In 95 percent of fatalities, supervisors had authorized the confined space entries.

However, none of the fatalities assessed in the article occurred among workers who had followed written procedures, performed pre-entry air monitoring, used ventilation, or developed rescue plans.

Confined spaces can present conditions that may be extremely challenging to the occupational and environmental health and safety professionals developing confined space programs. A properly developed confined space entry program intends to make working in such spaces as safe as possible, but the possibility of having rescue from a confined space still exists.

On Aug. 28, 2024, the authors of this post will host an online professional development course live through AIHA University, "Planning for Confined Space Rescue Using the National Incident Management System and Incident Command and Air Monitoring." This PDC will provide attendees with a review of confined spaces and regulations and an introduction to the Incident Command and National Incident Management Systems. Then, the authors will discuss confined space incidents and provide instruction on developing plans for confined space rescues and coordinating with and evaluating rescue services. The PDC will also go over NFPA 350 and gas monitoring best practices, as well as air monitoring and sampling issues for entry and rescue.

The ultimate goal of the industrial hygienist or occupational and environmental health and safety professional should be to genuinely improve conditions for both the professional themself and the people they serve. It's paramount to advance safety and health and strive to provide current information and state-of-the-art methods to ensure the safety of employees, particularly when dealing with confined spaces. The information provided in this PDC is designed to give IHs and OEHS professionals information and tools to help them develop effective and implementable rescue plans if a confined space emergency occurs.

For more information or to register for the virtual PDC, "Planning for Confined Space Rescue Using the National Incident Management System and Incident Command and Air Monitoring," visit AIHA's website.

Further Reading:

The Synergist: "A New Tool for Preventing Combustible Dust Incidents: Standard Requires Completion of a Dust Hazard Analysis by September" (February 2020).

The Synergist: "The Chemistry of Oxygen Sensors: Direct-Reading Technologies for Protecting Workers in Confined Spaces" (May 2016).

The Synergist: "The Number-One Response Priority: Responsibilities for OEHS Professionals in an Incident Command System, Part 2" (June 2019).

The Synergist: "The Road to Reconstitution: Responsibilities for OEHS Professionals in an Incident Command System" (December 2017).

The Synergist: "Taking Command of Emergency Response: A Primer on the National Incident Management and Incident Command Systems" (April 2021).

The Synergist: "Thinking Outside the Confined Space Box: Application of Prevention Through Design Principles to Confined Spaces" (September 2016).

The Synergist: "Understanding Emergency Service Capabilities: Why Your Safety Plan Must Go Beyond Calling 911" (January 2022).