Entering a confined space, such as a manhole, vault, storage tank, or pipeline is a regular part of the job for many water utility employees during construction, maintenance, repair, and inspections. Confined spaces can be dangerous, even deadly. Workers must follow specific procedures to stay safe.

This DVD teaches viewers the procedures they must use when planning and executing non-permit or alternative procedure confined-space entries. Permit-required spaces are those that have one or more of the following characteristics:

• Contains material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant
• Has an internal configuration that could trap or asphyxiate an entrant by inwardly converging walls or by a floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross section
• Contains any other recognized, serious safety or health hazard

Non-permit spaces are those with no physical or mechanical hazards and the only hazard is a real or potential atmospheric hazard that can be controlled or eliminated with continuous mechanical ventilation. The majority of water utilities’ confined space entries fit into this category.

Alternative-procedure spaces are those that have physical or mechanical hazards, such as falls from heights or trench cave-ins, and no real or potential atmospheric hazards. These are rare and usually apply to smaller trenches or large excavations.
 
The DVD includes PowerPoint slides and speaker’s notes for trainers, and a quiz, for a compete training package on confined spaces.

This video is approximately 20 minutes.