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816 Confined Space Safety in Construction
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Alternative Initial Entry Procedures

If the employer can meet the conditions in the previous section, entry into permit spaces is allowed using the following procedure:

  • Ensure all of the conditions making a permit space unsafe to enter are eliminated before the entrance cover is removed,
  • After the entrance cover is removed, immediately guard it with a railing, cover or other temporary barrier to prevent falls into the permit space and to protect entrants from falling objects.

Prior to entry, test in the same order as you would use during normal entry for each of these conditions in the following order:

  1. Oxygen content
  2. Flammable/combustible gases and vapors
  3. Toxic air contaminants

Allow all permit space entrants to observe the pre-entry testing and results prior to entry.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

3-8. Prior to entry, in which order should you test for each of these conditions?