Assumptions applicable to all exercises: 1. you and your crew have all necessary training; 2. the monitoring instrument provided is of a constant read variety, 3. you have a marvelous and roomy work trailer with all of the equipment you might possibly need (you just need to indicate what equipment is required to be set up on site); and, 4. the scenarios are necessarily vague on some points – you need to apply the information from the confined space training texts to each exercise and provide your crew with the proper equipment and PPE on site.

Confined Space Exercise MH10A

Contained in the following scenario is all of the information you will need to complete the confined space permit following the scenario description. On the submittal page, there will be a space to enter the exercise number above, which has also been provided on the permit.

You are the qualified person acting as supervisor for a crew of three persons who have been asked to repair a sewer manhole by casting a concrete liner inside the existing manhole. Your crew members are named Betsy Ross and Barnaby Jones, both having received adequate training in confined spaces and the roles of entrant and attendant. The date of your arrival is the date that you are completing this exercise.

Prior to leaving for the site, you look over the site information for the work to be performed and the hazard characteristic sheet provided by your company.

The work is for the Anytown Sewer Department and the manhole is located near 123 Oak Street, Anytown, PA. Written directions to the nearest hospital have been provided by your company along with a map with the route highlighted in yellow. You attach the directions to the blank confined space permit that you place in your job file and look up the telephone number in the telephone book. The number is 555-1234.

Your company’s hazard information sheet gives you the following information: expected hazards include methane gas (fire/explosion hazard) and potential exposure to biologically active toxins (capable of causing disease or infection). Methane gas has a vapor density somewhat greater than 1 so ventilation will have to remove vapors from the lowest areas of the manhole. Monitoring instrument readings will be required as close to the manhole bottom as possible as well as at various points in the middle and top of the manhole because the vapors are light enough to mix into the ambient atmosphere. Trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide (h2s) may be present and carbon monoxide (co) and carbon dioxide (co2) are decomposition products common in sewer work. Since the presence of carbon dioxide presents no problem so long as it is not present in quantities large enough to displace oxygen, the measurement of toxic atmospheric constituents will be limited to h2s and co. Limits for confined space entry of 10 ppm of CO and 10 ppm of H2S are determined. Supplied air respirators will be required until sufficient information has been gathered to show that air-purifying respirators (full face) with organic filter cartridges will be protective. Spark and flame producing operations are not to be conducted in areas where methane vapors might accumulate. You expect the duration of the work to be between 1.5 to 3 hours depending on the physical condition of the manhole before it will be safe to declassify the space to non-permit required and allow the placement of concrete forms and pouring of the concrete liner to commence.

You check out the Industrial Scientific TMX 412 - #7 multi meter from the equipment room and check the calibration using a calibration gas kit in the equipment room. After verifying the functionality of the meter, you proceed to your work truck where you meet your crew and review the load out list for the truck. You leave for the site at 8:30 am.

You arrive at the manhole at 9:20 am. Upon arrival at the work location, you instruct your crew to erect necessary barricades and signs, to drive a grounding rod, set up the explosion proof squirrel-cage fan and burlap air chute (air ventilation system), connect the grounding straps to the manhole and fan, and to get necessary safety equipment out. You check the charge on the cell phone to be used for emergency communications, if necessary, and to be located in the cab of your work vehicle (truck). You conduct a routine meeting with your crew overviewing site-specific conditions.

At 9:50 you remove the manhole cover, visually inspect for structurally unstable areas, start up the fan and begin ventilation of the manhole. The manhole extends 15 feet below grade and is 4 feet in diameter. While the manhole is ventilating, Barnaby turns on the monitor and checks its operation. At 10:15 you take readings with the following results LEL= .01, O2%= 20.8, H2S= 1ppm, CO= 1ppm near the bottom of the manhole; LEL= .02, O2%= 20.7, H2S= 1ppm, CO= 2ppm at the middle of the manhole; and LEL= .01, O2%= 20.7, H2S= 1ppm, CO= 1ppm near the top of the manhole. Since the readings are within acceptable ranges, you instruct Barnaby to don Level B PPE to do a final inspection and clean out of the manway prior to declassification. You instruct Betsy to put on her protective gear so that she can perform attendant work. Barnaby returns first and, before he puts on his respirator face piece, he takes readings from outside the manhole at 10:30. The readings, which indicate that the atmosphere is safe for initial entry, are LEL= .01, O2%= 20.9, H2S= 0ppm, CO= 1ppm near the bottom of the manhole; LEL= .01, O2%= 20.8, H2S= 1ppm, CO= 1ppm at the middle of the manhole; and LEL= .01, O2%= 20.9, H2S= 1ppm, CO= 1ppm near the top of the manhole. Immediately prior to authorizing entry, Betsy hands you a bag of absorbent and you spread a generous amount onto the floor of the manhole so that Barnaby will not slip or splash sludge onto his protective gear. Betsy checks the polarity on the electrical supply for the explosion proof light and you authorize entry at 10:40 am.

Barnaby dons his respirator and begins climbing down the ladder rungs into the manhole while Betsy manages his air line and the lifeline attached to his harness. Once Barnaby is in the manhole the explosion proof light is carefully hung inside the manhole and the monitor is lowered down to Barnabe who then takes readings at the manhole bottom to confirm the readings taken from outside the manhole at 10:50. The readings are LEL= .01, O2%= 20.8, H2S= 0ppm, CO= 0ppm. Barnaby signals Betsy to lower a bucket with plugs, protective covers and cleaning tools by rope. Barnaby installs the plugs and covers and performs a final cleaning and inspection to assure that there are no structurally compromised areas of the manhole wall which could pose a threat. At 11:15, Barnaby again takes readings at the manhole bottom, relaying the readings in a predetermined order using hand signals. The readings are LEL= .00, O2%= 20.9, H2S= 0ppm, CO= 0ppm. Barnaby climbs out of the manhole. You take readings prior to declassifying the space. The readings are LEL= .00, O2%= 20.9, H2S= 0ppm, CO= 0ppm near the bottom of the manhole; LEL= .00, O2%= 20.9, H2S= 0ppm, CO= 0ppm at the middle of the manhole; and LEL= .00, O2%= 20.9, H2S= 0ppm, CO= 0ppm near the top of the manhole. You declassify the space at 11:30 am.

Betsy and Barnaby, who showed no visible signs of contamination, don their air-purifying respirators and begin assembling the concrete forms. You call for concrete delivery immediately after lunch. Periodically you use the monitoring instrument to assure that the atmosphere is still safe and, once the forms are in place, you help Barnaby and Betsy decontaminate for lunch.

CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PERMIT

Date: Time Issued: am/pm

Confined Space - UST17A Expires at: am/pm

Location: Canceled at: am/pm

Address: Canceled by: (init)

City: State:

Description of Work(Trades):_________________________________________

Outside Contractors:_________________________________________________

Acceptable Entry Conditions:

At or below 10% LEL

Oxygen between 19.5% and 23.5%

Other:________________________

Isolation Checklist: Hot Work Permitted:

Blanking/disconnecting Welding:

Electrical Brazing:

Mechanical Grinding:

other: Open Flame:

other:

Hazards Expected:

Corrosive Materials:_______________________________

Hot Equipment:_____________________________________

Flammable Materials:_______________________________

Toxic Materials:___________________________________

Spark Producing Operations:________________________

Spilled Liquids:___________________________________

Pressure Systems:__________________________________

Other:_____________________________________________

Vessel Cleaned: y/n time: am/pm

Method:___________________________________

Inspected by: (inits) time: am/pm

Special Safety Precautions:___________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

PreEntry Personal Safety Checklist:

Constant Ventilation: y/n Respiratory Equipment: y/n

Protective Clothing: y/n Chemical Boots: y/n

Chemical Gloves: y/n Hard Hat: y/n

Life Lines/Harness: y/n Tripod/Hoist: y/n

Explosion Proof Light: y/n Elec. Polarity Check: y/n

Attendant Present: y/n Fire Extinguishers: y/n

Emergency Response: y/n

Remarks:_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

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Atmospheric Gas Tests Performed: Permit Expires when no reading is recorded within 2 hours of the previous reading.

Monitoring Method: Continuous(preferred) or Periodic (circle one)

Monitor Model and # (if several):___________________________________

02% LEL% CO H2S Location Time Tests Performed By

____ ____ _____ _____ _________ ___:___ __________________

____ ____ _____ _____ _________ ___:___ __________________

____ ____ _____ _____ _________ ___:___ __________________

____ ____ _____ _____ _________ ___:___ __________________

____ ____ _____ _____ _________ ___:___ __________________

____ ____ _____ _____ _________ ___:___ __________________

____ ____ _____ _____ _________ ___:___ __________________

____ ____ _____ _____ _________ ___:___ __________________

____ ____ _____ _____ _________ ___:___ __________________

____ ____ _____ _____ _________ ___:___ __________________

Type of Entry Class

Circle one: Class A Class B Class C

Entry Personnel Task to be Performed Time In Out

_______________ ____________________ ___:___ ___:___

_______________ ____________________ ___:___ ___:___

_______________ ____________________ ___:___ ___:___

_______________ ____________________ ___:___ ___:___

_______________ ____________________ ___:___ ___:___

Attendants

_______________ ____________________ ___:___ ___:___

_______________ ____________________ ___:___ ___:___

_______________ ____________________ ___:___ ___:___

_______________ ____________________ ___:___ ___:___

_______________ ____________________ ___:___ ___:___

Supervisor on Duty Time In Time Out

______________________ ___:___ ___:___

______________________ ___:___ ___:___

Communication method(s):___________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

I, the undersigned, hereby authorize work in the confined space until the time specified at the top of page 1:

Name of Qualified Person/Supervisor_______________________________________

Signature of Qualified Person/Supervisor__already signed by you__Time___:___

Emergency Telephone location:___________________________________

Emergency Telephone Number:_____________________________________

Nearest Hospital (attach directions or designate person who is familiar with shortest route to Hospital___attached______________)

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