Answer
Feb 28, 2024 - 06:55 AM
Many workplaces have areas that are classified as "confined spaces" because although they may not be specifically intended for human use, they are large enough for workers to enter and perform certain tasks. A confined space typically has limited entry and exit points and is not designed for continuous occupancy. Examples of confined spaces include tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, pits, manholes, tunnels, equipment housings, ductwork, pipelines, and more.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) uses the term "permit-required confined space" (permit space) to refer to a confined space that possesses one or more of the following characteristics: it contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; it contains materials that could engulf an individual; it has inward-converging walls or downward-sloping floors that could trap or asphyxiate someone; or it contains any other recognized safety or health hazards, such as unguarded machinery, exposed live wires, or heat stress.
To ensure safety, OSHA confined space signage, including "confined space sign" and "danger confined space signs", are used to clearly indicate these areas and the associated risks.
