Confined Space Entry Training

This course provides a comprehensive overview of confined space hazards, entry permits, and the safety procedures required to protect workers before and during confined space entry operations. Learners will explore OSHA’s definitions and requirements, the roles of the entry team, and the step-by-step protocols that must be followed to ensure a safe and successful entry.

Course Highlights

• OSHA’s definition of a confined space and a permit-required confined space, including common examples such as tanks, vessels, manholes, vaults, and ductwork
• The four categories of confined space hazards: hazardous atmospheres, asphyxiation, engulfment or crushing by materials, and other general health and safety risks
• Oxygen level thresholds and the physiological effects of oxygen-deficient or oxygen-enriched atmospheres
• Atmospheric testing requirements, including testing for oxygen levels, flammable gases and vapors, combustible dusts, and toxic contaminants such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide
• The purpose and components of an entry permit, including location and nature of the space, authorized duration, identified hazards, required PPE, communication equipment, and emergency contact information
• The three entry team roles — entrant, attendant, and entry supervisor — and the distinct responsibilities associated with each
• Requirements and best practices for a permit-required confined space program, including hazard identification, employee training, and regular program review
• Hazard control measures, including continuous forced air ventilation, respirators, self-contained breathing apparatus, lockout/tagout procedures, and hot work permits
• Personal protective equipment requirements, including chest and full-body harnesses, retrieval lines, and non-entry rescue systems such as tripod and winch setups
• Communication protocols between entrants, attendants, and entry supervisors during confined space operations
• Evacuation procedures, including the attendant’s authority to order evacuation, post-evacuation investigation requirements, and the process for resuming work after an incident

By the end of the course, you will have learned:

• How to identify a confined space and a permit-required confined space according to OSHA standards
• The types of hazards that can exist in confined spaces and why they pose serious risks to workers
• How atmospheric testing is conducted and what the results mean for entry safety
• How to read and use an entry permit to guide safe confined space operations
• The roles and responsibilities of the entrant, attendant, and entry supervisor within the entry team
• The key elements of a permit-required confined space program and how to comply with it
• How to apply hazard control measures, including ventilation, lockout/tagout, and appropriate PPE selection
• How to recognize signs of oxygen deprivation or toxic exposure in fellow workers and respond appropriately
• The correct steps to follow when evacuating a confined space and what must occur before work can resume