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 MH12C

 

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 service an underground electrical relay station.  Your crew members are named Martin Short and Susan Anthony, 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.

 

Because the access to the electrical station is via a 48" square manhole located in close proximity to the street, your experience makes you wonder about the possibility of vehicle exhaust accumulating in the work area.  Vehicle exhaust could cause an accumulation of carbon monoxide vapors within the cramped quarters.

 

The site is located in front of the ACME building on Coyote Blvd near the intersection of Roadrunner Drive.  The street address is 248 Coyote Blvd., Toontown, AZ.  The local hospital is located three blocks to the north on Roadrunner Drive and you are quite familiar with the shortest route from the work location.  The number to the hospital is 555-6543.  Your crew gets in the service van at 1:00 pm arriving at the site at 1:20.  Parking immediately in front of the manway on the street.  You and your crew set up barricades.  While en route, you and your crew discussed the problems that had been occurring at the site and your concerns regarding site safety.  Among the information discussed was:

 

1. Site roles

2. Potential for carbon monoxide accumulation and the exposure limit of 20ppm

3. Due to the electrical problem you were on your way to fix, the switch for the ventilation system was not functioning.

4. For the above reason, neither are the lights.

5. That the reason all three of them, rather than the norm of two people, were going had to do with the malfunction of the lights and ventilation.  The space would not normally be considered a confined space because it was designed for employee occupancy, but because of the loss of lights and air, the site no longer had these safeguards in place.  Thus, it was being treated as a confined space entry.

 

Once the barricades had been erected, a Trimetre 111c multi meter with the ability to monitor oxygen, LEL concentrations and carbon monoxide constantly and simultaneously was used to measure the parameters of the atmosphere.  The readings were O2%= 20.8, LEL= .00 and CO= 11ppm at 1:40 pm.  A forced air fan was attached to a canvas chute and ventilation begun within a few minutes.  A reading at 2:00 indicated that the carbon monoxide levels had subsided considerably.  The readings were O2%= 20.9, LEL= .00 and CO= 2ppm.

At this point you lowered a light into the station and noted that the floor and walls of the manhole were wet.  Torrential rains had fallen just before the reported problems and the seal around the manhole cover was badly worn with several areas where leakage was evident.  After ensuring that the power was locked out, you declassify the space at 2:20, immediately after again confirming the atmosphere within the station was within acceptable limits.  The readings were O2%= 20.9, LEL= .00 and CO= 1ppm.  Susan enters the manhole at 2:30 and you lower a toolbox to her so that she can begin removal of damaged electrical components while you and Martin repair the seal for the manhole cover.  Readings are taken at 2:50.  The readings were O2%= 20.9, LEL= .00 and CO= 0ppm.  Susan uses a blow dryer to dry the water around the console and replaces the damaged boards, emerging from the manhole at 3:15.  You have the electrical reconnected and delight when the switches activate the lights and ventilation system.  A phone call confirms that the problem has been corrected.  You place the manhole cover into place and inspect the seal at 3:55.


CONFINED SPACE ENTRY PERMIT

                                       Date:

                                           Time Issued:    am/pm

     Confined Space MH12C                 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:______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

 

 

Page 1 of 2


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%   Toxic%     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________________________)

 

Page 2 of 2