Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 003 Hazard: CONFINED

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to: inadvertent asphyxiation while walking and performing work on top of grain 7 to 8 feet in depth in the bottom of a round grain storage tank. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to correct this hazard is to establish and enforce a confined space entry policy requiring the use of lifelines attached to safety harnesses or belts such as that stipulated by the data sheet on Side Entry Into Confined Spaces published by the Grain Industry Safety and Health Center. In addition, to establish and enforce a policy regarding lockout or tagout of equipment containing moving parts such as that stipulated by ANSI Z117.1-1977. Essential elements of this policy would include: 1) A safety harness or belt with an attached lifeline must be worn by employees when entering grain storage compartments from the side; 2) The length of the lifeline must be such that an employee is kept a safe working distance from the bin floor draw-off; 3) A stand-by person tending the lifeline must be available for rescue; 4) An authorized person shall place a lock or tag or both on the open circuit breaker or line switch controlling moving hazards to indicate employees are working on equipment in confined spaces. When a lock is used, the key shall be kept in the possession of the employee making the entry or his authorized representative. If more than one repairman is working on a circuit, each person shall lock the switch with his or her own lock to which only his or her authorized representative has the key. 5) Where a power source cannot be easily controlled, a belt or other mechanical linkage shall be disconnected and tagged to indicate that the employees are working on the equipment. 6) Where 4 or 5 are not practicable, components shall be blocked, and switches, clutches or other controls shall be tagged to indicate that employees are working on the equipment. 7) The locks, tags, blanks or other protective factors shall not be removed, nor the system energized or operated, except by an authorized person who has knowledge of the repair work, cleaning or other activity being performed in the confined space. 8) Employees must be trained on all of the above elements so as to assure their protection when working in the confined spaces of grain bins. Additional requirement elements and additional employee training must be provided if the confined space contains atmospheric hazards such as toxic atmospheric residues or oxygen deficient atmospheres.