Are your employees at risk in confined spaces?
Sponsored by our partners at Pinnacol Assurance
Confined spaces represent some of the most perilous working environments across both general industry and construction sectors. Hazards within these spaces are often invisible, ranging from toxic atmospheric conditions to sudden physical engulfment.
To navigate these risks, employers can evaluate whether a work area is a confined space based on three concurrent criteria:
- Bodily entry: It is large enough and configured so that an employee can bodily enter it and perform assigned work.
- Limited entry/exit: It has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (e.g., tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits).
- Not designed for continuous occupancy: It is not explicitly designed for ongoing human habitation.
If a space meets these parameters, employers must further assess whether it requires an active entry permit.
