Employers in general industry must evaluate their workplaces to determine if spaces are permit spaces. If a workplace contains permit spaces, the employer must inform exposed employees of their existence, location and the hazards they pose. This can be done by posting danger signs such as “DANGER - CONFINED SPACE - AUTHORIZED ENTRANTS ONLY” or using an equally effective means.

If employees are not to enter and work in permit spaces, employers must take effective measures to prevent them from entering these spaces. If employees are expected to enter permit spaces, the employer must develop a written permit space program and make it available to employees or their representatives.

Written Program

Any employer who allows employee entry into a permit space must develop and implement a written program for the space. Among other things, the OSHA standard requires the employer’s written program to:

1. Implement necessary measures to prevent unauthorized entry; 

2. Identify and evaluate permit space hazards before allowing employee entry;

3. Test atmospheric conditions in the permit space before entry operations and monitor the space during entry;

4. Perform appropriate testing for the following atmospheric hazards in this sequence: oxygen, combustible gases or vapors, and toxic gases or vapors;

5. Establish and implement the means, procedures and practices to eliminate or control hazards necessary for safe permit space entry operations;

6. Identify employee job duties;

7. Provide and maintain, at no cost to the employee, personal protective equipment and any other equipment necessary for safe entry and require employees to use it;

8. Ensure that at least one attendant is stationed outside the permit space for the duration of entry operations;

9. Coordinate entry operations when employees of more than one employer are working in the permit space;

10. Implement appropriate procedures for summoning rescue and emergency services, and preventing unauthorized personnel from attempting rescue;

11. Establish, in writing, and implement a system for the preparation, issue, use and cancellation of entry permits;

12. Review established entry operations annually and revise the permit space entry program as necessary; and

13. Implement the procedures that any attendant who is required to monitor multiple spaces will follow during an emergency in one or more of those spaces.