Protecting Construction 

Workers in Confined Spaces: 

Small Entity Compliance Guide

OSHA 3825-09 2015
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

“To assure safe and healthful working conditions for 

working men and women; by authorizing enforcement 

of the standards developed under the Act; by assisting 

and encouraging the States in their efforts to assure 

safe and healthful working conditions; by providing for 

research, information, education, and training in the field 

of occupational safety and health.”

Material contained in this publication is in the public domain 

and may be reproduced, fully or partially, without permission. 

Source credit is requested but not required.

This information will be made available to sensory-impaired 

individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-1999; 

teletypewriter (TTY) number: 1-877-889-5627. 

Cover photo: NIOSH
Protecting Construction 

Workers in Confined Spaces: 

Small Entity Compliance Guide

U.S. Department of Labor

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA 3825-09 2015
This guidance document is advisory in nature and informational 

in content. It is not a standard or regulation, and it neither creates 

new legal obligations nor alters existing obligations created by the 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards 

or the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act or Act). 

Pursuant to the OSH Act, employers must comply with safety and 

health standards and regulations issued and enforced either by 

OSHA or by an OSHA-approved state plan. In addition, the Act’s 

General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), requires employers to provide 

their workers with a workplace free from recognized hazards that 

are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm. 

In addition, Section 11(c)(1) of the Act provides that “No person 

shall discharge or in any manner discriminate against any 

employee because such employee has filed any complaint or 

instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding under or 

related to this Act or has testified or is about to testify in any such 

proceeding or because of the exercise by such employee on behalf 

of himself or others of any right afforded by this Act.” Reprisal or 

discrimination against an employee for reporting an incident or 

injury related to workplace violence, related to this guidance, to an 

employer or OSHA would constitute a violation of Section 11(c) of 

the Act. In addition, 29 CFR 1904.36 provides that Section 11(c) of 

the Act prohibits discrimination against an employee for reporting 

a work-related fatality, injury or illness.
Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

CHAPTER 1 Confined Spaces and Permit Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . 3

CHAPTER 2 Work Covered by the Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

CHAPTER 3 Employer Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

CHAPTER 4 Overview of the Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

CHAPTER 5 Identifying Permit Spaces (Section 1203(a)) . . . . 13

CHAPTER 6 Content of Permit Space Program 

(Sections 1204-1206) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

CHAPTER 7 Reclassifying a Permit Space as a 

Non-Permit Space (Section 1203(g)) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

CHAPTER 8 Alternate Procedures for 

Certain Permit Spaces — Section 1203(e)) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

CHAPTER 9 Entrants, Attendants, and 

Entry Supervisors (Sections 1208-1210) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

CHAPTER 10 Worker Training (Section 1207) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

CHAPTER 11 Rescue and Emergency Services (Section 1211) . . 30

CHAPTER 12 Sewer System Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

CHAPTER 13 Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

APPENDIX A Example of a Permit-Required 

Confined Space Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

APPENDIX B Sample Entry Permit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Workers’ Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

OSHA Assistance, Services and Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

OSHA Regional Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

How to Contact OSHA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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Introduction

1. The special dangers of confined spaces.

A confined space is a space whose configuration and/or 

contents may present special dangers not found in normal 

work areas. Confined spaces may be poorly ventilated and, 

as a result, contain insufficient oxygen or hazardous levels of 

toxic gases. Working in a tight space can prevent a worker from 

keeping a safe distance from mechanical and electrical hazards 

in the space. Fumes from a flammable liquid that is used in a 

poorly ventilated area can reach explosive levels. Such hazards 

endanger both the workers in the confined space and others 

who become exposed to the hazards when they attempt to 

rescue injured workers. In a number of cases, rescue workers 

have themselves died or been injured because they did not 

have the training and equipment necessary to conduct the 

rescue safely.

Because confined spaces are potentially dangerous, employers 

must evaluate all confined spaces in which their employees 

work to determine whether hazards exist or whether the 

work to be done in the space can create hazards. If a confined 

space contains an actual or potential hazard that can cause 

death, injury or acute illness, incapacitation, entrapment, or 

otherwise interfere with a worker’s ability to leave the space in 

an emergency, it is a permit-required confined space, or permit 

space. Employers must take certain precautions whenever 

workers enter a permit space. These include (1) specifying the 

precautions to be taken to protect the workers in the space; (2) 

training the workers who are covered by the standard to give 

them the knowledge to protect themselves and others; and (3) 

planning how to rescue injured workers promptly and safely. 
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2. The purpose and limits of this guide.

This guide is intended to help small businesses comply with 

the Confined Spaces standard. It addresses the most common 

compliance issues that employers will face and provides 

sufficient detail to serve as a useful compliance guide. It does 

not, however, describe all provisions of the standard or alter 

the compliance responsibilities set forth in the standard, 

which is published at 29 CFR §§ 1926.1200-1213. The 

reader must refer to the standard itself, which is available on 

OSHA’s website and in the Code of Federal Regulations, to 

determine all of the steps that must be taken to comply with 

the standard.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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CHAPTER 1

Confined Spaces and Permit Spaces

The distinction between confined spaces and permit spaces is 

crucial to understanding what the standard requires. Briefly, a 

permit space is a confined space containing a serious hazard 

or hazards. Employers must evaluate all confined spaces to 

determine whether they are permit spaces but must take steps to 

protect workers only if a space is classified as a permit space.

What is a “confined space?”

A confined space is a space that:

(1) Is large enough and so arranged that an employee can 

bodily enter it; 

(2) Has limited or restricted means for entry and exit; and

(3) Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy. 

A space has a limited or restricted means of exit if a person 

could not readily escape from the space in an emergency. Any 

of the following factors indicate that a work space has a limited 

or restricted means of exit: 

■ The need to use a ladder or movable stairs, or stairs that are 

narrow or twisted;

■ A door that is difficult to open or a doorway that is too small 

to exit while walking upright;

■ Obstructions such as pipes, conduits, ducts, or materials that a 

worker would need to crawl over or under or squeeze around;

■ The need to travel a long distance to a point of safety.

A space is not designed for continuous employee occupancy

if it is not designed with features such as ventilation, lighting, 

and sufficient room to work and move about that are needed if 

people are to occupy it continuously.
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Confined spaces that may be found on construction sites 

include, but are not limited to: 

■ Manholes (such as 

sewer, storm drain, 

electrical, communication, 

or other utility)

■ Sewers

■ Storm drains

■ Water mains

■ Lift stations

■ Tanks (such as fuel, 

chemical, water or other 

liquid, solid or gas) 

■ Pits (such as elevator, 

escalator pump, valve or 

other equipment) 

■ Bins

■ Boilers

■ Incinerators

■ Scrubbers

■ Concrete pier columns

■ Transformer vaults 

■ Heating, ventilation, and airconditioning (HVAC) ducts

■ Precast concrete and other 

pre-formed manhole units 

■ Drilled shafts

■ Enclosed beams

■ Vessels

■ Digesters

■ Cesspools

■ Silos 

■ Air receivers 

■ Sludge gates

■ Air preheaters

■ Transformers 

■ Turbines 

■ Chillers

■ Bag houses

■ Mixers/reactors

■ Crawl spaces 

■ Attics

■ Basements (before steps 

are installed).
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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What is a “permit space?”

A permit-required confined space (permit space) is a confined 

space that: 

(1) Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous 

atmosphere; 

(2) Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing 

an entrant;

(3) Has an internal configuration such that an entrant could be 

trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or 

by a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a smaller 

cross section; or 

(4) Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.

As mentioned above, employers must take steps to protect 

workers only if they work in a permit space. In addition, they 

must take effective steps to prevent workers they control from 

entering the space unless the workers are authorized to enter. 

Chapter 5 describes how to decide whether a confined space 

meets any of the four criteria for a permit space.
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CHAPTER 2

Work Covered by the Standard

The Confined Spaces standard applies to construction work 

performed in confined spaces, except for certain construction 

activities that are subject to confined space provisions in other 

OSHA construction standards. The activities excluded from this 

standard are: 

■ Diving – regulated by 29 CFR Part 1926 subpart Y.

■ Excavations – regulated by 29 CFR Part 1926 subpart P.

■ Underground Construction, Caissons, Cofferdams and 

Compressed Air – regulated by 29 CFR Part 1926 subpart S.

Note, however, that employers engaged in these activities 

must comply with this standard if their workers are exposed to 

confined space hazards that are not addressed by the standards 

listed above. For example, the Excavation standard (subpart P) 

protects workers in a trench (a type of confined space) against 

the hazards associated with the trench itself. However, the 

Excavation standard would not protect workers inside a sewer 

line that is installed in an open trench from confined space 

hazards associated with the sewer line. The employer must 

comply with the Excavation standard to protect workers in 

the trench and with the Confined Spaces standard to protect 

workers in the sewer line.

Employers engaged in the following activities in confined 

spaces must also comply with other applicable OSHA 

standards, such as: 

■ Process Safety Management: 29 CFR § 1926.64.

■ Hazardous Waste Operations: 29 CFR § 1926.65.

■ Welding and Cutting: 29 CFR § 1926 Subpart J.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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CHAPTER 3

Employer Responsibilities

All employers engaged in construction work must (1) identify 

any confined spaces in which their workers will be working, 

and (2) determine whether any such spaces are permit spaces. 

When workers work in permit spaces, they must be protected 

against the hazards in those spaces. To ensure such protection, 

the Confined Spaces standard imposes duties on “entry 

employers,” “host employers,” 

and “controlling contractors.” If 

an employer knows that a permit 

space is present at its worksite, 

it must inform its workers of the 

location and danger posed by 

each space. It may do this by 

making sure that warning signs 

are posted. In addition, where 

an employer’s workers have no 

work to do in the space, that 

employer must ensure that its workers stay out. One way to do 

this is for employers to make sure that workers recognize permit 

space warning signs and understand their significance.

Important Definitions

An entry employer is an employer who decides that an 

employee it directs will enter a permit space. There may be 

more than one entry employer if the employees of multiple 

employers must enter the space. Each entry employer is 

responsible for complying with all provisions in the Confined 

Spaces standard except those specifically imposed on the 

controlling contractor and host employer. 

A controlling contractor is the employer with overall 

responsibility for construction at the worksite. The controlling 

contractor is responsible for coordinating entry operations 

when there is more than one entry employer and when other 

activities on the site could foreseeably result in a hazard in the 

Photo: NIOSH
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permit space. In addition, controlling contractors must provide 

any information they have about any permit space hazards and 

precautions previously used in the space. 

A host employer is the employer that owns or manages the 

property where the construction work is taking place. Where 

the host employer has information about permit space hazards 

on the site, it must share that information with the controlling 

contractor, who is then responsible for sharing it with the other 

employers on the site. 

In no case will there be more than one host employer. If the 

owner of the property on which the construction activity 

occurs has contracted with another employer to manage the 

property and provided any relevant information it has about 

permit spaces on the property to the managing entity, the 

managing entity is the host employer. Absent such a contract 

and exchange of information, the owner of the property is the 

host employer. If the controlling contractor owns or manages 

the property, it is both the controlling contractor and the host 

employer.

The following table summarizes the responsibilities of the 

various categories of employer.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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Duties of Employers under the Confined Spaces Standard

Category of 

Employer Employer Responsibilities

All Employers • Identify all confined spaces in which their workers may 

work and determine whether any are permit spaces. If 

its workers are supposed to enter permit spaces, the 

employer is an “entry employer.”

• Employers who are not “entry employers” must make 

sure their workers stay out of any permit spaces 

present on the site, unless the workers are authorized 

for entry.

Entry Employers • Protect workers against permit space hazards by 

complying with the standard.

• Inform controlling contractor of the program followed 

and hazards encountered in permit spaces.

Controlling 

Contractors

• Share information it has about permit space hazards 

with entry employers and other employers whose 

activities may create hazards in the permit space.

• Coordinate entry operations when there is more than 

one entry employer.

• Coordinate operations when permit space entry occurs 

during other activities at the site that might create a 

hazard in the space.

Host Employers • Share information it has about permit space hazards 

with the controlling contractor. 
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CHAPTER 4

Overview of the Standard

This chapter contains an overview of the Confined Spaces 

standard’s requirements and identifies the chapters of this guide 

where more detailed information on specific topics can be found.

Employers must take the following steps to protect workers 

against confined space hazards. 

■ Have a competent person identify all confined spaces in 

which its employees may work.

A competent person is “one who is capable of identifying 

existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working 

conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous 

to employees, and who has the authority to take prompt 

corrective measures to eliminate them.” The competent 

person need not be an employee of any particular employer. 

The various contractors on a site may use a single individual 

to perform the duties required of a competent person.

■ If confined spaces are present, the employer must have the 

competent person determine whether the confined spaces 

are “permit spaces.”

A permit space has one or more of the following 

characteristics: 

(1) contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous 

atmosphere; 

(2) contains a material that has the potential for engulfing 

an entrant;

(3) has an internal configuration such that an entrant could 

be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls 

or by a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a 

smaller cross section; or 

(4) contains any other recognized serious safety or 

health hazard. 
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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Chapter 5 describes how to determine whether a confined 

space is a permit space.

■ If the workplace contains a permit space, the entry 

employer must protect its workers against the hazards in 

the permit space.

The protection that is required depends on the type and 

severity of the hazards present in the permit space. The 

following table lists the three categories of permit spaces 

for which different levels of protection are specified. 

Characteristics 

of Space Protective Action 

Permit spaces that 

do not qualify for one 

of the following two 

exceptions.

If the employer’s workers will enter the 

space, develop and follow a written permitrequired confined space program, or permit 

space program. The permit space program 

specifies, among other things, how the 

employer will (1) regulate worker entry into 

permit spaces; and (2) control permit space 

hazards. Chapter 6 describes the features that 

a permit space program must contain. 

All employers must inform their workers 

about the locations and dangers of each 

permit space (e.g., post signs), and take 

additional steps to ensure that workers do not 

enter permit spaces if they are not authorized 

to do so. 

Exception 1: Spaces 

that contain only 

physical (nonatmospheric) hazards. 

If the physical hazards are eliminated or 

isolated so that they no longer present 

a hazard, the space may be reclassified 

as a non-permit space, with no further 

precautions required. See Chapter 7.

Exception 2: Spaces 

containing an 

atmospheric hazard 

that can be controlled 

by continuous forced 

air ventilation.

As long as the atmospheric hazard is 

controlled by continuous forced air ventilation 

and any physical hazards are eliminated or 

isolated, the alternate procedures listed in 

Chapter 8 may be used instead of full permit 

space procedures, although the space is still 

classified as a permit space. 
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■ The entry employer must train workers who work in a 

permit space.

Employers must identify (1) the worker(s) authorized to 

enter the space; (2) an attendant who must remain outside 

the space and monitor the workers within; and (3) an entry 

supervisor with overall responsibility for seeing that the 

program is followed. The duties of these workers are 

discussed in Chapter 9. All workers covered by the permit 

space program, including entrants, attendants, entry 

supervisors, and rescue workers, must be trained to have the 

knowledge and skills needed to recognize confined space 

hazards and protect themselves and their co-workers against 

permit space hazards. Chapter 10 describes the nature and 

extent of the training these workers must receive.

■ The entry employer must plan to rescue entrants who 

cannot exit the space under their own power.

The entry employer must ensure that a worker who becomes 

sick or injured in a permit space can be rescued in a safe 

and timely manner. Its permit space program must specify 

whether the employer plans to use its own workers, a rescue 

team of another on-site employer, or an outside rescue 

service if the need for a rescue arises. The requirements for 

rescue and emergency services are addressed in Chapter 11.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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CHAPTER 5

Identifying Permit Spaces 

(Section 1203(a))

Identification of permit spaces is critical because it determines 

whether precautions are required before employees enter the 

space. Failure to take those precautions can result in death or 

serious injury to workers.

As discussed in Chapter 4, each employer engaged in 

construction work must ensure that a competent person 

identifies all confined spaces in which its workers may work on 

its worksite and evaluates each confined space to determine 

whether it is a permit-required confined space (permit space). 

The competent person must answer the following four 

questions to determine whether a confined space is a permit 

space. If the answer to one or more of the questions is “yes,” 

the space is a permit space.

■ Does the space contain or have the potential to contain a 

hazardous atmosphere?

Most deaths and injuries in confined spaces result from 

atmospheric hazards. Such hazards include insufficient 

oxygen and toxic or flammable chemicals. The competent 

person must evaluate, including testing as necessary, 

whether the following hazards are or may be present, before 

workers enter the space:

• Oxygen deficiency (concentration less than 19.5 percent) 

or excess (concentration above 23.5 percent).

• Concentration of any flammable gas, vapor, or mist in 

excess of 10 percent of its lower explosive limit:

• Airborne combustible dust at a concentration equal to or 

greater than its lower explosive limit.

• Atmospheric concentration of any substance that can 

cause death, incapacitation, impairment of ability to selfrescue, injury or acute illness. 
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In evaluating atmospheric hazards, the competent person 

must consider (1) the hazards present in the space before 

any workers enter; and (2) whether the work that will be 

performed can introduce toxic, flammable, or combustible 

air contaminants or lead to an excess or deficiency of 

oxygen. To perform the second part of this evaluation, the 

competent person must be familiar with the work to be done 

in the space and the potential for that work to introduce 

atmospheric hazards. For example, a confined space that is 

safe when entered can become deadly if inert gas welding 

inside the space leads to the inert gas displacing oxygen in 

the worker’s breathing zone. 

TOXIC CHEMICALS REGULATED BY OSHA: Subparts 

D and Z of Part 1926 list chemicals for which OSHA 

has established airborne permissible exposure 

limits (PELs). The presence in a confined space of a 

substance listed in Subpart D or TOXIC CHEMICALS 

REGULATED BY OSHA: Subparts D and Z of Part 

1926 list chemicals for which OSHA has established 

airborne permissible exposure limits (PELs). The 

presence in a confined space of a substance listed in 

Subpart D or Subpart Z in a concentration exceeding 

a PEL does not necessarily require the space to be 

classified as a permit space. The space must only 

be classified as a permit space if the concentration 

of that substance can cause death, incapacitation, 

impairment of ability to self-rescue, injury, or acute 

illness. However, worker exposure exceeding a PEL 

would violate Subpart D or Z even if it does not 

violate the Confined Spaces standard.

The competent person must also evaluate chemicals for 

which no PEL is set by OSHA. For example, if a product’s 

label or the product manufacturer’s safety data sheet warns 

that a product is harmful if inhaled and should not be used 

without adequate ventilation, the competent person must 

evaluate whether use of that product in a confined space 

requires the space to be classified as a permit space.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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OXYGEN-DEFICIENT SPACES: Asphyxiation due 

to insufficient oxygen is one of the leading causes 

of death during construction work in confined 

spaces. An oxygen-deficient atmosphere endangers 

both the workers assigned to enter the space and 

others who may attempt a rescue without proper 

equipment and training. Therefore, in evaluating a 

confined space to determine whether it is a permit 

space, particular consideration should be given to 

whether it contains or has the potential to contain 

an oxygen concentration of less than 19.5 percent. 

Any space that is to be entered after being isolated 

from the atmosphere for a period of time could be 

oxygen-deficient, and the oxygen concentration 

should be measured to determine whether the space 

must be classified as a permit space. Direct reading 

instruments that measure the concentration of 

oxygen in the air are available for this purpose. Such 

instruments must be properly calibrated and used to 

give reliable results. 

■ Does the space contain a material with the potential to 

engulf an entrant?

Engulfment means the surrounding and effective capture 

of a person by a liquid or finely divided (flowable) solid 

substance that can be aspirated to cause death by filling 

or plugging the respiratory system or that can exert 

enough force on the body to cause death by strangulation, 

constriction, or crushing, or the substance suffocates the 

individual. The competent person must consider whether 

any liquid or flowable solid (such as sand) could enter the 

space. Any pipe or manhole in an operating water or sewer 

system in which a worker works is a confined space that 

could potentially engulf an entrant and must be treated as a 

permit space. 
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■ Does the space have an internal configuration such that an 

entrant could be trapped by inwardly converging walls or 

by a floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller 

cross section?

An area of a confined space with a small cross section can 

develop a hazardous atmosphere if ventilation is inadequate. 

In addition, a space of this configuration could prevent an 

injured worker from escaping the space and add to the 

difficulty of rescuing the worker.

■ Does the space contain any other recognized serious safety 

or health hazard(s) that pose an immediate danger to a 

worker’s life or health or would impair the worker’s ability 

to escape from the space in the event of injury?

Hazards that the competent person should consider include 

fire and explosion hazards, the presence of mechanical, 

electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic energy, temperature 

extremes, radiation, noise, corrosive chemicals, and 

biological hazards (such as venomous animals or insects). 

If a workplace contains a permit 

space or spaces, the employer must 

inform workers in the vicinity of the 

location of the danger posed by each 

space. This can be done by posting 

warning signs like that to the right at 

each possible point of entry, or by 

other equally effective means. 

In addition to posting warning signs, an employer who 

learns about a permit space must also notify its employees’ 

authorized representative and the controlling contractor 

of the location and danger of the space. The controlling 

contractor must then notify other employers on the site, 

whose activities could create a hazard in the permit space, 

of the presence and location of such spaces and the hazards 

associated with them before workers enter the space. 
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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An employer whose workers will not be authorized to enter 

a permit space must take steps in addition to posting the 

warnings above, to prevent workers from entering the space. 

An employer might accomplish this by providing effective 

training on, and enforcement of, a work rule against entry. 

If an employer’s workers will enter a permit space, the 

employer must develop a written permit space program, 

and entry is only permitted under the terms of the program. 

(Chapters 7 and 8, respectively, describe exceptions to the 

permit space program requirement for spaces where all 

physical hazards are eliminated or isolated and where any 

atmospheric hazards have been controlled by continuous 

forced air ventilation). That employer, who is an “entry 

employer” under the standard, must keep any unauthorized 

persons from entering the permit space, and remove any 

unauthorized persons who do enter the space.
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CHAPTER 6

Content of Permit Space Program 

(Sections 1204-1206)

The permit space program must establish a system for 

preparing, using, and canceling entry permits, which are 

written or printed documents that allow and control entry 

into permit spaces. 

A permit space program must:

■ Implement measures to prevent unauthorized entry;

■ Identify and evaluate permit space hazards before allowing 

employee entry; 

■ Provide for the atmospheric conditions in the permit space 

to be tested before entry operations and for the space to be 

monitored during entry; 

■ Require appropriate testing for the following atmospheric 

hazards in this sequence: oxygen, combustible gases or 

vapors, and toxic gases or vapors;

■ Establish and implement the means, procedures and 

practices to eliminate or control hazards necessary for safe 

permit space entry operations;

■ Identify employee job duties;

■ 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 the equipment 

properly;

■ Ensure that at least one attendant is stationed outside the 

permit space during entry operations;

■ 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;

■ Coordinate entry operations (in consultation with the 

controlling contractor) when employees of more than one 

employer are working in the permit space; and
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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■ Establish procedures for summoning rescue and emergency 

services and preventing unauthorized personnel from 

attempting rescue.

The employer must review the program and correct any 

deficiencies whenever it learns that the program may not be 

protecting employees adequately. Circumstances requiring such 

review include an injury or near-miss during entry, unauthorized 

entry, detection of a new hazard or a condition prohibited by 

the permit, or an employee complaint about the program’s 

effectiveness. In addition, the employer must annually review the 

program using the cancelled permits, and revise the program as 

necessary to ensure that employees are protected.

An example of a permit space program can be found in 

Appendix A of this guide.

With the exceptions discussed in Chapters 7 and 8, the permit 

space program must provide that entry is only permitted 

pursuant to a written entry permit. The permit must include:

■ Name of the permit space to be entered, authorized 

entrant(s), current attendants, and current entry supervisors;

■ Purpose of entry;

■ Date and authorized duration of entry;

■ Means of detecting an increase in atmospheric hazard levels;

■ Name and signature of supervisor who authorizes entry;

■ Known hazards in the space;

■ Measures to be taken to isolate permit spaces and to 

eliminate or control space hazards; 

■ Acceptable entry conditions;

■ Test results, date and time of test(s), and tester’s initials 

or signature;

■ Name and telephone numbers of rescue and emergency 

services and means to be used to contact them;

■ Communication procedures and equipment to maintain 

contact during entry;
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■ Special equipment and procedures, including personal 

protective equipment and alarm systems;

■ Any other information needed to ensure employee safety; and

■ Additional permits, such as for hot work, that have been 

issued authorizing work in the permit space.

The permit must be posted at the entrance to the space or 

be otherwise made available to authorized entrants and their 

authorized representatives at the time of entry. Appendix B

of this guide contains a sample entry permit that includes the 

information required by the standard.

Canceling Entry Permits

The employer must make sure that the entry supervisor cancels 

entry permits when an assignment is completed or when new 

conditions exist. Once a permit is cancelled, entry under it is 

no longer permitted. New conditions must be noted on the 

canceled permit and used in revising the permit space program. 

The employer must keep all canceled entry permits for at least 

one year.

Suspending Entry Permits

An entry supervisor may suspend an entry permit instead of 

cancelling it if a temporary condition has occurred in or near 

the space that, once corrected, is not expected to reoccur. The 

permit may be reinstated and entry may occur under the permit 

if the entry supervisor has determined that the conditions in the 

space match the allowable conditions listed on the permit.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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CHAPTER 7

Reclassifying a Permit Space as a 

Non-Permit Space (Section 1203(g))

A permit space that contains only physical hazards may be 

reclassified as a non-permit space if (1) the physical hazards 

are eliminated or isolated without entering the space; or (2) the 

physical hazards are eliminated or isolated by entering the space 

using permit space procedures. Physical hazards include all 

hazards that are not atmospheric hazards, including: explosives 

(other than explosive atmospheres); mechanical, electrical, 

hydraulic and pneumatic energy; radiation; temperature 

extremes; engulfment; noise; inwardly converging surfaces; and 

chemicals that can cause death or serious physical harm through 

skin or eye contact (rather than through inhalation).

Example: A confined space contains electrical machinery 

that presents mechanical and/or electric shock hazards. If 

the hazards presented by the machinery are eliminated by 

deenergizing and locking out the machinery at an electrical 

panel outside the space, the space can be reclassified as 

a non-permit space as long as the equipment remains 

deenergized and locked out. If it is necessary to enter the space 

to deenergize and lock out the machinery, the entry must be 

conducted pursuant to a full permit program. However, once 

the machinery is deenergized and locked out, the space may 

then be reclassified as a non-permit space.

Whenever a permit space is reclassified as a non-permit space, 

the entry employer must document the basis for determining 

that all hazards in the permit space have been eliminated, 

through a certification that contains the date, the location of the 

space, and the signature of the person making the determination. 

The certification must be made available to each worker entering 

the space or to that worker’s authorized representative.

If any hazards arise within a permit space that has been 

reclassified as a non-permit space, each worker in the space 

must exit the space. The entry employer must then reevaluate 

the space and determine how to proceed. If the new hazards 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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are physical hazards that can be eliminated or isolated, the 

employer can reclassify the space as a non-permit space 

after that has been accomplished. If the new hazard is an 

atmospheric hazard that can be made safe for entry by 

continuous forced air ventilation, the employer can proceed in 

accordance with the procedures discussed in Chapter 8. In all 

other situations, further entry can only be made pursuant to a 

full permit space program. 
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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CHAPTER 8

Alternate Procedures for Certain Permit 

Spaces — Section 1203(e))

Unlike a space that contains only physical hazards, a space 

containing an atmospheric hazard cannot be reclassified as a 

non-permit space. However, if the atmospheric hazard in a permit 

space can be controlled by forced air ventilation, the employer 

may use less stringent procedures instead of full permit space 

procedures when workers enter the space. The alternate 

procedures may be used if the employer can show that: 

■ All physical hazards are eliminated or isolated; 

■ The only hazard is an actual or potential hazardous 

atmosphere that can be and is made safe for entry using 

continuous forced air ventilation; and

■ In the event the ventilation system stops working, entrants 

can exit the space safely. 

An employer who uses the alternate procedures must 

document the reasons, and the supporting data, for concluding 

that these criteria are met. The documentation must be made 

available to each worker who enters the space or to that 

worker’s authorized representative. 

The alternate procedures are as follows:

Entry and Exit

■ Any conditions making it unsafe to remove an entrance 

cover must be eliminated before the cover is removed.

■ When entrance covers are removed, the opening must be 

immediately guarded by a railing, temporary cover, or other 

temporary barrier that will prevent an accidental fall through 

the opening and that will protect each employee working in 

the space from foreign objects entering the space.

■ Before a worker enters the space, the internal atmosphere 

must be tested, with calibrated direct-reading instruments, 

for oxygen content, for flammable gases and vapors, and 

for potential toxic air contaminants, in that order. The testing 
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must demonstrate that the atmosphere in the space is 

not hazardous. Any worker who enters the space, or that 

worker’s authorized representative, must be provided an 

opportunity to observe the pre-entry testing. 

■ The employer must verify that the space is safe for entry 

and that the pre-entry measures discussed above have been 

taken, through a written certification that contains the date, the 

location of the space, and the signature of the person providing 

the certification. The certification must be made before entry 

and must be made available to each worker entering the space 

or to that worker’s authorized representative.

■ The employer must provide workers with a safe method of 

entering and exiting the space. Any hoisting system that 

is used must either (1) be designed and manufactured for 

personnel hoisting; or (2) be approved for personnel hoisting 

by a registered professional engineer prior to use.

Ventilation Requirements

■ Continuous forced air ventilation must be used. (Exhaust 

ventilation is not an acceptable substitute for forced air 

ventilation.)

■ If the forced air ventilation stops for any reason, the 

entrant(s) must immediately leave the space. 

■ The forced air ventilation must be directed to ventilate the 

immediate areas where each entrant is or will be located 

within the space and must continue until all employees have 

left the space.

■ The air supply for the forced air ventilation must be from a 

clean source and must not increase the hazards in the space.

During Entry

■ The atmosphere within the space must be monitored to 

ensure that the forced air ventilation is preventing the 

accumulation of a hazardous atmosphere. Monitoring must 

be conducted continuously unless the entry employer can 

demonstrate that equipment for continuous monitoring 

is not commercially available or that periodic monitoring 
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

2 5

is sufficient to ensure that the atmosphere remains nonhazardous. Employers must provide any worker who enters 

the space, or that worker’s authorized representative, with an 

opportunity to observe the testing required by this paragraph.

■ If a hazard is detected during entry: (A) Employers must 

make sure each worker leaves the space immediately; (B) 

The space must be evaluated to determine how the hazard 

developed; and (C) The employer must implement measures 

to protect workers from the hazard before any subsequent 

entry takes place.

The following table compares the requirements for spaces 

where permits are required and for spaces where alternate 

procedures are permitted.

Comparison of Requirements for Permit-Required Spaces 

and Alternate Procedure Spaces

Precautions Required

PermitRequired 

Space

Alternate 

Procedures 

Space

Written Permit Space Program Meeting 

Requirements of Sections 1926.1204-1206

Yes No

Worker Training Meeting Section 1926.1207 Yes Yes

Duties of Authorized Attendants (Section 

1926.1208), Attendants (Section 1926.1209), and 

Entry Supervisors (Section 1926.1210)

Yes No

Rescue and Emergency Services 

(Section 1926.1211)

Yes No

Information exchange between controlling 

contractor and entry employer(s) (Section 

1926.1203(h))

Yes Yes

Permit Space Warning Signs and Entry 

Restrictions (Sections 1926.1203(b) and (c))

Yes Yes
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CHAPTER 9

Entrants, Attendants, and Entry 

Supervisors (Sections 1208-1210)

Three categories of workers have specific duties whenever work 

is performed in a permit space: authorized entrants; attendants, 

and entry supervisors. The entry employer is responsible for 

ensuring that these workers carry out those duties.

■ An authorized entrant is a worker who is authorized by the 

entry supervisor to enter a permit space. 

■ An attendant is an individual stationed outside one or more 

permit spaces who monitors conditions within the space(s) 

and prevents unauthorized entry. 

■ An entry supervisor is a qualified person (such as 

the employer, foreman, or crew chief) responsible for 

overseeing entry operations. An entry supervisor also may 

serve as an attendant or as an authorized entrant, as long 

as that person is trained and equipped as required by this 

standard for each role he or she fills. The duties of entry 

supervisor may be passed from one individual to another 

during the course of an entry operation.

Authorized entrants must: 

■ Know space hazards, including information on the means of 

exposure such as inhalation or skin contact, and symptoms 

of the exposure;

■ Use appropriate personal protective equipment properly;

■ Stay in communication with attendants as necessary to 

enable the attendants to monitor the entrant’s status and 

alert the entrant to evacuate when necessary;

■ Exit from the permit space as soon as possible when: 

(1) Ordered by the attendant or entry supervisor; 

(2) He or she recognizes the warning signs or symptoms 

of exposure; 
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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(3) A prohibited condition exists; or 

(4) An automatic alarm is activated.

■ Alert the attendant when a prohibited condition exists or 

when warning signs or symptoms of exposure exist. 

The attendant must:

■ Remain outside the permit space during entry operations 

unless relieved by another authorized attendant; 

■ Perform non-entry rescues when specified by the 

employer’s rescue procedure;

■ Know existing and potential hazards, including information 

on the mode of exposure, and signs or symptoms, and 

consequences, and possible behavioral effects of exposure;

■ Maintain communication with and keep an accurate account 

of those workers entering the permit space;

■ Assess conditions inside and outside the space and order 

evacuation of the permit space when:

(1) A prohibited condition exists; 

(2) A worker shows behavioral effects of hazard exposure; 

(3) A situation exists outside the confined space that could 

endanger entrants; or 

(4) The attendant cannot effectively and safely perform 

required duties.

■ Summon rescue and other services during an emergency;

■ Ensure that unauthorized people stay away from permit spaces 

or exit immediately if they have entered the permit space;

■ Inform authorized entrants and the entry supervisor if any 

unauthorized person enters the permit space; and

■ Perform no other duties that interfere with the attendant’s 

primary duties.
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Entry supervisors must: 

■ Know space hazards including information on the mode of 

exposure, signs or symptoms and consequences;

■ Verify that specified entry conditions are satisfied, including 

permits, tests, procedures and equipment before allowing 

entry;

■ Terminate entry and cancel or suspend permits when entry 

operations are completed or if a condition that is not allowed 

under the permit arises; 

■ Verify that rescue services are available and that the means 

for summoning them are operable;

■ Take appropriate measures to remove unauthorized entrants; 

and

■ Ensure that entry operations remain consistent with the entry 

permit and that acceptable entry conditions are maintained. 
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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CHAPTER 10

Worker Training (Section 1207)

Before any worker works in a permit space, the entry employer 

must train authorized entrants, attendants, entry supervisors, 

and other employees with duties under the standard (such as 

persons who test and monitor the atmosphere in a permit space) 

to understand the hazards in the permit space and the methods 

used to protect against those hazards. If a worker is not authorized 

to perform entry rescues, the training must include the dangers of 

attempting such rescues. All training must be provided at no cost 

to workers. After the training, the employer must ensure that the 

workers have the understanding, knowledge and skills necessary 

to safely perform their assigned duties. 

The required training must be provided:

■ In both a language and vocabulary that the worker can 

understand;

■ Before the worker is first assigned duties under this standard 

and before there is a change in the worker’s assigned duties;

■ Whenever there is a change in permit space entry operations 

that presents a new hazard about which the worker has not 

previously been trained;

■ Whenever the worker’s actions show inadequacies in the 

worker’s knowledge or use of entry procedures.

As discussed below in chapter 11, rescue personnel must also 

be trained to perform their duties.

The employer must keep a record showing that the required 

worker training has been completed. The record must contain 

the worker’s name, the trainer’s signature or initials and the dates 

of the training. The employer must make the record available for 

inspection by workers and their authorized representatives. 
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CHAPTER 11

Rescue and Emergency Services 

(Section 1211)

Effective emergency planning is vital to ensure that any 

entrant who becomes sick or is injured in a permit space can 

be evacuated quickly and safely. The entry employer’s permit 

space program must therefore include procedures for entrants 

to be rescued in a timely manner by qualified personnel.

Role of the attendant: Whenever an entrant is in a permit 

space, there must be an attendant outside the space who 

must maintain communication with all entrants and keep track 

of their condition. If one or more entrants suffers an injury 

or illness and is unable to exit the space without help, the 

attendant must initiate a rescue. 

Non-entry rescue: It is preferable if the entrant(s) can be 

rescued without others entering the space to avoid having 

additional personnel exposed to the hazard that caused the 

injury or illness. Therefore, the employer’s rescue procedures 

must provide for non-entry rescue using retrieval equipment 

unless the retrieval equipment would increase the overall risk of 

entry or would not contribute to the rescue of the entrant, such 

as when obstructions can snag the retrieval line or the line can 

become entangled with air lines or electric cords. The attendant 

must be prepared to perform non-entry rescues when required 

by the employer’s rescue procedures. 

When the rescue procedures provide for non-entry rescue, 

each entrant must wear a chest or full body harness, with a 

retrieval line attached at the D-ring in the center of the back or 

another point which positions the entrant so that he or she is 

small enough to be pulled out of the space. The other end of the 

retrieval line must be attached to a mechanical device or a fixed 

point outside the permit space. A mechanical device must be 

available to retrieve someone from vertical type permit spaces 

more than five feet deep.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

3 1

Wristlets or anklets may be used instead of a chest or full body 

harness only if the employer can demonstrate that use of a 

chest or full body harness if infeasible or would create a greater 

hazard and that the use of wristlets or anklets is the safest and 

most effective alternative.

When non-entry rescue is selected, the entry employer must 

also confirm, before entry begins, that emergency assistance 

would be available if the non-entry rescue fails. Emergency 

assistance would usually be provided by a local fire department 

or similar service.

Entry rescue: Non-entry rescue might not be feasible. If so, 

the only way to rescue the entrant is for others to enter the 

permit space. 

For entry rescue, the employer may plan to use an on-site 

rescue team (consisting of its own or another contractor’s 

employees) or an off-site team, such as a local fire department 

or other rescue service. In either case, the employer must make 

sure that the rescue service is able to respond in time to enable 

the injured worker to receive needed medical attention in light 

of the hazards present in the permit space by contacting the 

rescue service prior to entry and informing them of the nature 

of the space and the hazards involved. In some cases, this may 

require a standby rescue team, such as when the entrant is 

working in an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to life 

or health and is wearing an airline respirator or a self-contained 

breathing apparatus.

Whenever entry rescue takes place, an attendant must be 

stationed outside the permit space so that additional help can 

be summoned if needed. If the original attendant is to enter the 

space as part of the rescue team, a new attendant must be in 

position before the first attendant enters the space.

Rescue and emergency services: The employer of the members 

of the designated rescue team (whether entry or non-entry) 

must ensure that the team members have received the training 

required for authorized entrants and have also been trained 

to perform their assigned rescue duties. That employer must 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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provide the rescue team members with personal protective 

and rescue equipment, including respirators, and must train 

them on how to use it. All rescuers must be trained in first aid 

and CPR. At a minimum, one rescue team member must be 

currently certified in first aid and CPR. Employers must ensure 

that the team practices or performs rescue exercises at least 

yearly and that rescue services are provided access to permit 

spaces so they can practice rescue operations. Rescuers also 

must be informed of the hazards of the permit space before 

they enter the space. The rescue service must agree to notify 

the employer in the event the service becomes unavailable, 

and the employer must provide the service with access to the 

permit space so the service can develop an appropriate rescue 

plan and practice rescue as necessary.

If the entry employer designates an off-site rescue service, it 

must determine that the service has the ability and equipment 

to carry out a rescue in the particular permit space or type of 

permit space in which the entrant is working. It must contact 

the rescue service and make sure that it will be able to respond 

in a timely manner whenever an entrant is in the permit space.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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CHAPTER 12

Sewer System Entry 

Sewer systems present one of the most common and 

dangerous type of confined space. Numerous workers have 

suffered fatal and other serious injuries from confined space 

hazards in sewer manholes, pipes, and lift stations. This section 

is designed to help inform employers engaged in sewer work of 

what they must do to protect their workers. 

Sewer entry differs in three vital respects from other permit 

entries; first, there rarely exists any way to completely isolate 

the space (a section of a continuous system) to be entered; 

second, because isolation of the space is not complete, 

the atmosphere may suddenly and unpredictably become 

lethally hazardous (toxic, flammable or explosive) from 

causes beyond the control of the entrant or employer; and 

third, material flowing through the sewer system may engulf 

entrants. However, experienced sewer workers are especially 

knowledgeable about entry and work in their permit spaces 

because of their frequent entries. Unlike other employments 

where permit space entry is a rare and exceptional event, sewer 

workers’ usual work environment is a permit space.

OSHA believes that if employers reinforce and follow the four 

procedures below that the risks of sewer work can be controlled 

and employees protected from the many unpredictable hazards 

of sewers. 

(1) Adherence to procedure. Designate as entrants only 

employees who are thoroughly trained in the employer’s 

sewer entry procedures and who demonstrate that they 

follow these entry procedures exactly as prescribed when 

performing sewer entries.

(2) Atmospheric monitoring. Train entrants in the use of, and 

equip entrants with, atmospheric monitoring equipment 

which sounds an audible alarm, in addition to its visual 

readout. Sewer conditions to be monitored will often 

include oxygen concentration less than 19.5 percent or 

above 23.5 percent; flammable gas or vapor at 10 percent 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

3 4

or more of the lower flammable limit (LFL); or hydrogen 

sulfide or carbon monoxide at or above 10 ppm or 35 ppm, 

respectively, measured as an 8-hour time-weighted average. 

Atmospheric monitoring equipment needs to be calibrated 

according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The oxygen 

sensor/broad range sensor is best suited for initial use in 

situations where the actual or potential contaminants have 

not been identified, because broad range sensors, unlike 

substance-specific sensors, enable employers to obtain an 

overall reading of the hydrocarbons (flammables) present 

in the space. However, such sensors only indicate that 

a hazardous threshold of a class of chemicals has been 

exceeded. They do not measure the levels of contamination 

of specific substances. Therefore, substance-specific 

devices, which measure the actual levels of specific 

substances, are best suited for use where actual or potential 

contaminants have been identified. The measurements 

obtained with substance-specific devices are of vital 

importance to the employer when decisions are made 

concerning the measures necessary to protect entrants 

(such as ventilation or personal protective equipment) and 

the setting and attainment of appropriate entry conditions. 

However, the sewer environment may suddenly and 

unpredictably change, and the substance-specific devices 

may not detect the potentially lethal atmospheric hazards 

which may enter the sewer environment.

Although OSHA considers the information and guidance 

provided above to be appropriate and useful in most sewer 

entry situations, the agency emphasizes that each employer 

must consider the unique circumstances, including the 

predictability of the atmosphere, of the sewer permit spaces 

in the employer’s workplace in preparing for entry. Only 

the employer can decide, based upon his or her knowledge 

of, and experience with permit spaces in sewer systems, 

what the best type of monitoring equipment may be for any 

specific entry operation.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

3 5

The entrant must use the selected monitoring equipment in 

sewer line work to monitor the atmosphere in the entrant’s 

environment, and in advance of the entrant’s direction 

of movement, to warn the entrant of any deterioration in 

atmospheric conditions. Where several entrants are working 

together in the same immediate location, one instrument, 

used by the lead entrant, is acceptable.

(3) Surge flow and flooding. Develop and maintain liaison, to 

the extent possible, between the sewer crew and the local 

weather bureau and the fire and emergency services in 

the area so that sewer work may be delayed or interrupted 

and entrants withdrawn whenever sewer lines might be 

suddenly flooded by rain or fire suppression activities, 

or whenever flammable or other hazardous materials are 

released into sewers during emergencies due to industrial 

or transportation accidents. In addition, train workers in 

the use of, and make sure that they use, an early-warning 

system placed sufficiently far upstream of the work area 

to provide crews with enough notice of a surge to exit the 

space safely.

(4) Special equipment. Entry into large bore sewers may 

require the use of special equipment. Such equipment might 

include such items as self-contained breathing apparatus 

(SCBA) with at least a 10-minute air supply (or other NIOSHapproved self-rescuer), and waterproof flashlights, and may 

also include boats and rafts, radios and rope stand-offs for 

pulling around bends and corners as needed.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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CHAPTER 13

Additional Information

Where other information can be found.

OSHA’s website contains other information that will help 

employers comply with the standard (www.osha.gov/

confinedspaces), including fact sheets and FAQs developed for 

the construction rule. The standard for construction work is 

similar to the standard regulating confined spaces in general 

industry (29 CFR § 1910.146), and information on OSHA’s 

website addressing the General Industry standard will therefore 

be useful in complying with the Construction standard. In 

particular, OSHA’s Confined Spaces Advisor for the General 

Industry standard (www.dol.gov/elaws/confined.htm) offers a 

computer-based, step-by-step guide to compliance as well as 

explanations of key terms used in the standard. The website 

also lists publications that can be ordered from the OSHA 

Publications Office. 

Consultation services.

OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free and 

confidential safety and health compliance assistance to 

small and medium-sized businesses in all states across the 

country, with priority given to high-hazard worksites. On-site 

Consultation services are separate from enforcement and 

do not result in penalties or citations. Consultants from state 

agencies and universities work with employers to identify 

workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance with OSHA 

standards, and help establish and improve their safety and 

health management systems. To find the OSHA On-site 

Consultation Program office nearest you, go to: www.osha.gov/

dcsp/smallbusiness/consult_directory.html.

State plans.

There are 26 states and 2 U.S. territories that have their own 

OSHA-approved occupational safety and health programs 

called state plans. The following 22 states or territories operate 

state plans that cover both private sector and state and local 
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

3 7

government employers: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, 

Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, 

Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto 

Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, 

Washington and Wyoming. Five additional states and one U.S. 

territory operate state plans that cover private sector workers 

only: Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, New York, and 

the Virgin Islands.

State plans have and enforce their own occupational safety and 

health standards that are required to be at least as effective 

as OSHA’s, but may have different or additional provisions. 

Therefore, state plans must adopt a standard for confined 

spaces in construction that is at least as effective as OSHA’s 

standard. If you are operating a business in one of the abovelisted states, you should contact your state plan to determine 

whether any additional requirements apply. A list of the state 

plans and more information is available at: www.osha.gov/

dcsp/osp. 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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APPENDIX A

Example of a Permit-Required 

Confined Space Program

Workplace. Sewer entry.

Potential hazards. The employees could be exposed to the 

following:

Engulfment.

Presence of toxic gases. Equal to or more than 10 ppm 

hydrogen sulfide measured as an 8-hour time-weighted 

average, and equal to or more than 35 ppm carbon monoxide 

measured as an 8-hour time-weighted average. If the presence 

of other toxic contaminants is suspected, specific monitoring 

programs will be developed.

Presence of explosive/flammable gases. Equal to or greater 

than 10% of the lower flammable limit (LFL).

Oxygen deficiency. A concentration of oxygen in the 

atmosphere equal to or less than 19.5% by volume.

A. Entry Without Permit/Attendant

Certification. Confined spaces may be entered without the 

need for a written permit or an attendant provided that the 

space can be maintained in a safe condition for entry by 

mechanical ventilation alone, as provided in §1926.1203(e). 

All spaces must be considered permit-required confined 

spaces until the pre-entry procedures demonstrate 

otherwise. Any employee required or permitted to pre-check 

or enter an enclosed/confined space must have successfully 

completed, at a minimum, the training as required by the 

following sections of these procedures. A written copy 

of operating and rescue procedures as required by these 

procedures must be at the work site for the duration of 

the job. The Confined Space Pre-Entry Check List must 

be completed by the LEAD WORKER before entry into a 

confined space. This list verifies completion of the items 
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

3 9

listed below. This checklist must be kept at the job site for the 

duration of the job. If circumstances dictate an interruption in 

the work, the permit space must be re-evaluated and a new 

checklist must be completed.

Control of atmospheric and engulfment hazards.

Pumps and lines. All pumps and lines which may reasonably 

cause contaminants to flow into the space must be 

disconnected, blinded and locked out, or effectively isolated 

by other means to prevent development of dangerous air 

contamination or engulfment. Not all laterals to sewers or 

storm drains require blocking. However, where experience 

or knowledge of industrial use indicates that there is a 

reasonable potential for contamination of air or engulfment 

into an occupied sewer, then all affected laterals must be 

blocked. If blocking and/or isolation requires entry into the 

space the provisions for entry into a permit-required confined 

space must be implemented.

Surveillance. The surrounding area must be surveyed to avoid 

hazards such as drifting vapors from the tanks, piping, or 

sewers.

Testing. The atmosphere within the space will be tested 

to determine whether dangerous air contamination and/

or oxygen deficiency exists. Detector tubes, alarm-only 

gas monitors and explosion meters are examples of 

monitoring equipment that may be used to test permit space 

atmospheres. Testing must be performed by the LEAD 

WORKER who has successfully completed the Gas Detector 

training for the monitor he or she will use. The minimum 

parameters to be tested are oxygen deficiency, LFL, and 

hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide concentrations. A 

written record of the pre-entry test results must be made and 

kept at the work site for the duration of the job. The supervisor 

will certify in writing, based upon the results of the preentry testing, that all hazards have been eliminated. Affected 

employees must be able to review the testing results. The 

most hazardous conditions must govern when work is being 

performed in two adjoining, connecting spaces.
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Entry Procedures. If there are no non-atmospheric hazards 

present and if the pre-entry tests show there is no dangerous 

air contamination and/or oxygen deficiency within the 

space and there is no reason to believe that any is likely to 

develop, entry into and work within may proceed. Continuous 

monitoring of the atmosphere in the immediate vicinity of the 

workers within the space must be accomplished. The workers 

will immediately leave the permit space when any of the gas 

monitor alarm set points are reached as defined. Workers will 

not return to the area until a SUPERVISOR who has completed 

the gas detector training has used a direct reading gas 

detector to evaluate the situation and has determined that it is 

safe to enter.

Rescue. Arrangements for rescue services are not required 

where there is no attendant. See the rescue portion of 

section B., below, for instructions regarding rescue planning 

where an entry permit is required.

B. Entry Permit Required 

Confined Space Entry Permit. All spaces must be 

considered permit-required confined spaces until the preentry procedures demonstrate otherwise. Any employee 

required or permitted to pre-check or enter a permit-required 

confined space must have successfully completed, at a 

minimum, the training as required by the following sections 

of these procedures. A written copy of operating and rescue 

procedures as required by these procedures must be at the 

work site for the duration of the job. The Confined Space Entry 

Permit must be completed before approval can be given to 

enter a permit-required confined space. This permit verifies 

completion of the items listed below. This permit must be 

kept at the job site for the duration of the job. If circumstances 

cause an interruption in the work or a change in the alarm 

conditions for which entry was approved, a new Confined 

Space Entry Permit must be completed.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

4 1

Control of atmospheric and engulfment hazards.

Surveillance. The surrounding area must be surveyed to 

avoid hazards such as drifting vapors from tanks, piping or 

sewers.

Testing. The confined space atmosphere must be tested 

prior to entry to determine whether dangerous air 

contamination and/or oxygen deficiency exists. A direct 

reading gas monitor must be used. Initial testing must 

be performed by the SUPERVISOR who has successfully 

completed the gas detector training for the monitor he will 

use. The minimum parameters to be tested are oxygen 

deficiency, LFL, hydrogen sulfide concentration and carbon 

monoxide concentration. A written record of the preentry test results must be made and kept at the work site 

for the duration of the job. Affected employees and their 

representatives must be able to review the results. The 

most hazardous conditions must govern when work is being 

performed in two adjoining, connected spaces.

Space Ventilation. Mechanical ventilation systems, where 

applicable, must be set at 100% outside air. Where possible, 

open additional manholes to increase air circulation. Use 

portable blowers to augment natural circulation if needed. 

After a suitable ventilating period, repeat the testing. Entry 

may not begin until testing has demonstrated that the 

hazardous atmosphere has been eliminated.

Early-warning system. Whenever the possibility of engulfment 

is present at the work site, an employee must be stationed far 

enough upstream with a two-way radio to alert entrants at the 

first sign of an approaching flood hazard, or an alarm activated 

by remote detector(s) placed to detect an approaching flood 

hazard must be used, so the entrants have time to exit the 

space safely.

Entry Procedures. The following procedure must be 

observed under any of the following conditions: (1) Testing 

demonstrates the existence of dangerous or deficient 

conditions and additional ventilation cannot reduce 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

4 2

concentrations to safe levels; (2) The atmosphere tests as 

safe but unsafe conditions can reasonably be expected to 

develop; (3) It is not feasible to provide for ready exit from 

spaces equipped with automatic fire suppression systems 

and it is not practical or safe to deactivate such systems; or 

(4) An emergency exists and it is not feasible to wait for preentry procedures to take effect. 

All personnel must be trained. A self-contained breathing 

apparatus must be worn by any person entering the space. 

At least one worker must stand by the outside of the space 

ready to give assistance in case of emergency. The standby 

worker must have a self-contained breathing apparatus 

available for immediate use. There must be at least one 

additional worker within sight or call of the standby worker. 

Continuous powered communications must be maintained 

between the worker within the confined space and standby 

personnel.

If at any time there is any questionable action or nonmovement by the worker inside, a verbal check will be 

made. If there is no response, the worker will be moved 

immediately. Exception: If the worker is disabled due to 

falling or impact, he/she must not be removed from the 

confined space unless there is immediate danger to his/her 

life. Local emergency services must be notified immediately. 

The standby worker may only enter the confined space in 

case of an emergency (wearing the self-contained breathing 

apparatus) and only after being relieved by another worker. A 

safety belt or harness with an attached lifeline must be used 

by all workers entering the space with the free end of the line 

secured outside the entry opening. The standby worker must 

attempt to remove a disabled worker via his lifeline before 

entering the space.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

4 3

When practical, these spaces must be entered through side 

openings—those within 3 1/2 feet (1.07 m) of the bottom. 

When entry must be through a top opening, the safety belt 

must be of the harness type that suspends a person upright 

and a hoisting device or similar apparatus must be available 

for lifting workers out of the space. 

In any situation where their use may endanger the worker, 

use of a hoisting device or safety belt and attached lifeline 

may be discontinued. (See the rescue section below.) 

When dangerous air contamination is attributable to 

flammable and/or explosive substances, lighting and 

electrical equipment must be Class 1, Division 1 rated as per 

National Electrical Code and no ignition sources must be 

introduced into the area.

Continuous gas monitoring must be performed during all 

confined space operations. The minimum parameters to 

be monitored are oxygen deficiency, LFL, hydrogen sulfide 

concentration and carbon monoxide concentration. If alarm 

conditions change adversely, entry personnel must exit the 

confined space and a new confined space permit issued.

Rescue. Use of harnesses, lifelines, and a winch outside 

the space is the preferred method of rescue. Entrants and 

attendants will be trained in proper use of harnesses and 

rescue equipment. If harnesses and lifelines may not be used 

due to the configuration of the space, or could expose workers 

to greater hazards than entry rescue, call the local emergency 

services (or other rescue service) and evaluate them for entry 

rescue capability, informing them of the nature and exact 

location of the space and the anticipated hazards within. 

Where immediate hazards to injured personnel are present, 

workers at the site must implement emergency procedures to 

fit the situation.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

4 4

APPENDIX B

Sample Entry Permit

Entry Permit

Pseudo Construction Co.

General Information

Identity (e.g., location) of the space: 1500 K Street, northwest corner.

Purpose of entry: Replace communication cable in sewer line.

Duration of entry: First entry on January 22, 2007; complete work and 

terminate entry operations on January 26, 2007.

Identify the physical hazards in the space:

(1) Engulfment—sewer water.

(2) Electrical—communication cables.

Describe the methods for isolating or controlling the physical hazards, or 

used to protect authorized entrants:

(1) Engulfment—Disconnect and lockout all sewer-system overflow pumps, 

and disconnect, blind, and lockout, all water lines within 100 feet of the 

work area, including lateral lines.

(2) Electrical—de-energize, tag, and ground all communication cables 

in work area. Use heavy duty, insulated work gloves for handling cables 

and conduits.

Identify the atmospheric hazards in the space (e.g., oxygen deficiency, 

flammable/explosive gases/vapors, others (including toxic particulates, 

gases, and vapors)):

(1) Oxygen deficiency—possibility that oxygen level may be less than 19.5%.

(2) Flammable/explosive gases/vapors—methane may be present.

(3) Other—hydrogen sulfide and/or carbon monoxide may be present.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

4 5

Entry Permit

Pseudo Construction Co.

Describe the methods for isolating or controlling the atmospheric 

hazards, or used to protect authorized entrants:

Space ventilation—mechanical ventilation systems set at 100% outside 

air. Where possible, open additional manholes to increase air circulation. 

Use portable blowers to augment natural ventilation if needed. Repeat 

atmospheric testing after ventilating the space for 10 minutes.

Describe the determination made to show that if the ventilation system 

stops working, atmospheric hazards will remain at safe levels long 

enough for entrants to recognize the problem and safely exit the space: 

Fully ventilated the unoccupied space and got non-detect readings for 

methane and hydrogen sulfide. After securing the mechanical ventilation 

system, ports, and portable blowers, found that both methane and 

hydrogen sulfide reached maximum limits in two hours, which is well 

outside the 60-minute period used to monitor and record atmospherichazard values in the space.

Planned Conditions

Safe conditions and/or monitoring determined for physical hazards:

(1) Water levels—pooling water level inside PRCS not to exceed 2 inches; 

survey PRCS every hour to assess pooling water level and seeping water 

from piping and sewer.

(2) Electrical—visually confirm every hour that electrical cables remain 

disconnected and tagged.

(3) Early-warning system―when alarm sounds, evacuate authorized 

employees immediately.

Safe levels of atmospheric hazards:

Hazard Minimum limit Maximum limit

Oxygen 19.50% 23.00%

Flammable gas/

vapors (specify):

(1) Methane

0% LFL 10% LFL
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

4 6

Entry Permit

Pseudo Construction Co.

Others (specify):

(1) Hydrogen 

sulfide

(2) Carbon 

monoxide

0 ppm

0 ppm

20 ppm

35 ppm

Atmospheric-testing/-monitoring results: (see attachment)

Personnel

Current Entry Supervisor:

Name: S. Smith Signature/initial: /s/ 

Name: J. Jones Signature/initial: /s/ 

Name: ______________________ Signature/initial: ___________________

Name: ______________________ Signature/initial: ___________________

Name: ______________________ Signature/initial: ___________________

Current Attendants:

Name: J. James Name: ____________________________

Name: B. Bills Name: ____________________________

Name: ______________________ Name: ___________________________

Name: ______________________ Name: ___________________________

Name: ______________________ Name: ___________________________

Authorized entrants: Refer to daily tracking roster for names of authorized 

entrants.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

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Entry Permit

Pseudo Construction Co.

Identity of the rescue service: (Check one)

 x Non-entry rescue. Identity of the non-entry rescue service: the attendant

___ Entry rescue. Identity of the entry rescue service:

Identity of the emergency service: Washington, DC Fire and Rescue 

Service, Station 1. Each attendant and entry supervisor has cell phone 

pre-programmed with DC Fire and Rescue Service emergency hotline 

number (e.g., 202-123-4567).

Name and signature/initials of the entry supervisor who first verified this 

entry permit and authorized initial entry into this PRCS:

Equipment

Methods of communication between attendants and authorized entrants:

Attendant and authorized entrants will use Type X walkie-talkies.

Equipment Needed:

(1) Lighting equipment: two explosion-proof and waterproof lights with 

50-ft. extension cords.

(2) Ventilation: one explosion-proof blower and 15-foot of duct.

(3) Atmospheric monitoring: One multi-gas meter equipped with sensors 

for oxygen, methane, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon monoxide.

(4) Heating: N/A

(5) Guardrails, barriers, and covers: one portable guardrail and tent 

assembly.

(6) Controlled descent/retrieval systems: N/A

(7) Ladders: a 16-foot fixed ladder for access/egress.

(8) Scaffolding: N/A 

(9) Early warning system: remote high-water-level detector and alarm 

installed 100 yards upstream from the work area in the inflow conduit.

(10) Rescue equipment: one retrieval system with adjustable harness and 

50-foot of retrievable lanyard.

(11) Other: portable gas-powered electric generator with GFCI.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

4 8

Entry Permit

Pseudo Construction Co.

Other Information

Information not documented elsewhere on this permit 

(see § 1926.1206(o):

(1) Describe any condition making it unsafe to remove an entrance cover, 

and how the condition was eliminated: Determined that the entrance 

cover was vented, which eliminated the potential for hazardous pressure 

conditions to exist in the space. 

(2) Describe any actions taken to guard holes and openings into the space 

from falling individuals and objects: A portable guardrail system was 

erected around the entry point, in addition to placing warning cones to 

divert pedestrian traffic around the space.

(3) Describe the method used for entering and exiting the space: a 16-foot 

fixed ladder.

Additional information:

Hot-work permit issued for welding work.

Entry Permit Cancellation

Reason for cancellation: Completed work in PRCS.

Name and signature/initials of the individual who cancelled the entry 

permit:

Name: J. Jones Signature/initials: /s/ 

Date and time this entry permit was cancelled: January 26, 2007; 4:00 PM 
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

4 9

Workers’ Rights

Workers have the right to:

■ Working conditions that do not pose a risk of serious harm. 

■ Receive information and training (in a language and 

vocabulary the worker understands) about workplace 

hazards, methods to prevent them, and the OSHA standards 

that apply to their workplace. 

■ Review records of work-related injuries and illnesses. 

■ File a complaint asking OSHA to inspect their workplace if 

they believe there is a serious hazard or that their employer 

is not following OSHA’s rules. OSHA will keep all identities 

confidential.

■ Exercise their rights under the law without retaliation, including 

reporting an injury or raising health and safety concerns with 

their employer or OSHA. If a worker has been retaliated against 

for using their rights, they must file a complaint with OSHA as 

soon as possible, but no later than 30 days. 

For more information, see OSHA’s Workers page.

OSHA Assistance, Services and Programs 

OSHA has a great deal of information to assist employers in 

complying with their responsibilities under OSHA law. Several 

OSHA programs and services can help employers identify and 

correct job hazards, as well as improve their injury and illness 

prevention program.

Establishing an Injury and Illness 

Prevention Program

The key to a safe and healthful work environment is a 

comprehensive injury and illness prevention program.

Injury and illness prevention programs are systems that can 

substantially reduce the number and severity of workplace 

injuries and illnesses, while reducing costs to employers. 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

5 0

Thousands of employers across the United States already 

manage safety using injury and illness prevention programs, and 

OSHA believes that all employers can and should do the same. 

Thirty-four states have requirements or voluntary guidelines 

for workplace injury and illness prevention programs. Most 

successful injury and illness prevention programs are based 

on a common set of key elements. These include management 

leadership, worker participation, hazard identification, hazard 

prevention and control, education and training, and program 

evaluation and improvement. Visit OSHA’s Injury and Illness 

Prevention Programs web page at www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/

safetyhealth for more information.

Compliance Assistance Specialists

OSHA has compliance assistance specialists throughout the 

nation located in most OSHA offices. Compliance assistance 

specialists can provide information to employers and workers 

about OSHA standards, short educational programs on specific 

hazards or OSHA rights and responsibilities, and information on 

additional compliance assistance resources. For more details, 

visit www.osha.gov/dcsp/compliance_assistance/cas.html or 

call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) to contact your local OSHA office.

Free On-site Safety and Health Consultation 

Services for Small Business

OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free and 

confidential advice to small and medium-sized businesses 

in all states across the country, with priority given to highhazard worksites. Each year, responding to requests from small 

employers looking to create or improve their safety and health 

management programs, OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program 

conducts over 29,000 visits to small business worksites 

covering over 1.5 million workers across the nation.

On-site consultation services are separate from enforcement 

and do not result in penalties or citations. Consultants from state 

agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace 

hazards, provide advice on compliance with OSHA standards, and 

assist in establishing safety and health management programs.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

5 1

For more information, to find the local On-site Consultation office 

in your state, or to request a brochure on Consultation Services, 

visit www.osha.gov/consultation, or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the consultation program, certain exemplary employers 

may request participation in OSHA’s Safety and Health 

Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Eligibility for 

participation includes, but is not limited to, receiving a fullservice, comprehensive consultation visit, correcting all 

identified hazards and developing an effective safety and 

health management program. Worksites that receive SHARP 

recognition are exempt from programmed inspections during 

the period that the SHARP certification is valid.

Cooperative Programs

OSHA offers cooperative programs under which businesses, 

labor groups and other organizations can work cooperatively 

with OSHA. To find out more about any of the following 

programs, visit www.osha.gov/cooperativeprograms.

Strategic Partnerships and Alliances

The OSHA Strategic Partnerships (OSP) provide the opportunity 

for OSHA to partner with employers, workers, professional or 

trade associations, labor organizations, and/or other interested 

stakeholders. OSHA Partnerships are formalized through unique 

agreements designed to encourage, assist, and recognize 

partner efforts to eliminate serious hazards and achieve model 

workplace safety and health practices. Through the Alliance 

Program, OSHA works with groups committed to worker safety 

and health to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses 

by developing compliance assistance tools and resources to 

share with workers and employers, and educate workers and 

employers about their rights and responsibilities.

Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)

The VPP recognize employers and workers in private industry 

and federal agencies who have implemented effective safety and 

health management programs and maintain injury and illness rates 

below the national average for their respective industries. In VPP, 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

5 2

management, labor, and OSHA work cooperatively and proactively 

to prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses through a system 

focused on: hazard prevention and control, worksite analysis, 

training, and management commitment and worker involvement.

Occupational Safety and Health Training

The OSHA Training Institute partners with 27 OSHA Training 

Institute Education Centers at 42 locations throughout the United 

States to deliver courses on OSHA standards and occupational 

safety and health topics to thousands of students a year. For more 

information on training courses, visit www.osha.gov/otiec.

OSHA Educational Materials

OSHA has many types of educational materials in English, 

Spanish, Vietnamese and other languages available in print or 

online. These include:

■ Brochures/booklets;

■ Fact Sheets;

■ Guidance documents that provide detailed examinations of 

specific safety and health issues;

■ Online Safety and Health Topics pages;

■ Posters;

■ Small, laminated QuickCardsTM that provide brief safety and 

health information; and

■ QuickTakes, OSHA’s free, twice-monthly online newsletter 

with the latest news about OSHA initiatives and products 

to assist employers and workers in finding and preventing 

workplace hazards. To sign up for QuickTakes visit www.

osha.gov/quicktakes.
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

5 3

To view materials available online or for a listing of free publications, 

visit www.osha.gov/publications. You can also call 1-800-321-OSHA 

(6742) to order publications. 

Select OSHA publications are available in e-Book format. OSHA 

e-Books are designed to increase readability on smartphones, tablets 

and other mobile devices. For access, go to www.osha.gov/ebooks. 

OSHA’s web site also has information on job hazards and injury 

and illness prevention for employers and workers. To learn more 

about OSHA’s safety and health resources online, visit www.osha.gov 

or www.osha.gov/html/a-z-index.html.

NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program

Getting Help with Health Hazards

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 

is a federal agency that conducts scientific and medical research 

on workers’ safety and health. At no cost to employers or workers, 

NIOSH can help identify health hazards and recommend ways to 

reduce or eliminate those hazards in the workplace through its 

Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Program.

Workers, union representatives and employers can request a 

NIOSH HHE. An HHE is often requested when there is a higher than 

expected rate of a disease or injury in a group of workers. These 

situations may be the result of an unknown cause, a new hazard, or a 

mixture of sources. To request a NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation go 

to www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/request.html. To find out more, in English 

or Spanish, about the Health Hazard Evaluation Program: 

E-mail HHERequestHelp@cdc.gov or call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

5 4

OSHA Regional Offices

Region I

Boston Regional Office

(CT*, ME*, MA, NH, RI, VT*) 

JFK Federal Building, Room E340

Boston, MA 02203

(617) 565-9860 (617) 565-9827 Fax 

Region II

New York Regional Office

(NJ*, NY*, PR*, VI*)

201 Varick Street, Room 670

New York, NY 10014

(212) 337-2378 (212) 337-2371 Fax

Region III

Philadelphia Regional Office

(DE, DC, MD*, PA, VA*, WV)

The Curtis Center

170 S. Independence Mall West

Suite 740 West

Philadelphia, PA 19106-3309

(215) 861-4900 (215) 861-4904 Fax

Region IV 

Atlanta Regional Office

(AL, FL, GA, KY*, MS, NC*, SC*, TN*)

61 Forsyth Street, SW, Room 6T50

Atlanta, GA 30303

(678) 237-0400 (678) 237-0447 Fax

Region V

Chicago Regional Office

(IL*, IN*, MI*, MN*, OH, WI)

230 South Dearborn Street 

Room 3244

Chicago, IL 60604

(312) 353-2220 (312) 353-7774 Fax
Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces

5 5

Region VI

Dallas Regional Office

(AR, LA, NM*, OK, TX)

525 Griffin Street, Room 602

Dallas, TX 75202

(972) 850-4145 (972) 850-4149 Fax

(972) 850-4150 FSO Fax

Region VII

Kansas City Regional Office

(IA*, KS, MO, NE)

Two Pershing Square Building

2300 Main Street, Suite 1010

Kansas City, MO 64108-2416

(816) 283-8745 (816) 283-0547 Fax

Region VIII

Denver Regional Office

(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT*, WY*)

Cesar Chavez Memorial Building

1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 551

Denver, CO 80204

(720) 264-6550 (720) 264-6585 Fax

Region IX 

San Francisco Regional Office

(AZ*, CA*, HI*, NV*, and American Samoa, 

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands)

90 7th Street, Suite 18100

San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 625-2547 (415) 625-2534 Fax

Region X

Seattle Regional Office

(AK*, ID, OR*, WA*)

300 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1280

Seattle, WA 98104

(206) 757-6700 (206) 757-6705 Fax
* These states and territories operate their own OSHA-approved 

job safety and health plans and cover state and local government 

employees as well as private sector employees. The Connecticut, 

Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, New York and Virgin Islands programs 

cover public employees only. (Private sector workers in these states 

are covered by Federal OSHA). States with approved programs must 

have standards that are identical to, or at least as effective as, the 

Federal OSHA standards.

Note: To get contact information for OSHA area offices, OSHAapproved state plans and OSHA consultation projects, please visit us 

online at www.osha.gov or call us at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).
How to Contact OSHA

For questions or to get information or advice, to 

report an emergency, fatality, inpatient hospitalization, 

amputation, or loss of an eye, or to file a confidential 

complaint, contact your nearest OSHA office, visit www.

osha.gov or call OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 

1-877-889-5627.

For assistance, contact us.

We are OSHA. We can help.
For more information:

Occupational 

Safety and Health

Administration

www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA (6742)

U.S. Department of Labor