Does anyone have a confined space safety document on file and one that they adhere to? The net is full of them however I was wondering if within this community if one has been used.

Are you looking for the standard pre entry check-list? OSHA has a sample form located in Appendix D to §1910.146 located here:

https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadis ... &p_id=9801

Most of what I have seen and used are based on this OSHA Sample.

Mike Ramsey

Mike, this looks more like a permit which can be used however I was looking at something that was more policy to be added to a safety manual.

Bob,

Here is a link to the Naval Safety Center which is geared toward "acquisition" however, it has links to many of the references. http://www.public.navy.mil/NAVSAFECEN/P ... paces.aspx

Shore facilities, as far as I know, pretty much follow OSHA. Forces afloat are not covered by OSHA (even though there is NAVOSH) but the regulations try to incorporate best practices. Roles and responsibilities are stated in OPNAVINST 5100.19. There is a link to it from the NAVSAFECEN page near the bottom. Here are the menus you have to click on:
OPNAVINST 5100.19
05000 General Management Safety and Security Services
05-100 Safety and Occupational Health Services
5100.19E - Volume I Part II
I hope it helps.

While we should think of a tender tank or a locomotive boiler as a confined space, there are other (more usual) confined spaces.

If your museum or heritage railroad maintains sewage lift pumps or other facilities in underground vaults, confined space entry rules should apply to those locations.

The water utility where I work trains its maintenance crews on confined space -- even a large, but only 3-1/2 or 4-foot deep, equipment vault with a cover that completely opens up is considered a confined space.

I’ve actually attended safety classes on this, Basically any space with restricted exit, making rescue of a disabled person difficult, usually only one way out, no ventilation, not intended for human occupancy.

Pretty much described the office I had for the last few years I worked.

For us in Illinois legally entering the space to work required three persons, (one in, two out) a gas tester ($400plus a new O2 sensor every 6 months), safety harness and line/winch, if the gas test was bad a blower with a duct until it was OK.

I’m sure you will have to check with your particular State regulations.

When I teach classes on railroad safety to emergency responders one of the points which I stress is that the interiors of locomotives, including the cab, and passenger cars, especially those which are pre-ADA, should be considered confined space because of the difficulty in extrication.

I hate to nitpick but "Confined Space Entry" should be "confined" to what it really is as far as regulations are concerned so the real meaning is not diluted. What you appear to be telling people is "it's hard to lug a body out of these places". Locomotive cabs and pre-ADA passenger cars were certainly intended to be continuously occupied and, except in unusual circumstances, would not require you to sample the atmosphere prior to entering or to post a tank watch. Interiors of boilers, tender tanks and drop table pits can have an atmosphere depleted of oxygen, high CO, CO2, acetylene, sulfur dioxide, etc... The idea is to know that a space is safe to enter before someone goes in and have someone competent to get help when something goes wrong - especially when it's hard to get in or out of - and have a plan to fall back on if something bad happens.