Water Valve Pits are Permit-Required Confined Spaces (1926 Subpart AA – Confined Spaces in Construction)

19261203 A – Before it begins work at a worksite, each employer

must ensure that a competent person identifies all confined spaces

in which one or more of the employees it directs may work, and

identifies each space that is a permit space, through consideration

and evaluation of the elements of that space, including testing as

necessary.

19261203 E02 III – Before an employee enters the space, the internal

atmosphere must be tested, with a calibrated direct-reading instrument,

for oxygen content, for flammable gases and vapors, and for potential

toxic air contaminants, in that order. Any employee who enters the space,

or that employee’s authorized representative must be provided an

opportunity to observe the pre-entry testing required by this paragraph.

19261203 E02 IV – No hazardous atmosphere is permitted within the

space whenever any employee is inside the space.

19261203 E02 V A – An employee must not enter the space until the

forced air ventilation has eliminated any hazardous atmosphere;

19261207 A – The employer must provide training to each employee

whose work is regulated by this standard, at no cost to the employee,

and ensure that the employee possesses the understanding, knowledge,

and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under

this standard. This training must result in an understanding of the

hazards in the permit space and the methods used to isolate, control or in

other ways protect employees from these hazards, and for those employees

not authorized to perform entry rescues, in the dangers of attempting such

rescues

19040039 A01 – Within eight (8) hours after the death of any employee

as a result of a work-related incident, you must report the fatality to the

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department

of Labor.