For those who have been adamant and faithful followers of 1910.146, know that the standard requires the Entry Supervisor to verify rescue services are available and that the means for summoning them are operable BEFORE he/she signs the entry permit and allows entry to begin. Although we get a lot of pushback on this, as many people do not believe this is actually required for EACH ENTRY, here is the actual wording…
1910.146(j) Duties of entry supervisors. The employer shall ensure that each entry supervisor:
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1910.146(j)(4) Verifies that rescue services are available and that the means for summoning them are operable;
But with the new Confined Spaces in Construction, OSHA has CLOSED the gap in the old 1910.146. For those of you that have been contacting your rescue service before entry has come to realize, is that there is no requirement of the entry supervisor to know when the “rescue service” is no longer “available”. For example, the local FD is the rescue service. The entry supervisor contacts them to verify they are “available”; but 10 minutes after that phone call the FD is called to a fire on the other side of town, thus they are now “UN-available”. But as I stated above, OSHA closed this gap, as the new Confined Spaces in Construction standard actually states…
The entry employer must ensure that each entry supervisor:
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1926.1210(d) Verifies that rescue services are available and that the means for summoning them are operable, and that the employer will be notified as soon as the services become unavailable;
Whether the responsibility lies with the entry supervisor or the rescue service, it is CLEAR that somehow/some way when the rescue services find themselves “UN-available”, the entry supervisor will be made aware of this and YES this means THE ENTRY WILL STOP, PERMIT IS VOIDED SUSPENDED until such time the entry can be made in full compliance OR the space is “reclassified” if it is eligible for such an action.
5/27/2015 UPDATE: I stated the permit would be voided and a long-time supporter of SAFTENG was kind enough to point out that 1926.1205 contains a provision for “suspending” the permit rather than voiding it and having to start over. MANY THANKS, M.H.!!!
1926.1205(e) The entry supervisor must terminate entry and take the following action when any of the following apply:
1926.1205(e)(1) Cancel the entry permit when the entry operations covered by the entry permit have been completed; or
1926.1205(e)(2) Suspend or cancel the entry permit and fully reassess the space before allowing reentry when a condition that is not allowed under the entry permit arises in or near the permit space and that condition is temporary in nature and does not change the configuration of the space or create any new hazards within it; and
1926.1205(e)(3) Cancel the entry permit when a condition that is not allowed under the entry permit arises in or near the permit space and that condition is not covered by paragraph (e)(2) of this section.
PLEASE read Why is 1910.146(j)(4) INVISIBLE in most every PRCS Entry Program/Procedure? for more on this
