Confined Spaces for Employers: 01. Rules and Responsibilities

Being trapped in a confined space as poisonous gas fills the air sounds like a nightmare, right? This could be a potential reality because more than 1.5 million American workers are sometimes required to work in confined spaces. The atmosphere in a confined space can become hazardous quickly. Accidents can cause workers to be buried alive, or flash flooding can occur. Of all the workplace fatalities tracked by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), about 3% occur in confined spaces due to asphyxiation, drowning, or explosions. As an employer, you need to understand how serious these situations are. Moving forward, we're going to highlight key aspects of the OSHA confined spaces standard. If you're in charge of compliance at your organization, it's highly recommended that you read the entire standard and check state and local regulations.