NFPA Standards Council has approved the preliminary draft of NFPA 350, Guide for Safe Confined Space Entry and Work, and it is open for public input. The guide incorporates best practices for confined space activities such as hot work and emergency rescue operations. The document offers guidance on how to implement requirements of existing standards, primarily OSHA 1910.146, for example, how to perform tests to verify a safe atmosphere prior to entry. The guide also includes information on equipment selection, calibration and limitations, and explains how to select and locate ventilation equipment in order to eliminate and control atmospheric hazards.
According to NFPA, the guide also incorporates additional information such as adjacent space hazards and personnel competencies, as well as best practices such as management of change and prevention through design.
The committee encourages interested parties to read the document and submit input before the closing date of Jan. 3, 2014.
A Blog From the American Society of Safety Engineers