Around The Vineyard Marketing & Safety

If entry is required in a permit-required confined space, the employer must provide an authorized entrant (the person who enters the space and conducts maintenance or cleaning operations), an attendant (a person who remains outside of the confined space), and an entry supervisor (the person who oversees the entry operations and ensures the entrants follow the permit and are safe). These personnel have specific duties that must occur to ensure safe entry into permit spaces. Their duties must be followed in order to comply with the OSHA Permit-Required Confined Spaces standard.

When the entry into the permit space is complete, the entry supervisor terminates the confined space entry. The entry supervisor can also cancel the entry of the confined space if the conditions within the space are no longer safe for the entrant. As a best practice, when the entry is complete, a debrief should be conducted with the entry personnel to determine if any changes are needed for future entry procedures. Employers are required to keep canceled entry permits for one year. Any deviations or problems with the entry should be noted on the canceled permits.

Even with a permit-required confined space program in place, emergencies can happen. It is important that local emergency responders are aware of the specific hazards associated with confined spaces in the workplace. Invite local emergency agencies to the workplace and evaluate their knowledge of confined space rescue, their rescue equipment, and their capabilities.

Having a permit-required confined space program in place will help vineyards and wineries avoid catastrophic incidents and costly OSHA citations. To learn more about Permit-Required Confined Spaces, go to osha.gov or ansi.org.

Steven R. Sawyer, ARM, MS, CSP, is the owner/ operator of LSW & Associates Safety Consulting Services, LLC. Sawyer has been active in the safety industry since 1999, much of that time working with multi-faceted, high-hazard agribusinesses, developing a special expertise in grain bin engulfment and prevention; OSHA grain handling standards; lockout/tagout (LOTO); machine guarding; confined spaces; heavy equipment and specialized equipment operations; and safety program development and training.

Website: sawyersafetysolutions.com