Solutions
Solutions for
K-12
K-12
Learn MoreEducator & Staff Training
Educator & Staff Training
Improve compliance and deliver critical professional development with online courses and management system
Learn moreStudent Safety & Wellness Program NEW
Student Safety & Wellness Program
Keep students safe and healthy with safety, well-being, and social and emotional learning courses and lessons
Learn moreProfessional Growth Management
Professional Growth Management
Integrated software to manage and track evaluations and professional development and deliver online training
Learn moreAnonymous Reporting & Safety Communications
Anonymous Reporting & Safety Communications
Empower your school community to ask for help to improve school safety and prevent crises before they occur
Learn moreIncident & EHS Management
Incident & EHS Management
Streamline safety incident reporting and management to improve safety, reduce risk, and increase compliance
Learn moreHigher Education
Higher Education
Learn MoreStudent Training
Student Training
Increase safety, well-being, and belonging with proven-effective training on critical prevention topics
Learn moreFaculty & Staff Training
Faculty & Staff Training
Create a safe, healthy, and welcoming campus environment and improve compliance with online training courses
Learn moreCampus Climate Surveys
Campus Climate Surveys
Simplify VAWA compliance with easy, scalable survey deployment, tracking, and reporting
Learn moreAnonymous Reporting & Safety Communications
Anonymous Reporting & Safety Communications
Empower your faculty, staff, and students to take an active role in protecting themselves and others
Learn moreIncident & EHS Management
Incident & EHS Management
Streamline safety incident reporting and management to improve safety, reduce risk, and increase compliance
Learn moreManufacturing
Manufacturing
Learn MoreSafety Training NEW
Safety Training
Elevate performance and productivity while reducing risk across your entire organization with online training.
Learn moreIndustrial Skills Training NEW
Industrial Skills Training
Close skills gap, maximize production, and drive consistency with online training
Learn morePaper Manufacturing Training
Paper Manufacturing Training
Enhance worker expertise and problem-solving skills while ensuring optimal production efficiency.
Learn moreHR & Compliance
Provide role-specific knowledge, develop skills, and improve employee retention with career development training.
Learning Management System (LMS)
Learning Management System (LMS)
Assign, track, and report role-based skills and compliance training for the entire workforce
Learn moreEHS Management
EHS Management
Track, Analyze, Report Health and Safety Activities and Data for the Industrial Workforce
Learn moreSafety Communication
Safety Communication
Enhance the safety for the industrial workforce with two-way risk communications, tools, and resources
Learn moreFire Departments
Fire Departments
Learn MoreTraining Management
Training Management
A training management system tailored for the fire service--track all training, EMS recerts, skill evaluations, ISO, and more in one place
Learn moreCrew Shift Scheduling
Crew Shift Scheduling
Simplify 24/7 staffing and give firefighters the convenience of accepting callbacks and shifts from a mobile device
Learn moreChecks & Inventory Management
Checks & Inventory Management
Streamline truck checks, PPE inspections, controlled substance tracking, and equipment maintenance with a convenient mobile app
Learn moreExposure and Critical Incident Monitoring NEW
Exposure and Critical Incident Monitoring
Document exposures and critical incidents and protect your personnels’ mental and physical wellness
Learn moreEMS
EMS
Learn MoreTraining Management and Recertification
Training Management and Recertification
A training management system tailored for EMS services—EMS online courses for recerts, mobile-enabled skill evaluations, and more
Learn moreEMS Shift Scheduling
EMS Shift Scheduling
Simplify 24/7 staffing and give medics the convenience of managing their schedules from a mobile device
Learn moreInventory Management
Inventory Management
Streamline vehicle checks, controlled substance tracking, and equipment maintenance with a convenient mobile app
Learn moreWellness Monitoring & Exposure Tracking NEW
Wellness Monitoring & Exposure Tracking
Document exposures and critical incidents and protect your personnels’ mental and physical wellness
Learn moreLaw Enforcement
Law Enforcement
Learn MoreTraining and FTO Management
Training and FTO Management
Increase performance, reduce risk, and ensure compliance with a training management system tailored for your FTO/PTO and in-service training
Learn moreEarly Intervention & Performance Management
Early Intervention & Performance Management
Equip leaders with a tool for performance management and early intervention that helps build positive agency culture
Learn moreOfficer Shift Scheduling
Officer Shift Scheduling
Simplify 24/7 staffing and give officers the convenience of managing their schedules from a mobile device
Learn moreAsset Mangagement & Inspections
Asset Mangagement & Inspections
Streamline equipment checks and vehicle maintenance to ensure everything is working correctly and serviced regularly
Learn moreEnergy
Learn MoreSafety Training
Safety Training
Elevate performance and productivity while reducing risk across your entire organization with online training.
Learn moreEnergy Skills Training
Energy Skills Training
Empower your team with skills and safety training to ensure compliance and continuous advancement.
Learn moreHR & Compliance
Provide role-specific knowledge, develop skills, and improve employee retention with career development training.
Learning Management System (LMS)
Learning Management System (LMS)
Assign, track, and report role-based skills and compliance training for the entire workforce
Learn moreEHS Management
EHS Management
Track, analyze, report health and safety activities and data for the industrial workforce
Learn moreLone Worker Safety
Lone Worker Safety
Enhance lone worker safety with two way risk communications, tools, and resources
Learn moreGovernment
Learn MoreFederal Training Management
Federal Training Management
Lower training costs and increase readiness with a unified system designed for high-risk, complex training and compliance operations.
Learn moreMilitary Training Management
Military Training Management
Increase mission-readiness and operational efficiency with a unified system that optimizes military training and certification operations.
Learn moreLocal Government Training Management
Local Government Training Management
Technology to train, prepare, and retain your people
Learn moreFire Marshall Training & Compliance
Fire Marshall Training & Compliance
Improve fire service certification and renewal operations to ensure compliance and a get a comprehensive single source of truth.
Learn moreFire Academy Automation
Fire Academy Automation
Elevate fire academy training with automation software, enhancing efficiency and compliance.
Learn morePOST Training & Compliance
POST Training & Compliance
Streamline your training and standards operations to ensure compliance and put an end to siloed data.
Learn moreLaw Enforcement Academy Automation
Law Enforcement Academy Automation
Modernize law enforcement training with automation software that optimizing processes and centralizes academy information in one system.
Learn moreEHS Management
EHS Management
Simplify incident reporting to OSHA and reduce risk with detailed investigation management.
Learn moreArchitecture, Engineering & Construction
Architecture, Engineering & Construction
Learn MoreLearning Management System (LMS)
Learning Management System (LMS)
Ensure licensed professionals receive compliance and CE training via online courses and learning management.
Learn moreOnline Continuing Education
Online Continuing Education
Keep AEC staff licensed in all 50 states for 100+ certifications with online training
Learn moreTraining
Training
Drive organizational success with training that grows skills and aligns with the latest codes and standards
Learn moreEHS Management
EHS Management
Track, Analyze, Report Health and Safety Activities and Data for AEC Worksites
Learn moreHR & Compliance
HR & Compliance
Provide role-specific knowledge, develop skills, and improve employee retention with career development training.
Safety Communication
Safety Communication
Enhance AEC workforce safety with two-way risk communications, tools, and resources
Learn moreCasino
Casino
Learn MoreAnti-Money Laundering Training
Anti-Money Laundering Training
Reduce risk in casino operations with Title 31 and Anti-Money Laundering training compliance
Learn moreEmployee Training
Employee Training
Deliver our leading AML and casino-specific online courses to stay compliant with national and state standards
Learn moreLearning Management System (LMS)
Learning Management System (LMS)
Streamline training operations, increase employee effectiveness, and reduce liability with our LMS for casinos
Learn moreEHS Management
EHS Management
Simplify incident reporting to OSHA and reduce risk with detailed investigation management
Learn moreEmployee Scheduling
Employee Scheduling
Equip your employees with a mobile app to manage their schedules and simplify your 24/7 staff scheduling
Learn moreIndustries
Industry
Resources
Resource Center
Expert insights to boost training
Resource type
Course Catalogs
Company
Course Center
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has published a general industry standard, and a construction industry standard for engaging in confined space work. You must know the differences between these standards, the defined roles for confined space workers, and requirements for confined space training.
OSHA's confined space standard for general industry workers, (29 CFR 1910.146) and its more recent confined space standard for the construction industry (26 CFR 1926 Subpart AA) aim to protect workers that enter confined spaces. Confined spaces are some of the most dangerous areas for an employee to be working in due to limited or restricted entry and exit points. As such it is critical you follow OSHA's confined space standards to keep your workers safe.
We've put together this helpful resource to help you comply with these regulations, and mitigate or eliminate the risks of an incident when your employees are working in or around a confined space. You'll learn the differences between OSHA's two standards, the circumstances in which each are applicable, and software tools for confined space training.
OSHA's construction standard contains many of the same requirements outlined in the general industry standard, which has protected workers for nearly two decades. However, there are a few key differences between these two standards that you should be aware of.
In the construction industry, it's extremely unlikely that only a single employer will be operating at a building site, especially throughout more complex projects.
As a result, OSHA's confined space standard for the construction industry includes detailed provisions for when there are multiple employers, contractors, and subcontractors at a worksite that will need to enter the same confined space.
The burden of ensuring compliance with the construction standard falls on the site's host employer, who must ensure all parties are following OSHA regulations. Ultimately, though, it's in everyone's best interest to comply, as both contractors and the host employer can be cited for confined space violations under OSHA’s multi-employer citation policy (CPL 2-0.124), which states the following:
“On multi-employer worksites, more than one employer may be citable for a hazardous condition that violates an OSHA standard."
You should also be aware that OSHA's construction standard defines four roles for employees involved in working in permit-required confined spaces.
These roles are:
These are any employees who are authorized by the employer to enter a permit space and perform the work. Entrants will be trained in all the safe procedures for working in confined spaces, including the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and how to monitor the air quality while inside a confined space. Because communication is so important between entry team members, entrants will also be trained to use communication equipment such as walkie-talkies to stay in touch with attendants.
These are employees that are designated to continuously maintain an accurate count of all authorized entrants in the permit space. An attendant's job is to stay by the entrance and monitor what goes on both inside and outside the space. Attendants must make quick, informed decisions about whether it's safe for the entry to continue, or if the work should be stopped and the entrants should be evacuated.
Before any worker enters a permit space, the entry supervisor must certify that all of the required safety tests have been made, and that all needed required procedures and equipment are in place. The supervisor will also make certain that rescue services are standing by, and that the systems used to contact them are working, too. When satisfied, the supervisor will sign off on the confined space's entry permit, and the work can proceed.
Entry supervisors will also monitor the progress of the work in the space, to ensure that it proceeds within the guidelines established by the Permit.
These personnel are responsible to assist in evacuating the confined space in the event of an emergency. Employees who conduct rescues must be provided with proper PPE and rescue equipment, while also being trained in the proficient use of that equipment. Employers must inform each rescue team of the hazards they may confront when called to perform a rescue. You must also provide the rescue team access to all permit spaces in which rescue may be necessary so that the team can develop appropriate rescue plans and practice rescue operations.
It's critical that you designate which employees are assigned these roles. If no employee is clearly designated as an authorized entrant, OSHA will consider this an implicit decision to allow any employees to enter the confined space if they are working near it.
Regardless of whether any unauthorized employees actually enter the confined space, a failure to designate authorized entrants is a violation of the construction standard and will result in hefty OSHA fines and citations.
Whether you need to follow OSHA's confined space standard for general industry or construction, depends on if the work that needs to be done in the confined space could be classified as maintenance or a construction activity.
If maintenance is being performed, you need to follow OSHA's general industry standard. If any construction activity needs to be conducted in the space, you need to follow OSHA's construction standard. It might seem simple, but keep in mind that you may actually need to comply with BOTH standards, depending on the tasks at hand.
If you're not sure what standard to follow, OSHA has also released several letters of interruption (LOI) that should help. In these letters, the agency defines maintenance as:
Construction activities, on the other hand, should be defined as “… work for construction, alteration, and/or repair, including painting and decorating.” The agency also clarifies that construction work is not limited to new construction, but can include the repair of existing facilities or the replacement of structures and their components.
For example, the replacement of one utility pole with a new, identical pole would be maintenance; however, if it were replaced with an improved pole or equipment, it would be considered construction.
It's important to evaluate your work carefully so that you understand what standards and requirements you'll need to follow for a project.
Confined space standards for BOTH the general and construction industries place great emphasis on safety training.
Involved employees performing each entry role described above have specific safety training requirements based on potential hazards in the confined space, and the tasks they'll be carrying out. These requirements also determine when individuals assigned to a certain role must receive training.
For example, employees who are designated as part of the search and rescue team have to be trained as authorized entrants as well as performing rescue duties. This means that each employee in the emergency and rescue team must be trained in basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). At least one member of the rescue team needs to have an active certification in basic first aid and CPR.
The standard also requires the rescue team to practice performing confined space rescues before attempting an actual rescue. This type of training needs to reoccur on an annual basis (once every 12 months) by performing simulated rescue operations in a replicated confined space.
It's important for the rescue team to perform practice rescues and for all employees to maintain training compliance. In a study conducted in 2017 by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), rescuers were shown to account for approximately 60% of confined-space fatalities. The study also found that only 15% of ALL employees involved in a confined space incident had received confined space training.
Though training is critically important for worker safety, it's no secret that scheduling and coordinating it can be difficult, time-consuming, and can even delay work.
You can streamline the safety training process by using online training management systems to schedule and track their employee training. The latter is particularly important, as both OSHA's general industry and construction standards require organizations to maintain detailed training records. You'll need to be able to easily provide an OSHA compliance officer with training records in the event that your business is subject to an OSHA inspection.
It may be beneficial to also consider online training content for easy training delivery. Full-length online courses have been found to be effective for safety training while minimizing overhead costs.
Online safety training courses can also contain mid-point quizzes and learning checks to improve employee engagement and verify that learners have the knowledge they need to work safely in confined spaces.
In the event of a lack of oxygen, workers only have 4 minutes to escape a confined space. When workers know the safety training basics, the time it takes to return to a safe area is dramatically reduced and could potentially save lives.