OSHA 3138 - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (29 CFR 1910.146) - Confined Spaces Permit-Required Program Overview

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca

A guidance booklet describing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s role in promoting safer, healthier workplaces and enforcing standards. It provides an overview of OSHA confined-space requirements, including how “permit-required confined space” is defined by size, design, and hazards such as hazardous atmospheres, engulfment potential, internal configurations that can trap or asphyxiate entrants, and other recognized serious safety or health risks. It also outlines employer responsibilities for evaluating worksites, informing employees, using effective measures to prevent entry, and developing written permit space programs, with section-by-section coverage.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Definition of Confined Space

Permit-Required Confined Space Characteristics

OSHA’s Confined Spaces Standard

Employer Responsibilities

Entering Permit-Required Confined Spaces

Alternate Procedures for Worker Entry

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􀀞onditions. 􀀃 onfinement itself m􀀛y pose entr􀀛pment h􀀛z􀀛rds 􀀛nd work in 􀀞onfined sp􀀛􀀞es m􀀛y keep employees 􀀞 loser to h􀀛z􀀛rds su􀀞h 􀀛s m􀀛􀀞hinery 􀀞omponents th􀀛n they would 􀀝 e otherwise. 􀀆 or ex􀀛mple, 􀀞onfinement, limited 􀀛􀀞􀀞ess 􀀛nd restri􀀞ted 􀀛 irflow 􀀞􀀛n result in h􀀛z􀀛rdous 􀀞onditions th􀀛t would not norm􀀛lly 􀀛rise in 􀀛n open workpl􀀛􀀞e.
􀀔he terms “permit-required 􀀞onfined sp􀀛􀀞e” 􀀛nd “permit sp􀀛􀀞e”refer to sp􀀛􀀞es th􀀛t meet 􀀏􀀓􀀈􀀁’s definition of 􀀛 “􀀞onfined sp􀀛􀀞e”
􀀛nd 􀀞ont􀀛 in he􀀛 lth or s􀀛fety h􀀛z􀀛rds. 􀀆 or this re􀀛son, 􀀏􀀓􀀈􀀁 requires workers to h􀀛ve 􀀛 permit to enter these sp􀀛􀀞es. 􀀔hroughout this pu􀀝li􀀞􀀛tion, the term “permit sp􀀛􀀞e” will 􀀝 e used to des􀀞ri􀀝e 􀀛 “permit-required 􀀞onfined sp􀀛􀀞e.”
􀀃 􀀕􀀗􀀝n􀀝 t􀀝 ons | 􀀂y definition, 􀀛 􀀋􀀙􀀗􀀐􀀕􀀗􀀎􀀍 􀀞􀀛􀀊􀀋􀀎 ■ 􀀉 s l􀀛rge enough for 􀀛n employee to enter fully 􀀛nd perform 􀀛ssigned work; ■ 􀀉 s not designed for 􀀞ontinuous o􀀞􀀞up􀀛n􀀞y 􀀝y the employee; 􀀛nd ■ 􀀈 􀀛s 􀀛 limited or restri􀀞ted me􀀛ns of entry or exit. 􀀔hese sp􀀛􀀞es m􀀛y in􀀞lude underground v􀀛ults, t􀀛nks, stor􀀛ge 􀀝ins, pits 􀀛nd diked 􀀛re􀀛s, vessels, silos 􀀛nd other simil􀀛r 􀀛re􀀛s. 􀀂y definition, 􀀛 􀀛􀀎􀀝􀀖􀀕t􀀔􀀝􀀎􀀜u􀀕 􀀝􀀎􀀍 􀀋􀀙􀀗􀀐􀀕􀀗􀀎􀀍 􀀞􀀛􀀊􀀋􀀎 h􀀛s one or more of these 􀀞 h􀀛r􀀛􀀞teristi􀀞s ■ 􀀃 ont􀀛ins or h􀀛s the potenti􀀛 l to 􀀞on

FAQs

What does OSHA 3138 cover?

OSHA 3138 provides an overview of OSHA’s confined space standards, including the definition of permit-required confined spaces and employer responsibilities under 29 CFR 1910.146.

How is a “permit-required confined space” defined in the document?

It is a confined space that is large enough to enter and perform assigned work, not designed for continuous occupancy, and has limited or restricted means of entry or exit, along with one or more hazard characteristics.

What must employers do if employees might enter permit-required confined spaces?

Employers must develop a written permit space program and make it available to employees or their representatives, and take other required measures when entry is expected.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca