Confined Spaces

Summary

How to manage, assess, interact with, and safely enter confined spaces.

Who is this for?

Staff who manage or interact with confined spaces.

Confined spaces at Harvard

A confined space is large enough for a person to enter and perform work, has limited or restricted ways to enter or exit, and is not designed for continuous occupancy.

Examples include manholes, pipelines, sewers, silos, tanks, tunnels, and vaults.

Improperly managed confined spaces can be dangerous. Risks include:

Engulfment or drowning.
Heat, noise, or tripping hazards.
Low oxygen levels or toxic gases.
Mechanical, electrical, or moving parts.

Confined space requirements

Some jobs at Harvard require entering confined spaces to maintain and operate building systems.

Always follow confined space safety requirements, including:

Identify all confined spaces.
Before entering a confined space, evaluate potential hazards and risks.
Use the Confined Space Database to control entry and track safety for confined spaces with serious hazards.
Test air quality for oxygen content, flammability, and toxic substances before and during entry.
Provide adequate ventilation and control hazardous energy sources.
Ensure staff complete appropriate training.
Provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
Establish rescue procedures and ensure emergency equipment and responders are available.

Review the Harvard written confined space program to learn more about roles and responsibilities, hazard evaluations, entry requirements, auditing, and training.