The Importance of OSHA in Confined Space Monitoring

In order to learn from practical experience, it is sometimes extremely important to make mistakes – and then learn from those mistakes. In doing so, you will find that this is indeed a highly effective way of increasing your competency levels and of understanding a specific subject. However, this particular statement is only limited to certain aspects of our lives. As far as confined space monitoring is concerned, the cost of learning from your mistakes can also lead to a cost in the number of lives lost.

Confined spaces are indeed extremely deadly and more often than not, making mistakes in a confined space can lead to many injuries and death. There are many mistakes that people tend to make while in confined spaces. Learning about these mistakes before you enter such a space is advisable towards establishing an efficient confined space air monitoring program. The biggest mistake however, is the mistake of neglecting the OSHA standards related to confined spaces.

The worst mistake you can make is to not brush up on your OSHA standards and recommendations. It is very important to first understand what kind of hazards you might face and how the OSHA standards can arm you with the right kind of knowledge to put to use while in a confined space. OSHA has defined the confined spaces in its standards and considers a confined space to be any space that is large enough for a worker to physically enter and work in. However, the worker will have very limited means to enter or exit this space.

If you happen to be working in a space that meets all the above criteria, then your next step should be to consider whether it meets the OSHA’s definition of a permit required space. If a confines space also contains any potentially hazardous environment or material that can endanger a person entering the space, then certain safety measures should be taken to ensure that the entrant can enter and work safely within the space.

The OSHA standards are more than just lines of safety terms. They are in reality a blueprint of the practices and procedures that should be implemented in any safety program. Many of the confined space air monitoring mistakes can be reduced and even eliminated with the OSHA safety standards. This is why it is very important for safety managers and workers to follow the OSHA standards.

Yes, the biggest mistake any contractor would make would be to send his workers in a confined space without brushing up on the OSHA standards and recommendations. The OSHA standards are extremely important and can detail all the precise safety measures that one can take before entering a confined space. Confined space air monitoring is very important, as the lack of this can result in you exposing your workers to potentially dangerous toxic fumes and gases that could lead to asphyxiation and death.