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Tank Safety and Confined Space Entry:

• No person is permitted to enter a confined space alone.
• While the size of the space is irrelevant, most confined spaces in the workplace contain at least one of these four basic characteristics:

1.      The space’s entry or exit opening is limited or restricted, making it difficult for someone with life-saving equipment to enter in an emergency;

2.      The space contains known or potentially hazardous atmospheres, oxygen-deficiency, or toxic or flammable substances;

3.      The space is not designed for continuous occupancy by employees;

4.      Employees may become engulfed by fumes or entrapped in the space.

• Typically, areas such as access holes, pipes, tunnels, cold storage rooms, tanks, cargo holds, and void spaces are labeled as confined spaces. Another good rule-of-thumb test is whether the area is large enough for an employee to work in, but is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

Special precautions:

• Never go into a tank by yourself.
• Make sure the tank is properly lighted and ventilated.
• Do not go into a tank without a back-up or spare flashlight.
• Someone should be standing outside the tank ready to render assistance. If necessary, use portable UHF radios for communication.
• Never enter a tank until it is tested for oxygen content and explosive favors and it has been found to be safe for entry.