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Part 9 Confined Spaces

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Hazard Assessment and Work Procedures

9.9 Hazard Assessment

(1) A hazard assessment must be conducted for each

(a) confined space, or each group of confined spaces which share similar characteristics, and

(b) work activity, or group of work activities which present similar hazards, to be performed inside a confined space.

(2) The hazard assessment required by subsection (1) must consider

(a) the conditions which may exist prior to entry due to the confined space's design, location or use, or which may develop during work activity inside the space, and

(b) the potential for oxygen enrichment and deficiency, flammable gas, vapour or mist, combustible dust, other hazardous atmospheres, harmful substances requiring lockout and isolation, engulfment and entrapment, and other hazardous conditions.

9.10 Procedures

Written procedures specifying the means to eliminate or minimize all hazards likely to prevail must be developed, based on the hazard assessment required by section 9.9.

9.11 Qualifications

(1) The hazard assessment and written confined space entry procedures must be prepared

(a) by a qualified person who has adequate training and experience in the recognition, evaluation and control of confined space hazards, and

(b) in consultation with the person assigned overall responsibility for administration of the confined space entry program and with the joint committee or the worker health and safety representative, as applicable.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a) qualifications which are acceptable as evidence of adequate training and experience include

(a) certified industrial hygienist (CIH), registered occupational hygienist (ROH), certified safety professional (CSP), Canadian registered safety professional (CRSP) or professional engineer (P. Eng.), provided that the holders of these qualifications have experience in the recognition, evaluation and control of confined space hazards, or

(b) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 243/2006, effective January 1, 2007.]

(c) other combination of education, training and experience acceptable to the Board.

       [Amended by B.C. Reg. 243/2006, effective January 1, 2007.]

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Disclaimer: WorkSafeBC ("Workers' Compensation Board of B.C.") publishes the online version Occupational Health and Safety Regulation ("OHS Regulation") in accordance with its mandate under the Workers Compensation Act to provide information and promote public awareness of occupational health and safety matters. The online OHS Regulation is not the official version of the OHS Regulation, which may be purchased from Crown Publications.

WorkSafeBC endeavours to update the online OHS Regulation as soon as possible following any legislative amendments. However, WorkSafeBC does not warrant the accuracy or the completeness of the online OHS Regulation, and neither WorkSafeBC nor its board of directors, employees or agents shall be liable to any person for any loss or damage of any nature, whether arising out of negligence or otherwise, arising from the use of the online OHS Regulation.

Employers are legally obligated to make a copy of the Workers' Compensation Act and the OHS Regulation readily available for review by workers. The circumstances under which WorkSafeBC may consider an employer's providing access to electronic versions of the Act and OHS Regulation to have satisfied this obligation are described in Guideline G-D3-115(2)(f).