A confined space is any space that is large enough for an employee to enter, that has a restricted means of entry or exit, and that is not designed for continuous employee occupancy. All of these criteria must be met for a space to be classified as confined.
Examples of confined spaces include tanks, pits, certain tunnels, utility vaults, and boilers. The physical and atmospheric hazards often associated with confined spaces can cause serious injury or death to workers. The major factors that lead to injuries in
confined spaces include failure to recognize and control these hazards, and inadequate or incorrect emergency response.

The Project Manager must inform outside contractors of the potential hazards that may be encountered during their work in confined spaces at the University. This includes giving the contractor access to any information available on the confined spaces involved in their project.

Similarly, the contractor must inform the Project Manager of any changes made to a confined space in the course of their work. Any change, no matter how minor, would require a re-evaluation of the space by EHS before entry by University personnel would again be allowed.

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