Confined Space Safety: Entrants, Attendants & Supervisors

Confined spaces such as tanks, vaults, manholes, silos and pits kill workers every year, and many of the dead are co-workers who rushed in to help. This course explains what makes a space confined, what the OSHA rules require, how to test and ventilate the air, how to isolate energy and engulfment hazards, how entry permits and the three entry roles work, and how to plan rescue before anyone goes in. It is an awareness-level course, not a substitute for the site-specific training your employer must provide.

What you’ll learn

• Recognize confined spaces and tell permit-required spaces from non-permit spaces
• Describe what OSHA 1910.146 and the construction confined space rule (Subpart AA) require
• Explain oxygen, flammable and toxic atmospheric hazards and how testing and monitoring work
• Identify engulfment, mechanical, electrical and other physical hazards and how isolation controls them
• Use ventilation and respiratory protection appropriately
• Explain the duties of the entrant, attendant and entry supervisor and read an entry permit
• Plan rescue and understand why untrained rescuers must never enter
• Apply good habits to contractors, reclassification, emergencies and common field mistakes

Who it’s for

Construction and industrial workers, utility crews, tank and vessel cleaners, plumbers, welders, maintenance staff, supervisors and safety coordinators who enter, attend or oversee work in confined spaces. No prior confined space training is needed.

Course outline

Module 1: What Makes a Space Confined 3 lessons · quiz

Definitions, examples, why these spaces kill, and the difference between permit-required and non-permit spaces.

• Why confined spaces kill 11 min Free preview
• The definition: what is a confined space? 12 min
• Permit-required vs. non-permit spaces 12 min

Module 2: The Rules and the Roles 3 lessons · quiz

OSHA's general industry and construction confined space rules, the written program, and who does what.

• OSHA 1910.146 and construction Subpart AA 12 min
• The written program and employer duties 11 min
• Entrant, attendant and entry supervisor 12 min

Module 3: Atmospheric Hazards and Testing 3 lessons · quiz

Oxygen, flammable and toxic atmospheres, how gas detectors work, and the right order for testing.

• Oxygen: too little and too much 12 min
• Flammable and toxic gases 12 min
• Gas detectors and testing in the right order 12 min

Module 4: Physical Hazards and Isolation 3 lessons · quiz

Engulfment, mechanical and electrical energy, heat, noise, entry and exit hazards, and how to isolate a space.

• Engulfment, entrapment and falls 11 min
• Mechanical, electrical and thermal hazards 12 min
• Isolation: locking out, blanking and purging 12 min

Module 5: Ventilation, PPE and Communication 3 lessons · quiz

Moving clean air through a space, choosing respirators, protective equipment and lighting, and staying in contact with the attendant.

• Ventilation that works 12 min
• Respirators and protective equipment 12 min
• Communication and lighting 11 min

Module 6: Entry Permits and Procedures 3 lessons · quiz

What a permit says, how a typical entry runs from start to finish, and what to do when conditions change.

• Reading an entry permit 12 min
• A typical entry from start to finish 12 min
• When conditions change: stop, leave, reassess 11 min

Module 7: Rescue and Emergencies 3 lessons · quiz

Why rescue must be planned first, non-entry retrieval, rescue services, and what the attendant does when something goes wrong.

• Plan the rescue before anyone enters 12 min
• Rescue services and drills 11 min
• The attendant's emergency role 11 min

Module 8: Special Situations and Good Habits 3 lessons · quiz

Alternate procedures, reclassification, contractors, common spaces such as manholes and tanks, and habits that prevent fatalities.

• Alternate procedures and reclassification 11 min
• Common spaces: manholes, tanks, silos and vaults 12 min
• Contractors, culture and common mistakes 11 min

What’s included

• 24 lessons you can read at your own pace, on a phone or a computer
• A short quiz after every module, with the correct answer shown for any you miss
• A final exam of 25 questions (pass at 80% or higher)
• A numbered certificate of completion with a QR code anyone can scan to verify it
• Your progress saved to your account, with access that doesn’t expire

Questions

Can an employer check my certificate? Yes. Each certificate has a number and a QR code that opens a public verification page on this site.

Can I get a refund? Yes, within 7 days of purchase if you have completed less than 25% of the course and haven’t earned its certificate. Email support@toddallynmedia.com. Details are in section 13 of the Terms of Use. Payment is handled by PayPal; we never see your card details.

What do I need? A free account and any phone, tablet or computer. Questions or problems? Email support@toddallynmedia.com.