CSA Z1006:16 (R2020)

This is the second edition of CSA Z1006, Management of work in confined spaces. It supersedes the previous edition published in 2010.

This Standard specifies requirements for and provides guidance on the activities required to manage all aspects of work in confined spaces in accordance with the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle and management system principles, such as those set out in CAN/CSA-Z1000-14, Occupational health and safety management. This Standard specifies requirements concerning management commitment, leadership, and participation, assignment of roles and responsibilities, identification of confined spaces, identification of hazards, risk assessment, selection and application of controls, design considerations, training, monitoring and measurement, emergency response, documentation, internal audits, and management reviews. Five informative Annexes provide guidance on implementing this Standard’s normative requirements, including sample forms that can be customized for the specific needs of the user.

Changes in this edition include:

a) improvement of the flow and readability of the document with the inclusion of additional flowcharts and tables and restructuring of content and clauses

b) addition of three informative Annexes to elaborate and provide additional information on rescue planning, atmospheric testing, monitoring, and instrumentation, and ventilation systems

c) harmonization of this Standard with CAN/CSA-Z1000, CAN/CSA-Z1001, and CAN/CSA-Z1002

d) elaboration on the information regarding workspace design and modification

CSA acknowledges that the development of this Standard was made possible, in part, by the financial support of federal, provincial, and territorial occupational health and safety government agencies.

Introduction:

This Standard provides

a) an overview of the steps an organization needs to take to establish and maintain an effective confined space management program

b) safety information for workers entering confined spaces and for persons responsible for ensuring the safety of such workers

c) requirements for confined space emergency preparedness and rescue

This Standard is consistent with CAN/CSA-Z1000 in that it is intended to help users integrate their confined space management program into an organization’s existing occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS). Like CAN/CSA-Z1000, this Standard is organized into clauses based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model. However, use of this Standard is not contingent on an organization having an OHSMS.

Clause 4 specifies general requirements for a comprehensive confined space management program.

Clauses 5 to 8 specify requirements for planning and implementing a confined space management program. Clause 5 specifies roles and responsibilities. Clause 6 specifies requirements for hazard identification and risk assessment, development of entry procedures, emergency response planning, and assessment of worker capability for performing assigned duties within a confined space. Clause 7 specifies requirements related to training, Clause 8 specifies requirements related to controls, emergency response activities, and documentation.

Clauses 9 and 10 specify requirements related to incident investigation and analysis, corrective actions, internal audits, and management reviews. These activities can help ensure worker safety and facilitate continual improvement of a confined space management program.

Annexes A through E provide guidance on implementing this Standard’s requirements and include sample forms.

Scope:

1.1 General

This Standard is designed to be used with related occupational or technical standards. It is intended to be referenced by other standards as the primary set of requirements for health and safety management of work in confined spaces.

This Standard is designed for voluntary application in Canadian workplaces. However, the principles established in this Standard are based on best practices recognized internationally. As such they can be applied to any workplace.

Note: At the time of publication, confined space legislation differs from jurisdiction to jurisdiction in Canada. It is the user’s responsibility to determine how applicable legislative requirements relate to this Standard.

1.2 Applications

This Standard specifies requirements for

a) establishing and maintaining a confined space management program in accordance with OHSMS principles

b) the roles and responsibilities of management, the entry team, and the emergency response team

c) identification and designation of confined spaces

d) design and engineering of confined spaces

e) hazard identification and risk assessment relating to work in confined spaces

f) management and control of hazards and risks associated with work in confined spaces

g) personal protective equipment (PPE) and other equipment used for work in confined spaces

h) general safety procedures for confined spaces

i) training for work in confined spaces

j) determining worker capability of performing assigned duties within confined spaces

k) emergency plans for rescuing workers in confined spaces

l) management of external service providers

m) documentation

1.3 Exclusions

This Standard does not address safety management of

a) enclosures or structures designed and constructed for continuous human occupancy

b) underwater enclosures

Note: For underwater enclosures, see the requirements for penetration diving specified in CSA Z275.2.

1.4 Terminology

In this Standard, “shall” is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the standard. Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.

1.5 Units of measure

The values given in SI units are the units of record for the purposes of this Standard. The values given in parentheses are for information and comparison only.