Most BC contractors know they need a confined space entry permit. Fewer know exactly when the Regulation requires one, or what it says the permit has to contain. This is a plain-language walk through the permit rules in Part 9 of the WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation, with section numbers so you can check each one yourself.
First: is it a confined space?
Section 9.1 defines a confined space as an area, other than an underground working, that is enclosed or partially enclosed, is not designed or intended for continuous human occupancy, has limited or restricted means of entry or exit that may complicate first aid, evacuation or rescue, and is large enough and configured so a worker could enter to do assigned work. All four parts apply. Before anything else, the employer has to identify each confined space in the workplace and decide whether a worker will need to enter it (s.9.2).
When the Regulation requires an entry permit
Under s.9.13(1), an entry permit must be completed and signed by the responsible supervisor before a worker enters a confined space:
- with a high hazard atmosphere,
- that requires lockout or isolation procedures to be followed, or
- in which there is a hazard of entrapment or engulfment.
Many employers choose to use a permit for every entry, because it puts testing, standby and rescue arrangements on one page. That is good practice, but it is a company rule rather than what s.9.13 itself requires, so write your own procedures accordingly.
What a permit must contain
Section 9.14 says an entry permit must identify the confined space and the work activities it applies to, the workers who are inside the space, the required precautions, and the time the permit expires. The permit must be posted at each designated point of entry (s.9.13(2)), with an exception if it is posted at one entry point, the other entry points carry up-to-date information on whether it is safe to enter, and all authorized workers know where the permit is posted (s.9.13(3)).
Changing a permit once it is issued
Section 9.15 limits who can alter an issued permit: the responsible supervisor who signed it, the standby worker (to update the list of workers inside), and the tester (to record test results). The supervisor must re-authorize and sign the permit if the work crew changes, after each shift change, or after a change of responsible supervisor (s.9.15(3)). A copy of the signed permit must be kept for at least one year (s.9.16).
The atmosphere testing that sits behind the permit
Pre-entry testing has to happen not more than 20 minutes before a worker enters (s.9.25(2)), and must be repeated if everyone has been out of the space for more than 20 minutes (s.9.25(3)). While a worker is inside a moderate or high hazard atmosphere, additional testing must be done as necessary to ensure continuing safety (s.9.25(4)), and continuous monitoring is required if a flammable or explosive atmosphere above 20% of the lower explosive limit could develop (s.9.25(6)). Pre-entry testing may be skipped only for a low hazard atmosphere that meets all four conditions in s.9.25(7).
A good oxygen reading clears the oxygen hazard only. Section 9.1 describes clean respirable air as about 20.9% oxygen and no measurable flammable gas and no contaminant above 10% of its exposure limit. Oxygen, flammable gas, H2S and CO are separate tests. Read why a 20.9% reading doesn't mean safe.
Standby person rules change with the hazard level
| Atmosphere | Section | Standby person check-in |
|---|---|---|
| Low hazard | s.9.34 | Check on workers at least every 20 minutes; means to summon rescue |
| Moderate hazard | s.9.35 | Stationed at or near the entrance; visual or other check at least every 20 minutes |
| High hazard, engulfment or entrapment | s.9.36 | Stationed at the entrance; continuous attendance and monitoring |
Rescue is part of the permit conversation
The employer must provide rescue services when a worker enters a confined space (s.9.37(1)). If rescue persons work for another firm or agency such as a fire department, there must be a written agreement detailing the services (s.9.37(2)). Rescue persons must be properly equipped and trained, and a practice drill must be conducted at least annually (s.9.38). Rescue personnel must be notified before entry and when work is finished (s.9.39).
The permit itself is the easy part. The discipline is in filling it in the same way every time. The free BC Safety Docs permit is a two-page Word document built around these sections, with a 16-row atmospheric monitoring log, permit amendment signature blocks for mid-job changes and a rescue plan section.