National Technical Regulation QCVN 34:2018/BLDTBXH for Safe work in confined spaces

QCVN 34:2018/BLDTBXH

National technical regulation on safe work in confined spaces

Opening

QCVN 34:2018/BLDTBXH – National technical regulation on safe work in confined spaces is written by the Bureau for Safe Work and promulgated by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs under the Circular No. 29/2018/TT-BLDTBXH dated December 25, 2018 after the appraisal opinions from the Ministry of Science and Technology are received.

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON SAFE WORK IN CONFINED SPACES

1. Scope and regulated entities

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This Regulation specifies the requirements for safe work in confined spaces.

1.2. Regulated entities

This regulation is applicable to:

1.2.1. Organizations and individuals hiring employees to work in confined spaces;

1.2.2. Related agencies, organizations and individuals.

1.3. Definitions

1.3.1. Confined spaces mean any places that have the following features:

1.3.1.1. Big enough to contain working employees;

1.3.1.2. Technically, they shall not be a place where people regularly work;  

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1.3.1.4. Have one or all of the following restrictions:

- Restriction in space and working location;

- Restriction in exchanging air with the outside environment;

- Enter and exit entrances have restricted location or size (inconvenient for emergency escape);

1.3.2. Dangerous and harmful risks of the confined space are those that may cause death, injuries, exhaustion, breakdown and occupational diseases (acute or chronic) to people if they enter such confined space, including:

- A lack of oxygen in the atmosphere in the confined space (less than 19.5% compared to the volume inside the confined space);

- The air contains toxic or hazardous chemicals that may get inside the respiratory system of people (toxic and hazardous chemicals in form of air, steam or dust);

-   The presence of chemicals that may cause chemical and toxic exposure by contact with skin;

-  The presence of flammable chemicals that may take a variety of forms: solid, liquid, dust, steam or air due to a flammable heat source;

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-  Presence of excessive noise;

- Movable or fallen objects cause shock or injuries to people inside the confined space;

- Ultraviolet;

- X-radiation;

- Ionizing radiation;

- Charge carrier and electrical source are out of control and lead to an electric shock;

- People's vision is restricted;

- Spatial deformity causes unsafety;

- The presence of harmful microbes.

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1.3.4. Licensor is the one appointed by the employees to issue a license to the job performed in the confined space (or another equivalent document).   The licensor must have qualifications and experience in occupational safety and health pertaining to the production line, machines and equipment at the manufacturing facility which have the confined space.

1.3.5. People working inside the confined space are those allowed to enter and work directly or supervise the jobs in such space.

1.3.6. The security guard of the confined space is the one assigned to stand outside or near the enter or exit entrance to monitor and help people entering such space.

1.3.7. The air inspector of the confined space is the one allowed to measure and inspect the amount of Oxygen and toxic and flammable gases in such confined space, in order to ensure that these gases do not cross the permitted limit before or while the employees working in the confined space.

2. General provisions

2.1. Responsibilities

2.1.1. Responsibilities of the employer.

- Appoint and authorize the licensor or suspend his/her job when he/she does not comply with the regulations on confined space work license, or when he/she does not ensure occupational safety and health.

- Assign the air inspector to carry out his/her job in the confined space where there is a lack of air in the atmosphere or there is flammable and toxic steam or air. 

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- Be responsible for issuing the occupational safety and health process during the performance of jobs in the confined space and other job control process (if any), in order to ensure safety for people working in the confined space.

- Ensure that the supervisor, licensor, people entering the confined space and security guard receive trainings in occupational safety and health as regulated in section 4.2 hereof.

2.1.2. Responsibilities of the supervisor.

- Before performing jobs in the confined space, estimate the number of people working in such space and the security guards, as well as the methods for ensuring occupational safety and health for employees working here, in order to request the license for the job performed in this confined space;

- Direct and manage the job performance, in order to ensure occupational safety and health.

2.1.3. Responsibilities of the licensor

- Issue the license for the job performed in the confined space in accordance with the regulations on occupational safety and health and occupational safety and health process of the facility; regulations on the potential and standards for related individuals;

- Supervise the implementation of the regulations on job license in confined space.

2.1.4. Responsibilities of people entering the confined space

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- Comply with the management of the supervisor.

- Follow the guidance of the security guard.

- Notify the security guard, supervisor and other responsible persons if they detect any dangerous signs and new risks that occur during their job performance in the confined space.

2.1.5. Responsibilities of the security guard of the confined space

- Constantly present near the enter or exit entrance of the confined space to control people entering and leaving this place; record all of their personal information and time entering and leaving the confined space.

- Prevent and stop people who are not allowed or responsible from entering the confined space.

- Maintain regular communication with those who work in the confined space and support them if necessary.

- Notify the rescue team in case of emergency.

2.1.6. Responsibilities of the air inspector

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- Be responsible for inspecting the air metering equipment, in order to ensure that the measurement results are accurate.

- Perform the metering tasks by following the occupational safety and health process of the facility.

- Clearly specify the time and results. Sign and confirm the results from measurement and inspection of the air within the confined space in a note and announce the results to the licensor and the supervisor.

- Notify the responsible person at the facility if he/she detects any air measurement results that do not fall within the safety limit or at risk of crossing the safety limit.

2.2. Regulations on entering and exiting the confined space

2.2.1. The employer or the direct manager at the manufacturing facility shall complete his/her duty of evaluating the risks and controlling dangerous and harmful risks that may cause negative impacts to people before issuing the license and allowing people to enter the confined space.  If the risk measurement results show that the confined space is at high risk and may cause death, injuries or poisoning to people once they enter such space, remedies for such risks must be developed.

2.2.2. No one is allowed to enter the confined space without a license or an approval from the responsible person at the unit.

2.2.3. There must be a warning sign stating “dangerous area and no admission to non-duty bearers" at the entrance of the confined space.  When there is no one inside the confined space or the security guard is absent, the entrance or exit gate must be properly covered to prevent incompetent persons and those without a license from entering the confined space.

2.2.4. There must be sufficient light for people to work inside the confined space.

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The ventilation and air supply inside the confined space must come from a source of clean air in the outside environment.

The air released from the inside of the confined space to the outside environment shall not cause negative impacts to people working outside or around such confined space.

2.2.6. No one is allowed to enter the confined space without carrying out the safety methods.

2.2.7. Stopping the job inside the confined space and revoking the license

- When the air quality or dangerous and harmful risks of the confined space cause death, injuries, breakdown or occupational diseases to the employees, the security guard or other related people must report to the supervisor for him/her to suspend the job and ensure safety for those working in this confined space, as well as timely notifying the licensor.

- Once receiving the notification, the licensor must stop the job and revoke the job license.

2.2.8. Once the job within the confined space is completed, the supervisor and the licensor shall confirm about this job, in order to terminate the job license.

3. License for working in the confined space

3.1. The license for working in the confined space shall specify the following contents:

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- Description of the job to be done within the confined space;

- Full name of the supervisor;

- Full names of people working inside the confined space or the security guards;

- Full name of the licensor and the licensing time;

- Results from the measurement and inspection of the air within the confined space before the issuance of the license. Additional requirements for the air metering and inspection frequency and the location where such measurement and inspection are carried out before and during the working-time;

- Effective period of the license for working in the confined space;

- Safety methods shall be carried out before and shall be maintained during the working-time in the confined space;

- Other contents which satisfy the requirements of the manufacturing facility having the confined space.

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4. Other provisions

4.1. Permitted limit for the air within the confined space

- The amount of oxygen in the atmosphere shall take up from 19.5 % to 23.5% in terms of Volume.

- The amount of flammable gases in the confined space shall be less than 10% of the lower explosive limit of flammable gases.

- The amount of each hazardous chemical in the atmosphere within the confined space shall not exceed the permitted limit.

4.2. Contents of the training in occupational safety and health for the job in the confined space shall include:

- Dangerous or harmful risks that may occur during the performance of the job within the confined space;

- Methods for controlling dangerous and harmful risks;

- Methods for performing the job within the scope of occupational safety and health;

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4.3. Emergency support

4.3.1. People assigned to participate in the rescue force within the confined space must receive training in occupational safety and health with the contents specifying in section 4.2 hereof. 

4.3.2. The employer shall provide sufficient and necessary equipment for the rescue force.

5. Inspection and handling of violations

Violations committed during the implementation of this Regulation shall be inspected and handled by the state inspector qualified in occupational safety and health.

6. Responsibilities of organizations and individuals

6.1. Organizations and individuals hiring employees to work in the confined space shall comply with this Regulation.

6.2. This Regulation is the basis for agencies to inspect the ability to ensure occupational safety for employees working in the confined space.

7. Implementation

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7.2. State regulatory agencies managing local labor shall guide and inspect the implementation of this Regulation.

7.3. If any problem occurs during the implementation process, related agencies, organizations and individuals shall timely provide feedbacks to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs for consideration and solution./.