Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(3):If the employer decides that its employees will not enter permit spaces, the employer shall take effective measures to prevent its employees from entering the permit spaces and shall comply with paragraphs (c)(1), (c)(2), (c)(6), and (c)(8) of this section. On or about May 11, 2021, the employer did not take effective measures to prevent employees and contractors from entering or working near a permit required confined space while working inside the Hot Strip Mill #2 Reheat Furnace. Contractor employees changed the configuration of the non-permit confined space #2 Hot Strip Mill Reheat Furnace and created a permit required confined space when they resealed the furnace scale pit opening. The employer did not take effective measures to prevent employees from entering or working near the permit space by informing employees and contractors the space contained a permit space by posting danger signs or effectively preventing entry to the scale pit [per 1910.146(c)(2) requirements], reevaluating the space after the changes were made to the scale pit opening [per 1910.146(c)(6)], apprising the contractor resealing the scale pit opening made the scale pit a permit space [per 1910.146(c)(8)(ii)], and/or apprising the contractor of precautions or procedures for entering or working near the permit space [per 1910.146(c)(8)(iii)].