New Hampshire Confined Spaces: What you need to know

New Hampshire does not have a federally approved occupational safety and health regulatory program for the state; therefore, private sector workplaces must comply with federal occupational safety and health standards.

The state has adopted its own confined space entry rule for public sector employers (state, county, and local government agencies, commissions, and school systems) in general industry workplaces that is substantially less comprehensive than the federal rule. The state has adopted additional public sector employer requirements for welding in confined spaces. See the state Welding, Cutting, and Brazing topic for more information.

The U.S. Department of Labor/Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) administers and enforces federal workplace safety and health requirements in private sector workplaces. The New Hampshire Department of Labor/Safety and Training Division administers safety and health rules for public sector workplaces.

The state's definition of a confined space mirrors the federal definition.

The employer must evaluate the workplace to determine if any areas are confined spaces.

The employer must meet the following requirements for a confined space:

• Inform exposed employees by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the confined spaces.
• Assign a minimum of two employees to the work activity involving entry into a confined space; one employee must act as an attendant/observer and remain outside of the space for the duration of the entry operation.
• Test conditions in the confined space before entry operations ...