Confined Spaces

SMU Office of Risk Management (ORM) Team manages the confined space program on campus. SMU has hundreds of confined spaces on campus, and the program is to ensure the safety of students, faculty, staff, guest, and contractors. Any person entering a confined space on campus is required to follow the SMU Confined Space Program. For full details of confined spaces, hazards, hazard mitigation and SMU policies please review the January, 2026 ORM PRCS Program.

Types of Confined Spaces at SMU

Permit-Required Confined Spaces (PRCS) includes one or more of the following characteristics and therefore require a permit prior to entry:

  • Contains, or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere.
  • Contains material that has the potential to engulf an employee or entrant.
  • Contains an internal configuration such that an entrant could become trapped by sloped floors or inwardly configured walls.
  • Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.

Non-Permit Confined Spaces (NPCS) includes the following requirements: 

  • Large enough for an employee to enter and perform assigned work.
  • Limited or restricted means of entry or exit.
  • Not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

Permits

At SMU, we use work permits to help ensure safety. Confined Space Permits are required to enter a confined space by SMU policy and OSHA Federal Law. Below is the type of confined space permits issued on campus.

  • Permit-Required Confined Spaces (PRCS)

    • PRCS Permits is used when a known or likely potential hazards in a confined space cannot be eliminated, removed, or reduced to a safe working environment.
    • Examples of this include working in inert atmospheres, working in permit spaces where hazards cannot be isolated outside the space, where introducing hazards that cannot be eliminated, or for atmospheric hazards, cannot be eliminated or controlled by forced air ventilation.
    • PRCS require specialized training, minimum equipment, confined space rescue team.
    • Requires SMU ORM authorization before entering.

  • Non-Permit Required Confined Spaces (NPCS)

    • Non-permit required confined spaces are confined spaces that have been evaluated, have no hazard present, or the hazard has been removed. 
    • Employees may enter confined spaces after checking for potential hazards and eliminating those hazards.
    • Can remain a NPCS until the project is completed or a hazard is identified.
    • Can be used to document an enclosed space entry.
    • Entry without Permit/Attendant: May be entered without the need for a written permit or attendant provided that the space can be maintained in a safe condition for entry by mechanical ventilation alone, as provided in Section 1910.146(c)(5).

Definitions

Confined Space

  • Confined space contains all three following below:
    • A confined space is a location that is large enough for an employee to enter and perform assigned work.
    • A confined space has limited or restricted means of entry or exit.
    • A confined space is a location not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

Common Confined Spaces Examples: tunnels, sewers, tanks, manholes, small industrial spaces, storm drains, crawl spaces, electrical vaults, and basements.

Rescue Team

Rescue Teams are highly trained people who are authorized by ORM or governmental organizations having jurisdiction to enter a permit-required confined space to rescue injured entrants.

  • Rescue Teams are required for all permit-required confined spaces.
  • A rescue team must be notified before any permit-required confined space entry, or a confined space permit is released from SMU ORM.
  • For emergencies, call SMU Police Department at (214)-768-3333.
  • Calling 911 is not a substitute for having a standby rescue team.

Permit Request

SMU utilizes a Permit Request system to ensure the safety of everyone on campus. ORM must approve SMU Non-Permit Confined Space requests and Permit Required Confined Space Permits before any hazardous work begins. The Permit Request applies to all SMU faculty, staff, and service providers working under contract at any SMU owned and/or operated facilities. 

Requesting a Confined Space Permit Process

  1. First, employees will evaluate confined spaces for potential hazards.
  2. If employees are going to enter a known Permit-Required Confined Space or find a hazard that will be elevated as a confined space or to a permit-required confined space, they will notify their SMU Manager and contact SMU ORM.
    1. Employees will make every effort to remove hazards to make the area a non-permit confined space.
  3. Permits are requested through the online Permit Request as mentioned in the Contractors section of this procedure.
    1. Click Permit Request to view a list of programs that require a permit or, 
    2. The requester can also get to the same location by scanning the (PTW) QR codes.
  4. The requester will select the (PRCS) or the (NPCS) permit
    1. (NPCS), with all hazards removed, will be automatically approved and reviewed by ORM.
    2. (PRCS) will be evaluated by SMU ORM before they are approved to start work.
  5. When the project is completed, the permit requester will notify SMU ORM and work with them to close out the online permit.

All Confined Space Entry Permits are required to have the following:

  • A description of permit-required confined space to be entered.
  • Date, authorized duration and purpose of entry.
  • Names of authorized entrants, attendants, and entry supervisors.
  • Hazards of permit-required confined space (CS) to be entered and acceptable entry conditions.
  • The measures used to isolate permit required CS and measures used to eliminate or control its hazards before entry including LOTO and forced air ventilation.
  • Results of initial and continual atmospheric testing of PRCS.
  • Rescue and Emergency services that can be summoned and means for summoning those services.
  • Communication procedures used by authorized entrants and attendants to maintain contact during entry.
  • Equipment to be provided during entry.
  • Any other information necessary to help ensure employee safety.
  • Any additional permits that have been issued for work in PRCS.

Inventory

The majority of the confined spaces on campus do not have any known hazards. SMU Office of Risk Management (ORM) maintains an inventory of recognized Permit-Required Confined Spaces. Known Confined Spaces will be assessed and documented for potential hazards. Employees and Rescue teams should not rely on the information in the confined space inventory alone.

Revised on January 14, 2026