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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently proposed a new confined spaces standard specifically for construction work. The proposed rule has the potential to help reduce fatalities and injuries among construction workers performing work in "confined spaces," which range from manholes and tunnels, to crawl spaces under buildings, to crowded electrical equipment closets. These locations present particular safety problems caused by lack of mobility, reduced communications with other workers, and the difficulty of exiting quickly in an emergency. Additional hazards exist for the rescue teams in place in case of emergency.

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), an organization that places electrical and construction worker safety as one of its highest priorities, agrees that OSHA's strengthened requirements for confined spaces are necessary, however, voiced strong concerns about particular aspects of the proposed rule. Michael Johnston, NECA's Executive Director of Standards and Safety, submitted comments to OSHA that clearly define NECA's concerns and, in some cases, offer suggestions and alternatives to OSHA's plan. According to Johnston, "Regulations, codes, and standards are effective when they are understandable, practical, and enforceable. NECA has concerns about the complexity and additional burden of the new proposed regulations. Additional costs associated with their implementation may cause some in the industry to ignore the rules in some cases, placing workers at greater risk.

NECA also offered comments about specific portions of the construction work for confined spaces proposal, including:

• Equipment necessary for a single attendant to monitor multiple Permit-Required Confined Spaces (PRCS)
• Mechanical device(s) for vertical retrieval during rescue
• Timely response to a rescue summons
• Maintaining Controlled Atmosphere Confined Space (CACS) and Isolated Hazard Confined Space (IHCS) verification documents

NECA's comments were offered in response to OSHA's request for feedback surrounding the proposed standards.