the space has been inspected and evaluated, you should take the following two steps:

1. Ensure that that personnel doing the work are confined space qualified. Ensure that proper respiratory equipment, safety belts, lifelines, and blowers are on hand.

2. Ensure monitoring equipment is in place and personnel are properly protected prior to entry of personnel into these spaces.

Where such hazards exist, the area must be controlled, and workers must wear proper respiratory equipment before entering the structure. Workers must be qualified to enter the space and receive instruction on the type of respiratory equipment for use in an emergency, and how to assemble and use this equipment properly.

At least two people should be assigned to each sewer job where there may be a hazard of broken or leaking pipes. One person should always be in a relatively safe position and be prepared to help in an emergency. To help dissipate toxic or flammable gas in a sewer or underground sewage pumping plant, remove the manhole cover several minutes before a worker descends. (See EM 385-1-1, Safety and Health Requirements Manual, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulations, 29 CFR 1910, for more information.)

CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

Wear goggles, gloves, and other protective clothing in all pipe-fitting, pipe-handling, and plumbing work, particularly when you are handling hot metal or acid or flying material could injure your eyes. When using compressed air to clean out sand, dirt, or scale from pipes before installation, you should wear goggles.

Wear flameproof garments when using blow torches, welding torches, or similar tools. Plumbers should wear heavy coveralls and leggings that cover the in step to protect against hot lead; if unavailable, the regular working uniform may be acceptable.

When entering deep tanks, deep sewers, and other deep underground structures, you should wear a safety belt and a lifeline.

Use portable blowers for tank, pit, or manhole work where you suspect noxious gases, vapors, or a lack of oxygen. These blowers should have vapor-proof, totally enclosed motors or non-sparking gas engines. Place the blowers at least 6 feet away from the opening and on the leeward side protected from wind, so they do not ignite flammable gas.

TOOLS

The following precautions apply to tools in general. Since pipe wrenches are one of the plumber's most important tools, precautions for these tools are in the following section.

Keep tools and appliances in good condition. Replace worn tools. Check hammer handles frequently; do not use hammers with broken or cracked handles. Also, do not let tools or materials clutter up the floor and become stumbling hazards. Pick up pieces of scrap pipe promptly and dump them in the scrap bin or scrap tubs for the next pickup.

Vise jaws should be used to grip material securely. When threads are being cut and during backing off operations, hold the stock firmly. Protect freshly cut threads with caps or couplings whenever possible. Guard against sharp burrs or fins. When operating a pipe-threading machine, determine the clearance of the pipe before starting the machine.

You should NEVER drop a cold ladle or other cold material into a pot of molten lead. It will explode.

PIPE WRENCHES

Never use an extension on a pipe wrench. The wrench was not made to handle this strain. Be sure there is plenty of clearance if the wrench should slip. Ensure that an adjustable pipe wrench faces forward in the direction the handle is to turn. When you use it in that way, an adjustable wrench can withstand the greatest force, because the pulling force is applied to the stationary jaw side of the handle. Also, an adjustable wrench should always bite near the middle of the jaws, because there are teeth in front if the wrench slips. Do not overwork small wrenches, avoid side strain, and never use them as hammers.

PIPE HANDLING

Workers should wear leather or leather-faced gloves when handling pipe. They should also stand to one side when pipe is being unloaded from a truck. Pipe should be piled so the ends are even and do not project into walkways. Pipe should be stacked straight; that is, not crossed.

Pipe should not be piled directly on the bare ground; racks or dunnage should be provided. 5-39