The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s proposed Confined Spaces in Construction rule is unduly complicated and fails to recognize successful safety practices, the American Society of Safety Engineers claims. “This rule, if adopted without significant changes, provides less worker protection than what is required throughout the construction industry by the Z117.1-2003 standard,” says ASSE President Michael W. Thompson. “It also fails to address important confined space topics including harmonization of confined space classifications, hazard assessment, assignment of responsibilities, and the continued allowance of a chest harness as part of a vertical confined space rescue effort.”Thompson says that OSHA used
