1910.146(c)(5)(ii)(E): OSHA rule
Key takeaways
- 1910.146(c)(5)(ii)(E) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart J).
- OSHA cited it 7 times in the last 3 years, in 7 inspections, with $18,113 in current penalties.
- Related part: 1910.146(c) General requirements (1,090 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.146(c)(5)(ii)(E) is one requirement inside 1910.146 Permit-required confined spaces, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart J). The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(E) Continuous forced air ventilation shall be used, as follows: 7 citations
(1) An employee may not enter the space until the forced air ventilation has eliminated any hazardous atmosphere;
(2) The forced air ventilation shall be so directed as to ventilate the immediate areas where an employee is or will be present within the space and shall continue until all employees have left the space;
(3) The air supply for the forced air ventilation shall be from a clean source and may not increase the hazards in the space.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.146.
Where and how often it was cited
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Related parts of this rule
- 1910.146(c) General requirements 1,090 citations
- 1910.146(c)(2) 359 citations
- 1910.146(c)(1) 293 citations
- 1910.146(c)(4) 253 citations
- 1910.146(c)(5) 63 citations
- 1910.146(c)(5)(ii) 59 citations
- 1910.146(c)(7) 50 citations
- 1910.146(c)(3) 40 citations
- 1910.146(c)(7)(iii) 33 citations
- 1910.146(c)(5)(ii)(C) 24 citations
- 1910.146(c)(8) 19 citations
- 1910.146(c)(9) 11 citations
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About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.146 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-20
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.