1910.146(i)(6): Attendant Orders Evacuation
The attendant must monitor activities inside and outside the permit space and order entrants to evacuate immediately if a prohibited condition is detected, an entrant shows behavioral effects of hazard exposure, a situation outside could endanger entrants, or the attendant cannot effectively and safely perform all required duties.
Key takeaways
- 1910.146(i)(6) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart J).
- OSHA cited it 2 times in the last 3 years, in 2 inspections, with $8,460 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Related part: 1910.146(i) Duties of attendants (24 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.146(i)(6) is one requirement inside 1910.146 Permit-required confined spaces, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart J). It includes 4 sub-paragraphs. 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
(6) Monitors activities inside and outside the space to determine if it is safe for entrants to remain in the space and orders the authorized entrants to evacuate the permit space immediately under any of the following conditions; 2 citations
(i) If the attendant detects a prohibited condition; Open (i)(6)(i) 1 citations
(ii) If the attendant detects the behavioral effects of hazard exposure in an authorized entrant;
(iii) If the attendant detects a situation outside the space that could endanger the authorized entrants; or 1 citations
(iv) If the attendant cannot effectively and safely perform all the duties required under paragraph (i) of this section;
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.146.
Injuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.146(i)(6).
At 10:30 p.m. on April 25, 2024, Employee #1 was pushing corn grain that was in a flat storage structure with a payloader. Employee #1 got out of the payloader and stood on a 3-4-foot-high pile of grain. Employee #1 was engulfed in grain and…
Where and how often it was cited
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.146(i)(6), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.146(i)(6).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.146(i) Duties of attendants 24 citations
- 1910.146(i)(1) 7 citations
- 1910.146(i)(6)(i) 1 citations
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Frequently asked questions
When must the attendant order evacuation?
On detecting a prohibited condition, behavioral effects of exposure, an outside danger, or when the attendant cannot effectively and safely do the duties.
What does the attendant monitor?
Activities inside and outside the space.
How fast must entrants leave?
Immediately.
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.