1910.146(j): Entry Supervisor Duties
Employers must make sure each entry supervisor knows the hazards of the entry, verifies all permit tests, procedures and equipment are in place before signing the permit, ends the entry and cancels the permit when required, confirms rescue services are available and can be summoned, removes unauthorized people, and checks that conditions stay acceptable when responsibility is transferred and at intervals set by the hazards.
Key takeaways
- 1910.146(j) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart J).
- OSHA cited it 37 times in the last 3 years, in 33 inspections, with $251,943 in current penalties.
- 3 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: IL (5), OH (5), MI (4).
- Related part: 1910.146(j)(2) (20 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.146(j) ("Duties of entry supervisors") is one requirement inside 1910.146 Permit-required confined spaces, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart J). It includes 6 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
(j) Duties of entry supervisors. The employer shall ensure that each entry supervisor: 37 citations
(1) Knows the hazards that may be faced during entry, including information on the mode, signs or symptoms, and consequences of the exposure; Open (j)(1) 3 citations
(2) Verifies, by checking that the appropriate entries have been made on the permit, that all tests specified by the permit have been conducted and that all procedures and equipment specified by the permit are in place before endorsing the permit and allowing entry to begin; Open (j)(2) 20 citations
(3) Terminates the entry and cancels the permit as required by paragraph (e)(5) of this section; 2 citations
(4) Verifies that rescue services are available and that the means for summoning them are operable; Open (j)(4) 10 citations
(5) Removes unauthorized individuals who enter or who attempt to enter the permit space during entry operations; and
(6) Determines, whenever responsibility for a permit space entry operation is transferred and at intervals dictated by the hazards and operations performed within the space, that entry operations remain consistent with terms of the entry permit and that acceptable entry conditions are maintained.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.146.
Export the list: 33 inspections cited 1910.146(j) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moInjuries linked to this rule
3 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.146(j).
At approximately 9:34 a.m. on January 10, 2025, an employee was directed to enter a 23,737-gallon rail tank car containing residues of PCBs and transformer oil to obtain wipe samples of the interior surfaces. The rail tank car was a permit-required confined space. The employee…
Full case list with employer, penalty, filters and download is part of OSHA Data (Purple Belt).
Unlock with Purple BeltWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 13 |
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2026 | 10 |
Top states: IL (5), OH (5), MI (4), TX (4), TN (3)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| QUALAWASH HOLDINGS, LLC | LA PORTE, TX | $150,000 |
| CLEAN HARBORS ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES INC. | TWINSBURG, OH | $33,100 |
| JOBE MATERIALS, L.P. | EL PASO, TX | $16,550 |
| FCX2026XJW184X0203 - GOWAN MILLING COMPANY, L.L.C. | YUMA, AZ | $11,823 |
| AMERICAN GYPSUM CO | BERNALILLO, NM | $7,616 |
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.146(j), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.146(j).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.146(j)(2) 20 citations
- 1910.146(j)(4) 10 citations
- 1910.146(j)(1) 3 citations
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Frequently asked questions
What must an entry supervisor verify before signing a permit?
That all tests specified by the permit have been conducted and all procedures and equipment specified are in place.
Does the entry supervisor deal with rescue?
Yes. They must verify rescue services are available and the means for summoning them are operable.
What if an unauthorized person tries to enter?
The entry supervisor must remove unauthorized individuals who enter or attempt to enter the permit space.
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 2026-11-06
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.