A confined space entry permit is the per-entry document that authorizes a specific worker to enter a specific space at a specific time, under controls verified at the moment of entry. It is not the same thing as the broader confined space hazard assessment or the Company Confined Space Program (which the permit references). The program is the workplace-level system. The hazard assessment is the space-level analysis. The permit is the entry-level authorization. Under Ontario Regulation 632/05, every confined space entry in Ontario requires a permit, and the permit must be completed and signed by a competent person before entry. This guide walks through every section a defensible Ontario permit must contain, ties each section to the regulation it satisfies, and explains the working details Ministry inspectors look for. It draws on over 20 years of CCL practitioner experience building confined space programs and permits for Ontario industrial and agricultural workplaces.
Why a Confined Space Entry Permit Is Required
Section 10 of O. Reg. 632/05 is the operative provision. It requires that an entry permit be completed before any worker enters a confined space, that the permit be available at the work location for the duration of the entry, and that the permit be signed by a competent person before the entry begins. The permit serves three functions at once. It documents the hazards that have been identified for the specific entry. It records the controls that have been put in place to address each hazard. And it authorizes the entry by tying the worker, the space, the time, and the controls together in a single signed document.
The competent person requirement is the part that programs most often weaken. A competent person under the OHSA is qualified by knowledge, training, and experience to perform the work, familiar with the OHSA and the applicable regulations, and aware of the potential hazards. For a confined space permit, this typically means a CRSP-credentialed practitioner or equivalent with confined space experience. The competent person reviews the permit, verifies that the controls are in place, and signs to authorise the entry. A permit signed by anyone other than a competent person is not a valid permit.
The permit references the broader Company Confined Space Program. The program supplies the hazard assessment methodology, the rescue capability, the training records, and the recordkeeping system. The permit consumes those program outputs at the entry level. Generic permit templates fail because every confined space is different, and a template that does not reflect the specific space produces a permit that does not satisfy the regulation. For a plain-language walkthrough of the regulation itself, see Ontario Regulation 632/05 Explained, or read the full regulation at ontario.ca/laws/regulation/050632.
The 10 Sections of a Compliant Permit
A defensible Ontario confined space entry permit captures ten sections of information, in this order: space details, space determination, space description and dimensions, the space hazard assessment, the hazard assessment controls, the required PPE, the space access equipment, the rescue equipment, the site-specific rescue plans, and the photo log and documentation. Each section answers a specific question that the regulation requires the employer to answer before the entry can proceed.
All ten sections must be present in the permit document for the permit to satisfy O. Reg. 632/05 Section 10. Missing any one of them produces a permit that is, in effect, an authorization without a basis. CCL's experience reviewing permits in incident investigations is that missing or weak sections are the single most common compliance gap. The permit is not just an authorization; it is also the combined hazard assessment plus plan plus permit document for the specific entry, with the Company Confined Space Program providing the surrounding system. CSA Z1006:23, the National Standard of Canada for confined space management, is the recognized benchmark for the structure and content of permits in Ontario.
For a section-by-section walkthrough of the standard see CSA Z1006:23 Explained. The remainder of this guide walks through each of the ten sections in the order they appear on the permit document.
Section 1: Space Details
The space details section identifies the specific confined space the permit covers. It is not a category, it is this exact space. The permit captures: a description of the space (for example, "Tank 4 north access" rather than "process tank"), the location (site address plus the specific location at the site), an indoor versus outdoor classification, the date of assessment, the on-site Site Liaison name and phone number for the entry, the third-party assessor identification if one is involved, and a Hazard Assessment Number that ties the permit back to the broader program file. The Site Liaison is the on-site representative authorized to make operational decisions during the entry.
Section 2: Space Determination
Before any of the rest of the permit applies, the space has to be classified. O. Reg. 632/05 turns on a three-question test that determines whether the space is a confined space, a restricted space, or neither.
- Question 1: Is the space fully or partially enclosed?
- Question 2: Is the space NOT designed for continuous human occupancy?
- Question 3: Is there potential for a hazardous atmosphere?
The permit captures the answers and applies the regulation accordingly. If all three answers are yes, the space is a confined space and the full requirements of O. Reg. 632/05 apply. If questions 1 and 2 are yes but question 3 is no, the space is a restricted space, which carries lighter regulatory requirements but still requires risk-based controls (the program treats it as an entry that needs a written plan even though the full confined space regime does not apply). If questions 1 and 2 are both no, the space is not a regulated entry under the confined space regulation and a different framework applies.
This section comes second on the permit because the classification drives everything that follows. If the space is a confined space, every subsequent section applies in full. If it is a restricted space, several sections still apply but the rescue and atmospheric requirements differ. Skipping or mis-classifying this step invalidates the rest of the permit.
Section 3: Space Description and Dimensions
This section captures the physical characteristics of the space: the type or purpose (process tank, sewer manhole, grain bin, boiler, pit), the construction material (concrete, steel, fiberglass, lined steel), and the approximate dimensions (length by width by depth). It also captures the access type and dimensions (manhole, top hatch, side hatch, fixed ladder, drop shaft) and the height of the access above grade or above the working platform. Volume is recorded so ventilation calculations can be carried out.
The section also captures the expected work activities and any hot work activities (welding, torching, gluing, abrasive blasting, coatings application). It records what was previously contained in the space and what residue or content could create a hazardous atmosphere during the entry. Each detail matters for the hazard analysis that follows in Section 4. A permit that does not capture the construction material, for example, cannot anticipate the off-gassing risks of solvent residue in a fiberglass tank compared to a stainless steel tank.
Section 4: Space Hazard Assessment
This is the atmospheric hazard core of the permit. The section captures the atmospheric monitoring instrument used (make, model, serial number, calibration date, bump test date), and the acceptable atmospheric levels for the entry. CCL's working thresholds for general industrial entry, supported by CSA Z1006:23 and the manufacturer specifications of every modern multi-gas instrument, are: oxygen between 19.5 and 23 per cent by volume, lower explosive limit (LEL) below 5 per cent, carbon monoxide below 25 ppm, and hydrogen sulphide below 10 ppm.
Beyond the standard 4-gas readings, the section captures specific hazards that the space could present: inert gas potential (nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide where the space may have been purged or where adjacent process generates inert gas), toxic gas generation (methane in agricultural digesters or sewer work, ammonia in food and beverage refrigeration, chlorine in water treatment), vapours and fumes and smoke and dust from process residue or from the work itself, hazardous energy sources that require lockout (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, stored mechanical), content removal requirements (sludge, scale, bulk material that has to be removed before entry), exhaust gases from nearby vehicles or fuel-fired heaters, and any other materials capable of creating a hazardous atmosphere.
For the practitioner-level walkthrough of how to set up atmospheric monitoring under O. Reg. 632/05, see Confined Space Gas Monitoring in Ontario.
Section 5: Hazard Assessment Controls
Section 5 of the permit is the control matrix. For each hazard identified in Section 4, the permit captures whether the hazard exists or is not applicable, the applied control (the engineering, administrative, or PPE measure used to manage the hazard), and an initial column. The initial column is left blank during permit preparation and is filled in by hand at the time of use, when the attendant or competent person on site verifies the control is in place and effective.
Common controls populated in this matrix include: ventilation (forced or exhaust, with the capacity matched to the space volume), lockout of electrical and other energy sources, continuous atmospheric monitoring during the entry, supplied air respirators where the atmosphere cannot be made and kept safe by ventilation alone, and PPE selected from Section 6. The principle is straightforward: if a hazard exists, a control must be specified, and the control must be verified on site at the time of use. A permit with hazards identified but controls left blank is not a permit; it is a list of unresolved problems.
Section 6: Required PPE
The required PPE section lists every personal protective equipment item the entry requires, with a required-versus-not-applicable flag for each item, and an initial column filled in at time of use. The standard items captured are:
- Full body harness conforming to CSA Z259.10 (the only acceptable attachment point for fall arrest and retrieval).
- Respirator (half-face, full-face, or supplied air, depending on the contaminant and the duration of the entry).
- Life line attached to the dorsal D-ring of the harness.
- Hearing protection if noise levels require it.
- Protective eyewear matched to the work activities.
- Hard hat for any work where overhead hazards exist.
- Gloves selected for the chemical, thermal, and mechanical hazards of the work.
- Coveralls or chemical-resistant suit as required.
- Communication device (hardline, radio, or purpose-built confined space communication system).
- Other case-specific items (escape respirator, supplied air umbilical, dosimeter, gas detector tube kit).
For the integration between PPE selection and fall protection requirements specifically, see Fall Protection for Confined Space Entry in Ontario.
Section 7: Space Access Equipment
The access equipment section records the equipment used to enter and exit the space: a fixed access ladder (built into the space), a portable ladder (positioned for the entry), a scaffold, a man lift, a tripod with hoist, or other equipment specific to the entry. The equipment must be specified on the permit and its condition verified at time of use. A tripod that has been damaged in transit, a ladder with a missing rung, or a scaffold with loose components is removed from service and the entry does not proceed until functioning equipment is in place.
Section 8: Rescue Equipment
Rescue equipment is captured separately from access equipment because the rescue plan does not always reuse the access setup. The section records the rescue equipment positioned and ready for the entry: a tripod and winch retrieval system (the standard non-entry rescue configuration), davits where geometry requires them, lifelines and engineered anchor points, a portable ladder or scaffold or man lift kept in reserve as additional access, a first aid kit on site, and other items specific to the entry (radios, cell phone, supplied air for rescue).
The rescuer training requirement is captured in this section as well. The attendant outside the space is not a rescuer for entry rescue purposes. A trained third-party rescue team is required where entry rescue is part of the plan, and that team has to be identified and on call at the time of entry.
Section 9: Site-Specific Rescue Plans
The rescue plan section is the most under-developed section in the permits CCL reviews in audits. The regulation requires a rescue plan that is specific to the space and the entry; a generic rescue plan is not adequate. The permit captures the chosen plan from a hierarchy of three options.
- Self-rescue. Always the preferred plan when feasible. The entrant exits the space under their own power on alarm or instruction. The attendant verifies the exit. Self-rescue requires that the entrant remain conscious and capable.
- Non-entry rescue. The second priority. A retrieval line attached to the entrant's dorsal D-ring runs through a tripod or davit to a winch operated by the attendant. If the entrant becomes incapacitated, the attendant cranks the entrant out without entering the space. This is the standard configuration for vertical confined space entries.
- Entry rescue. The last resort. A trained third-party rescue team enters the space to retrieve the entrant. Entry rescue requires the team to be on site or on call within a defined response time, and requires equipment and training the on-site attendant does not have. Entry rescue is built into the plan only when self-rescue and non-entry rescue are not feasible for the space.
The attendant cannot enter the space to perform rescue under O. Reg. 632/05 Section 11 unless trained and equipped for entry rescue, and even then only with another attendant in place outside. The five conditions that trigger immediate exit are captured on the permit: atmospheric reading outside acceptable range, alarm activation on any sensor, communication loss between entrant and attendant, change in process or adjacent activity that could affect the space, and any new hazard observed during the entry. The competent person verifies the rescue plan section before signing the permit.
Section 10: Photo Log and Documentation
Photographs of the space are part of the permit record. Standard practice captures the access point from outside, the interior from the access point, any visible hazards, and the equipment positioned for the entry (tripod, ventilation, monitoring instrument). Each photo carries a description and comments identifying what is shown. Visual documentation matters for three reasons: regulator audits use the photos to confirm the controls were in place, multi-employer coordination relies on the photos to brief contractors and rescue teams, and training programs use the photos as case material for future entries.
The recordkeeping requirement under O. Reg. 632/05 is the longer of one year after the permit is created or until the two most recent records exist for that confined space. Most Ontario employers retain permits for the full duration of the confined space program file as a due diligence baseline.
Competent Person Verification
The final step in the permit workflow is the competent person verification and signature. This is the most commonly missed step CCL identifies in program audits. A permit that has been completed by a non-competent person and signed off as a formality is not a valid permit, even if every section is otherwise correct.
Under O. Reg. 632/05 a competent person is qualified by knowledge, training, and experience to perform the work, familiar with the OHSA and applicable regulations, and aware of the potential hazards. For confined space permit verification, this typically means a CRSP-credentialed practitioner or equivalent with confined space experience. The competent person verifies the permit by reviewing each section, confirming that the controls in Section 5 match the hazards in Section 4, confirming that the rescue plan in Section 9 is feasible for the specific space, and signing the permit to authorise the entry.
The relationship between the permit and the broader Company Confined Space Program is what makes the verification meaningful. The permit references the program for hazard assessment methodology, training records, equipment inspection schedules, and rescue capability. Without supporting program documentation the permit has nothing to reference. This is the second most common audit failure: a permit completed in good faith but unsupported by a documented Company Confined Space Program. The same pattern applies to lockout/tagout work under Reg. 851; for the analogous LOTO program engagement see Lockout/Tagout Program Development. Confined space program engagements live at Confined Space Program Development.
For a free starting point that produces a permit aligned to the ten-section structure described above, use the confined space entry permit generator. For the regulation in its source form, see the official Ontario version at ontario.ca/laws/regulation/050632 or the cross-referenced CanLII version at canlii.org. For the CSA Z1006:23 standard the permit structure is built to, see csagroup.org. If your workplace is unsure whether the provincial or federal framework applies, see Provincial vs Federal Confined Space Regulations, or the main Confined Space Training and Programs page for service detail. To start with the tool, the permit generator is free and produces a hosted permit document with photo upload for any Ontario confined space entry.