Reference Guide

CSA Z1006:23 Explained: A Plain-Language Guide to the Canadian Standard for Confined Space Management

Plain-language guide to Canada's national standard for confined space program management: the Plan-Do-Check-Act framework, what the 14-area scope covers, how it relates to provincial and federal regulations, and what changed in the 2023 edition.

What CSA Z1006:23 Is

CSA Z1006:23 specifies requirements for and provides guidance on activities required to manage all aspects of work in confined spaces. The standard is designed to be referenced by other standards and regulations as the primary set of requirements for health and safety management of work in confined spaces.

The third edition (2023) introduces several changes from the 2016 edition:

Improved flow and readability with additional flowcharts and tables
Harmonization with CSA Z45001 (occupational health and safety management systems), CAN/CSA-Z1001 (occupational health and safety training), and CAN/CSA-Z1002 (occupational health and safety hazard identification and elimination)
Elaboration on workspace design and modification
Expanded guidance on monitoring confined spaces remotely through the use of technology

The standard is voluntary in most Canadian workplaces unless referenced in applicable legislation or required by an employer's policies.

The Plan-Do-Check-Act Framework

CSA Z1006:23 is structured around the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, the same continuous improvement framework used in CSA Z45001 and other modern occupational health and safety management standards.

In the context of confined space management:

Plan: Identify confined spaces, assess hazards, develop entry procedures, plan training, plan rescue
Do: Implement controls, deliver training, conduct entries with proper procedures
Check: Monitor program effectiveness, audit entries, investigate incidents
Act: Implement corrective actions, update procedures, improve the program continuously

This framework integrates confined space management into the broader occupational health and safety management system rather than treating it as a standalone compliance obligation.

Scope of the Standard

CSA Z1006:23 specifies requirements covering 14 areas:

Establishing and maintaining a confined space management program in accordance with OHSMS principles
Roles and responsibilities of management, the entry team, and the emergency response team
Identification and designation of confined spaces
Design and engineering of confined spaces
Hazard identification and risk assessment
Management and control of hazards and risks
Personal protective equipment and other equipment
General safety procedures for confined spaces
Remote monitoring (new in the 2023 edition)
Training for work in confined spaces
Determining worker capability for assigned duties
Emergency plans for rescuing workers
Management of external service providers
Documentation

How the Standard Is Organized

The standard is organized into 10 clauses:

Clause 4 specifies general requirements for a comprehensive confined space management program
Clause 5 specifies roles and responsibilities for management, the entry team, and the emergency response team
Clause 6 specifies requirements for hazard identification, risk assessment, entry procedure development, emergency response planning, and worker capability assessment
Clause 7 specifies training requirements
Clause 8 specifies requirements related to controls, emergency response activities, and documentation
Clauses 9 and 10 specify requirements for incident investigation, corrective actions, internal audits, and management reviews

Five informative annexes provide guidance on rescue planning, atmospheric testing, monitoring and instrumentation, ventilation systems, and workspace design and modification.

How CSA Z1006:23 Relates to O. Reg. 632/05 and Part XI of COHSR

CSA Z1006:23 is a voluntary Canadian standard. Provincial regulations such as Ontario Regulation 632/05 and federal regulations such as Part XI of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations are mandatory.

The relationship between them is:

Regulations specify what employers must do to comply with the law
CSA Z1006:23 specifies how to do it well, with greater detail than the regulations themselves provide
Following CSA Z1006:23 generally satisfies regulatory requirements and exceeds them in many areas
Programs built to CSA Z1006:23 are easier to defend in inspections, audits, and incident investigations

Many Ontario employers explicitly state in their confined space programs that the program is built to CSA Z1006:23 standards. This serves as both a quality benchmark and a due diligence statement.

For more on Ontario's regulation, see Ontario Regulation 632/05 Explained. For the federal regulation, see Part XI of COHSR Explained.

Why Reference CSA Z1006:23

There are several reasons employers reference CSA Z1006:23 in their programs:

Comprehensiveness: The standard covers areas that regulations leave to employer discretion (rescue planning details, atmospheric testing methodology, training curriculum design)
Defensibility: Programs built to a recognized national standard are stronger in due diligence defence
Consistency: Multi-site or multi-jurisdiction employers can build a single program to CSA Z1006:23 that satisfies the regulations in every Canadian jurisdiction
Continuous improvement: The PDCA framework supports ongoing program refinement

The standard is referenced by federal occupational health and safety advisory committees, by major industry associations, and by many provincial regulators as best practice. For more on how due diligence is evaluated in Ontario, see OHSA Section 25(2)(h) and Due Diligence Explained.

How to Access CSA Z1006:23

CSA Z1006:23 is published by CSA Group and is paywalled. Copies can be purchased through:

CSA Group's online store
Authorized resellers including ANSI Webstore and other technical bookstores

Some larger employers and industry associations maintain access to the standard for member use. Many CRSP-credentialed practitioners and industrial hygienists have working access through professional licenses.

How CCL Health & Safety Uses CSA Z1006:23

CCL Health & Safety builds confined space programs that explicitly conform to CSA Z1006:23. We use the standard's framework to ensure programs are comprehensive, defensible, and integrated with broader occupational health and safety management systems.

For workplaces that need a CSA Z1006:23 conforming program for industrial confined space work, agricultural confined space work, or multi-site programs, see Confined Space Program Development. For the sister CSA standard covering hazardous energy control, see CSA Z460:20 Explained.

Read the Source

Purchase CSA Z1006:23 from CSA Group: csagroup.org store.

Frequently asked questions

Is CSA Z1006:23 mandatory in Ontario?+

CSA Z1006:23 is voluntary in Ontario unless explicitly referenced in legislation or required by an employer's policies. However, it is widely used as the benchmark for Canadian confined space program quality, and programs built to CSA Z1006:23 generally satisfy and exceed the requirements of O. Reg. 632/05.

How does CSA Z1006:23 relate to O. Reg. 632/05 and Part XI of COHSR?+

Regulations specify what employers must do to comply with the law. CSA Z1006:23 specifies how to do it well, with greater detail than the regulations themselves provide. Following CSA Z1006:23 generally satisfies regulatory requirements and exceeds them in many areas. Programs built to CSA Z1006:23 are easier to defend in inspections, audits, and incident investigations.

What changed in the 2023 edition compared to the 2016 edition?+

The third edition introduced improved flow with additional flowcharts and tables, harmonization with CSA Z45001 and CAN/CSA-Z1001/Z1002, expanded guidance on workspace design and modification, and new guidance on remote monitoring of confined spaces using technology.

How do I access the full text of CSA Z1006:23?+

CSA Z1006:23 is published by CSA Group and is paywalled. Copies can be purchased through CSA Group's online store or authorized resellers. Some larger employers and industry associations maintain access for member use. Many CRSP-credentialed practitioners have working access through professional licenses.

Should my confined space program reference CSA Z1006:23?+

Most strong confined space programs in Canada explicitly state conformance to CSA Z1006:23. This serves as both a quality benchmark and a due diligence statement. Multi-site or multi-jurisdiction employers particularly benefit from referencing the standard because it allows a single program to satisfy the regulations in every Canadian jurisdiction.

Next Steps

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More resources

Provincial vs Federal Confined Space Regulations in Canada: A Complete Guide
How to tell which regulatory framework applies to your workplace, the structural differences between O. Reg. 632/05 and Part XI of COHSR, and what each requires for hazard assessment, oxygen levels, training, and documentation.
How Often Does a Confined Space Assessment Need to Be Updated Under O. Reg. 632/05?
Section 6(9) is performance-based, not calendar-based. A breakdown of what it really requires, what triggers a review, where the 3-year industry practice comes from, and the documentation that proves due diligence.
Ontario Regulation 632/05 Explained: A Plain-Language Guide to Ontario's Confined Space Regulation
Section-by-section plain-language guide to Ontario's confined space regulation: scope, definitions, the written program, hazard assessment, the entry permit system, atmospheric testing, rescue, and penalties.
Part XI of COHSR Explained: A Plain-Language Guide to Federal Confined Space Regulations
Plain-language guide to the federal confined space framework: when Part XI applies, the 2021 amendments, the new distinction between confined spaces and hazardous confined spaces, qualified person reports, and entry procedures.
OHSA Section 25(2)(h) Explained: Due Diligence and the General Duty Clause in Ontario
Plain-language guide to Ontario's general duty clause: how Section 25(2)(h) operates, the nine measures of due diligence Ontario courts apply, and how the clause interacts with O. Reg. 632/05 in confined space cases.
CSA Z460:20 Explained: A Plain-Language Guide to the Canadian Standard for Hazardous Energy Control
Plain-language guide to the National Standard of Canada for hazardous energy control: the lockout-first principle, machine-specific energy control procedures, annual audits, training requirements, and what changed in the 2020 edition.
Ontario Regulation 851 LOTO Requirements: A Plain-Language Guide to Lockout/Tagout in Ontario Industrial Workplaces
Section-by-section guide to the LOTO-relevant provisions of Ontario's Industrial Establishments regulation: Section 42 (electrical), Section 75 (motion stopped), Section 76 (locking out), Section 78 (energy release), and Section 119.13 (confined space lockout).

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