The entry supervisor signs
Under §1910.146(e)(2) and (j), the entry supervisor authorises entry by signing the permit. No other role — attendant, entrant, or rescue-service member — can substitute for that signature.
The entry supervisor is a defined role in §1910.146(b): the person responsible for determining if acceptable entry conditions are present, authorising entry and overseeing entry operations, and terminating entry as required. See how this fits the full permit lifecycle in our [confined space entry permits](/resources/confined-space-entry-permits) pillar.
What the supervisor is signing off on
Signing the permit is not a formality. The supervisor is attesting that they have verified: acceptable entry conditions from atmospheric testing; isolation of hazardous energy per the permit; availability of PPE, communication, and rescue equipment; the presence and readiness of the designated rescue service; and the training status of every named attendant and entrant.
If any of those items cannot be verified, the supervisor cannot sign. 'Sign now, verify later' is the failure mode that generates most §1910.146 citations.
Shift handover: what the standard requires
Section §1910.146(j)(4) requires the entry supervisor to end entry and cancel the permit as required by §1910.146(e)(5). In practice this means a permit issued for one shift is cancelled at end of shift and a new permit issued (with fresh atmospheric testing) if the next shift will continue the work.
A supervisor cannot 'pass' a signed permit to an incoming supervisor. Every entry supervisor signs their own authorisation for the entries they oversee.
Delegation and multi-supervisor sites
The employer designates entry supervisors — the role is not automatic with job title. Multiple people can be designated for the same permit-space type; only the one actually authorising a given entry signs its permit.
If acceptable conditions change or a prohibited condition arises mid-entry, the supervisor (or the attendant, per §1910.146(i)(6)) orders evacuation. Re-entry requires the supervisor to reverify conditions and issue a fresh permit — the original signature does not survive a hazard event. Build this into policy with the [confined space entry permits](/resources/confined-space-entry-permits) pillar as your reference, and [book a demo](/book-demo) to see permit reissuance in one click.