Tag Archives: Confined Spaces

General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Health Issues, Hearing Protection, Respiratory Safety

WORKING IN CONFINED SPACES ISN’T FOR EVERYONE!

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The thought of working in a small, enclosed space makes me gasp for air!  Certain people feel smothered in situations when their work involves being placed in a closed or partially closed space.  Confined spaces should be made safe for the worker by taking the proper precautions to ensure that it is secure.  Those with claustrophobia can’t help this feeling, and should seek other jobs. 

There are many regulations that deal with confined space entry.  A Confined Space Hazard Assessment and Control Program must be conducted prior to the beginning of work.  Confined spaces can be more hazardous than other workspaces for several reasons.  Workers are killed and injured each year while working in confined spaces, and an estimated sixty per cent of the fatalities have been among rescue workers.  

Let’s review some of the places that people must work that are considered confined spaces:

  • Open ditches; (possibility of collapse);
  • Silos
  • Manholes
  • Wells
  • Tunnels
  • Cold storage units
  • Tanks
  • Culverts
  • Vaults
  • Rail tank cars
  • Caves
  • Underground mining
  • Sewers
  • Pipes
  • Boilers

Reasons for these  being considered confined spaces are that they have a restricted entrance or exit by way of location, size or means.  Also, they are not originally designed for human occupancy.  Places such as this can indicate a risk for the health and safety of anyone who enters, due to the materials and substances in it (bad air), and the way it is designed.  Other hazards include fire hazards, noise, temperature extremes, uncontrolled energy, barrier failure and visibility.  All potentially hazardous energy sources: electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, chemical must be de-energized and locked out prior to entry to the confined space, preventing accidentally turning on power sources. Ventilation is of the utmost importance while working in these conditions.  Natural ventilation is not reliable and insufficient to maintain the air quality.  It is usually necessary to maintain air quality through mechanical ventilation (fans, blowers).  While workers are inside confined spaces, there should be someone standing close by that is prepared to get them out, in case of an emergency.  This plan of action should be in place prior to entering the space, and communication between the inside and outside should be constant.  

Confined space hazards are mainly controlled through traditional methods, such as engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment.  Special precautions not usually required in a regular worksite may need to be taken.  Mechanical ventilation is the engineering control regularly used.  Entry Permit system is a type of administrative control, and personal protective equipment (respirators, ear plugs, hardhats, and gloves) is commonly used in confined spaces as well. 

It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure their workers are safe while working under these conditions.  If the worker feels proper precautions were not taken, they should not enter until it is made safe by additional means.

 

Source: CCOHS (Canada)

General Safety Issues, Head Protection, Respiratory Safety

Construction Health and Safety: Working in Confined Spaces (Guest Post)

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In the UK, the construction and maintenance industries remain consistently one of the largest employers, with the current figures showing that over 2 million people work in this industry every day. However, it is one of the most hazardous places to work, with construction workers facing a variety of risks and dangers as they carry out their tasks on a daily basis.  Therefore, without the correct education, training and awareness, working in this environment can be potentially dangerous. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the authority which lays down the health and safety law in the UK, gives regulations on a variety of construction areas to make sure that workers’ wellbeing and health is looked after properly by their employers.

When working in the construction and maintenance industry you may be faced with working in a confined space – especially if you work on the docks, or in the sewage or mining industries. In January of 1998, the Confined Spaces Regulation came into force in the UK, which set out the legislation surrounding Health and Safety in these circumstances.

The HSE gives the following definition of a “confined space”: any place, including chamber, tank, vat, silo, pit, trench, pipe sewer, flue, well or other similar space in which, by virtue of its enclosed nature, there arises a reasonably foreseeable specified risk (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/1713/regulation/1/made). Due to the nature of the environment, it can be very dangerous to work in as there are many volatile characteristics to a confined space, for example, lack of oxygen, presence of gas or fumes, liquids which can suddenly rise in level or free flowing solids. With these risks present, there is no wonder that the HSE has a specific guidelines regarding working in a confined space.

The legislation states that every employer or self-employed person must ensure compliance with the regulations and the only way to do this is to make sure that those working in the environment understand the regulations and can recognise the risks involved in work of this nature. The issue with a large company is that you may not always be present to oversee the work, which is why a good education for your staff members is crucial – this is where construction training comes into the fray.

The confined space training course is one which is popular in the construction training category. On average, there are 15 fatalities each year following work in a confined space, and by ensuring that the HSE regulations are abided by, and that each and every worker, manager and supervisor is aware of their duties and how they should work this figure can hopefully be reduced.

A Construction Training Confined Space Course allows employers to ensure they are working within legislation guidelines, ensuring that their staff are trained in the risks which they may face when working in this environment. The courses are thorough and cover all elements from the definition of a confined space, to safe systems of work, how to identify hazards to safety equipment and form emergency procedures to access. You’ll usually find that there will be a short test at the end of the training session which is proof that you have digested and understood the information given to you.  It is also worth noting that there are different courses for the varying staff levels – from worker all the way up to site supervisors, as each has a different type of responsibility when working onsite.

Bio: Rebecca Field is writing on behalf of Britannia Safety and Training, a company offering construction training near Norwich in Norfolk, UK. Their industry experienced experts and purpose built training facility are designed to make your construction training course experience the best you can wish for. Visit their website here: http://www.britanniaits.com/  to find out more.

Thanks, Rebecca, for sharing this important information with us.  OSHA also has the same description and regulations for persons workin in confined spaces.  There should always be someone present watching workers in case of emergency, and those workers should have the proper personal protective equipment, such as respirators, hardhats, and other safety items. 

General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Hearing Protection, Respiratory Safety

HOW TO PROTECT WORKERS FROM DANGERS IN CONFINED SPACES – PART I

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The safety poster shown below is graphic, but it conveys excellent information for those persons whose jobs require them to work in areas considered to be confined spaces.   These vessels, etc. are normally sealed so the dangers within, whether it is high-pressure, hot, or toxic materials, or gases, mechanical or electrical hazards, stay within.  When a human enters to inspect or service what’s inside is when the danger begins.

According to OSHA, many workplaces contain spaces that are considered “confined” because their configurations hinder the activities of employees who must enter, work in, and exit them. Confined spaces include, but are not limited to underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, manholes, pits, silos, process vessels, and pipelines. OSHA uses the term “permit-required confined space” (permit space) to describe a confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics: contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; contains a material that has the potential to engulf an entrant; has walls that converge inward or floors that slope downward and taper into a smaller area which could trap or asphyxiate an entrant; or contains any other recognized safety or health hazard, such as unguarded machinery, exposed live wires, or heat stress. Repeating, OSHA’s definition of  “Confined space” means a space that:
(1) Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and
(2) Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry.); and
(3) Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

“Acceptable entry conditions” means the conditions that must exist in a permit space to allow entry and to ensure that employees involved with a permit-required confined space entry can safely enter into and work within the space.

According to NIOSH, when the entry of a worker is necessary,  prior to entry into any type of confined space, several things must be done to ensure the safety of the persons required to work there.  The atmosphere should be tested, at all levels – top, middle, and bottom.  The area should be well ventilated with blowers or fans, and re-tested to ensure that it is ventilated correctly before anyone enters.  There are many locations that have insufficient air movement, which results in oxygen deficiency, flammability, or toxic situations.  Persons inside may be involved in welding, cutting, or brazing operations, and others may be painting, scraping, sanding, or degreasing.  Workers must have the appropriate personal protective equipment, such as hardhats, gloves, rubber boots, and the proper type of respirators.  Some may need air purifying ones, those that filter dangerous substances from the air, or air supplying types that furnish safe breathing air from a tank or uncontaminated area nearby. Only air-supplying respirators should be used in confined spaces where there is not enough oxygen.

Other hazards of confined spaces include extreme temperatures, engulfment hazards, such as loose materials in bins – sand, coal, grain – materials that a worker could fall into and suffocate.  Being in small spaces also amplifies noise; some are slick and wet, adding to the risk of electric shock, and others may have falling objects dropped into the area by work being done above the entrance.  All of these hazards add up to the fact that it takes very special kinds of workers that are willing to do this type of work, and companies that do their very level best to meet the needs and requirements to keep these folks safe.

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Tomorrow, we will discuss the way these workers should be protected by having attendants at the entrance, and rescue operations at the ready, as well as a checklist that contains recommendations for a safe entry.  Please stay tuned…………………………

Source: OSHA, NIOSH

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues

WORKING IN CONFINED SPACES

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OSHA defines confined spaces as those with configurations which hinder activities of employees who must enter, work in and exit places that have limited and restricted means for entry or exit, and are not designed for continuous employee occupancy.  These can include:

  • storage bins
  • manholes
  • pits
  • silos
  • process vessels
  • pipelines
  • underground vaults
  • sewers
  • wells
  • tanks

One or more of the potential hazards of working in Permit-Required Confined Spaces can be a hazardous atmosphere to engulf the entrant, walls that converge inward, or floors sloping downward and tapering into smaller area which could possibly trap or asphyxiate the person, unguarded machinery, exposed live wires, or heat stress.

To prevent accidents, companies should:

  • Train employees thoroughly;
  • Post proper signs on location;
  • Always assume that hazards are present;
  • Follow proper lockout/tagout procedures;
  • Ensure adequate ventilation for employees;
  • Furnish non-sparking tools;
  • Provide and ensure required PPE is used at all times;
  • Monitor continuously while work is being performed;
  • Have rescuers on site and trained for any emergency.

It is estimated that over one and one-half million workers enter confined spaces annually.
Most accidents can be prevented by properly educating the persons who do this work and ensuring that they are adequately supervised at all times.