To be considered a confined space, the space must be substantially enclosed and one or more of the specified risks are present or reasonably foreseeable. Confined spaces, by their very nature, can pose many hazards to workers and even those in the vicinity, including drowning, fires, explosions, and asphyxiation caused by lack of oxygen, gases, vapors, free-flowing materials, fumes, etc. A significant majority of such incidents occur as a result of inadequate planning, and training for those planning and undertaking the work.
Manholes, tunnels, sumps, inspection pits, enclosed rooms, storage of wood pellets and other oxidizing agents in bins, silos, storage vessels, interiors of vehicles, cold storage rooms, and food preservation rooms are just some examples of confined spaces and avoid injury in such confined spaces
Entry Necessity
Where it is reasonably possible to conduct the work activity from outside the confined space, the duty holder has a legal responsibility to prevent entry into the confined space by themselves or others. Instead of installing portholes using remote devices, sight glasses, or inspection windows, replacing storage containers instead of entering to repair them, and using remote cameras are some methods of avoiding entry to confined spaces.
Safe Systems
Where it is not practicable to avoid entry into a confined space, employers must ensure that a safe system of work is in place. The key elements of a safe system of work are included
- Safe Place of Work – The entries should be sufficient and safe for entry and located in the safest possible place.
- Safe Work Equipment –e.g., low voltage electric generators rather than petrol or diesel generators.
- Safe Substances for Use at Work – This may mean substituting toxic, dangerous, or flammable substances, such as chemicals or gases, for safer alternatives.
- Safe Management, Supervision, and Monitoring – Managers, supervisors, and other duty-holders should be competent in their duties
- Safe Workers – Those at work in the confined space must be properly trained in the safe system of work, any heavy equipment or use of substances, and rescue arrangements.
Residual Removal
Many confined space activities are undertaken to clean and remove residues to keep the confined space free from contamination, or to remove residues that can prove to be hazardous to health prior to planned work in a confined space. Such residues may be natural or man-made. Precautions for such places include purging the confined space using an inert gas and using protected-low voltage equipment using mechanical ventilation.
Emergency Situations:
Properly planning for emergency situations is imperative for work activities involving confined spaces and failure to do so can result in serious consequences. It is legally required that emergency arrangements be planned and enforced prior to entry or work in a confined space. Rescue arrangements must cover all specified risks, and any others identified in the risk assessment that requires a worker to be rescued. Emergency arrangements like these must be part of the risk assessment process as well as safe systems of work to be able to avoid injuries.
also read: John Deere Unveiled Their 850 X-Tier E-Drive Dozer Concept