Confined spaces can be any space of an enclosed nature where there is a risk of death or serious injury from hazardous substances or dangerous conditions (e.g. lack of oxygen). These can contain hazards which are undetectable, the best way to guard the hazards of working in such confined spaces is to plan and design them out.
Main Points
The term confined space has a huge application, but here are a few:
- Chambers.
- Boreholes.
- Manholes.
- Closed tanks.
- Large ducts.
- Sewers.
- Pressure vessels.
- Wells
- Trenches.
- Pipelines.
Discussion Points:
Safety precautions in confined spaces:
- Carry out a risk assessment, determine what hazards are present and is it a threat. If you don’t know about it then you can protect against it.
- Provide appropriate breathing apparatus, depending on the result of the risk assessment and atmospheric monitoring workers may be require a self-contained breathing apparatus to protect them from toxic gases.
- Make sure you have appropriate and safe tools and equipment for the job, these must be safe for the spaces conditions. Thinking about the risks with power tools – electrocutions in water or spark which may ignite flammable gases.
- Capable operatives: Considering if you or your operatives are in suitable physical condition and appropriately trained for the work is a straight forward though easily overlooked point. If there is concern that the physical condition of a worker may endanger an operation or the conditions within a space may aggravate a health complaint, then they should not enter to begin with.
- Ensure that the workers have been trained in the dangers and precautions including the rescue procedures.
- Where there may be a need for resuscitation any equipment necessary to enable to resuscitation to be carried out must be provided and maintained.
