Working In A Confined Space

A confined space refers to any place, including any vessel, tank, container, pit, bund, chamber, cellar, or any other similar space that, by virtue of its enclosed nature, creates conditions that give rise to a likelihood of an accident, harm or injury of such a nature as to require emergency action due.

Confined spaces pose potential health and safety risks to life due to lack of oxygen, exposure to toxic gases, the design and construction, characteristics of the material or substance within, and lastly the type of work activities envisaged.

Before any work begins within, workers must be trained. This includes any employee entering a permit-required confined space. Sometimes job duties change, and additional training must be provided. It must also be noted that if any new hazards present themselves or if a worker lacks understanding, training is required in all these cases.

Working in Confined Space Safety Do’s and Don’ts that can be found below, should be communicated to workers for better implementation of safety control measures and to avoid unintended incidents. 

The team at OBW Technologies can recommend a combination of fixed gas detectors, life safety controllers, and portable gas detectors to drive safety and compliance when dealing with confined spaces.

What Must I Look For In A Confined Space Risk Assessment?

When carrying out a risk assessment it is important to ensure that all risks associated with the hazards above are evaluated and controlled. When carrying out a risk assessment the following questions should be asked:

• What could be inside the space that would pose a risk?
  –    Contents?
  –    Oxygen Deficiency?
  –    Previous Contents?             
  –    Oxygen Enrichment?
  –    Residues?                            
  –    Structure and Layout?
  –    Contamination?
• What will be created due to the work carried out in the space?
  –    Sources of Ignition?            
  –   Flammable Substances?
• What‘s outside the space that might pose a risk during the proposed work?
  –    Inadequate Isolation?
  –    Inadvertent Operation Of Plant?
  –    Nearby Work Activities?

Wherever possible, you should avoid carrying out tasks in confined spaces. Where this is not possible, you must assess the risks of the particular confined space and plan how you will control those risks. For example:

• If there is a risk of liquids or gases flooding in, you should establish whether the valves can be locked shut
• If a confined space has noxious fumes, you should consider how these can be ventilated or removed
• If I am going into a confined space and there is not enough oxygen to breathe properly, you must ensure breathing apparatus is provided or ventilate the space to increase oxygen levels before entering

Do’s and Dont’s Working In A Confined Space

DONT’S

• Do not carry out work in Confined Spaces if it is reasonably practical that it could be avoided.
• Do not enter a Confined Space unless there is a system of work in place that has been planned, organised, performed and maintained so as to render that work safe and without risk to health.
• Do not enter a Confined Space unless there are suitable emergency arrangements that have been made which are appropriate to the confined space in question.

DO’S

• If the work must be carried out Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment’s must be carried out prior to the work commencing.
• Communicate the hazards, risks, and safety measures to workers before starting work in a confined space.

Check out our Portables page now to find more information on the units or Contact Us to speak with a member of our team today.