A worker is likely to become unconscious or suffer more serious injuries while working in a confined space. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) hazards arise when workers and managers are not prepared prior to working in these types of areas.
It is therefore important to understand how to avoid and manage risks when working in such a space. This article gives you the essentials to remember!
How to determine a confined space?
In order to avoid potential hazards, but also to comply with current Occupational Health and Safety regulations, it is important to understand what is meant by a “confined space.” How do you determine if the area is confined and what precautions must be taken? A space is considered confined when it meets the following criteria:
- It is hazardous to the person entering it: this may be due to the way it was built or its location. It may also come from the substances in the area. In any case, a worker’s access into the space exposes his or her health and safety to several risks.
- It is not designed to be occupied by workers for a long period of time: if work is done in the space, it happens only by exception. For example, employees only go there for construction or maintenance, but do not enter it to perform their tasks on a continuous basis.
- It is difficult to get in and out of the space as far as resources are concerned. Although not necessarily small, a space can therefore be characterized as enclosed if it is difficult for workers to enter. This is for example the case of wells.
Here are some examples of enclosed spaces: sewers, tanks, reservoirs, wells, large pipes, water towers, tankers, etc.
What are the risks of working in confined spaces?
It is common to find these types of spaces in our workplaces. How are they dangerous? It should be noted that the design of a confined space differs from that of work areas! It is therefore common for such a space to be oxygen deficient, to be polluted or to expose workers to hazardous chemicals. Here is a non-exhaustive list of hazards caused by working in confined spaces:
- asphyxiation which is mainly due to insufficient oxygen levels. The individual may feel nauseous, but it can also go as far as loss of consciousness or even death
- the fire when flammable or even explosive gases or liquids are present. Such an accident can be caused by an open flame or spark inside, but also outside the space
- the intoxication: confined spaces sometimes have toxic gases that can cause a life-threatening hazard to whoever enters them
- the fall since the space can be slippery, but this is also likely to occur to the extent that the means of access are limited and the worker may have to resort to a ladder, etc.
What steps should be taken to avoid confined space hazards
Steps to take before entering a confined space
Before entering a confined space, it is critical that the worker be adequately informed of the risks involved. However, even when he is about to enter it, he should always ask himself whether his intervention is really necessary or whether it can be avoided. Sometimes, in fact, certain tasks can be performed outside the confined area!
Next, it is essential to assess the risks by analyzing the air quality inside the space, for example. To master the behaviors to adopt as well as the equipment to use, the worker must follow training adapted to this type of activity. Global Formation, offers a program focused on risk management when working in confined spaces as well as other indispensable modules associated with OSH.
Preventive measures for the company
Business leaders play an important role in Occupational Health and Safety. As such, they are required to put in place sufficient measures to ensure that workers are not exposed to hazards such as those that can occur in a confined space. To begin with, it is essential to identify the different confined areas as well as the level of risk for each.
Next, consider the situations that require such interventions and the employees who are involved in these tasks. Once the risks are identified, it is essential to inform the workers and provide them with equipment to help them manage these risks.
Again, it is important to ensure that the equipment and machinery used is in good condition. One of the important steps in maintaining OHS, then, is training employees. This allows them to learn how to use PPE but also to recognize possible hazards and avoid them.
More information can be found in the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (COHSR).
What training is needed to better manage confined space hazards?
Before working in a confined space, the worker must be adequately trained. At the end of the program, personnel must therefore be able to:
- analyze the environment
- determine the risks that may occur
- secure the area where they will intervene as well as the protective equipment to be used
- establish means of rescue in case of accidents.
The training must therefore be reliable and effective in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for the worker who intervenes in confined spaces, but also for the people around him.
To bring you maximum safety, Global Formation can deliver both theoretical and practical training directly to your workplace. When it’s time for a refresher, workers can log on to PAELO app to review some lessons and get up to speed on new knowledge. Managers can view their employees’ learning records at any time to track their progress and ensure compliance. Other learning tools like Microsoft Hololens 2 are also available to make health and safety easier to put into practice.