Working in a confined space: what do you need to know?
Working in a confined space: what do you need to know?
Unfortunately, It is one of the countries that suffer most from workplace accidents, occupying fourth place in the world ranking. Therefore, it is possible to state that this occupational hazard scenario is present in several industrial segments, that is, it is independent of the nature of the service. In this context, a good example of a task that represents a great risk for the employees in question is working in a confined space.
However, in order to accurately understand all the risks and dangers to which an employee is exposed when performing a service in a confined space, it is interesting, initially, to conceptualize and characterize the type of activity.
Therefore, see what confined spaces are, their occupational risks and what work safety is like in this environment. Continue reading. Click here for Hole watcher course
The concept and characteristics of a confined space:
Confined spaces are basically all places that were not designed for human permanence, with the vast majority of them having limited means of entry, exit and mobility in general. Therefore, a work environment with a confined space commonly has the following characteristics:
- Low concentration of oxygen gas;
- High concentration of toxic gases, such as hydrogen sulfide, methane and carbon monoxide;
- Poor natural ventilation;
- Low visibility;
- Little mobility, with cramped environments and no escape routes.
Examples of confined spaces:
There are many occasions in which an employee needs to carry out tasks (especially those involving preventive and corrective maintenance services) in a confined space. The main examples are:
- Pressure vessels;
- Reservoirs and silos;
- Pipes, galleries and basic sanitation installations in general;
- fuel tanks.
The risks of working in a confined space:
One of the main risks to which an employee is exposed in this location, without a doubt, is poisoning and suffocation, given that the environment in question does not have natural ventilation and there is the presence of toxic gases. In addition to this chemical risk, there is also the presence of physical risk (falls, slips and impacts), since visibility is low due to little or no light.
The Regulatory Standard:
- Make all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available to employees in good conditions of use;
- Identify and disclose company locations that are characterized as confined spaces;
- Recognize and reduce the risks of the confined space in question;
- Train employees in relation to the main preventive safety measures for confined spaces;
- Ensure the rapid evacuation of employees and isolation of the location if there is the slightest sign of a health hazard.
- Personal protective equipment
For an employee working in a confined space, the following PPE is essential:
- Seat belt;
- Tripod, rescue winch and manual;
- Auxiliary rescue equipment (pulley, elevator, descender and carabiner);
- Safety helmet;
- Respirator;
- Safety gloves;
- Closed shoes.
Therefore, after understanding its concept, as well as analyzing its characteristics, it is easy to see how important the topic “working in confined spaces” is, mainly due to the risks it represents for employees. Therefore, for companies that wish to reduce the number of workplace accidents in their confined facilities. click here for confined space training
