Confined%20space%20hazards%20

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Confined space hazards entry
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What you will Learn

• What is a Confined Space
• Hazards of Confined Spaces
• Basic Entry Requirements

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General Requirements

• All employees required to enter confined or
  enclosed spaces must be instructed in
• Nature of the hazards.
• Necessary precautions to be taken.
• Use of protective and emergency equipment.

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What is a Confined Space?

• Is large enough and so configured that an
  employee can bodily enter and perform assigned
  work.
• Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit
  (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage
  bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that
  may have limited means of entry.)
• Is not designed for continuous employee
  occupancy.

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What is a Permit Required Confined Space?

• A Permit-required confined space is confined
  space that has one or more of the following
  characteristics

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Permit Required Spaces

• Contains or has a potential to contain a
  hazardous atmosphere.
• Contains a material that has the potential for
  engulfing an entrant.
• Has an internal configuration such that an
  entrant could be trapped or asphyxiated by
  inwardly converging walls or by a floor which
  slopes downward and tapers to a smaller
  cross-section.
• Contains any other recognized serious safety or
  health hazard.

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Typical Confined Spaces

• Boilers Furnaces
• Pipelines
• Pits
• Process Vessel
• Silo Storage Tanks
• Sewer Manholes
• Trenches Excavations

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Hazards of Confined Spaces

• Atmospheric
• Physical Configuration
• Mechanical
• Electrical
• Thermal
• Noise
• Vibration
• Engulfment or Entrapment

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Controlling Confined Space Hazards

• Each Confined Space has different hazards. 
  Hazards can also change with time and usage.
• Post signs to warn of the dangers.
• Use barriers to prevent uncontrolled access
• Develop and use a written space entry program.

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Controlling Confined Space Hazards

• Conduct air monitoring and tests to identify and
  evaluate hazards.
• Define acceptable entry conditions.
• Monitor entry conditions.
• Eliminate or control the space's atmospheric
  hazards before entry.
• Lockout all internal hazards prior to entry.

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Entry Point Hazards

• Small Openings make entry and rescue difficult.
• Sharp edges can tear protective clothing or air
  lines.
• Temporary ladders and vent gear can make even
  large openings difficult to transit.
• Vertical entry points are fall hazards.

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Ventilation Needed

• Deadly gases can be trapped inside.
• Rotting Organic materials create hazardous gases.
• Pipe leaks, welding, system material can create
  hazardous atmospheres.
• Rust consumes the oxygen you need.

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Atmospheric Hazards

• Oxygen Deficient Atmospheres
• Oxygen Enriched Atmospheres
• Flammable Atmospheres
• Toxic Atmospheres
• Corrosive Atmospheres
• Asphyxiating Atmospheres  

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Oxygen Deficient

• 19.5 is the minimum acceptable oxygen level for
  work with out an air supplied respirator.
• 12-14 - Poor judgment.
• 10-12 - Lips blue Mental Confusion.
• 8-10 - Fainting Nausea.
• 6-8 - Causes Death.

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Asphyxiating Atmospheres

• Reduction of oxygen in a confined space may be
  the result of either consumption or displacement.
  Consumption of oxygen takes place during
• Combustion of flammable substances.
• Bacterial action, as in the fermentation process.
  
• Chemical reactions as in the formation of rust.  

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Oxygen Enriched

• Oxygen level above 21.
• Causes flammable and combustible materials to
  burn violently when ignited. Such as
• Hair, clothing, oil soaked materials.
• Never use pure oxygen to ventilate.
• Never store or place compressed gas tanks in a
  confined space.

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Flammable Atmospheres

• Required Factors
• Oxygen
• Flammable Gas, Vapor or Dust
• Ignition Source
• Welding
• Electric Tools
• Sparks
• Smoking

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Flammable Atmospheres

• Caused by
• Enriched oxygen atmospheres.
• Vaporization of flammable liquids.
• Byproducts of work.
• Chemical reactions.
• Concentrations of combustible dusts.
• Fumes from chemicals on inner surfaces.

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Toxic Atmospheres

• Material in space
• Absorbed materials can gas off.
• Decomposition of materials.
• Work being performed
• Welding, cutting, brazing, soldering
• Painting, scraping, sanding, degreasing
• Sealing, bonding, melting
• Cleaning, de-scaling

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Corrosive Atmospheres

• Corrosive atmospheres can be not only a
  respiratory problems but also cause skin exposure
  reactions and damage to your nervous system
  though skin absorption or breathing.
• Examples of Corrosives 
• Bleach
• Ammonia
• Acids

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Physical Configuration Hazards

• The use and shape of a space can create hazardous
  conditions
• Use of Ladders Scaffolding.
• Wet or slippery surfaces.
• Uneven bottoms.
• Bends in tunnels.
• Narrow areas that can entrap workers.
• Poor lighting.
• Use retrieval fall protection when possible.

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Mechanical Hazards

• Some confined spaces have unguarded mechanical
  equipment such as
• Paddles
• Blades
• Shafts
• Chain or belt drives
• All equipment must be Locked and Tagged before
  entry.

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Electrical Hazards

• Electric Shock is a possible hazard in Confined
  Spaces. Hazard Sources include
• Broken lighting.
• Electrical sensing devices.
• Limit switches.
• Level indicating devices.
• Hazards from equipment taken inside.

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Temperature Hazards

• High and Low Temperatures are Hazards
• Burns
• Frostbite
• Heat Stress
• Wearing Protective clothing can increase the heat
  stress on a worker.

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Worker Comfort

• Factors affecting worker comfort
• Air temperature
• Air velocity though the space
• Humidity
• Radiant heat
• Protective Clothing
• Activities 

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Engulfment Hazards

• Engulfment is the entrapment of a person by the
  contents of a space.
• Liquids
• Small granular product such as grain.
• Crusting or Bridging of material.
• Flooding
• Water Flow

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Engulfment Hazards

• Completely empty the contents before entry.
• Use retrieval and fall arrest equipment to
  prevent sinking into contents of a space.

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Noise Hazards

• Noise creates a hazard by
• Causing hearing loss.
• Preventing communication.
• Lowering worker's effectiveness.
• Eliminate noise sources prior to entry.
• Use proper hearing protection.

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Surface Hazards

• Slippery, Wet or Damp Surfaces
• Slips Falls
• Chemical exposure.
• Possible increased chance of electric shock.
• Uneven surfaces.

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Vibration Hazards

• Vibration of the body can cause damage to the
  body.
• Using Vibrating tools can cause damage to fingers
  hand.
• Eliminate equipment vibrations prior to entry.
• Use Vibration dampening tools gloves.

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Basic Confined Space Entry Procedure

• All entrants, supervisors and entry attendants
  must be fully qualified
• Conduct Pre-Entry Briefing.
• Assemble and check equipment.
• Establish Acceptable Entry Conditions.
• Conduct initial air sampling.
• Execute Complete Entry Permit.
• Station Entry Attendant.

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Entry (continued)

1. Establish Monitoring of Atmosphere
2. Establish Communication
3. Execute Hot Work Permit if applicable
4. Post Confined Space Entry Permit
5. Enter Space
6. Postentry debrief if problems were encountered

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Testing The Atmosphere

• Verify presence of safe work atmosphere.
• Calibrate Air Monitoring Equipment before use.
• Test all areas of a confined space.
• Top, Middle Bottom.
• Check for Explosive Toxic Gases.
• Check Oxygen level.
• Record all readings.

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Ventilation

• Consider best of exhaust or supply or both.
• Provide work zone exhaust if welding.
• Plan ventilation supply and exhaust paths.
• Ensure no re-circulation of air supply.
• Use continuous ventilation.
• Retest the confined space before and during entry.

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LOCKOUT!

• Lock tagging ALL electrical sources.
• Blank bleeding fluid lines.
• Disconnect mechanical drives shafts.
• Secure mechanical parts.
• Lock Tag all valves.

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Rescue Team

• A qualified rescue team and rescue equipment
  must be available for entry into all Permit
  Required Confined Spaces.
• Qualified Entry Attendant must be in constant
  communication with workers in the space.
• Entry Attendant must have source of communication
  with the Rescue Team.

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Summary

• All persons involved in Permit Required Confined
  Space Entry must be qualified
• Supervisor
• Attendants
• Entrants
• Rescue Team
• Confined Spaces are Dangerous Places Know how
  to control or eliminate hazards.