Gary Woodiwiss

Confined Space Lead Instructor

Confined Spaces

Confined Spaces Regulations 1997

Common Misconceptions

• One way in /out

• Small - confined

• Needs a rescue team

• Below ground

• Has hazards

Definition of a Confined SpaceThe Confined Space Regulations define the term as being:

“Any space, including chamber, tank, vat, silo, pit, trench, pipe, sewer, flue, well, or other similar space in which, by virtue of its enclosed nature, there arises a reasonably foreseeable specified risk.”

Decision making process flowchart (19) Figure 1

• Serious injury to any person at work arising from a fire or explosion

• Loss of consciousness of any person at work arising from an increase in body temperature

• Loss of consciousness or asphyxiation of any person at work arising from gas, fume, vapour or the lack of oxygen

• Drowning of any person at work arising from an increase in the level of liquid

• Asphyxiation of any person at work arising from a free flowing solid or the inability to reach a respirable environment due to entrapment by a free flowing solid

Specified risks

Loss of consciousness of any person at work arising from an

increase in body temperature

Oven death firm Pyranha Mouldings guilty of manslaughter

Alan Catterall, 54, tried to escape using a crowbar but suffered severe burns at the

Pyranha Mouldings factory in Runcorn

Loss of consciousness or asphyxiation of any person at

work arising from gas, fume, vapour or lack of oxygen

• Three crew collapsed and died after entering an oxygen deficient compartment on board the vessel.

• It is likely that the second and third crew members entered the space to attempt to rescue their colleagues(s).

• The vessel had no rescue plan or appropriate rescue equipment in place.• It is fortunate that more lives were not lost during the disorganised rescue

attempt.

3 fatalities on general cargo

vessel Suntis. (26/05/14)

Asphyxiation of any person at work arising from a freeflowing solid or inability to reach a respirable atmosphere

due to entrapment in a free flowing solid.

• 19yr old Zach Dean Fox was trying to clear blockage• Seamore Farming, Denholm, Hawick• £45k

A teenager worker died in an “entirely avoidable

tragedy” involving a grain silo, according to HSE.

Is the area a Confined Space?

Regulations apply even if specified risk is controlled

ACoPThe Approved Code Of Practice has special legal status

• Meaning of confined space• Application of regulations• Duties under the regulations• Risk assessment (factors to be assessed)

• Preventing the need for entry.• Duties with regard to design and construction of CS• Safe working in confined spaces (precautions, suitability)

• Emergency procedures• Plant and equipment• Training

Safe work in confined spaces Confined Spaces Regulations 1997.

Approved Code of Practice, Regulations and Guidance L101 HSEBooks 1997 ISBN 0 7176 6622 5

Safe Working in Confined Spaces• Supervision

• Competence

• Communications

• Testing /monitoring

• Gas purging

• Ventilation

• Removal of residues

• Isolation of gases, liquids, M&E

• Selection of equipment

• PPE & RPE

• Portable cylinders & IC engines

• Gas supplied by pipes and hoses

• Access & Egress• Fire Prevention• Lighting• Static electricity• Smoking• Emergencies & Rescue• Limited Working Time

NC1

NC1•Shallow entry•Adequate natural or mechanical ventilation•Unobstructed simple access•No risk of flooding

National category 2

• Vertical direct unobstructed

access with continuous

attachment to a man riding

hoist or similar mechanical

rescue device

NC3

NC3

• Not possible to stay permanently

attached to safety line

• Usually team entry moving away

from entry point

• E.g man entry into sewers, subway

tunnels, aqueducts and complex

wet wells

NC4

NC4

• Non standard entries

• Involving complex operations which

introduce additional risks and require

specific controls and rescue arrangements

• E.g mechanical hazards, physical complexity

of system introduced hazards and enhanced

specific intrinsic hazards

Low Risk

• Easy entry/exit

• Natural ventilation

• Atmosphere checked with gas

monitor and does not alarm

• If alarm condition – must not

enter

Major Injury Confined Space Accident 19th DECEMBER 2011

Veolia VODA employee suffered severe brain damage as a result of entering a confined space to read a water meter.

• Two water meter readers attended a water meter chamber (1.8mtr)

• Assumed 2nd Chamber OK.

• 6 per cent oxygen.

• Second meter reader entered the chamber to rescue his colleague (twice)

• The emergency services arrived after 15 minutes

Medium Risk

•Access issues

•Realistic expectation of encountering a

specified risk or introduction of a specified risk

•Atmosphere checked with gas monitor and

does not alarm

•If alarm condition – must not enter

•Must enter with Escape Breathing Apparatus

which is available in case of a change of atmosphere

Three underground utility workers in Florida died after entering a confined space without the proper personal

protective equipment or gas monitoring equipment.

First man removed manhole cover, 15-foot-deep and became unresponsive,

Second worker entered and lost consciousness.

Third man climbed into the hole was overcome by gas.

All three workers died

High Risk

•Specified hazard cannot be

controlled or eliminated

•May / may not be access issues

•Activity carried out in the

presence of specified risk

•Entry with Full Working B.A.

A farm manager has been jailed for the manslaughter of two workers who died after being sent into a nitrogen-filled store while holding their breath.

Scott Cain and Ashley Clarke suffocated in the apple container, where the oxygen level was 1%.

They were trying to retrieve apples for an agricultural competition.

Boss jailed for two-and-half years, pleaded guilty in January to three offences related to contravening health and safety regulations, was fined £75,000 and ordered to pay costs.

Emergency Procedures

Reg 5 Emergency arrangements

Emergency Procedure

• Self Rescue

• Non Entry

• On Site Rescue• Basic Casualty Extraction

• Full Rescue

• Emergency Services

Suitable arrangements

• Rescue and Resuscitation equipment

• Raising the alarm

• Safeguarding the rescuers

• Fire safety

• Control of Plant

• First Aid

• Public Emergency Services

• Training

ACoP para 161 - Reliance on the emergency services alone will not be

sufficient to comply with these regulations. Employees must put in place

adequate emergency arrangements before work commences.

Low Risk

Medium Risk

High Risk

Topman

High Risk

Emergency Rescue and Recovery

Management of Work in Confined

Space

6150City & Guilds Scheme-Confined

Spaces Entry

Hazards & Hazardous

Atmospheres

Atmospheric Hazards

• Oxygen Deficient atmospheres.

• Oxygen Enriched atmospheres.

• Flammable atmospheres.

• Toxic atmospheres.

Oxygen Levels

Normal, safe oxygen levels

At 17%, you'll start developing symptoms like apathy, loss of balance, drowsiness and possible nausea.

At 14%, you could be unconscious

At 12%, you might be dead

Flammable, explosion risk, Spontaneous combustion.

0%

19%

23%

20.9%

At 16% you’ll probably fall over

Oxygen Deficiency

LOWER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT - LEL

Standard alarm level

%LEL%VOL

BOOM

4.4%

.88%

100%

20%

Explosive

ME THANE

ToxicDedicated Sensors.

CO

H2S

SO2

CL

LTEL STEL

30 ppm 200ppm

5 ppm 10ppm

2 ppm 5 ppm

0.5ppm 1 ppm

Long Term and Short term exposure levels

Toxic, corrosive, liquefied gas, a by-product of many industrial processes

Toxic, corrosive and oxidant liquefied gas, Bleach

Toxic, flammable gas, offensive odour of rotten eggs, Nerve Poison

Flammable, colorless & odourless gas. A chemical asphyxiant

Bump test

Test gas (mixture of known gases and concentrations)

Pressure regulator and gauge

Gas tube

Calibration clipBS60079

Classification

• By purifying the air breathed

• By supplying air or oxygen from an uncontaminated source.

Breathing Apparatus

Non Self ContainedSelf Contained

Closed

circuit

Open circuit Compressed

air line

Face Fit TestingIf you wear a tight fitting mask thatrelies on making a seal with yourface then you need a face fit test.

Fit testing is a requirement under the COSHH (hazardous substances), CAR (asbestos) and CLAW (lead) regulations.

Further information…•HSE document - OC 282/28 (HSE website)•Fit2Fit accreditation scheme – www.fit2fit.org

Questions

The point were we interact

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presentation