confined space entry - norwichdistrictsafetygroup.org.uk · definition of ‘confined space it must...

Confined Space Entry

My Experience so far

www.rockfieldcss.co.uk

My Experience so far

❖ Complacency to Confined Space working

❖ Is the area a Confined Space

❖ No company procedures

❖ Poor risk assessments

❖ A lot of confusion Staff & Contractors

❖ Lack of Emergency Arrangements


Confined Spaces can be

deadly!

A number of people are killed or seriously injured in

confined spaces each year in the UK. This happens

in a wide range of industries, from those involving

complex plant to simply storage vessels. Those

killed include not only people working in the

confined space but those who try to rescue them

without proper training and equipment.

Over 60% of people killed in confined space incidents

are trying to rescue


Is the area a Confined Space?


Definition of ‘Confined Space

❖ It must be a space which is substantially (though not always entirely)

enclosed and

❖ One or more of the specified risks must be present or reasonably

foreseeable


Is the area a Confined Space


Confined Spaces Regulation

1997

❖ The Confined Spaces Regulations

1997 were made under the Health &

Safety at Work Act 1974

❖ L101 Safe work in Confined Spaces

contains Approved Code of Practice

& Guidance on the duties in the

Confined Space Regulations


What is the meaning of

“Confined Space”

Any place, including any chamber, tank, vat, silo, pit,

trench, pipe, sewer, flue, well, or other similar space

in which, by virtue of it’s enclosed nature, there

arises a reasonably foreseeable specified risk

Confined Spaces Regulations 1997


Preventing the need for entry

work in confined spaces

Confined Spaces Regulations 1997

Regulation 4

No person at work shall enter a confined space to carry

out work for any purpose unless it is not reasonably

practicable to achieve that purpose without such

entry


Preventing the need for entry

always ask these question

❖What measures can be taken to enable the work to

be carried out without the need to enter the confined

space?

❖ Can we test the atmosphere or sample the contents

from the outside?

❖ Can we clean from outside?

❖ Can we clear the blockage remotely?

❖ Can we view what’s happening inside without going

in?


Emergency ArrangementsConfined Spaces Regulations 1997

Regulation 5

Without prejudice to Regulation 4 no person at work

shall enter or carry out work in confined space unless

there have been prepared in respect of the confined

space suitable and sufficient arrangements for the

rescue of persons in the event of an emergency,

whether or not arising out of a specified risk


Confined Space EntryPart 2

Specified Risks & Hazards


Specified Risks

❖ Serious injury to any person at work arising from a

fire or explosion;

❖ The loss of consciousness of any person at work

arising from an increase in body temperature;

❖ The loss of consciousness or asphyxiation of any

person at work arising from gas, fume, vapor or the

lack of oxygen;

❖ The drowning of any person at work arising from an

increase in the level of liquid; or

❖ The 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;www.rockfieldcss.co.uk

Oxygen Deficiency

❖ 21% Oxygen in the air we breath

❖ 19.5% Oxygen is the minimum safe entry level

Lets consider some of the causes of oxygen deficiency

❖ Biological processes

❖ Corrosion inside steel tanks and vessels

❖ Chemical reactions

❖ Purging of the confined space with an inert gas

❖ Burning operations


ACCIDENTEntry into rusty chamber kills two !

❖ Two persons collapse after entering a buoyancy

tank on a barge

❖ The tank had not been ventilated or gas tested prior

to entry

❖ They suffocated due to low oxygen levels in the

tank caused by corrosion of the steel structurewww.rockfieldcss.co.uk

ACCIDENTConsider all types of hazards when

planning a job

Pipe opening where a confined space was

inadvertently created


What can go wrong


Area used to store equipment


C02 Readings 9.69% Vol & Oxygen 16.% Vol


Oxygen Enrichment ≥ 23%

❖ There is an increased risk of fire and explosion from

high oxygen levels, at these levels, they can be

expected to be more violent and intense

❖ Higher than normal oxygen levels can result from

oxygen leakage during oxy/acetylene welding

operations


Flammable atmospheres

UEL Upper Explosive Limit

A gas mixture is flammable when the concentration

of flammable material in air is within the Lower and

the Upper Explosive Limits

LEL Lower Explosive Limit


Flammable Atmospheres (continued)

What can cause such atmospheres to occur

❖ Previous processing or storage

❖ Leaks from adjoining plant or processes

❖ Leak from oxygen cylinders

❖ Ignition of airborne flammable contaminants

❖ Residues left in tanks, vessels etc, or remaining on

internal surfaces which can give off gas, fume or

vapour www.rockfieldcss.co.uk

Toxic Atmospheres


Toxic Atmosphere (continued)

❖ Previous processing or storage

❖ Sludge or other deposits disturbed

❖ Adjoining plant not being isolated

❖ Leaks into trenches and pits in contaminated land,

“old refuse tips and old gas works

❖Welding, flame cutting, brush and spray painting

❖ Adhesives and solvents

❖ Hot works on exterior surfaces, exhaust fumes from

mobile plant


ACCIDENTSmall semi confined space!

A workman was relaying the floor tiles in a small cupboard

in an office corridor using a solvent based quick setting

adhesive.

Overcome by the fumes he fell face down into the adhesive

where his face stuck and unconscious he died.

❖ Small spaces such as cupboards etc. are not always

recognised as confined spaces

❖ Remember that “entry” is the action by which a person

passes through an opening into a permit required

confined space and it does not have to be a complete

body entrywww.rockfieldcss.co.uk

ACCIDENTOperator killed checking the oil !

Operator put his head into the tank opening of a barge

to check the oil level.

He was overcome by the fumes and fell into the tank

and was killed


ACCIDENTYoung worker found staggering around

inside a tank!


Ingress or presences of liquids

❖ Is the confined space empty

❖ How deep is any standing liquid in the space

❖What type of liquids are present in the space

❖ Is the space directly or indirectly at risk of flooding

❖ Could changes in weather conditions result in

flooding

❖ Is there a means of escape in the event of flooding


Solid materials which can flow

❖ Engulfment can occur when a person works amid

large quantities of fine solids such as salt sugar,

catalyst and grains

❖ Free flowing solids have the potential to bury and

drown individuals

❖ The risk is more acute in storage compartment that

have sloping floors

❖ Uneven floors can cause a person to trip triggering a

cave in with disastrous consequences

❖When digging through fine solids, take care that no

high walls are left ready to collapse when disturbed


Presence of excessive heat

❖ Poor ventilation

❖ PPE

❖ Steam Cleaning

❖ Hot Works

❖Weather Conditions

❖ Plant not being allowed to cool

excessive heat can cause

❖ Heat Stress or Heat Stroke


Other Hazards

❖ Slippery, corroded or uneven walking surfaces

❖ Obstacles within the space

❖ Poor lighting and visibility

❖ Electricity an mechanical plant

❖ Excessive noise

❖ Falling objects

❖ Falling from height

❖ Bacteriological risks (Legionnella etc)

❖ Animals (Rats, Snakes in pits, tunnels etc)



Atmosphere Monitoring


Atmosphere testing


Gas Characteristics

HSE Workplace Exposure Limits EH40

❖ LEL = Lower explosion limits

❖ UEL = Upper explosion limits

❖ LTEL = Long-Term exposure limits 8-hours

❖ STEL = Short-Term exposure limits 15 minutes

❖ TWA = Time waited average


Types of Vapours and Gases



Risk Assessment


The Management of Health and

Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Regulation 3

States that you must carry out a suitable and sufficient

assessment of the risks for all work activities for the

purpose of deciding what measures are necessary for

safety.

The risk assessment will include consideration of

❖ The Task

❖ The Working Environment

❖Working Tools & Materials

❖ The Suitability of those carrying out the task

❖ Arrangements for emergency rescue


Regulation 3 (continued)

❖ The assessment will need to identify the risks to

those entering or working there, and also any others,

for example, other workers including contractors

and the general public in the vicinity who could be

affected by the work to be undertaken.

❖ The assessment must be carried out by a competent

person

This is someone with sufficient experience of, and

familiarity with the relevant processes, plant and

equipment so that they understand the risks involved

and can devise necessary precautions to meet the

requirements of the confined space regulations.


Safety Watch Person


Emergency Arrangements


Emergency Arrangements

Regulation 5 ACOP

❖Rescue and resuscitation equipment

❖Raising the alarm and rescue

❖Safeguarding the rescuers

❖Fire safety

❖Control of plant

❖First aid

“reliance on the emergency services alone

will not be sufficient to comply with these

regulations”www.rockfieldcss.co.uk

The Three Types of Rescue

❖ Self Rescue

❖ Non-entry Rescue

❖ Entry Rescue


First Aid

❖Managing an incident

❖ The priorities of first aid

❖ Treatment of an

unconscious casualty

❖ Resuscitation

❖ Shock

❖ Choking

❖ Seizures

❖ Bleeding

❖ Common workplace

injuries.

Have you provided for the appropriate emergency

first aid equipment and trained first aiders to deal

with


Public Emergency Services

❖ You will need arrangements in place for rapid

notification of the emergency services

❖ They will need all known information about the

conditions and risks before entering the confined

space

❖ This information must be available at the scene of

incident

❖ Is clear access to site available www.rockfieldcss.co.uk

Rescue Training

❖ Consider the likely causes of an emergency on your

own site

❖ Testing the site or other local emergency procedures

including the initiation of emergency response

❖ Use of rescue equipment

❖ Emergency first aid

❖ Liaison with local emergency services


www.tycofis.com


http://www.tycofis.com/

confined space entry - norwichdistrictsafetygroup.org.uk · definition of ‘confined space it must...

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