Confined spaces are not designed for people to work in. As a result, they come with unique and serious dangers, from lack of oxygen to hazardous gases to the risk of entrapment. Nevertheless, confined spaces are common in many workplaces. If your worksite involves confined spaces, it’s important to put a confined space evacuation plan in place.
According to Safe Work Australia, a confined space is more than just a small space. It’s defined by the risks associated with working there. A confined space is a space that’s not designed or intended to be primarily occupied by a person and is likely to pose a risk to health and safety from one of its many hazards. A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has a responsibility under the Workplace Health and Safety Act to ensure the health and safety of workers as far as reasonably practicable. Part of that includes having a confined space emergency response in place in case anything goes wrong while working in confined spaces.
Workplaces are full of confined spaces, including vats, pipes, pits, containers, chimneys, flues, silos, sewers, trenches, tunnels and more. Your best defence against confined space work hazards is a confined space evacuation plan.
Workers in confined spaces face serious risks, including loss of consciousness, injury, impairment or even death. Depending on the workplace, the risks may be different from one confined space to the next and include hazards like:
Small entranceways and exits can make it hard to rescue injured workers or remove equipment from the confined space.
There are all kinds of harmful airborne chemicals and gases that may be present in confined spaces. Examples include hydrogen sulphide in pits and sewers, exhaust fumes from engines, methane released from groundwater and residue from the manufacturing process that has evaporated into gas. In manure pits, gases like ammonia, methane and hydrogen sulphide present significant dangers.
Safe levels of oxygen range from 19.5% to 23.5% by volume. However, certain situations can cause oxygen to decrease to dangerous levels in a confined space. Biological processes can cause gases to shift out of place (e.g. methane in sewers). Purging a confined space with an inert gas to remove fumes can also displace oxygen, while materials in sealed silos can absorb oxygen. When oxygen either falls below the minimum level or exceeds the maximum level, it creates a very dangerous environment for workers.
A confined space runs the risk of fire or explosion if there’s an ignition source, air and a fuel source capable of igniting. Chemical reactions, flammable materials and flammable residue can all contribute to a more volatile atmosphere.
Engulfment is the danger of being swallowed up or immersed by material and suffocating. Some materials that pose a risk include plastics, sand, fertiliser, liquids and sewerage.
Introducing substances like water, steam, gases or other liquids into a confined space can result in a worker drowning or being overcome by fumes, among other forms of harm.
There are some sounds, like sledgehammers, that are so loud they can instantly damage hearing. In a confined space, noise from the working process can be amplified due to sound bouncing off the hard surfaces.
A confined space evacuation plan gives you a process to follow so that in the worst-case scenario, you can rescue your workers as quickly and efficiently as possible. It involves everything from creating the right documentation to having the right rescue team in place. Some crucial elements of a good confined space evacuation plan include:
Recognise and document all potential hazards related to the confined space, from toxic gases to potential obstructions.
In Australia, it takes specialised training to work in confined spaces. Establishing a permit system details the particular conditions and controls required. It also defines who does and doesn’t have permission to enter a confined space.
Many rescue operations use lifting equipment to remove workers from confined spaces, and often that lifting equipment attaches to a full-body harness. Without a full-body harness, rescue operations become a lot more difficult and time-consuming. Other useful and commonly used forms of PPE for confined spaces include safety glasses, face shields, protective helmets or hard hats and welding helmets or gloves.
Make sure you have procedures in place to help ensure safe entries and exits from the place, including forms of two-way communication.
Provide ongoing training and support in confined space entry, hazard recognition and emergency procedures.
Running through potential scenarios with your rescue team is an important part of training them to respond quickly and efficiently during emergencies.
A majority of fatalities in confined spaces are would-be rescues, so having a well-considered confined space rescue plan is a matter of life and death. Fire and Safety Australia recommends three key measures when putting together a confined space evacuation plan. These include completing a confined space rescue plan for every confined space entry, having relevant personnel undertake site-specific training based on the particular hazards and risks, and having confined space rescue exercises form part of the overall emergency management strategy.
From having the right documentation and training to ensuring the right emergency equipment is in place, a confined space evacuation plan requires a lot of work. Personnel need to be highly trained, communication and security systems need to be in place, equipment should be readily available and in good working order, and post-evacuation procedures should be put in place, too.
Trusted by some of Australia’s largest construction companies, SSTC is skilled at and committed to upholding safety procedures in environments with confined spaces. Our confined space management services focus on the entire process of your emergency response from start to finish, including isolations, documentation, issuing permits, confined space set-up and providing an emergency response team. Our highly trained team knows the complex rules and regulations around working in confined spaces. We can ensure all rules and regulations are followed, and hazards are picked up before they cause harm.
In the case of emergency, a well-trained emergency response team can rapidly and effectively spring into action. That’s exactly the kind of emergency response team that SSTC provides. With a focus on the highest possible levels of safety and a military-influenced sense of discipline instilled in each member of our team, we tailor site-specific emergency plans, risk assessments and Safe Work Method Statements. In case of an emergency, our dedicated team can spring into action.
To benefit from our 25 years of experience and make your worksite safer, contact the SSTC team for a free quote.