Marks for Safety

Confined Spaces for Dummies.

Introduction:

There were definitely benefits to having started a brand new facility with brand new buildings and grounds. In other words, I had not really had a whole lot of experience with these things called "Confined Spaces,"but as I continued my career, visited work sites and other facilities within my company, I saw how different areas of concern and workplace hazards were handled by the managers and supervisors in responsible charge of safety at that location. Whenever I would see something I did not understand, I would ask them how or why they did what they did. I would also make a note of whatever it was I was not clear about and go back to learn as much as I could about that situation or environment. One of the first of these was an open manhole in the basement of an old building in the midwest.

So this is where we will begin in terms of OSHA workplace safety. While we will talk about safety in many shapes and forms, it is CFR 1910.146 "Permit Required Confined Spaces" that we will examine over the next few weeks. This is the first in the series of posts entitled "Confined Spaces for Dummies." I hope that you can find the information useful.

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So, What is a "Confined Space," Anyway?

First let me state that the topic is what is a "CONFINED space" and not a "CONFINE space." Just a pet peeve, my friends. There is no such thing as a "confine space." Add the "D," please.

With that behind us, let me answer the question at hand. A "confined space" can be summarized pretty easily in three parts:

1. It is a place big enough for a person to get inside and work.
2. it has limited means of getting into it and out of it, and
3. It really isn't a place a person is supposed to be in.

Examples of confined spaces you may come across on a worksite could include things like:

Manholes...
Hoppers...

Fuel Tanks...

Process Tanks...

Silos...

Even truck tankers are confined spaces...

My facility even has air handling units that are large enough to qualify as a confined space! These places may not at first glance appear to be an issue, but as I learned more about these areas, the more I saw my own childhood flash in front of me, and the realization came as to how lucky I was to have survived to adulthood. I will get to that in a minute... for now you might be wondering as I had:

Why are Confined Spaces an issue?

There are a number of risks involved in working in confined spaces. Hazards that would ordinarily pose minimal risk--or could be avoided altogether--suddenly become life-threatening when there is less room to maneuver, or nowhere to escape from them.

The number one issue when working in a confined space is the oxygen levels within the confined space. Normally, the atmosphere we breathe contains between 20.8% and 21% oxygen. That surprises a lot of people when I first explain this. Growing up we all learn in school that the human body breathes in oxygen, and breathes out carbon dioxide, so a lot of folks assume that the air we breathe is, well... simply oxygen.

The optimal range for oxygen saturation in a confined space is between 19.5% and 23.5%. Any more or less than this can cause problems for anyone working inside. OSHA has defined what it calls "oxygen deficient" atmospheres and "oxygen enriched" atmospheres. Both can have nasty side effects.

An oxygen deficient atmosphere might take place when other gasses like carbon dioxide, nitrogen or the like pushes the oxygen out or "displaces" the oxygen. Gasses take up space like anything else, and have different densities. Think of how oil floats on top of water. If you pour cooking oil into a cup, and then begin to fill the cup with water, eventually the water will push the oil up and out of the cup. The same can happen with oxygen when mixed with other gasses in a place where it has no where else to go.

Another interesting way oxygen levels can drop is when rusting metal or bacteria "eats" it. That's right, animals are not the only thing that requires the use of oxygen. When metal rusts, it "oxidizes," and consumes the oxygen in the immediate vicinity for it's chemical reaction. When fruit ripens it uses oxygen to complete it's process. Paint or other coatings drying can use up oxygen, and fire requires oxygen to burn. In the case of some confined spaces, when the fire eats up all the oxygen in the area, it will go out, leaving behind a space with no breathable air.

Oxygen enriched atmospheres may come from naturally occurring chemical reactions, but are more likely to be caused by a leaking tank or air line. Oxygen as I mentioned earlier, is required for fires to burn. The more Oxygen that exists in an atmosphere, the more flammable or even explosive that area can become.

Other hazards associated with a confined space include:

1. Mechanical Hazards

Mechanical Hazards can contribute to injuries such as being crushed or caught in mechanical parts, or being struck by parts or projectiles as the above image shows. This risk is magnified by the fact that in a confined space there is limited room to maneuver out of the way, or the ability to seek cover from flying objects that may ricochet off of the enclosures walls.

2. Engulfment

Remember when I stated that I was amazed I had survived to adulthood? Growing up on a Michigan farm, I spent more than my fair share of time in grain hoppers and silos. Sometimes forty or fifty feet above the ground inside piles of fermenting hay... who knows how many air pockets lay beneath me, waiting to swallow me up as I worked on the unloading machinery in the top, or manually forking feed down when the equipment was down. Engulfment is one of the hazards I faced more often than I care to think of... Just wait until I get to asbestos!

Engulfment, in my opinion is particularly gruesome. Engulfment takes place when a person gets trapped within a granular substance. The weight and fluidity of the engulfing material causes suffocation. Sometimes the worker can become trapped, and the weight of the surrounding substance allows the victim to exhale, but not allow the chest to expand to take in new breath, even if the head is completely exposed.

3. Excessive Heat

Heat related illness and injury can occur in environments where high temperatures are present. First, second and third degree burns can take place if objects or equipment producing the heat come into contact with the worker. Additionally, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can also cause muscle cramps, headaches, dizziness and fainting. Heat stroke can also occur.

4. Excessive Noise

Excessive noise levels will lead to temporary and possibly permanent hearing loss. Imagine the feeling you had after a great concert. The cotton feeling in your head, the incessant ringing sound. The effects of long term exposure potentially make this permanent. OSHA's noise exposure limits only allow for 85 decibels or below during an eight hour period. Just to put things into context, a home lawnmower averages around 100 decibels.

5. Entrapment

Entrapment hazards can cause injuries from being crushed in or caught in mechanical equipment or enclosed spaces.

6. Structural Hazards

Structural hazards can cause trips and falls, which may injure workers. They may also collapse, allowing falling debris to cause injury or worse--develop into an entrapment or engulfing hazard. I won't talk about the old abandoned house that I played in as a kid. Not until I talk about asbestos...

7. Corrosives

Corrosive materials can cause serious injury if inhaled, ingested or contact is made with the human body in other ways. Additionally, chemical reactions with caustic materials can produce toxic fumes, adversely affecting atmospheric conditions. Some cannot be washed away with water. Combine this with an environment you cannot get out of in a hurry to reach first aid...

8. Atmospheric Conditions

As previously discussed, atmospheric hazards are the major concern in confined spaces. Oxygen rich atmospheres can cause explosion and flame hazards, as well as the inability to function, while low oxygen levels impede a worker's ability to remain conscious. But other atmospheric conditions also come into play.

Atmospheres filled with high concentrations of dust may cause respiratory issues. If the dust is combustable, it may cause explosions and fire.

Other gasses like carbon monoxide or hydrogen sulfide can also be present in these atmosphere which are toxic to human beings and will cause illness or death.

I will devote a later post exclusively to toxic gasses.

8. Electrical hazards

Electric shock can be severely disabling, or potentially fatal. First, second and third degree burns are possible, inside and outside of the body. Arc flash explosions can reach temperatures in excess of 35,000 degrees fahrenheit, which can reduce human body parts to ash in an instant. We will look at that in future discussions on electrical safety...

Other Hazards

There are any number of naturally occurring hazards that workers may find in confined spaces. Venomous spiders, snakes and other wildlife are commonplace here in Florida, as well as other parts of the country. As people encroach further into territory that was once the wild, animals will do what they need to do in order to adapt--and that includes encroaching back.

What does this mean to me?

Simply put, confined spaces are dangerous. If you have to work in one of these spaces and you cannot abate all hazards within that space, that this will become a "Permit Required Confined Space," It is the duty of the employer to conduct a survey and identify any permit spaces that may be on their property or work site. Take the time to evaluate your facility or worksite accurately.

It's better to lose one minute of your life, than to lose your life in a minute!

Next time, we will discuss in detail what a "Permit" entails and will go down 1910.146 one section at a time.

The Station nightclub fire is considered to be the fourth most deadly nightclub fire in American history. The fire took place when the Heavy Metal band "Great White" set off pyrotechnics, which caused acoustic insulation to ignite, setting the walls and ceiling alight, and in less than six minutes the entire building was engulfed in flames.

One hundred people died.

Another two hundred-thirty were injured.

As safety professionals it is easy to talk about what went wrong from the standpoint of Life Safety Code, egress and occupancy violations, and all of these things would be correct. However something could have saved more lives that night that had nothing to do with code or occupancy.

If you have not seen the video of this fire, I have to caution you: It is graphic. People are losing their lives. It is shocking to see how quickly the fire spreads, and how rapidly panic takes over. But if you can stand to watch it, I want you to pay attention to those who do manage to escape, including the cameraman...

A large number of the individuals fleeing the fire attempted to get out of the blaze by running towards the main entrance, in other words: victims attempted to flee the building the same way they came in! Please do not misunderstand, I am in no way, shape or form blaming the victims of this horrible tragedy with what I am about to say. But if there is a lesson that we can all learn from this terrible misfortune, regardless of our profession or experience it would be this:

Thirty Seconds.

How many times do you go out to eat, or to the movies, or a bar or club and take the time to identify the alternate exits to the facility?

Thirty seconds is all it takes to identify the illuminated exit signs, fire extinguishers or other emergency notification equipment?

Pay attention to your surroundings! Staying safe is more than codes and policy. It is more than guardrails and hard hats. Being aware of what and who is around you can make the difference between life and death in an emergency or disaster! Take the time to familiarize yourself with doors, windows, and any other obstacles between you and safety.

Remember, it's better to lose a minute of life than to lose your life in a minute!