Safety Tips for Confined Spaces
In the United States, there is an average of 1.6 million Americans who work in confined spaces every year.
In the United States, there is an average of 1.6 million Americans who work in confined spaces every year. A confined space is defined as a space that has limited or restricted ways of entering or exiting and isn’t designed for continuous occupancy but is big enough that a worker can enter. Jobs involving confined spaces are dangerous, and injury and death are all too possible. Death from asphyxiation, electric shock, falls and heat stress is all too common. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has made it their job to protect workers and have some recommendations for protections we will discuss.
Evaluating Your Space
Employers identify confined spaces, and they have a mandate to inform their employees of these hazards before work starts. To initiate the evaluation of a confined space to ensure the safety of all workers involved, a trained professional should go through and identify the hazards and controls of the space. Precautions in a confined space are used for employee protection and typically include, ventilation, quality testing, respiratory protection and a hot-work permit. It is advisable for a another professional to be present to ask specific questions to ensure that all controls are put in place.
Permit Required Confined Spaces
There are many instances in which OSHA will require workers to have permits before entering confined spaces. These confined spaces are typically riskier and contain elements of the following:
-Contains or has a potentially hazardous atmosphere
-Has internal configuration that can cause an entrant to be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls
-Contains material that could potentially engulf an entrant
-Contains multiple serious safety and health concerns.
Full Disclosure
It is essential that all employees who enter the confined space are well-versed in the safety precautions of that space. Not only should they be aware of hazards and the consequences of those hazards, but they need to understand how to confront any circumstances that are unexpected. There should always be an authorized overseer who controls both entry and exit. They should also monitor the condition of the confined space and remain dedicated to guaranteeing safety.
Prioritize Safety with G&M Services
G&M Services is proud of our employees and the dedication they have for safety in the workplace. Our employees are also rewarded for positive safety practices. We incorporate weekly and monthly discussions and meeting to ensure that all involved are aware of how to handle equipment and potential situations that could occur during a project.
G&M Services offers services in the way of concrete drilling and sawing, concrete scanning and FireStop. To get started with us, call today at 410-787-8828 or visit our contact page. Follow the official company page today on Google+, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
