2 minute read
Not where you expect them
CONfINED SPACES:
NOT whEREYOu ExPECTThEM!
industry terms and phrases tend to conjure images in our minds. Sometimes these mental pictures are vivid, and others are more obscure, clouded in the fog of the unknown.
“Confined space”. What image pops into your mind when that phrase is used? The answers to that question vary based on the life history of the people that are asked. Common responses include places from the respondent’s memory that made them feel tight, squeezed, or producing claustrophobic feelings. There are always vivid memories attached to those momentary experiences. The smell of the airplane washroom stall. The heat radiating off the metal grain bin on the family farm.
Nearly every industry across western Canada has them, people are sent to work in them every day, but very few have a solid understanding of what a confined space is. Without this solid understanding of the meaning, it is difficult to have true capability to know the hazards and reduce the risk involved.
Most people will be able to identify the confined spaces that fit their mental image and expectations; an underground vault accessed through a manhole or a hatch entry into a fluid tank. They picture workers with full face masks, air tanks, monitoring equipment, and tripods. Typically, only those with additional training and experience will identify confined spaces such as an open-air pit or berm area. Every year in Canada, many workers are killed while interacting in confined spaces. Many more are exposed to harmful substances that will cause years of chronic conditions and shortened lifespans. Working in confined spaces can be done safely and efficiently, however competent workers and preplanning are required.
CSA Z1006:16 defines a confined space as “a workspace that is fully or partially enclosed; is not designed or intended for continuous human occupancy; and has limited or restricted access or egress, or an internal configuration that can complicate first aid, evacuation, rescue, or other emergency response services”. This is a broad definition that covers many different types of confined spaces. While the wording may change between jurisdictions,
similar intent is given in regulation in most locations.
At home we often deal with the same
hazards. Going behind the skirting of a mobile home or cabin to winterize pipes for example. It is partially enclosed; it is not designed for continuous human occupancy and has limited means of access. There are hazards that should be considered, including exposure to rodent feces that carry viruses, potential wildlife such as wasps or skunks, and various dusts and fumes that could result from asbestos or leaking pipes. It is even possible for a buildup of gases that would displace oxygen.
