By Darrel West, Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources, darrel.west@gwinnettcounty.com
W
hen those of us who have been in the water and wastewater industry hear the words ‘confined space,’ we typically start thinking about our sewer systems, lift stations, or some less-than-ideally designed underground tank. Perhaps you have
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had the opportunity to be in a confined space, such as a sewer manhole, and thought to yourself, “Wow, this sure is a confining space I am in” and you would be correct. Personally, when I hear the words ‘confined space,’ I tend to think about areas that are dark, dingy, smelly, and have more than just a few cockroaches
(even the occasional albino ones) living in there – all of whom are more than willing to run up your pant leg. Yes, tanks, pits, vaults, and manholes are all examples of confined spaces, but what makes them a confined space? Any way we slice it, confined spaces are not exactly set up for hosting the
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