OSH for ENGINEERS

ENGG 1030

Joanne S. Dionela, ChE

10. Confined
Space Safety
Confined Space 3

WHAT is CONFINED SPACE?

From: Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain
➢ means any place, including any chamber, tank, vat, silo, pit, trench, pipe, sewer, flue,
well or other similar space in which, by virtue of its (1) enclosed nature, there arises a
(2) reasonably foreseeable specified risk.

➢ “specified risk” means a risk of —

(a) serious injury to any person at work arising from a fire or explosion;
(b) without prejudice to paragraph (a) —
(i) the loss of consciousness of any person at work arising from an increase in body
temperature;
(ii) the loss of consciousness or asphyxiation of any person at work arising from gas,
fume, vapour or the lack of oxygen;
(c) the drowning of any person at work arising from an increase in the level of liquid; or
(d) the asphyxiation of any person at work arising from a free flowing solid or the inability
to reach a respirable environment due to entrapment by a free flowing solid.
Confined Space 4

WHAT is CONFINED SPACE?

From Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), USA

By definition, a confined space:

1. Is large enough for an employee to enter fully and perform assigned work;
2. Is not designed for continuous occupancy by the employee; and
3. Has a limited or restricted means of entry or exit.

These spaces may include underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, pits and diked areas,
vessels, silos and other similar areas.
Two Categories of Confined Space 5

1. Open-topped enclosures with depths which restrict the natural

circulation of air.
➢ 1.5 meters (5 feet) deep
➢ Examples: separators, pits, roof on an open-top floating roof
tank, trenches, excavations, etc.

2. Enclosures with limited opening for entry and exit

➢ Examples: Sewers, tanks, tank trunk, etc.
Examples of Confined Space 6

➢ Tanks, manure pits, storage bins,

boilers, double hulls, vats,
pumping stations, kilns, pits,
sumps, vaults, vessels, silos,
manholes, pipelines, water
reservoirs, sewers, Other similar
spaces.

Crawl spaces Pits

tanks
Manholes
Permit-Required Confined Space (PRCS) 7

What is Permit-required Confined Space?

By definition, a permit-required confined space has one or more of these characteristics:
1. Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere;
2. Contains a material with the potential to engulf someone who enters the space;
3. Has an internal configuration that might cause an entrant to be trapped or
asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a floor that slopes downward and
tapers to a smaller cross section; and/or
4. Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazards.
Confined Space “Entry” 8

➢ A confined space entry is considered to have

occurred when any part of a person's body
crosses the plane of an opening into the
space.
➢ Each employer should ask these two questions
at the onset of each project:
1. Is confined space entry always necessary
for this task?
2. Is it possible to complete the task from the
outside?
➢ If possible, avoid entering a confined space.
Every consideration should be given to
completing the task from the outside.
Confined Space
Hazards and Risks
Common Confined Space Hazards 10

1. Oxygen deficiency
2. Oxygen-enriched atmosphere
3. Flammable/Explosive Atmospheres
4. Toxic Atmospheres
5. Temperature extremes
6. Physical Hazards (noise, slip, trip, falls, falling
objects, equipment, electrical)
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 11

OXYGEN DEFICIENCY
➢ Oxygen level below 19.5%. Lack of oxygen is a leading cause of death
among workers entering confined spaces.
➢ Low oxygen levels cannot be detected by sight or smell. You must test the
air for this hazardous condition. A very low level of oxygen can damage
the brain and cause the heart to stop after a few minutes.

What causes oxygen deficiency?

➢ Oxygen is used up when metals rust.
➢ Oxygen is used up during combustion — ex. by propane space heaters,
during cutting or welding, and by internal combustion engines.
➢ Oxygen can be replaced by other gases — ex. welding gases or gases
forced into the space to prevention corrosion.
➢ Micro-organisms use up oxygen — ex. in sewer lines and fermentation
vessels.
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 12

Oxygen Levels and effects

19.5 % Minimum acceptable oxygen level.
15 - 19% Decreased ability to work strenuously.
Impaired coordination. Early symptoms.
12-14% Respiration increases. Poor judgment.
10-12% Respiration increases. Lips blue.
8-10% Mental failure. Fainting. Nausea.
Unconsciousness. Vomiting.
6-8% 8 minutes - fatal
6 minutes - 50% fatal
4-5 minutes - possible recovery
4-6% Coma in 40 seconds. Death.
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 13

OXYGEN-ENRICHED ATMOSPHERE
➢ Oxygen level above 23.5%. Too much oxygen greatly increases the risk
of fire or explosion in the confined space.
➢ Causes flammable and combustible materials to burn violently when
ignited
✓ Hair, clothing, materials, etc.
✓ Oil soaked clothing and materials
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 14

FLAMMABLE/EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERE
• Critical Factors:
➢ Oxygen content in the air
➢ Presence of a flammable gas or vapor
➢ Presence of dust (visibility of 5’ or less)
• Proper air/gas mixture can lead to explosion
• Typical Ignition Sources:
➢ Sparking or electric tool
➢ Welding / cutting operations
➢ Smoking
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 15

TOXIC ATMOSPHERE
• Product stored in a confined space:
➢ Gases released when cleaning
➢ Materials absorbed into walls of confined space
➢ Decomposition of materials in the confined space
• Work performed in a confined space:
➢ Welding, cutting, brazing, soldering
➢ Painting, scraping, sanding, degreasing
➢ Sealing, bonding, melting
• Areas adjacent to a confined space
• Common toxic gases in confined space: Hydrogen Sulfide, Carbon Monoxide
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 16

Hydrogen Sulfide
• Decomposition of materials, human waste
• Naturally present in some oil/gas reservoirs
• Rotten egg odor at low concentrations
• Possibly no warning at high concentrations
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 17

Carbon Monoxide
• Odorless, colorless gas
• Combustion by-product
• Quickly collapse at high concentrations
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 18

Other toxic gases:

• Argon (Ar) ~ Displaces Oxygen
• Carbon monoxide (CO) ~ Toxic
• Chlorine (Cl) ~ Toxic
• Gasoline Vapors ~ Fire and explosion
• Methane (CH4) ~ Fire and explosion
• Nitrogen (N2) ~ Displaces oxygen
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) ~ Toxic
• Sulfur dioxide (SO2) ~ Toxic
• Oxygen (O2) ~ Low and High levels
cause asphyxiate / explosion
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 19

Criteria for Hazardous Atmosphere:

1. Flammable gas, vapor, or mist in excess of 10% of its LEL
2. Airborne dust at a concentration that meets or exceeds its LEL (Rule of
thumb: vision at <5’)
3. Oxygen <19.5% or >23.5%
4. Atmospheric concentrations of substances above Permissible Exposure
Limit (PEL)
5. Other atmospheric conditions that are Immediate Danger to Life and
Health (IDLH).
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 20

TEMPERATURE EXTREMES
• Work processes inside the confined space can increase temperature
extremes.
• Extreme heat & cold
• Steam cleaning
• Humidity factors
• Extremely cold liquids
• Personal protective equipment worn by workers
Special precautions are needed before workers enter equipment such as
boilers, reaction vessels, and low-temperature systems. A qualified person must
provide these procedures.
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 21

PHYSICAL HAZARDS
• Loose and unstable materials
Whenever unstable solids made of small particles like sand or grain are stored
in enclosures, there is a danger of the materials flowing onto workers and
trapping or burying them.

• Slips, trip and fall hazards

The space you are about to enter may have a hatchway that is difficult to
squeeze through, and ladders for ascending or descending. You are therefore
at risk of falling while getting into the space as well as while you are inside. In
addition, the flooring of tanks or other wet environments or the rungs of a
ladder may be very slippery.
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 22

PHYSICAL HAZARDS
• Falling objects
In a confined space there may be the danger of being struck by falling objects
such as tools or equipment, particularly if access ports or workstations are
located above workers.

• Moving parts of equipment and machinery

Mechanical equipment such as augers, mixers, or rotating tanks can be
dangerous if activated or not secured. Residual energy, such as gravity or
accumulated pressure, may also pose a risk unless the equipment is locked out
and de-energized.
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 23

PHYSICAL HAZARDS
• Electrical shock
All electrical sources that pose a hazard to workers inside the space must be
locked out following the written lockout procedure for the particular confined
space.

• Substances entering through piping

Piping adjacent to a confined space could contain liquids or gases or other
harmful substances. Substances must be prevented from entering the confined
space through piping. This is done by “isolating” the piping from the confined
space.
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 24

PHYSICAL HAZARDS
• Poor visibility
Emergency lighting such as flashlights or battery-operated area units must be
provided where necessary, so that workers can locate exits and escape.

• Noise
Noise produced in confined spaces can be particularly harmful because of
reflection off walls.
Confined Space Hazards & Risks 25

PHYSICAL HAZARDS
• Risk of drowning
Confined spaces should be fully drained or dry when entered. Spaces that are
not fully drained or dry may pose a risk of drowning. The risk of drowning in a
vat or tank with a large amount of liquid is easily recognized. However, workers
have drowned in small pools of liquid. For example, insufficient oxygen, the
presence of a toxic gas, or a blow to the head can make workers unconscious.
Workers who have fallen face-down into a small pool of water have drowned.
Confined Space
Hazards Controls
Confined Space Safety Model 27

1. Hazards Identification
2. Risk Assessment
3. Control
➢ Develop controls
➢ Implement Controls
➢ Evaluate Controls (Review, re-assess
risks, continuously improved)
Confined Space Hazards Control 28

1. Elimination - Avoid entering the confined space as possible

2. Substitution - Replace toxic substances with less toxic or non-toxic
substances
3. Engineering Controls:
• Gas/air Testing and atmosphere monitoring
• Ventilation
• Redesign confined space
4. Administrative Controls:
• Confined Space Safety Program (Standard procedures, Permit-to-
Work System: Confined Space Entry Permit, Training, Emergency
procedures, etc.)
5. Personal Protective Equipment (Self-Contained Breathing
Apparatus, Full-body harness, lifeline, respirators, rescue tripod)
Basic Principles for Confined Space Safety 29

1. Avoid confined space entry

2. Establish Safe systems of work
3. Prepare Emergency plans
Avoiding Confined Space Entry 30

You need to check if the work can be done another way so that entry to or
work in confined spaces is avoided. Better work-planning or a different
approach can reduce the need for confined space working.

Ask yourself if the intended work is really necessary, or if you could:

• modify the confined space itself or other plant to eliminate the confined
space;
• have the work done from outside, for example:
➢ blockages in silos can be cleared by use of remotely
operated vibrators or air washers;
➢ inspection, sampling and cleaning operations can be done
from outside the space using appropriate equipment and tools; and
➢ remote control monitors can be used for internal inspection of vessels.
Safe systems of work 31

• If entry to a confined space is unavoidable, a safe system for working

inside the space should be developed.
• A “competent person” should be appointed to carry out a risk assessment
of the conditions and the work and activities to be conducted in the
confined space, and identify the necessary safety precautions to be taken
according to the findings to avoid posing hazards to workers. The
“competent person” should make recommendations on safety
precautions to be taken having regard to the nature of the confined
space, the associated risk and the work involved.
• Make sure that the safe system of work, including the precautions
identified, is developed and put into practice. Everyone involved will need
to be properly trained and instructed to make sure they know what to do
and how to do it safely.

Note: components discussed here are not exhaustive.

Safe systems of work 32

• Appoint suitable persons for the work

Suitable workers should meet the following requirements:
➢ have received training to become “certified workers”;
➢ have sufficient experience in the type of work to be carried out;
➢ have a suitable build for the work if the risk assessment highlights
exceptional constraints as a result of the physical layout;
➢ be fit to wear breathing apparatus if the work requires the use of such
apparatus, and there is no medical advice against an individual’s
suitability to work in a confined space.
Safe systems of work 33

• Isolation/ Control of Hazardous Energy

Mechanical and electrical isolation of
equipment is essential if it could otherwise
operate, or be operated, inadvertently. If
gas, fume or vapour could enter the
confined space, you need to isolate the
pipework. In all cases, a check should be
made to ensure isolation is effective.
Safe systems of work 34

• Cleaning and cooling before entry

A confined space should be
adequately purged before the
entry of workers to ensure that no
sludge or other deposits will give
off hazardous gas, vapour, dust or
fume during the course of work. If
steam cleaning is used, sufficient
time should be allowed for cooling
to ensure that it is safe to work in
the confined space.
Safe systems of work 36

• Check the size of the entrance

Is it big enough to allow workers
wearing all the necessary equipment
to climb in and out easily, and
provide ready access and exit in an
emergency? For example, the size of
the opening may mean choosing air-
line breathing apparatus in place of
self-contained equipment which is
more bulky and therefore likely to
restrict ready passage.
Safe systems of work 37

• Provision of ventilation
You may be able to increase the number of openings and therefore
improve ventilation. Mechanical ventilation may be needed to make sure
there is an adequate supply of fresh air. This is essential where portable gas
cylinders and diesel-fuelled equipment are used inside the space because
of the dangers from build-up of engine exhaust.

Warning: carbon monoxide in the exhaust from petrol-fuelled engines is so

dangerous that use of such equipment in confined spaces should never be
allowed.
Safe systems of work 38

• Provision of ventilation
Safe systems of work 39

• Provision of ventilation
Safe systems of work 40

• Testing the air

This is necessary in order to check that
the air is free from both toxic and
flammable gases, and that there is no
deficiency in oxygen and the air is fit to
breathe. Testing should be carried out by
a competent person using a suitable gas
detector which is correctly calibrated.
Where the risk assessment indicates that
conditions may change in the course of
work, or as a further precaution,
continuous air monitoring as advised by
the competent person is required.

➢ Safe Oxygen Level is 19.5% to 23.5%

Safe systems of work 41

➢ Order of Gas/Air Testing:

1. Oxygen
2. Flammable gases
3. Toxic gases
4. Others

➢ Common Hazardous Gases:

1. Methane – lighter than air
2. Carbon Monoxide – same
as air
3. Hydrogen Sulfide – heavier
than air
Safe systems of work 42

➢ Required air conditions for Confined Space Entry:

1. Oxygen Level: 19.5% to 23.5%
2. Flammable gases concentration: Below or up to 10% of LEL only
3. Toxic gases: below or within PEL
4. Others: as defined in their MSDS
Safe systems of work 43

• Provision of special tools and lighting

Non-sparking tools and specially protected
lighting are essential where flammable or
potentially explosive atmospheres are likely.
In certain confined spaces (e.g. inside
metal tanks), suitable precautions to
prevent electric shock include the use of
extra low voltage equipment (voltage not
exceeding 50 volts alternating current or
120 volts direct current whether between
conductors or to earth) and, where
necessary, residual current devices.
Safe systems of work 44

• Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Where the use of “approved
breathing apparatus” is
recommended in a risk assessment
report, or entry into a confined space
for underground pipework is
required, it is required to ensure that
any person entering or remaining in
the confined space:
➢ is properly wearing an approved
breathing apparatus of a type that
gives appropriate protection given
the nature of the confined space;
Safe systems of work 45

• Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

➢ Worker is wearing a suitable
safety harness connected to a
lifeline that is strong enough to
enable him to be pulled out, and
that the free end is held by a
person staying outside the
confined space who has
sufficient physical strength to be
capable of pulling the worker out
of the confined space in an
emergency. That person must
remain in situ throughout the
course of work.
Safe systems of work 46

• Permit-to-Work/Confined Space Entry Permit

A permit-to-work ensures a formal check is undertaken to make sure all
the elements of a safe system of work are in place before people are
allowed to enter or work in the confined space. It is also a means of
communication between site management, supervisors, and those
carrying out the hazardous work. Essential features of a permit-to-work
are:
➢ clear identification of who may authorize particular jobs (and any limits
to their authority) and who is responsible for specifying the necessary
precautions (e.g. isolation, air testing, emergency arrangements etc.);
➢ making sure that contractors engaged to carry out work are included;
➢ training and instruction in the issue of permits;
➢ monitoring and auditing to make sure that the system works as
intended.
Safe systems of work 47

• Permit-to-
Work/Confined Space
Entry Permit
Emergency Plan 48

To deal with any serious and imminent danger to workers inside a confined
space, appropriate emergency procedures should be formulated and
implemented according to the nature of the confined space, the risks involved
and the nature of an emergency rescue.

Things to consider in Emergency Planning:

• Communications
• Liaison and rescue
• Shutdown
• First Aid Procedures
• Drills
• Emergency services contact
Questions?