WET News

FEBRUARY 2017 WET NEWS 11 assessment of the hazards and risks, which can vary greatly and may include atmospheric risks, oxygen deficiency, exces- sive heat, moving solids and slips, trips and falls. Confined spaces require special attention not only because space is restricted but also because ventilation can be poor, which means gas can build up more quickly. Depending on the application, a wide range of gases can be present and the atmosphere may contain a mix of flammable, toxic and oxygen depletion gas hazard risks. Rooms that require periodic visits for cleaning and/or maintenance work may exacerbate the dangers of confined space. This creates the necessity for not only continuous monitoring when working in the confined space but also comprehensive stratified testing of the area before the worker enters it. When carrying out a risk assessment, it's important to add that the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 state that the duty holder must not only identify the risks to the individuals entering or working in the confined space. They also need to identify risks to other workers, such as contractors, and the general public in the vicinity who could be affected by work to be undertaken. In addition, Regulation 5 makes it clear that no one should enter or work in a confined space unless there are emergency arrangements in place that are appropriate for Confined space workers equipped with wireless gas detection systems combining portable gas detectors with location tracking can pinpointreal-time gas status Advanced tripod systems also complement and support wider health and safety technology the level of risk involved in the task/space. This includes making provision for extracting workers from the confined space [ii]. Rescuers On this point, the regulation also states that rescuers should not enter a confined space with- out assessing whether they would also be at risk. This is important because a major cause of death and injury in confined space incidents is due to ill-conceived attempts to save workers who have collapsed or ceased to respond. As a result, manufacturers of safety equipment for confined spaces are starting to design products that take into account the rescuer as well as the worker. A good example is the development of more robust, single tripods that can be adjusted to different confined space work situations and enhance worker safety around different manhole and entry port sizes. Some of the latest tripods available on the market are designed to be easy to transport, simple and quick to install. Once installed, the worker carrying out the confined space work is attached directly to the tripod leg via a self-retracting lifeline (SRL), which is securely fastened to their safety harness. This new generation of tripods also comes with a retrieval winch for li'ing a maximum weight load of 300kg. This means that once the SRL provides a fall arrest in the event of the worker dropping, they can be winched to safety without the need for their co-worker to enter the confined space. The co-worker is equipped with a small retractable lanyard fixed to the tripod's head, which prevents the individual from being dragged into the confined space should their colleague fall. From this secure position, they can easily and quickly retrieve their colleague. At a more strategic level, these advanced tripod systems also complement and support wider health and safety technology, including the use of portable gas detectors and confined space entry accessories such as manual aspirator kits and sample hoses with probes to test atmospheric conditions prior to entry. Once inside, the confined space worker needs to continuously monitor the atmosphere, which can change quickly due to latent hazards. The worker can use robust crocodile clips/harnesses to position the portable gas detector so that it sits within ten inches of 'the breathing zone', i.e. their mouth/nose, allowing them to work unencumbered by the detector while the device monitors the atmosphere continuously and automatically. Looking to the future, advances in connected safety technology have huge potential to drive up safety standards further. For example, confined space workers equipped with wireless gas detection systems that combine portable gas detectors with location tracking and so'ware can inform safety managers of the real-time gas status at a specific location. Based remotely, managers can immediately determine the location and the severity of a gas alarm. They can also draw on instant readings of an individual's situation, which can then be used to better inform how best to rescue the worker. What is more, in some confined space scenarios, workers can use this wireless technology to automatically report gas detector readings back to their supervisor, thereby removing the need to stop work every few minutes to send this information back manually. These readings can be used to inform future confined space work in this area. A confined space is one of the most hazardous work environments. However, technological solutions that build on and enhance the foundations of effective planning, management and control can help to maintain and further improve the safety of workers. In doing so, it opens up the confined space challenge to new, improved ways of working. n Corentin Barbieux is product manager for fall protection, at Honeywell Industrial Safety EMEA; and Mahesh Joshi is European product marketing leader for gas detection, Honeywell Industrial Safety. i Institution of Occupational Safety and Health ii HSE Safe Work in Confined Spaces (3rd edition 2014)

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