CONFINED SPACES (RISKS AND CONTROL MEASURES)

A confined space is a largely enclosed place where serious injury can occur from hazardous substances or conditions within the space or nearby.

An area can be termed as a ‘Confined Space’ if it:

•          Has room large enough for a person to enter and perform work

•          Has a limited or restricted means of entry or exit

•          Is not designed for continuous occupancy

•          Has limited ventilation or air supply.

Confined Spaces can either be below or above ground and may contain flammable gases and unsafe oxygen level that might collapse or engulf a person. 

Confined spaces includes, tanks, vessels, silos, etc.

Entering into a confined space exposes the person to all the risk factors associated with the environment, living them with a higher possibility of getting injured or fatality.

To effectively control the risks associated with a confined space, a hazard identification and risk assessment with controlled measures must be implemented.

·      Training and Supervision: This means that, training or induction and continued supervision must be given to persons who are going to work in a confined space.

Obtain Permit: The appropriate permit must be obtained from the Fire and Safety Department after inspection has been conducted to enable work operation in the space.

Risk Assessment: There should also be an effective risk assessment under which Gas Detection must be conducted to test the atmospheric condition of the area in other to clarify the safeness of the place.

Discourage Alone working: There is the need to discourage solo working in such spaces but rather deploy more than two (2) persons to be on a lookout for each other for any eventuality. 

Appropriate PPE: Ensure that persons assigned to work in such spaces are equipped with the required PPE’s before they are allowed to enter and commence operations.  

Without taking the above measures, you increase the probability of the risk associated with working in Confined Spaces.