Confined Space Safety Quiz

Establish and practice efficient and effective procedures, maintain access openings, and provide suitable rescue and PPE equipment.

Geographic location, accessibility, communication, proposed method of working, and type of emergency and rescue procedures.

The potential emergencies that may occur.

Go back through risk management steps, review information, and make further decisions about risk control.

To prevent the flow of hazardous materials into the confined space during maintenance or repair work.

At least two valves in the piping leading to the confined space, with a drain or vent valve locked open to atmosphere as part of this method.

They should be reduced to a zero energy condition so that no energy is left in devices and systems that could cause injury or illness. Alternatively, moving equipment should be chocked, wedged, chained, or removed, or the equipment should be de-energized, locked out, and tagged out.

A safe atmosphere in a confined space is one that has a safe oxygen level, is free of airborne contaminants or any airborne contaminants are in concentrations below their allowable exposure standard (if any), and any flammable gas, vapour or mist in the atmosphere is at concentrations below 5 per cent of its lower explosive level (LEL).

Purging is the method used to displace any contaminant from a confined space. Purging must be carried out, so far as is reasonably practicable, where a risk assessment identifies the potential for the confined space to contain an unacceptable level of contaminants.

Atmospheric testing should be carried out before entry to check that the purging and ventilation have been effective.

Purging and ventilation equipment designed for use in hazardous areas must be used.

The key details that should be included are: equipment to be inspected including its unique identification, frequency and type of inspection, action to be taken on finding defective equipment, means of recording the inspections, training of users, and the system of monitoring the inspection regime to verify inspections are carried out appropriately.

If signs of excessive wear or other defects are found during an inspection in confined spaces, the defective equipment must be withdrawn from use.

The purpose of regularly reviewing control measures in confined spaces is to ensure they are effective in controlling the risk and maintain a work environment that is without risks to health or safety.

Some common methods for reviewing control measures in confined spaces include workplace inspection, consultation, testing and analyzing records and data.

5 per cent but less than 10 per cent of its LEL

open flames and hot surfaces, electrical equipment, internal combustion engines, metal tools striking metal surfaces, spark-producing equipment such as grinding wheels, welding, grinding, oxy acetylene cutting, combustion engines, and battery-operated equipment

when it is not reasonably practicable to ensure the confined space contains a safe oxygen level, or safe levels of airborne contaminants, or in situations where there is no exposure standard for a substance, or where the substance is present in an unknown concentration

continuous communication with the worker from outside the confined space and monitoring of conditions within the confined space by a stand-by person who is in the vicinity of the confined space and, if practicable, observing the work being carried out

To continuously monitor the wellbeing of those inside the space, observe the work being carried out, and initiate appropriate emergency procedures when necessary.

• Understand the nature of the hazards inside the confined space and be able to recognise signs and symptoms that workers in the confined space may experience
• Remain outside the confined space and do no other work which may interfere with their primary role of monitoring the workers inside the space
• Have all required rescue equipment immediately available
• Have the authority to order workers to exit the space if any hazardous situation arises, and never enter the space to attempt rescue.

Procedures should be in place for the entire period for which the confined space entry permit is valid to indicate when any worker is in the space, for example by using tags, a system of signing in and out on the entry permit, or having a stand-by person record who is in the space.

Signs must be erected to prevent entry of persons not involved in the work and must warn against entry by people other than those who are listed on the confined space entry permit. Security devices, for example locks and fixed barriers, should also be installed.

A hazardous area is an area in which an explosive atmosphere is present, or may be expected to be present, in quantities that require special precautions during the construction, installation and use of potential ignition sources. Precautions that must be taken include proper ventilation and control of flammable gases and vapours.

The purpose of ventilation in a confined space is to establish and maintain a safe atmosphere and temperature for as long as anyone is in the confined space. Ventilation can be natural, forced, or mechanical. Mechanical ventilation can be either local exhaust ventilation or dilution ventilation.

Local exhaust ventilation is more effective than dilution ventilation when the source of contaminant generation is localized, the extraction point can be located close to the source, and adequate make-up air is available. When using dilution ventilation, air needs to be introduced in a way that will ensure effective circulation throughout the confined space, taking account of the configuration of the space, the position of the openings and the properties of the contaminants.

When mechanical ventilation equipment is likely to be necessary to maintain acceptable contaminant levels in a confined space, the equipment should be monitored to ensure continuous operation while the confined space is occupied, and have the controls (including any remote power supply) clearly identified, tagged, and protected to guard against unauthorized interference.

Confined spaces Code of Practice, nature of work, size and location of the workplace, number and composition of workers and other persons at the workplace.

First aid, local emergency services, rescuer training, fitness, and equipment capabilities, protection during emergency operations.

Rehearse procedures with relevant workers, perform rescue from outside the space if possible, ensure rescuers are adequately trained and provided with appropriate respiratory protective equipment.

To isolate the confined space from the rest of the system and prevent the flow of hazardous materials into the space.

The possibility of movement should be eliminated, and equipment or devices with stored energy should be reduced to a zero energy condition or de-energized, locked out, and tagged out.

To prevent the risk of injury or illness from moving parts, or alternatively, de-energized, locked out, and tagged out.

A safe atmosphere in a confined space is one that has a safe oxygen level, is free of airborne contaminants or any airborne contaminants are in concentrations below their allowable exposure standard (if any), and any flammable gas, vapour or mist in the atmosphere is at concentrations below 5 per cent of its lower explosive level (LEL).

Purging is the method used to displace any contaminant from a confined space.

Atmospheric testing should be carried out before entry to check that the purging and ventilation have been effective.

When flammable contaminants are to be purged, purging and ventilation equipment designed for use in hazardous areas must be used.

The inspection regime should include details of the equipment to be inspected including its unique identification, the frequency and type of inspection, action to be taken on finding defective equipment, means of recording the inspections, training of users, and the system of monitoring the inspection regime to verify inspections are carried out appropriately.

Common review methods include workplace inspection, consultation, testing, and analyzing records and data.

Consult workers involved in the confined spaces work and their health and safety representative (HSR) and consider the following questions: Are the control measures working effectively in both their design and operation? How effective is the risk assessment process? Are all hazards being identified? Are workers actively involved in the risk management process? Are they openly raising health and safety concerns and reporting problems promptly? Have new work methods or new equipment made the job safer?

If signs of excessive wear or other defects are found during the inspection, the defective equipment must be withdrawn from use.

An explosive atmosphere is an area in which there is a risk of explosion due to the presence of flammable gases, vapours, mists, or dusts. Precautions must be taken during construction, installation, and use of potential ignition sources, such as using explosion-proof equipment and ensuring proper ventilation.

During operations likely to generate contaminants, mechanical ventilation equipment may not be adequate or sufficiently reliable to maintain contaminants at acceptable levels or to ensure a safe oxygen level. In such cases, alternative control measures should be considered, such as using personal protective equipment or modifying the work process to reduce the generation of contaminants.

Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) is effective where the source of contaminant generation is localized, the extraction point can be located close to the source, and adequate make-up air is available. LEV is more effective than dilution ventilation in controlling airborne contaminants that are generated at a specific point of operation, such as welding fumes or solvent vapours.

The concentration of any flammable gas, vapour, or mist in the atmosphere of a confined space must be less than 5 per cent of its LEL, so far as is reasonably practicable. Mechanical ventilation equipment and/or alternative control measures should be used to maintain acceptable contaminant levels in the confined space.

Examples of potential ignition sources include open flames, hot surfaces, electrical equipment, internal combustion engines, metal tools striking metal surfaces, and spark-producing equipment such as grinding wheels, welding, oxy acetylene cutting, combustion engines, and battery-operated equipment.

RPE must be provided if it is not reasonably practicable to ensure the confined space contains a safe oxygen level or safe levels of airborne contaminants. It should also be provided and worn in situations where there is no exposure standard for a substance or where the substance is present in an unknown concentration.

A PCBU must ensure that a system of work is provided that includes continuous communication with the worker from outside the confined space and monitoring of conditions within the confined space by a stand-by person who is in the vicinity of the confined space and, if practicable, observing the work being carried out.

If the concentration of any flammable gas, vapour, or mist in the atmosphere of the confined space is equal to or greater than 5 per cent but less than 10 per cent of its LEL, the PCBU must ensure that any worker is immediately removed from the space unless a suitably calibrated, continuous-monitoring flammable gas detector is used in the space. If it is equal to or greater than 10 per cent of its LEL, the PCBU must ensure that any worker is immediately removed from the space.

Performing rescue from outside the confined space is preferred, if possible. Factors to consider include the nature of the work being carried out, the size and location of the workplace, and the number and composition of the workers and other persons at the workplace.

Rescuers should be properly trained, sufficiently fit, and capable of using any equipment provided for rescue. Capabilities of local emergency services and availability of first aid should also be taken into account.

Workers should be provided with air-supplied respiratory protective equipment if the atmosphere in the confined space does not have a safe oxygen level, or if there is a harmful concentration of an airborne contaminant, or if there is a serious risk of the atmosphere in the space becoming hazardous.

Location of the confined space, communications, rescue and resuscitation equipment, the nature of the confined space, the work to be carried out in the confined space, and the type of emergency and rescue procedures required.

Establish first aid and rescue procedures to be followed in an emergency and ensure that workers practise those procedures to ensure that they are efficient and effective. Ensure that openings for entry and exit are of a sufficient size to allow emergency access, openings are not obstructed, and any plant, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) provided for first aid or emergency rescue are maintained in good working order.

Whether the work can be carried out without the need to enter the confined space, the nature of the confined space, any changes in hazards associated with the concentration of oxygen or the concentration of airborne contaminants in the confined space, the work to be carried out in the confined space, the range of methods by which the work can be carried out and the proposed method of working, and the type of emergency and rescue procedures required.

To go back through the risk management steps and ensure that control measures are still appropriate and effective to manage the risks associated with confined spaces.