Confined Spaces and Hazards

Confined Space Entry

• Confined space entry occurs when any part of a person's body breaks the plane of an opening into a confined space.
• It can be categorized into:
  • Confined space category A: where hazardous substances may be present and permanent breathing apparatus is required.
  • Confined space category B: where there are no hazardous substances or the environment can be made safe.

Hazardous Environments

• Chemical hazards refer to the toxic, flammable, explosive, corrosive, and reactive properties of process substances.
• Oxygen-enriched atmospheres contain more than 22% oxygen by volume, expanding the range of flammability and lowering the ignition energy.

Job Safety Analysis

• Job safety analysis (JSA) is a systematic approach to control and eliminate hazards associated with each step of a job.

Personnel Roles

• Standby man: a trained and certified person designated to perform standby duties during specific activities.
• Fire watch: a trained and certified person in fire extinguisher training designated to perform fire watch duties during hot work.

Work Areas

• Work area: the physical area where work is carried out.
• Positively identified: equipment is identified by placing a tag on it to ensure work is carried out in the correct area.

Vehicle/Equipment Entry

• Vehicle/equipment entry: the entry of an internal combustion engine vehicle or equipment into a classified hazardous area.

Confined Space

• Confined space: an enclosure with limited opening for entry and exit, unfavorable natural ventilation, and potential hazards to occupants.

Rescue Plan

• Rescue plan: a plan to rescue persons from a confined space, regardless of category.
• Lifeline/retrieval line: a line used to preserve or save life, and can be used for rescue in case of an emergency.

Permit Issuer/Receiver Responsibilities

• Conduct face-to-face discussion to ensure understanding of scope of work, JSA, and conditions.
• Conduct site joint visit to identify hazards and agree on mitigation.
• Ensure all process and asset work hazards are identified and mitigated.
• Ensure proper handover of work permit status at shift change.
• Suspend work permit in the event of an emergency and revalidate after suspension.

Standby Man/Fire Watch Certification Training

• Objectives:
  • Understand responsibilities and tasks of a standby man and fire watch.
  • Gain understanding of the basic concept of Tasnee's Work Permit System.
  • Understand how to assist during an emergency situation.
  • Be equipped to handle minor emergency situations or alert for immediate response.

Craftsman and Safe Maker

• Craftsman: a competent person executing a specific task and leading a team.
• Safe maker: a trained and certified person with valid authorization card designated on the permit by the Permit Issuer for safe making.

Hot and Cold Work

• Hot work: any work capable of supplying source of ignition energy for igniting flammable mixtures or combustible materials.
• Cold work: any work that does not create enough heat or sparks to ignite flammable gas-air mixtures or flammable materials.

Hot Work Safety Precautions

• Ensure vehicles and equipment are switched off and secured to prevent fires or emergencies.
• Fire watch personnel must be trained and certified by a third party and stay at the work location for 1 hour after completion of hot work to check for potential fires.

Standby Responsibilities During Confined Space Work

• Standby personnel must be present at each confined space entrance, not barricaded, and ensure the Confined Space Entry Log Sheet is completed prior to entry and exit.
• Never enter a confined space, even in an emergency.
• Ensure entrance to a confined space is positively barricaded and/or locked during periods when no work is performed.
• Regularly observe conditions within and outside the confined space without entering personally.

Confined Space Entrant Responsibilities

• Ensure signing in and out on the Confined Space Entry Log Sheet as appropriate.
• Follow all hazard mitigations in the permit and be alert to changing conditions.
• Be competent to use safety equipment as specified on the permit.
• Exit and alert the standby man in case of evacuation orders, warning signs or symptoms of exposure, changes in hazardous conditions, or emergency sirens.

Standby/Fire Watch Core Responsibilities

• Present authorization card to the permit issuer before signing on the work permit.
• Familiarize oneself with the location and use of emergency equipment, alarm buttons, and escape routes.
• Communicate emergencies immediately and ensure emergency equipment is available.
• Follow the Emergency Control Plan and monitor work permit requirements.
• Stop work if conditions are unsafe or sirens are activated.

Permit Receiver Responsibilities

• Report any incidents to the permit issuer.
• Ensure emergency equipment is available at the job site before starting work.
• Ensure additional lighting is provided whenever required.

Permit Issuer Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with work permit methods.
• Verify authorization of required work permit signatories.
• Issue work permits after receiver signature and handover the copy to the Permit Receiver.
• Conduct a work area field check with the incoming Safe Maker and have a face-to-face discussion with other incoming work permit signatories before signing the work permit.

EHSS Fire Chief Responsibilities

• Carries out rescue operations within Confined Spaces as requested by area owner
• Ensures inspection of life-supporting equipment and other emergency equipment for temporary use by personnel provided by third parties
• Ensures certification and qualifications of 3rd party rescuers when outsourced
• Ensures rescue drill is conducted before task execution

Confined Space Hazard Identification

• Posting sign boards stating confined space condition:
  • "Oxygen Deficient atmosphere"
  • "DANGER CONFINED SPACE – ENTER BY PERMIT ONLY"
  • "DANGER Nitrogen / Inert Gas Purge in Progress"

Confined Space Entry Preparation

• Free of dangerous chemical substances / liquid as far as practically possible for "A" category and mandatory for "B" category
• Energy isolation:
  • Electrical Isolation for energy sources of all driven equipment
  • Lockout/Tagout process
  • Positive Isolation by installing rated blind / disconnecting line
  • Process or utility lines entering or leaving the equipment / unit must be positively isolated at the nearest location to working asset
• Radiation sources removed / isolated
• No process material remains
• Sewer openings in immediate area shall be covered
• Air shall be tested and Ventilation shall be provided
• Communication systems shall be available

Ventilation Requirements for Confined Space

• Oxygen content between 19.5% to 22.0%
• Flammable gases and vapors (LEL) below 5%
• Potential toxic air contaminants:
  • CO maximum allowable concentration is 25 PPM
  • NH3 maximum allowable concentration is 25 PPM
• Wet bulb globe temperature ≤ 35°C or Ambient Temp ≤ 46 °C as maximum
• Atmospheric temperature according to the Weather Condition Health & Safety Advisory reported by TASNEE clinic
• Depending on the situation, type of ventilation shall be selected (natural draft, use of fans, or air movers or air conditioning systems)
• Pure Oxygen shall not be used to ventilate confined spaces
• Plant air shall not be used to ventilate unless it is used for pull-out ventilation
• Air movers shall be listed for the area electrical classification and grounded to prevent the accumulation and discharge of static electricity

Additional Ventilation Requirements

• For horizontal exchanger which are opened from both ends during the confined space entry, ventilation plan is not required
• Do not use Nitrogen to ventilate confined spaces, as this could lead to oxygen enrichment/deficiency of the space
• Only pneumatic driven blower, fans and air movers are allowed to ventilate the confined spaces
• Fans and air movers shall be ensured that it is electrically bonded and grounded to the vessel
• Air conditioners can be installed as an alternate of ventilation wherever it is convenient
• Air conditioners capacity will be used to identify the ventilation rate required
• In case of use of Air Conditioners for ventilation, Air Movers shall be kept ready to use in case of Air Conditioners shutdown or any emergency
• A positive means of ventilating confined space shall be established and kept operated the entire time while work is in progress
• Ventilation plan shall be prepared and approved as per IMRS 13-02-01-23 Ventilation plan

Confined Space Entry and Rescue Plan

• Rescue plan shall be prepared prior to entry with obtained approval
• Rescue plan shall be countersigned by permit issuer
• Rescue plan shall be reviewed and approved by Incident Commander
• Rescue plan shall be attached with confined space entry permit at site
• Minimum rescue equipment shall be readily and available

Safe Access and Exit for Confined Space

• Safe access and exit shall be provided for confined space
• Manway and or cover shall not be opened until made safe to enter
• All open manway and or cover not in use must be positively barricaded
• Barricading tape is not allowed to be used for manway and or cover
• Personnel shall not be lowered into confined spaces without facilities to climb back out themselves
• Use of cage for lifting material/person in confined space shall be included in the JSA
• Personnel shall not be underneath when material is lowered or removed from confined space through winch/rope, cage, basket, etc.

Work Inside Confined Space

• Work at elevation inside confined space shall be barricaded
• Splash pans shall be provided as needed
• Warning signs of overhead work shall be posted
• Workers underneath elevation shall be protected from objects falling by means of suitable temporary barrier

Equipment and Tools for Confined Space

• All electrical equipment shall be properly insulated and grounded with GFCI connected
• All electrical equipment shall be less than 24 volts
• Pneumatically driven power tools equipped with conductive air supply hoses shall be used where possible
• All hand-held electrical equipment shall meet the applicable local/regional/international standards
• All cord and plug connected electrical equipment shall be equipped with ground fault circuit interrupters
• Scaffolding, whenever required, shall not obstacle the entrance or exit into or out of the confined space

Hot Work inside Confined Spaces

• A Hot Work Permit shall be issued in addition to the Confined Space Entry Permit
• The equipment shall be prepared for hot work according to the obtained hot work requirements

Confined Space Access

• Manway size shall be considered:
  • Restricted manway of 24 inches or less in the smallest dimension
  • Unrestricted manway of greater than 24 inches in the smallest dimension
• Confined space access shall be considered:
  • Horizontal manway located on the side of the confined space
  • Vertical manway located on the top or bottom of the confined space

Rescue Plan Preparation and Requirements

• Rescue plan shall be prepared during the job planning phase and before confined entry permit issuing
• Rescue plan shall consider the following:
  • Hazards outcome of the JSA
  • Location of the work
  • Number of workers, even if there will be only single worker
  • Duration and period of the work
  • Resources needed for the rescue and the number of people required
  • Internal configuration
  • Elevation
  • Manway size
  • Confined space access
• Rescue plan shall be prepared by task execution supervisor or above from Tasnee team and contractor
• Familiarize all execution team with the approved rescue plan before starting the activity
• Provision of rescue equipment shall be suitable and sufficient to respond to an emergency in a timely and safe manner

Nature of Hot Work

• Hot work is any task capable of providing an ignition source or posing a high risk to employees and/or plant facilities.
• Examples of hot work include:
  • Use of open flame/spark-producing equipment (welding, torch cutting, brazing, chipping, grinding, etc.)
  • Working on live electrical circuits
  • Using non-intrinsically safe electrical tools, explosive power cartridges, cameras, or other activities that produce internal sparks, hot surfaces, or other ignition sources

Asset Preparation for Hot Work

• To ensure safe hot work, assets must be:
  • De-pressurized, vented, and purged to remove flammable or combustible materials
  • Positively isolated by installing rated blinds or disconnecting lines whenever applicable
  • Precautions include:
    • JSA
    • Master blind list & marked up P&IDs
    • Master tag list & marked up P&IDs
    • Energy isolation form
    • Purged, disconnected, and tagged instrument impulse tubes
    • Positively isolated lines and sources of flow or pressure

Tools and Area Preparation for Hot Work

• Precautions include:
  • Initial LEL gas test before commencing hot work
  • Continuous or periodic gas testing according to plant condition criteria
  • Controlling and removing flammable and combustible materials within 11m radius of hot work area
  • Covering and wetting sewers, drains, and floor openings
  • Keeping gas cylinders and welding machines at a safe distance
  • Ensuring sparks generated are contained
  • Freeing equipment and tools from defects
  • Preventing oil and grease contact with oxygen cylinder hoses and fittings
  • Closing valve on cylinders and torches when not in use
  • Chaining and securing upright gas cylinders in cylinder trolleys
  • Inspecting and grounding welding machines

Gas Testing Outlines

• Gas testing determines air quality, work atmosphere suitability, and required personal protective equipment
• Atmospheres not tested are considered hazardous until proven otherwise
• Gas testing devices only function accurately in atmospheres with 10-20.8% oxygen
• Gas testing subtitles include:
  • Gas testing requirements
  • Gas test frequency
  • Concentrations & safe ranges of gases
  • Gas detectors maintenance & calibration
• Gas test frequency shall be clearly identified in the work permit

Gas Testing Requirements

• Gas testing is mandatory for hot work, confined space entry, vehicle/equipment entry, and working in live electrical circuits in classified areas
• Portable gas detector users must be trained and certified
• Precautions include:
  • Avoiding condensation or sucking up liquid into the sample tube
  • Not permitting hot work until atmospheres have been tested and gas or vapor concentrations are less than 5% of the LEL
  • Equipping portable or continuous monitoring devices with audible alarms and visible lights for warning purposes
  • Recording test results in the Work Permit by the authorized gas tester