Confined Spaces Hazards And Types

Enter And Work In Confined Spaces Course

Confined spaces are such places which have restricted entry and exit points and has very less or do not have much of natural ventilation and has high level of risk related to accidents or hazards. They are places like well, ships, tunnels, manholes, cold storage, ditch, tanks, silos, vents etc. Such places are not meant for humans to stay and work, these places either have toxic air or have some health and safety related hazard which could pose threat to the life of the individual.

Working in confined spaces posses maximum risk to a worker's health and his safety but these spaces are not uncommon and be can be found almost anywhere, just because they are called as confined spaces but they need not to be small but can be big as a silo but anything which is not designed for prolong human working is called a confined space.

Many governments across the globe have made necessary amendments to ensure safety of such workers. Most of these countries hold him contractor responsible for any accident which might happen both legally and finally and the contractor will have to bear all expenses for the workers treatment and will also be put on a paid leave. Due to such extended liabilities many of the contractors now have taken steps to ensure such accidents never happen like having latest safety equipment  keeping the first aid kit ready and arranging for medical treatment if needed.

Even after such measures, accidents do happen and confined spaces have their hazards like electrical hazards, leakage of poisonous gases, bursting of water storage tanks, extreme high or low temperatures, cramped exit points, communication loss during an emergency, reactive or corrosive substances which could harm the body and have long life implication with both skin diseases and extremes up to having cancer, less amount of oxygen leading to brain damage and flammable atmosphere which could blow with a single spark like working in a manhole where the area is filled with highly combustible methane gas.So, we need to open up to enter and work in confined spaces courses which not just give us essential training but also resent us how to work safely - without risking life.

Difficult thing is such hazards might not be always present right from the beginning and detected thereby ensuring that the confined space worker has enough safety equipments, masks and oxygen cylinder to shield itself from possible damage.Such hazards might develop when the worker is already in the confined space working or working at heights.Hence, to resist such issues on heights , working at heights courses are also share the same league of training a mine personnel.

Potential dangers catch worker unaware causing much damage than it would have if it was anticipated thus now most of the contractors are either already or are advised to keep preparations for common hazards like fire, gas leakage and oxygen shortage providing preventive equipments to the workers already in advance.