Confined Space Hazards

Every year people are killed because they thought the air in a confined space was safe or they did not recognize the area as a confined space. While the air may look and smell safe, it can be filled with deadly contaminants. Or it can have a lack of oxygen. There is no way to tell using your sense of smell.

Definitions of confine space:

1.  
   1. Space big enough to allow a person to enter and do work.
   2. Space that has limited access (and often ventilation).
   3. Space not intended for continuous human occupancy.

Examples: Brewery vats, pipelines, storm drains, grain silos, manure pits, wine storage tanks, trenches, etc.

No one should enter a confined space, for any reason, no matter how brief, unless wearing proper safety equipment - even if the entry is for the well-intentioned rescue of another person.

Before employees work in a confined space, they must:

1.     Be trained on the dangers of working in a confined space environment.
2.     Be trained and fitted for necessary personal protective equipment (PPE).
3.     Know how to test the atmosphere of a confined space prior to entry.
4.     Know what emergency response and evacuation procedures to take in the event of accident.
5.     Be trained to recognize dangerous exposure symptoms such as dizziness, weakness or nausea.

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