- In this Q and A video supported by the Luceco Group,
we're gonna answer the question
what do I need to know about working in confined spaces?
Now just before we explain the answer to this question,
please be aware that this video
is one of a series that we've made
on the subject of health and safety in construction
and they can be viewed individually,
or you can click on the link in the descriptions below
to view them
as part of our free online training package to help you
with your CPD and receive a certificate to prove
that you have completed the course.
That's right, those tight nooks and crannies
that we have to squeeze into roof spaces, floor spaces,
perhaps even squeezing ourselves
into the under stairs cupboard
to do a consuming unit change.
Do we ever stop to think
though of those dangers in those tight areas?
It's crucial to understand the risks involved
and the precautions we must take to ensure our wellbeing
and that of everyone else when working in confined spaces.
But what is a confined space?
Well, the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997
define them as any place including tanks, chambers, pits,
pipes, sewers, flues, wells,
or any other similar place in which by virtue
of its enclosed nature arises a foreseeable specified risk.
So what are those specified risks?
Well, they are serious injury
to a person by fire or explosion,
loss of consciousness
due to an increase in body temperature,
loss of consciousness due to gases, fumes, vapor
or lack of oxygen,
drowning from increased levels of liquid,
and asphyxiation due to solids and being trapped.
So places like storm drains,
under floor crawl ways, manholes, silos,
even under the stairs in some circumstances,
electricians every day find themselves in confined spaces
and perhaps don't even give it a moment's thought.
I remember myself as an apprentice
crawling through a 30 meter floor space,
pulling in a steel wide armored on my back,
crawling on my belly
and not being able to turn myself around to get out.
Perhaps you can think
of similar experiences where you found yourself
in these areas to carry out installs or maintenance work.
Have you ever considered the risks?
Now we can categorize risks associated
with confined spaces as followed.
Low risk confined space are simple to enter
and get out of,
well ventilated either naturally or mechanically
with little or no risk of flooding or being trapped.
A medium risk is generally a confined space
that is accessed vertically, like down a manhole or bunker,
and where there is an increased likelihood
of encountering the specific risk like flooding.
In these circumstances,
additional staff members may need to be present
and breathing apparatus as part
of an emergency arrangement may also be required.
A high risk is where a specific risk is already present
at levels where serious injury or even death could occur.
And just a little reminder,
a risk is the likelihood of a hazard occurring
and the severity of it when it does.
Take crossing a road, for example.
We know that getting hit
by a car is quite severe, so when we decide to cross,
we do so when the likelihood
of that car hitting us is furthest away.
That is a risk assessment
and something we all do without even thinking about it.
Confined spaces require the same type of assessment
as the hazards can be really dangerous.
So what kind of hazards could we encounter?
Well, that all depends on the confined space.
Most commonly, we encounter hazards
that we hit our heads on.
That's right.
You're calling through a tight space
and you catch your head.
Now, this could potentially be fatal
if no one knows that you are there
or if you hit your head hard enough and fall unconscious.
Equally, you could be wiring emergency lighting
in an underground sewer
or storm drain with limited space and access.
The risk here of raised water levels as well
as an increase in gases like hydrogen sulfide
or carbon monoxide can potentially be fatal.
In older buildings, you might find yourself crawling
through a duct with old pipe work
with asbestos lagging still attached to it.
Something also to watch out for,
fire and explosion is a very real risk.
An example of this was in 2013
in Newark where tragically two people lost their lives
and this was due to the property owner
working in his cellar under his property.
He was filling the coal shoots
with expanding foam
and the fumes from the foam ignited
when the light switch was switched on,
killing him and his daughter-in-law.
A further hazard that is overlooked is bacterial infection.
Confined spaces tend to be dark spaces,
tucked away which make a safe haven for rodents and animals
and it's very easy to enter these locations
and come into contact with mice or rat drop-ins
from which you can catch bacterial infections,
like vials disease,
which if not treated quickly, can be fatal.
How can we minimize the risks of confined spaces?
Well, the best way to avoid it is to not enter it.
So first of all, ask the question,
do we need to go into that space?
If we do need to go into complete works
and the risk assessment is critical
to analyze all of the hazards
and the severity before any work takes place.
We also need a safe systems of work in place to ensure
that the work carried out is as safe as it can possibly be.
And finally, most importantly, sufficient training.
This video is designed to raise awareness of confined space
and the risk that they pose.
However, if you work in confined spaces or will be,
it is critical to obtain official confined space training
with a suitable provider.
This training will normally involve the simulation
of being able to escape a confined space in the event
of an emergency and may also require the need to train
on breathing apparatus for specific risk areas.
So remember, assess the space
and don't run the risk in a confined area.
So there we go.
That's some things to think about
when working in confined spaces.
To find out about issues
surrounding mental health in construction,
check out this video here
or click in the link in the description below to watch it
as part of our free training package to help you
with your CPD and receive a certificate as well.
Thanks for watching.