Free Essay on Confined Space Safety Study

Based on the given scenario, the place is classified as a confined working environment under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 guidelines. This is because space is oxygen deficiency with 16% and 18% when ventilated for 15 minutes. The situation needs the worker to enter an underground, concrete-reinforced vault to mend a leaking valve that controls the sewage water from the various building of the company. The hole is 12 feet deep, 6 feet by 6 feet wide with a utility hole cover diameter of 36 inches, and the valve is located at the bottom of the hole. The access to space is limited, although it is enough for an employee to work in. Its lack of enough oxygen makes it difficult for a person to work for continuous hours; in other words, continuous human occupancy is prohibited in the space. The area is termed as a hazardous working environment; hence, a permit is required. Also, its entrance has a high probability of being blocked by waste materials since the control valves are faulty.

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Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) has drafted down the requirement for practices and procedures to cater to the safety of the workers operating in a confined environment ("OSHA Statistics - CSCC Incorporated," 2019). These requirements and procedure are as follow;

• 1910.146(c); the employer or supervisor shall clearly evaluate the working environment if it requires a permit for confined space.
• 1910.146(c)(4); if the employer decides the employee will enter the confined space he\she should develop and implement a written permit space program to be inspected by the employee and related authorized bodies.
• 1910.146(c)(5)(ii)(B); on the removal of the entrance cover, the confined space shall be protected by rails and temporary covered or other barriers to protect the employees from falling objects or other foreign objects.
• 1910.146(c)(5)(ii)(E)(2); forced ventilation shall be directed to the immediate space of the worker until all workers vacate the space.
• 1910.146(c)(5)(ii)(G)(3) appropriate measures of safety of the employee shall be ensured before the entry to the hazardous confined space.
• 1910.146(d)(6); at least one attendant shall be provided outside the permit space for the duration of the entry.
• 1910.146(d)(9); the employer shall develop and implement alerting the rescue and emergency service company to attend any emergency issue that may arise in the permit space
• 1910.146(d) (12); the employer shall develop and implement the closing-off procedure after concluding the work in the confined space.
• 1910.146(e)(5); the supervisor shall terminate all operations and block entry into the confined space after the work has been concluded.

In general, the confined working environment has limited exits and entrances. The space is large enough for a worker to enter and perform operations but is not designed for continuous human occupancy. According to OSHA data, there were more than 430 incidents of confined space and 530 fatalities due to oxygen deficiencies and toxic atmospheres (Confinedspacecontrolcovers.com, 2019). Most fatalities are experienced in the construction and manufacturing industries. Many workers die in confined spaces due to accidents resulting from engulfment. OSHA believes these incidents can be minimized by a proper measurement taken and learning how hazardous is the job (Confinedspacecontrolcovers.com, 2019). OSHA provides safety assurance for all workers working in different environments to minimize health and injury-related issues from occurring.

References

Confinedspacecontrolcovers.com. (2019). OSHA Statistics - CSCC Incorporated. [online] Available at: http://www.confinedspacecontrolcovers.com/osha-statistics/ [Accessed 29 Nov. 2019].

OSHA Statistics - CSCC Incorporated. (2019). Retrieved 29 November 2019, from http://www.confinedspacecontrolcovers.com/osha-statistics/