Toolbox Talk: Confined Spaces

Posted on April 22, 2024April 22, 2024 by americanhealthandsafety

Introduction:

Confined spaces surround us at every turn. You may not even realize that you probably drive by multiple confined spaces every day. One example that you might not even consider is a manhole or sewer drain. These are only two examples of common confined spaces; there are many more, and the risks involved are ones you may not consider on a regular basis. Confined spaces can pose serious risks due to limited ventilation and potential for hazardous gases to accumulate. It’s important to be aware of these risks and take necessary precautions when working in or near confined spaces.

Confined Spaces: What’s OSHA say about them?

An OSHA confined space refers to a space that meets specific regulatory criteria set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). According to OSHA, a confined space has the following characteristics:

Limited Openings for Entry and Exit: The space must have restricted entrances and exits. For example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are typical confined spaces because their entrances/exits are not designed for continuous worker occupancy.
Not Designed for Continuous Employee Occupancy: The space is not intended to be a location where an employee works for extended periods. This means that the confined space is generally for the purpose of performing specific tasks such as inspections, repairs, or maintenance.
Large Enough to Enter and Conduct Work: The space must be large enough for an employee to enter and perform tasks but may have limited movement which complicates the ability to work within it.

Criteria for Permit-Required Confined Spaces (PRCS)

A confined space is classified by OSHA as a “Permit-Required Confined Space” (PRCS) if it meets one or more of the following additional criteria beyond those listed for a general confined space:

Contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere: If the space could contain flammable or toxic gas, oxygen deficiency, or other atmospheric hazards, it’s designated as PRCS.
Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant: If there is a risk of materials such as grains, sand, or other similar substances engulfing someone inside the space, it requires a permit.
Has an internal configuration such that an entrant could be trapped or asphyxiated: This includes spaces with inwardly converging walls or a floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross-section where escaping would be difficult.
Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazards: These could be risks from machinery parts, electrical hazards, or heat stress.

Requirements for Entry Into Permit-Required Confined Spaces

Entry into PRCS requires compliance with several OSHA regulations, including:

Entry Permit: The employer must issue a permit for each entry into a confined space, which includes details like the purpose of entry, names of entrants, and expected duration.
Testing and Monitoring: Air quality testing must be conducted to check for toxic gases and sufficient oxygen levels.
Ventilation: Mechanical ventilation is often required to maintain safe air quality.
Attendant: An attendant must be present outside the PRCS to monitor and assist entrants.
Rescue and Emergency Services: Employers must provide rescue and emergency services onsite or arrange for external services to be available to respond quickly.
Training: Entrants and attendants must be trained in the safe operation around and within PRCS, including familiarization with hazards and emergency procedures.

Compliance with these criteria helps ensure the safety of workers when they are in potentially dangerous confined spaces. If you’re working in or around these types of environments, thorough understanding and preparation are critical for safety.

QUICK REMINDERS:

Pre-Entry Preparation

Check Your Equipment: Before entry, inspect all personal protective equipment (PPE) and entry equipment such as harnesses, retrieval lines, and tripods for damage or defects. Ensure all equipment is suitable for the specific conditions of the confined space.
Bump Testing and Calibrating Gas Meters: Always perform a bump test and calibration on gas detectors before each use to ensure they are working correctly. This checks the functionality of the sensors and alarms.
Verify Rescue Equipment: Confirm that all rescue equipment is functional and appropriate for the space and the potential emergencies identified.

Atmospheric Testing

Test Before Entry: Conduct initial atmospheric testing from outside the confined space to check for toxic gases, oxygen levels, and potential flammable atmospheres.
Continuous Monitoring: Use portable gas monitors to continuously assess the air quality inside the confined space as conditions can change rapidly.
Ventilate When Necessary: If hazardous atmospheres are detected, use mechanical ventilation to maintain safe working conditions and re-test before entering.

Communication and Coordination

Maintain Constant Communication: Use reliable communication tools to keep in touch with the attendant outside the confined space. Immediate communication is critical in an emergency.
Use the Buddy System: Never enter a confined space alone. Always work in teams to ensure help is readily available in case of an emergency.

Toolbox Talk: Housekeeping

Posted on April 8, 2024April 8, 2024 by americanhealthandsafety

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Introduction to Housekeeping

Housekeeping, in the context of a workplace or industrial setting, refers to the routine maintenance and upkeep of the work environment to ensure it is clean, safe, and organized.

Why Housekeeping is AWESOME:

It’s awesome because it helps:

Minimize Hazards: Regular debris, spill, and danger removal through housekeeping actively slashes the accident risk from slips, trips, and falls, notorious in cluttered or neglected spaces.

Enhances Productivity: An orderly workspace smoothens workflows and simplifies tool and material access, turbocharging productivity and operational efficiency.

Improves Health: A clean workplace is a fortress against germ spread, dialing down the risk of occupational diseases, particularly in sectors exposed to hazardous substances.

Maintains Assets: Consistent care and maintenance breathe extended life into equipment and facilities, dodging expensive breakdowns.

Promotes a Positive Work Environment: A pristine, well-kept workplace elevates morale and crafts an excellent impression on employees, visitors, and prospective clients.

What does OSHA say about it?

OSHA’s regulations on walking-working surfaces are specifically outlined in section 1910.22:

1910.22(a)(1) mandates that all places of employment, including passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces, must be kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.
1910.22(a)(2) requires that floors in workrooms be maintained in a clean and, as much as feasible, dry condition. Adequate drainage and dry standing places like false floors, platforms, and mats must be provided when wet processes are used.
1910.22(a)(3) states that walking-working surfaces must be free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow, and ice.

The DO’s and DON’Ts of maintaining a clean site:

DO:

Maintain cleanliness and order: by keeping all areas of employment clean and orderly, reflecting OSHA’s requirements and our commitment to safety.
Ensure floors are dry and clean: immediately address spills and use mats or dry platforms in wet areas to prevent slip hazards.
Remove and report hazards: routinely inspect for and remove or report any potential hazards on walking-working surfaces to your supervisor.

DON’Ts:

Neglect spill cleanup: Ignoring spills puts everyone at risk of potential slip and fall accidents.
Leave debris on floors or aisles: Leaving garbage, materials, or tools on the floor or in aisleways can cause hazards and reduce workflow.
Overlook maintenance issues: Failing to address loose boards, leaks, or sharp objects on surfaces can also cause major problems.

Lastly:
If you see something, take 5minutes out of your day and clean it up!

Toolbox Talk: Trenching & Excavation

Posted on April 7, 2024April 7, 2024 by americanhealthandsafety

yellow excavator digging rubble of a ruined house

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Introduction
Trenching and excavation work is more than just digging through the earth. It’s a highly technical process that demands respect for the forces of nature and understanding of the engineering principles that keep us safe. The weight of the earth is unforgiving; a cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a car, making a trench collapse not just a possibility but a deadly event if safety measures are not in place.

The significance of today’s talk is not just to share these grim statistics but to underscore the critical need for rigorous safety measures. We are here to learn, to understand, and to apply these safety practices diligently. Our commitment to safety can turn these statistics around, ensuring that every worker returns home safely at the end of the day. Let’s dive deeper into the precautions and protocols that not only comply with regulatory standards but also create a culture of safety that protects us all.

The Dangers of Trenching & Excavation
Statistics paint a stark picture of the reality we face in trenching operations. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and OSHA, trench collapses cause dozens of fatalities annually in the construction industry alone. Moreover, these incidents result in hundreds of injuries, many of which are life-altering. The distressing truth is that all these accidents were preventable with proper planning, execution, and safety precautions.

OSHA’s Training Requirements:

Training employees on trenching hazards is a critical component of maintaining a safe work environment, especially in construction and other industries where excavation work is common. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and its 1926 standard, specifically subpart P, employers are required to ensure that all employees involved in trenching and excavation are adequately trained on the hazards associated with these activities. This is not just a recommendation; it’s a legal requirement aimed at preventing accidents and fatalities associated with trench collapses and other related incidents.

Importance of Training

The training mandated by OSHA is designed to equip workers with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify risks and follow proper procedures to mitigate them. It covers a range of topics, including but not limited to, the recognition of environmental and other hazards that may increase the risks associated with trenching and excavation work. The training also includes instruction on the use of protective systems, the importance of access and egress points, and the need for regular inspections of excavation sites.

construction site and forest trees in the distance

Role of the Competent Person

A crucial element of OSHA’s trenching and excavation safety requirements is the designation of a “competent person.” This term is defined by OSHA as someone who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.

The competent person plays a pivotal role in trenching safety. Their responsibilities include:

Inspecting Trenches: Before work begins and as needed throughout the shift, especially if a hazard has been introduced (e.g., rainwater accumulation).
Implementing Protective Systems: Based on the depth and conditions of the trench, the competent person selects and implements appropriate protective systems, such as sloping, shoring, or shielding, to protect workers from cave-ins.
Monitoring Water Removal Equipment: If water is being controlled by pumps, the competent person ensures the equipment is functioning correctly and that the trench remains safe for workers.
Conducting Atmospheric Tests: In situations where there is a potential for hazardous atmospheres (due to the presence of gas lines, for example), the competent person tests conditions to ensure they are safe for entry.

Training for the competent person is more extensive, given the critical nature of their role. They must not only be able to recognize hazards but also have a thorough understanding of OSHA standards, protective systems, and emergency response procedures.

Preventing Collapses

When it comes to trenching and excavation, one of the primary concerns is preventing collapses. To safeguard workers, OSHA has established specific requirements for benching, sloping, shoring, and other protective systems under its 1926 subpart P standards. Each method addresses how to stabilize the walls of excavations to protect workers. The choice among them depends on factors like soil composition, depth of the trench, water content of the soil, changes in weather or climate, and other operations in the vicinity.

Sloping

Sloping involves cutting back the trench wall at an angle inclined away from the excavation. The angle of the slope will vary based on the assessment of soil type according to OSHA’s classifications:

Stable Rock: Vertical walls are permissible since stable rock is unlikely to crumble.
Type A Soil (e.g., cohesive soils with unconfined compressive strength of 1.5 ton per square foot (tsf) or greater): A slope of ¾:1 (horizontal:vertical), which means for every 3 feet horizontally, the trench must be sloped down 4 feet.
Type B Soil: A slope of 1:1 is required.
Type C Soil (e.g., granular soils including gravel, sand, and loamy sand, or submerged soil or soil from which water is freely seeping): A more gradual slope of 1½:1 is mandated.

Benching

Benching is the process of creating steps or benches on the sides of an excavation to prevent cave-ins. However, benching cannot be used in all types of soil. For instance, Type C soil is generally considered too unstable for benching. The specifics of benching dimensions, like the width of the steps and the height, again depend on the soil classification and must adhere to OSHA standards.

Shoring

Shoring involves installing supports such as hydraulic jacks, pneumatic systems, or timber shoring in trenches to prevent soil movement and collapses. Shoring is designed to brace trench walls to prevent cave-ins and is especially critical in trenches that are deeper or in less stable soil. The specifics of the shoring system used will depend on factors like the depth of the trench, soil type, and expected load on the system.

Hydraulic Shoring: A popular choice due to its adaptability and ease of installation, involving aluminum or steel hydraulic cylinders that can be adjusted to the size of the excavation.
Pneumatic Shoring: Similar to hydraulic shoring but uses air pressure to hold the shores in place.
Timber Shoring: Traditional method using lumber and plywood. It’s more labor-intensive and requires careful design and installation.

Additional Considerations

Design and Installation: The design and installation of sloping, benching, and shoring systems must be done under the guidance of a competent person. For deeper trenches or more complex situations, the design may need to be developed by a registered professional engineer.
Inspection: These protective systems must be inspected at the start of each work shift, following any occurrence that could have affected their structural integrity, and after any event that may have exposed workers to additional risks (e.g., heavy rain).
Compliance and Safety: Employers must ensure that all protective systems meet OSHA’s requirements and are appropriate for the conditions of the excavation site. The safety of the workers should always be the top priority, with continuous monitoring and adjustments as necessary to mitigate risks.

Understanding and implementing these requirements is crucial for the safety of workers involved in trenching and excavation work. By properly applying sloping, benching, or shoring techniques, employers can create a safer work environment that minimizes the risk of cave-ins and other excavation-related incidents.