Don’t get caught in a tight space!

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has released a factsheet (29 CFR 1926 Subpart AA) on all the rules and regulations of residential workers in confined spaces. OSHA works to assure the safety and health of all of America’s working people.

This blog highlights what we think are the key points.

Well, how is a confined space defined?

OSHA defines these as

  • has limited entry and exits
  • larger enough for workers to enter
  • not intended for regular occupancy

Confined space sites could be drains, manholes, water mains, sewer systems, crawl spaces, attics, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems.

There are two different variants on confined spaces. Those that contain hazardous conditions and those that do not contain a physical hazard to the individual.

A confined space that contains hazardous conditions could be considered a permit-required space under the new regulations (PRCS). These spaces might be dangerous to the life of the worker if the space hasn’t been investigated, tested and controlled.

Spaces that tend not to be permit-required confined spaces generally do not contain life threatening hazards. Attics, basements and crawl spaces have a smaller risks but still fall into new regulations.

I’m an employer. What do I need to do?

  • Evaluate the space! If hazardous conditions are present, a permit specifying safety measures and names of those permitted in the space must be written before any work can take place.
  • Inform employees! Let your employees know all the facts. Does a workplace contain a confined space? Is this a permit-required space? All workers should be informed of these hazards – these only needs to be a signpost for entry and exit points if required.
  • Protection! Attempt to remove or isolate any hazards that may be present in the space.
  • Have the right equipment! Check out our range of Portables that would help protect your employees from hazardous gases.
  • Train your staff! Workers should be aware of the dangers and understand any hazards in places permits are required.

Still not clear? Don’t worry, the factsheet offers insight and obligations for all kinds of employers.

Under the new standards, the obligation of the employer will depend on what type of employer they are. The controlling contractor is the main point of contact for any information about PRCS on site.

  • Host employer: The employer who owns or manages the property where the construction work is taking place.
  • Controlling contractor: The employer who has overall responsibility for construction at the worksite.
  • Entry employer or Sub Contractor: Any employer who decides that an employee it directs will enter a permit-required confined space.

How are the new regulations different to the previously applied rules?

The guidelines require employers to figure out what confined spaces their employees are working in, what hazards there are and how these can be made safer, develop rescue plans and ensuring staff training.

For all the facts, visit https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3914.pdf

 

Facts on Fixed Detection

Optimal placement of fixed gas detectors requires thorough risk assessment. This short video highlights some of the questions you need to ask before buying or installing a fixed system at your plant or site.

Continue reading “Facts on Fixed Detection”

Carbon dioxide puts your lights out

We have a video blog this week, illustrating two classic behaviours of carbon dioxide (or CO2). CO2 can smother anything that requires oxygen. In the video, it smothers candle flames, but it can smother a person just as easily. Any gas other than oxygen would do the same. CO2 is also heavier than air, so, if there is a leak, it fills a confined space from the bottom up. You could be knee-deep in CO2 and you might not know without a detector. This can be seen as the bottom candle goes out first, then the middle and finally the top candle; and again as the CO2 “pours” down over the last candle. Watch the video. It’s illuminating!

Complacency – the biggest sin of all

We recently ran a series of articles under the guise of the Seven Deadly Sins of Gas Detection, which talked about gas detection and common mistakes of different kinds that could cost you your life or someone else’s life. However, the real deadly sin that sits at the root of all is complacency – not taking gases and gas hazards as a serious and present danger.

Continue reading “Complacency – the biggest sin of all”

Deadly Sin No. 7 – Ignoring your data

Ignoring your data is Crowcon’s seventh in the series of Deadly Sins of Gas Detection. A recent news story about an oil worker found collapsed over an open hatch, dead, highlighted this all too graphically. One of the most tragic aspects of this story (tragedy being properly defined as something that could have been prevented) was that data which could have saved him was logged in his personal gas detector. Continue reading “Deadly Sin No. 7 – Ignoring your data”

Deadly Sin No. 6 – ignoring alarms

Ignoring alarms is Crowcon’s sixth in the series of Deadly Sins of Gas Detection. Alarms may be ignored if they go off so frequently that they become a source of annoyance rather than a vital piece of safety equipment. However, there have been incidents when a history of such spurious alarms has led to the detector being ignored or switched off, with disastrous results.

Continue reading “Deadly Sin No. 6 – ignoring alarms”

‘World of Work’ 2016

The first week of July 2016 was work experience week for many students across Oxfordshire and also coincided with Science week. We took the opportunity to show students what opportunities are available to them if they study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects at school.

Continue reading “‘World of Work’ 2016”

Crowcon Apprentice wins Student of the Year 2016

Last night, at an awards ceremony hosted by Abingdon and Witney College to celebrate student success, one of our second year Engineering Apprentices, Vikesh Patel, won not just ‘2016 Apprentice of the Year’ but, out of around 14000 students across 2 campuses, won ‘2016 Student of the Year’ too. This makes him the first ever apprentice to win such an accolade. Continue reading “Crowcon Apprentice wins Student of the Year 2016”

New Legislative Directives – what are the changes?

The ATEX, LVD & EMC Directives changed on the 20th April 2016 with immediate effect. For the most part, the changes are driven by the New Legislative Framework and include a move to a common document format, whilst at the same time clarifying the obligations of various parties. The key content that applies to Manufacturers (the scope, safety requirements and conformity assessment procedure) remains the same.

Continue reading “New Legislative Directives – what are the changes?”

Limiting your exposure

Reducing time exposed to hazards is key to minimising risk. We review some of the multiple benefits that developments in gas detection technology are introducing, to reduce the amount of time operators must spend in hazardous areas and improve worker safety.

Continue reading “Limiting your exposure”