Lexington, KY — Spurred by 56 employee deaths involving confined areas within the state between 1994 and 2022, the Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program has issued a hazard alert.
“While confined spaces can be found in many types of workplaces, they are not always easy to recognize and signs of danger may not be obvious,” states the alert, which particulars two of the deadly incidents.
Confined areas are outlined by the next traits:
- Not designed for steady occupancy
- Large sufficient for a employee to enter and carry out work
- Have restricted openings for entry and exit
Hazards related to confined areas embrace an absence or absence of oxygen, poisonous chemical substances or fumes, and excessive temperatures.
Safety ideas embrace:
- Train employees to by no means enter a confined area earlier than the hazards have been evaluated and addressed, or to attempt to rescue one other employee.
- Evaluate all confined areas to find out what hazards exist or may happen given sure situations. That contains checking for bodily hazards and testing and monitoring for oxygen content material, flammability, toxicity, and electrical and explosive hazards.
- Use the Hierarchy of Controls to develop a plan to handle the hazards which are recognized.
- Provide coaching steadily and conduct audits to make sure employees are following procedures.
The alert recommends employers develop written procedures that cowl:
- Identifying hazards earlier than entry
- Testing and monitoring earlier than and through entry
- Ventilating the confined area
- Maintaining contact with a skilled attendant always throughout entry
- Protective tools for use throughout entry
- Emergency plans
