CONFINED SPACE RESCUE

AN

ENGINE COMPANY RESPONSE

FIRST RESPONDER

• CONDUCT AN INITIAL SIZE-UP• SEAL OFF THE AREA• ESTABLISH HOT ZONE, WARM

ZONE AND COLD ZONE• STAND BY UNTIL A SPECIAL

RESCUE UNIT ARRIVES

DEFINITION:

• OSHA - PERMIT REQUIRED • CONFINED SPACE MEANS A

SPACE THAT:– IS LARGE ENOUGH , SO CONFIGURED

THAT AN EMPLOYEE CAN BODILY ENTER & PERFORM ASSIGNED WORK

– IS LIMITED OR RESTRICTED MEANS FOR ENTRY OR EXIT

– IS NOT DESIGNED FOR CONTINUOUS EMPLOYEE OCCUPANCY

PERMIT REQUIRED

• CONTAINS OR HAS KNOWN POTENTIAL TO CONTAIN A HAZARDOUS ATMOSPHERE

• CONTAINS MATERIAL WITH POTENTIAL FOR ENGULFING AN ENTRANT

• IS CONFIGURED SUCH THAT AN ENTRANT COULD BE TRAPPED OR ASPHYXIATED BY INWARDLY CONVERGING WALLS, OR A FLOOR THAT SLOPES DOWNWARD AND TAPERS TO A SMALLER CROSS-SECTION

• CONTAINS ANY OTHER RECOGNIZED SERIOUS SAFETY OR HEALTH HAZARD

NONPERMIT

• MEANS A CONFINED SPACE THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN OR, WITH RESPECT TO ATMOSPHERIC HAZARDS, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CONTAIN ANY HAZARD CAPABLE OF CAUSING DEATH OR SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM.

LOW-HAZARD PERMIT

• A SPACE WITH EXTREMELY LOW LIKELIHOOD THAT AN (IDLH) OR ENGULFMENT HAZARD WOULD BE PRESENT, AND ALL OTHER SERIOUS HAZARDS HAVE BEEN CONTROLED.

HAZARDS OF CONFINED SPACES

• BELOW GROUND• ABOVE GROUND• INSIDE• ON THE ROADS• RAILWAYS• WATER

ATMOSPHERIC HAZARDS

• OSHA STATES: MAJOR CAUSE OF DEATH IN A CONFINED SPACE IS BAD ATMOSPHERE

• ACCOUNTS FOR TWO-THIRDS OF ALL DEATHS AND INJURIES

• RESULTS FROM:– OXYGEN DEFICIENT/ENRICHED– LACK OF VENTILATION– CHEMICAL REACTIONS– O2 DISPLACED BY OTHER GASES

WHAT CAUSES A HAZARDOUS

ATMOSPHERE?• FLAMABLE GAS, VAPOR, OR MIST IN

EXCESS OF 10% OF THE LOWER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT (LEL)

• AIRBORNE COMBUSTIBLE DUST AT A CONCENTRATION THAT EXCEEDS ITS LEL (OBSCURES VISION AT A DISTANCE OF 5 FT.)

• ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN CONCENTRATION THAT IS BELOW 19.5% OR ABOVE 23.5%

CAUSES CONT’D.

• ATMOSPHERIC CONCENTRATION OF ANY SUBSTANCE FOR WHICH A DOSE OR (PEL) COULD RESULT IN EMPLYEE EXPOSURE ABOVE THE (PEL)

• ANY OTHER CONDITION RECOGNIZED AS AN IDLH

CLASSIFICATIONS OF ATMOSPHERIC HAZARDS

AS DETERMINED BY OSHA• ASPHYXIATION ATMOSPHERES

– LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN CONFINED SPACES

– SEVERE IMPAIRMENT OR SUSPENSION OF RESPIRATORY FUNCTION, RESULTING FROM INTERFERENCE WITH PULMONARY AND CELLULAR RESPIRATION

– AN ASPHYXIANT IS ANY SUBSTANCE THAT ACTS ON THE BODY OR IN THE ATMOSPHERE CAUSES ASPHYXIA

– ASPHYXIATING ATMOSPHERE < 19.5% OXYGEN

CLASSIFICATIONS• FLAMMABLE / EXPLOSIVE

• HAZARDS PRESENT TO WORKERS DUE TO FLAMABLE VAPORS, DUSTS, OR GASES.

• VAPORS EXCEED 10% OF THEIR LEL OR COMBUSTIBLE DUST > OR = TO ITS LEL

• FLAMABLE ATMOSPHERE ARISES FROM

– AN ENRICHED O2 > 23.5%

– VAPORIZATION OF FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS

– BYPRODUCTS OF WORK

– CHEMICAL REACTIONS

– CONCENTRATIONS OF COMBUSTIBLE DUST

– ABSORPTION OF CHEMICALS FROM INNER SURFACES OF THE CONFINED SPACE

TOXIC ATMOSPHERES

• CONTAINS GASES, VAPORS, OR FUMES KNOWN TO HAVE POISONOUS PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS

• CARBON MONOXIDE AND HYDROGEN SULFIDE

• SOME KILL QUICKLY WHILE OTHERS MANIFEST YEARS AFTER

TOXIC CONT’D.

• SOME PRODUCE BOTH IMMEDIATE AND DELAYED HEALTH EFFECTS

• TOXIC ATMOSPHERE MAY BE CAUSE BY:– MANUFACTURED PROCESS

– STORED PRODUCT

– OPERATION BEING PERFORMED IN CONFINED SPACE

• TOXICITY > 20% - INDEPENDENT OF OXYGEN CONCENTRATION

NONATMOSPHERIC HAZARDS

• LIMITED TO INGRESS AND EGRESS– HARD TO GET IN – HARD TO GET OUT OF

• EXCESSIVE DEPTHS AND HEIGHTS– SPACES BELOW GRADE– ELEVATED SPACES ABOVE GRADE

• POOR VISIBILITY– LACK OF LIGHT– INTRINSICALLY SAFE LIGHTING

• LACK OF COMMUNICATION• WET AND SLIPPERY SURFACES• MECHANICAL HAZARDS

– NO LOCK-OUT TAG-OUT SYSTEMS– CRUSHING OR ELECTRICAL INJURIES

NONATMOSPHERIC HAZARDS CONT’D.

• HARMFUL MATERIALS– BACTERIA AND ANIMAL LIFE

• NEED FOR SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT• LACK OF SPECIALIZED TRAINING• PERSONNEL FAILURES OF WORKERS• SHARP OBJECTS AND EQUIPMENT• ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS• UNSTABLE MATERIALS

ACCIDENTS IN CONFINED SPACES

• WORKERS FAIL TO RECOGNIZE AND EVALUATE HAZARDS

• LACK OF WRITTEN PROCEDURES AND TRAINING

• UNTRAINED RESCUERS ATTEMPT TO RESCUE VICTIMS

• IN ALMOST ALL FATAL ACCIDENTS, DEATH OCCURRED DUE TO IMPROPER ENTRY PRACTICES

MONITORING ACTIVITIES

• EVALUATING EXISTING HAZARDS• MONITOR FOR ASPHYXIATION

HAZARDS• EVALUATE VAPOR DENSITY• EVALUATE BOILING POINT• MONITOR FOR OXYGEN• MONITOR FLAMMABLE/EXPLOSIVE

HAZARDS• MONITOR TOXIC HAZARDS

USE OF METERS• SOME MONITOR ONLY ONE HAZARD

CLASS

• SOME MONITOR MULTIPLE HAZARDS

• MONITOR FLAMMABLE VAPORS & OXYGEN CONCENTRATION SIMULTANEOUSLY

• IN FIELD CALIBRATION

• INTRINSICALLY SAFE / 8 HR. LIFE

USE OF METERS CONT’D.

• OPERATE OUTSIDE OF SPACE

• SET ALARM SETPOINT IN FIELD

• GUIDELINES:– MONITOR BEFORE, DURING ENTRY– PREVENT LIQUID FROM ENTERING

PUMP– TEST AND PROPER MAINTENANCE– TRAINING

ENTRY PROCEDURES

• ENTRY HAS BEEN MADE WHEN ANY BODY PART HAS BROKEN PLANE OF OPENING

• PROGRAM MUST BE IN PLACE

• ENTRY PREPERATION:– MONITOR SPACE - OUTSIDE FIRST– CHECK OXYGEN, FLAMMABLE AND

TOXIC VAPOR LEVELS

ISOLATION PROCESS

• ISOLATION: SEPERATION OF A PERMIT SPACE FROM UNWANTED FORMS OF ENERGY WHICH COULD POSE A SERIOUS HAZARD TO ENTRANTS

• BLANKING / BLINDING

• LINE BREAKING

• DOUBLE BLOCK AND BLEED

• LOCKOUT / TAG-OUT

EMPTYING THE SPACE

• WHERE WILL THE CONTENTS GO?

• WHAT EFFECT WILL THE PRODUCT HAVE ON THE VICTIM OR RESCUERS?

BLANKING OR BLINDING

• ABSOLUTE CLOSURE OF A PIPELINE OR DUCT

• USE A CAP OR SOLID PLATE COVER• “BLANK” PLACED BETWEEN A FLANGE

ON THE UPSTREAM LINE THAT FEEDS PRODUCT TO THE SPACE

• DOWNSTREAM SIDE SHOULD BE LEFT UNFASTENED TO PREVENT LEAKAGE THROUGH THE BLANK

LINE BREAKING

THE INTENTIONAL OPENING OF A PIPE, LINE, OR DUCT THAT IS OR HAS BEEN CARRYING FLAMMABLE, CORROSIVE,

OR TOXIC MATERIAL, OR AN INERT

GAS, OR ANY FLUID AT A PRESSURE

OR TEMPERATURE CAPABLE OF

CAUSING INJURY.

DOUBLE BLOCK AND BLEED

CLOSURE OF A PIPE, LINE OR DUCT BY TAGGING AND LOCKING A DRAIN OR VENT WHICH IS OPEN TO THE ATMOSPHERE BETWEEN TWO LOCKED OR CLOSED VALVES.

LOCK-OUT / TAG-OUT

• CONFINED SPACES HAVE - AGITATORS, PUMPS, FANS, METERS, COMPRESSORS, ETC.

• SOME DEVICES ACTIVATE AUTOMATICALLY DUE TO CHANGES IN FLOWS, PRESSURES, AND LEVELS

• ACTIVATE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE PRESENCE OF WORKERS

LOCK-OUT / TAG-OUT CONT’D.

• DEVICES MUST BE ISOLATED AND POWER SOURCE LOCKED OUT

• WORKERS CARRY OWN LOCK - PREVENTS UNLOCKING OF POWER SOURCE WHILE IN SPACE

• ONCE LOCK IS APPLIED IT IS TAGGED

VENTILATION

• EXCHANGES AIR IN SPACE WITH FRESH AIR

• LIMITS - 19.5% OXYGEN, < 10% LEL

• USE ELECTRIC UNITS

• USE AT LEVEL OF WORK

• PPV

• VOLUME OF SPACE V. CFM

BUDDY SYSTEM

• ENTRIES REQUIRE TEAMS OF TWO (BACKUPS REMAIN OUTSIDE OF SPACE)

• SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT

• SOPs DEVELOPED FOR ACTION PLANS

ENTRY PERMITS

• PROVIDE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• ENSURES THAT CORRECT PROCEDURES ARE USED

• REINFORCES DOCUMENTATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY

• NO PERMIT, NO ENTRY

ENTRY PERMIT IDENTIFIES:

• THE SPACE TO BE ENTERED

• THE PURPOSE FOR ENTRY

• THE DATE AND AUTHORIZED DURATION OF THE ENTRY PERMIT

• AUTHORIZED ENTRANTS

• THE HAZARDS

• ISOLATION MEASURES

• ACCEPTABLE ENTRY CONDITION

ENTRY PERMIT IDENTIFIES: CONT’D.

• RESULTS OF TESTS OR INSPECTIONS• RESCUE OR EMS SERVICE TO BE

SUMMONED• COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES• EQUIPMENT TO MEET OSHA

COMPLIANCE• ANY OTHER INFORMATION OR

PERMITS THAT IS NECESSARY

SUPPORT EQUIPMENT

• RESPIRATORY PROTECTION– SCBA

– SABA• HOSE - 300FT• EMERGENCY ESCAPE CYLINDER• LONGER SERVICE TIME• LESS BULKY

SUPPORT EQUIPMENT CONT’D.

HARNESSES– NFPA - THREE CLASSES

• CLASS I - SEAT STYLE FOR 1 PERSON LOAD, NOT FOR RESCUE

• CLASS II - SEAT STYLE FOR RESCUE AND FOR 2 PERSON LOAD

• CLASS III - FULL-BODY FOR RESCUE AND 2 PERSON LOAD WHERE INVERTING MAY OCCUR

• ONE OR MORE PARTS• REQUIRES NO KNOWLEDGE FROM VICTIM

ONCE IN HARNESS

SUPPORT EQUIPMENT CONT’D.

• MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE SYSTEMS

– SPEED

– RAISING AND LOWERING RESCUERS

– LIMITS EXPOSURES

MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE SYSTEMS

• COMMERCIAL WINCHES, HOISTS AND TRIPODS

• ROPE SYSTEMS

• BLOCK AND TACKLE

• GROUND LADDERS AND AERIAL DEVICES

VERTICAL LOWERING AND RAISING

• ELEVATED ANCHOR POINT– CEILINGS– TRIPODS– LADDERS– AERIALS

• Z-DRAG OR PIGGYBACK SYSTEMBELAY LINE

• WRISTLETS OR SKED

SUMMARY

• DEFINITION• HAZARDS OF CONFINED SPACE• ACCIDENTS IN CONFINED SPACES• MONITORING ACTIVITIES• ENTRY PROCEDURES• ISOLATION PROCESS• ENTRY PERMITS• EQUIPMENT