Confined Space | Take care of your employees

What is a Confined Space? 

According to OSHA, a Confined space means a space that: (1) Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; (2) Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry.); and (3) Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.  

There are also Permit-required confined space (permit space) which is a confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics: (1) Contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; (2) Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant; (3) Has an internal configuration such that an entrant could be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a floor which slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross-section; or (4) Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard. 

Many workplaces contain areas that are considered "confined spaces" because while they are not necessarily designed for people, they are large enough for workers to enter and perform certain jobs.  

Graphic courtesy of EHS Daily Advisor

Accidents in the workplace 

Over the past months, there have been many accidents related to confined spaces. It is saddening that most of these resulted in workers’ death. A look back into some of the circumstances will hopefully avoid these tragic deaths. 

In March, a worker in Colorado Springs almost lost his life while performing routine maintenance work. The employee was inside a cement mixer when their coworker turned the machine on. The worker was able to escape before suffering serious, if not deadly, injuries. 

The U.S. Department of Labor says Springs-based company Lindsay Precast Inc. “willfully” exposed that employee to what could have been a fatal situation. 

“A U.S. Department of Labor investigation determined the company’s failure to comply with federal workplace safety standards nearly cost the worker their life.” (Lindsey Grewe and Aaron Vitatoe, August 29, 2022, KKTV, Colorado Springs-based company found responsible for near-fatal incident involving cement mixer) 

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2 Workers Die Inside of a Manhole - August 20th, 2022

A tragic incident last August where the bodies of two workers have been recovered after they were found dead Friday evening in a manhole at a residential job site.  

The city of Edwardsville said in a press release that officers were called to the 100 block of East Union Street shortly before 7 p.m. and found the two men. It's believed the workers had entered the manhole sometime in the late afternoon. 

Fire Chief James Whiteford said the atmosphere where the men were found had very little oxygen and a buildup of toxic gasses, which is common in confined underground spaces.  

The men were unresponsive and first responders attempted to rescue them, but once they were confirmed dead, it transitioned to a recovery effort. (Kelsi Anderson August 20, 2022, 5 ON YOUR SIDE, Bodies recovered after 2 workers die in Edwardsville manhole) 

Another tragic incident in Illinois last September involved a 48-year-old employee who died from chemical injuries sustained while inspecting a tanker trailer. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued a fine to the Illinois truck and trailer repair company B & R Repair of Lemont.   

It was fined $326,306 for exposing workers to confined space hazards following an OSHS investigation, the agency said on September 8. 

According to OSHA, the worker entered the tanker “as part of an annual U.S. Department of Transportation requirement and was overcome from exposure to bleach and chlorine gas. The worker was found unconscious in the tanker trailer, he later died of his injuries.” 

Investigators cited B & R Repair for two willful and ten serious violations. (Ashley, September 8, 2022, CDL Life News, Illinois truck repair company fined $326K for death of worker in tanker) 

These tragic events would have been avoided if the employers followed OSHA Confined Space guidelines. The employers would not have faced citations and fines, and most importantly these workers would have been able to come home to their families. 

Employers are required by the United States Department of Labor to strictly follow OSHA guidelines on “confined space” jobs. Violations are not treated lightly because the life of workers are on the line. Employers should take all precautionary measures for their employees to ensure their safety at all times.