Working in containers and confined spaces

No room, hardly any breathable air and hard work...
Working in confined spaces places high demands on employees

In many work areas there are confined spaces. These areas are so small that people can only operate in a limited way when they enter them, leave them or when they are working there.

Limited space in combination with insufficient exchange of air or the chemical substances, preparations or apparatuses present in the rooms, can cause special hazards which clearly exceed the risk potential normally found in a workplace. In addition to an increased risk from gases the size of the room also needs to be considered carefully for cleaning or repairs.

There are confined spaces in many sectors: They include, for instance, waste management companies, the chemical and petrochemical industries, oil and gas production, shipping, transport to name a few. Applications include working in or on tanks, boilers and fractionating columns, containers, silos, shafts and canals, pits, pipes, cavities and storage rooms, as well as sewage plants.

Personnel must be trained for the tasks. The enviroment must be sampled to determine level of PPE, once outfitted the work begins. At completion the PPE must be maintenanced.