Confined space entry programs are an essential part of ensuring the safety of your employees. There are significant hazards and risks in confined spaces ranging from hazardous atmospheres like oxygen deficiency and inert gases to physical hazards like rotating and energized equipment. That’s where the “Hierarchy of Controls” comes into play. This is a systematic...
There are many hazards that can arise in confined spaces. Inarguably, the hazard that results in more fatalities in confined spaces are atmospheric in nature. In fact, at the time of writing this article, the last five recorded confined space deaths, according to OSHA Fatality Inspection Data, were caused by asphyxiation. This is because generally...
Ventilating a confined space isn’t just about flipping on a fan and calling it a day. There’s an art—and a bit of science—to getting it right. If you don’t, you could be putting yourself and your team at risk. Let’s break down four common mistakes people make when ventilating confined spaces: short-circuiting, recirculation, inadequate CFM,...
In confined space work, ensuring air quality is a top priority. With directives from OSHA and consensus recommendations from ANSI & NFPA, understanding the ins and outs of atmospheric monitoring is key. This article will briefly review what OSHA requires as well as what ANSI, NFPA and Roco recommend for practices that ensure worker safety...
By Skip Williams Contributors: Deputy Chief Kenneth Jenkins, Captain Tom Horn and Captain Anthony Morley, Charleston Fire Department, Rescue 115, and Russ Fennema, Jay Dee Contractors Note: The following article recounts a very successful rescue that took advantage of available resources at the scene. Roco Rescue wants to share stories like this one to remind our...
Our congratulations to the Burlington (Iowa) Fire Department on a successful grain bin rescue that happened in their community back in May of this year (2018). The incident was reported on Firehouse.com.
Having been involved in training for 30 years, I have had the opportunity to observe how various organizations in many different fields approach confined space entry and rescue. And, when it comes to training for Entrants, Attendants and Entry Supervisors, the amount of time and content varies greatly.
There are countless injuries and deaths across the nation when workers are not taught to recognize the inherent dangers of permit spaces. They are not trained when “not to enter” for their own safety. Many of these tragedies could be averted if workers were taught to recognize the dangers and know when NOT to enter...
By Dennis O’Connell, Roco Director of Training & Chief Instructor
The following article was written by Russell Warn and published in ISHN magazine (ishn.com), December 2016. Roco comments have been added to the article and are noted in red. Working in confined spaces presents a unique and dangerous challenge in combatting the unseen – oxygen deficiency, poisonous or explosive gases, and other hazardous substances are...
