Have Workers in A Confined Space? Here’s What You Can’t Do

Whenever you have a confined space in Toronto, you inherit a lot of responsibilities that you would not have on other types of job sites. Your workers are entering a potentially very dangerous area – one where missteps could result in serious injury or even death. You are tasked with ensuring that they are always safe. Before your workers make their next space entrance, consider what you must never do.

Letting workers “use their senses”

Allowing workers to check out a confined space using only their own senses is, unfortunately, a common mistake owners and managers make. Contrary to popular belief, people cannot always smell or see the types of dangerous gases that can linger in a confined space. Hydrogen sulfide, for example, does have a rotten-egg smell, but that is only true when it is at a lower concentration. At a higher level in the air, this gas can actually distort someone’s sense of smell to a degree that they do not detect it. At lower concentrations, over time, a person may get used to the smell of hydrogen sulfide and fail to notice when the levels of it spike.

Instead of having your workers rely on their senses, set up testing procedures to be done before people enter. When tests are done before a person enters a confined space in Toronto, it is much safer for everyone involved as any toxic gases will be discovered before anyone is directly exposed to them.

Failing to create a solid emergency plan

Whenever you have a narrow space on your premises, there is always the possibility of an emergency taking place inside of it. Therefore, you must put a comprehensive plan in place. When you have a plan, your workers will have a better chance of surviving an emergency situation.

Don’t forget to make sure that your people in and around the space know your plan inside and out. Having the best plan possible on paper doesn’t do any good if no one knows how to execute it when there is an emergency. Run regular reviews of your plan with the relevant people, and if you make any changes or updates, be sure to keep everyone who needs to know informed.

Should you decide to use a professional confined space rescue service, designate emergency contact people on the ground and confirm they know which service to call. You can also have the service instruct your emergency contacts on basic training for confined spaces. That way, if there is an emergency, you will have staff in the area who can immediately take steps before the rescue team arrives.

There are many rules and regulations when it comes to having a confined space in Toronto, so in addition to having safety measures in place for entry and exit and a rescue plan, you must also learn and follow all these rules. Failure to do so can open your organization up to serious liability and trouble with the regulators responsible for your area.

If you need confined space rescue services or training, contact an experienced provider today. When you have a hazard on your premises such as a confined space in Toronto, you simply cannot afford to take any chances.