Entrapment Hazards
Entrapment hazards in confined spaces include inwardly converging walls or floors that slope downward and taper to a smaller cross-section (such as air plenums).
Engulfment
Engulfment refers to the surrounding or burial of the worker in a liquid or loose, finely divided solid material, such as sand or grain. Such materials can suffocate a worker. Examples include:
- Accidental dumping of a product on a worker.
- A worker walking on unstable material such as settled grain. Such materials could conceal a void underneath that gives way under the weight of the worker, resulting in engulfment.
Other Physical Hazards
Some physical hazards cannot be eliminated because of the nature of the confined space or the work to be performed. These hazards include such items as scaffolding, surface residues, and structural hazards.
- Scaffolding in confined spaces has contributed to many accidents caused by workers, materials falling, improper use of guard rails, and lack of maintenance to insure worker safety. The choice of material used for scaffolding depends upon the type of work to be performed, the calculated weight to be supported, the surface on which the scaffolding is placed, and the substance previously stored in the confined space.
- Surface residues in confined spaces can increase the already hazardous conditions of electrical shock, reaction of incompatible materials, liberation of toxic substances, and bodily injury due to slips and falls. Without protective clothing, additional hazards to health may arise due to surface residues.
- Structural hazards within a confined space such as baffles in horizontal tanks, trays in vertical towers, bends in tunnels, overhead structural members, or scaffolding installed for maintenance increase the likelihood of being injured.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
5-9. Walking on unstable material such as grain in a confined space can result in a fatality by _____.
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