Confined space training is a course to educate individuals who are responsible for safely working in confined spaces. This training is important because: Working in confined spaces can be dangerous. The atmosphere in confined spaces may be hazardous because of physical and/or chemical hazards (such as gas, fumes, chemicals, and dust), high temperatures, or inadequate ventilation. Some confined space tasks involve moving large amounts of equipment, people, materials, or products (sometimes referred to as loads).
Confined space
training prepares employees to work in and around confined spaces in the
following ways:
·
Provides
a basic awareness of the various types of confined spaces and hazards
·
Offers
knowledge and information about confined spaces
·
Teaches
basic and advanced confined space knowledge, skills, and procedures
·
Teaches
confined space entry, working, and exiting techniques
·
Sets and
follows proper procedures when working in confined spaces
·
Teaches
the safe use of personal protection devices
·
Sets and
follows protocols, policies, and procedures that are approved by management to
help prevent and control confined space hazards
·
Educates
workers about the hazards in their workplace and how to control them
·
Teaches
workers how to perform confined space tasks
How should you conduct confined space training?
The following general
steps should be followed when conducting confined space training:
·
The
confined space training should be provided as part of a comprehensive training
program
·
Provide
all classes and all hands-on practice in a non-hazardous environment that will
provide the same hazard experience as the work environment
·
Educate
workers who will be entering the hazardous environment about confined space
hazards before they enter the hazardous environment
·
Provide
hands-on practice for learners that is based on their level of understanding
·
Encourage
practice and feedback that focuses on safe confined space entry techniques.
When should you conduct confined space
training?
When you need to
conduct confined space training, the following steps should be followed:
·
The work
environment for the confined space training should be selected according to the
workers’ level of training and their specific tasks
·
The
training should be done in a way that closely simulates the workers’ tasks
·
It is
important to evaluate how well the training is understood and completed. Your
workers’ level of expertise in confined space entry, working, and exiting
should be considered when you select and conduct the training
·
Make sure
you are familiar with your workers’ duties in confined spaces
When conducting training, be aware of:
·
Your
workers’ educational level and capabilities
·
Whether
your workers are performing a confined space task or a related task
·
The
workers’ level of experience in confined spaces
·
Your
workers’ capabilities, abilities, and limitations
·
Your
workers’ education level
·
Your
organization’s training policies and procedures
When should you conduct confined space training
with a new employee?
When you are about to
enter a confined space that is not fully established, you may need to provide
some initial confined space training to the new employee who will work in the
confined space.
When you have an
employee who is new to the confined space, and it is unlikely that he or she
will return to the confined space, you should complete the following when you
start moving him or her:
Confined space training
Confined space
orientation
Identification of
hazards
Training and safety
measures
Procedure and
equipment control
Confined space exit
plan
Safety management
systems
Why should you conduct confined space training?
The following are
several reasons why you may need to conduct confined space training:
·
The workers
should be informed about the risk of injury or death, the nature of the
hazards, and the potential legal ramifications of a confined space incident
·
Teaching
workers about the hazards in their workplace can help them prevent injuries
·
There may
be an inherent hazard to confined spaces
·
It is
important to know how to perform confined space tasks
·
Workers
need training on techniques that can help them work safely in and around
confined spaces
·
Confined
space training is the most effective way to ensure that workers comply with
safe confined space practices
Happy Learning!