Safe Work Practices for Confined Space Entry

Introduction

The hazards of confined spaces are not new yet every year many accidents occur which are unfortunately often fatal. Entry into confined spaces for maintenance, repair, or statutory inspections is a common task in industrial plants. Although a frequent event many accidents occur in confined space and unfortunately often fatal. These accidents occur because personnel are either insufficiently trained or have had their awareness blunted by experience. The course encompasses the hazards, the stringent precautions, and the safe systems of work necessary as well as their practical application. The final day is devoted to bringing together all this knowledge in a tabletop exercise.

Objectives

• Gain a clear understanding of what is a confined space
• Become familiar with the hazards of a confined space
• To take all the necessary precautions before entering
• Be able to maintain the confined space as a safe place to work
• Familiarize the delegates with different methods of cleaning and isolation
• Efficient planning for confined space entry
• Time optimization in confined space entry work
• Confidence of the delegates that they are following best practices
• Confidence of personnel that all safety measures are being taken
• Elimination of accidents in confined spaces
• The risks of confined spaces
• A safe system of work for confined spaces
• The health hazards involved
• Common confined spaces tasks and precautions
• The training necessary for all involved in confined space entry

Training Methodology

This is an interactive course. There will be open question and answer sessions, regular group exercises and activities, videos, case studies, and presentations on best practice. Participants will have the opportunity to share with the facilitator and other participants on what works well and not so well for them, as well as work on issues from their own organizations. The online course is conducted online using MS-Teams/ClickMeeting.

Who Should Attend?

The course is for personnel that is involved in confined space entry and planning such work. This would include:

• Planning personnel
• Safety Personnel
• Entry Supervisors
• Authorized Entrants

Course Outline

Day 1:

• Introduction
• Definitions - OSHA Terminology
• Risk Assessment
• Risk assessment exercise – Syndicate groups
• Reading PIDs
• Work Permit Systems
• Contractors
• Video – “Valero Refinery” and discussion

Day 2: Occupational Health Hazards

• Chemical substances Hazards
• Body Uptake
• Toxic effects
• TLV – OEL etc
• Air contaminants – Dust, Smoke Mist, etc.
• H2S and Pyrophoric Iron
• Hazard communication
• MSDS
• Physical Hazards
• Noise
• Temperature
• Illumination
• Vibration
• Washing and Changing Facilities
• Contaminated Areas and Control

Day 3:

• Atmosphere Testing –
• Oxygen Levels
• Flammable Levels
• Toxic contents
• Frequency of Testing
• Testing Techniques
• Emptying the Confined space
• Slops, Flare, Product recovery, Environmental concerns
• Pipeline Opening
• Cleaning of Confined spaces prior to entry
• What is the internal structure of the confined space – Packing, Trays, and Baffles?
• Is there an Internal Lining?
• What substances did the confined space contain?
• Personnel Training and Duties
• Authorized Supervisor
• Authorized Entrant
• Authorized Attendant
• Rescue Arrangements
• Gas freeing of Tanks, Vessels
• Use and hazards of Steam
• Use and hazards of Water
• Use and hazards of inert gas
• Use of chemicals
• ·  Isolation
• Positive Isolation
• Lockout Tag Out
• Maintaining Isolation

Day 4:

• PPE Requirements
• Entry with Breathing Apparatus / Entry without Breathing Apparatus
• Types of RPE
• Air Quality for RPE
• Ventilation
• Entry into fired Equipment. Isolation.
• Entry into Tanks
• Floating Roof
• Fixed Roof Single top manway
• Fixed Roof Twin top manways
• Lighting
• Scaffolding
• Common Maintenance task and problems in confined spaces
• Furnaces
• Refractory repair
• Tube Repair, renewal
• Tube Cleaning
• Convection Bank Cleaning
• Vessels and Tanks
• Cleaning
• Internals Removal
• Hot work
• Shot blasting
• Painting
• Method Statement
• Check Lists
• Boxing Up, Hand Over, and De-Isolation
• Video – “A Fatal Decision” and discussion

Day 5: Table Top Exercise

A desktop syndicate exercise to plan an entry into a confined space. The syndicates will be given a PID and written details of the process. They will be required to program the steps and precautions for entry and cleaning prior to maintenance, and the precautions for the maintenance tasks to be undertaken – de-pressure, initial isolation, gas freeing and precautions, final positive isolation, and isolation positioning, cordoning off the area, PPE required etc.