Accidents
in
Confined Spaces kill
In
1983, a graduate engineer on work-experience entered an inspection chamber to test for
seepage and collapsed. Three work colleagues attempted a rescue and as each entered the
chamber, collapsed also. All four young men died.
In
1984 44 people including 8 employees and 36 visiting dignitaries entered an
underground valve house of a water transfer scheme. As part of a presentation water was to
be pumped over a regulating weir into the river. Shortly after pumping commenced, there
was an intense flash and followed by an explosion.
The explosion was caused by an accumulation of methane and air
which was pushed into the valve room when pumping commenced.
Sixteen people were killed and 28 others
were injured in the explosion.
In
1985 a city worker was removing an inspection plate from a sewer line in a deep pump
station when the plate blew off and sewage entered the room. Two colleagues and a
policeman attempted to rescue him from the sludge filled room. All four died.
In
1986 a self-employed truck driver died after entering the top of a sawdust bin. He
suffocated when the sawdust inside the bin collapsed and buried him.
In
1986 a worker entered a chemical degreaser to clean the bottom. He collapsed. Two
colleagues entered to rescue him. All three died.
At
another incident in 1986, a worker cleaning the bottom of a septic tank collapsed. Two
colleagues who went to rescue him also collapsed. All three died.
In 1987 two workers on top of a digester that had been drained opened the hatch and
lowered an extension cable with an exposed 200 watt light bulb to check the sludge level.
The light bulb broke and exploded the methane in the digester. Both men died
instantly.
In
September 1990 a 17 year old sewer worker collapsed at the bottom of 3m manhole. Two work
mates entered to rescue him and were themselves overcome. By the time they were extracted
from the manhole by rescue services the young man was dead. His would be rescuers died two
days later. A fourth man at the entrance of the manhole suffered shock and fume
inhalation.
In
1995 two brothers died whilst cleaning out a slurry tank on their farm.
An inquest found that they had died from hydrogen sulphide poisoning released when the
slurry was agitated.
In
1996 five fishermen died on board their ship following a leak of
refrigeration gas from the refrigeration unit.
In
1996 85 workers died throughout the United States in confined
space incidents.
There are considerable financial penalties and legal consequences
to be faced by companies whose employee(s) die or are injured as a result of a
work-related accident. Way beyond these costs are the human costs borne by relatives of
the deceased, such as children, spouses, siblings and parents. The death toll of 85 deaths
in confined spaces across the USA in 1996 has the potential to impact dramatically and
permanently on the lives of upwards of 2000 relatives.
Serious accidents have occurred and will continue to occur,
whilst work is being done inside confined spaces. The chief risks are those associated
with toxic and/or flammable gases, fumes and vapour. Neglect or ignorance of the necessary
precautions can lead very easily to tragic results.
Other risks are associated with asphyxiation, including
asphyxiation from free flowing solids, drowning and loss of consciousness arising from
high ambient temperatures.
Accidents that occur in confined spaces are often fatal,
involving, in many cases, several workers. For example, in three separate confined spaces
incidents in Northern Ireland during 1995/96 there were seven deaths, accounting for
almost 25% of the total deaths that resulted from accidents at work.
The example quoted above, a multiple tragedy arose from a single
incident which resulted in the deaths of five Japanese fishermen when refrigeration gases
leaked below decks into an area where these men normally worked.
In general, over half of those who die in confined spaces would
have been attempting to rescue colleagues who had gotten into difficulties. These are
usually unauthorised rescues attempted by work colleagues who react instinctively to a
colleagues distress. But there is documented evidence to show that qualified rescue
workers have also died because they have not followed established procedures.
The human instinct to assist colleagues in danger is very strong,
often with fatal consequences. Effective confined spaces training aims to control these
natural instincts by instilling in workers automatic emergency responses based on agreed
procedures.
Ultimately the safety of the individual is a personal
responsibility but the onus to provide all the risk control measures necessary to inform
and direct the employee rests with the employer. The employer must provide a suitable and
sufficient level of supervision, which reflects the competence of the worker, to ensure
that correct decisions are being made and safety procedures are being followed.
How Expert Ease International can help.
In recognition of the dangerous nature of work in confined
spaces, and other high risk environments statutory regulations have been enacted world-wide. The law imposes specific
duties and obligations on employers and workers in these high risk
environments.
Expert Ease International is to the forefront of training and advising on safe
working procedures. Over the years we have developed and published a series of unique management
systems and safe working procedures designed to;
