Confined space safety hazards

Are your employees working in a cramped environment? No matter what type of work you do, working in a space where you can barley move around can increase the risk of an accident occurring. Working in confined spaces leads to injury because it is a potential hazard, especially when you are placing large machines and equipment next to each other and it's hard to move around it. There is also a concern with other things as well like explosion and poisoning because of a confined space. Improper ventilation in a confined space leads to breathing problems and other concerns so it is vital to the company to consider how to make the best use of the space they have and the equipment that they need to use.

Typically a confined space is defined as one where a single person enters and it is hard for air to circulate here. Trying to cram 5 people in a 4x4 area is going to be very tight and then trying to add a desk or other things to this area will only make it worse and frustrating for everyone. To figure out what type of hazards do exist with the area, take notice of the work that needs to be performed and also the machine or equipment that is in the space. For some companies, confined space is part of the job, which is the case for many in the sewage industry and other industries where they are unable to move around a lot and get the job done. It is important to look at all of the factors that can cause an accident to occur and to limit what you can. Sending your employees in with oxygen tanks and masks can allow them to have fresh air when working underground and it will reduce breathing problems. However if they are headed into an area that has other air gases, the tank could end up sparking a fuse and cause a large explosion to occur. With confined space, there are literally hundreds of different factors that you must understand in order to be able to provide your employees with the right types of safety equipment and training.

For many businesses the confined spaces are areas that are not usually entered. They are often housing hazardous materials and other things. With proper signage and training, your employees will know to avoid these areas. However the problem that may people seem to have is when outsiders come and enter these places. When you have unauthorized entry, these individuals can get hurt but they can also hurt your employees and seriously jeopardize your business. This is difficult to address as you may be unable to lock the door because of emergencies but you have to try and keep people away from these places in order to avoid danger.

Take a look at the design of the space and the needs of the business. Are there things you can do to redesign your work floor and to make things easier? Sometimes just moving a large piece of machinery to the side of the room versus in the middle of the floor room will make it easier for everyone else to get around and then the employee working on the machine has a smaller area to worry about and they are less likely to worry about people walking in front of the machine or accidently putting themselves in the way of danger. Floor markers and safety signs are another way to direct people around and to help keep them out of the way of harm and prevent workplace accidents.