Hey, thanks for watching! In this video, we dig into identifying confined spaces and make the process simple. Thanks for watching! I look forward to your comments.
For someone that works in the healthcare industry, I am so thankful for this video. We just never know what sort of situation we will get to on the next day. Having to reach in to storage, reach into a closet, now I know what a confined space really is.
One could debate whether a crawl space under a house could potentially be considered a confined space depending on the situation. For example particularly with older houses, the access opening is often smaller than what you see on newer homes. And a crawlspace under an older home may contain numerous hazards including but not limited to, sharp discarded objects, spilled chemicals, lead/asbestos, damaged drain pipes leaking sewer gas, poor lighting, energized knob and tube wiring with missing insulation or open junction boxes with exposed wire splices and unsecured wiring and plumbing.
A friend of mine is an engineer and works in confined spaces all the time. I know that he had confined space training for several months and that he needs to follow strict procedures. It's nice to see that in that kind of jobs are heavily monitored when it comes to safety! Your video is very informative. Thank you!
Great video. I was researching confined space isolation methods and ran across this video. I believe the intent was to help folks understand the basic definition of a CS, not teach every aspect. Easy to understand messaging is what employees need, not technical knowledge. Thanks for the FREE video... cheers!
Great video for awareness!. Keep in mind Osha considers entry as any part of the entrants body breaks the plane of an opening into the space (1910 Subpart J) . I don't recommend assessing one based on if your entire body can enter or not. As long as any part of the body breaks the plane and the job can be performed, it is one (considering that it meets the other 2 criteria). Then we get into the permit vs non permit required CS determination
Yep! Good point on breaking the plane! We get pretty in depth on permit-required vs non-permit required in our full-length course but we also need to take a look at alternate entry procedures.
From OSHA 1910.146(b)-“Entry means the action by which a person passes through an opening into a permit-required confined space. Entry includes ensuing work activities in that space and is considered to have occurred as soon as any part of the entrant's body breaks the plane of an opening into the space.”
When discussing the first two criteria, I tell people "if you can fit all the way in but you can't run all the way out, it's probably a confined space." "Can I run away if something goes wrong?" is a helpful question to tell what OSHA might consider restricted entry/egress. For example, someone who spends all day climbing ladders might not normally think of ladders as making entry/exit difficult, even though OSHA does. If access is unrestricted, you can run through it: normal doorways, stairs in good repair, ramps, large open holes, etc. But if you have to climb over a threshold, use a ladder, stoop through a low door, squeeze through a narrow opening, navigate uneven or slippery surfaces, and so on running away is not an option... which makes it confined!
The question #2; Is the space difficult to move in or out of? Seems a bit subjective, depending on one's physical size or condition. And, in the case of a vault, what about ventilation? I have read that if noxious gas can accumulate at in it, then it can be considered a confined space. Is there a way to design a below-ground vault, so it is not a "confined space"? Perhaps by adding a stairway, as opposed to a ladder? Ventilation?
I don't understand why the example at 6:18 doesn't categorise as a confined space. The man would clearly be able to fit through that opening and enter that headspace - or what am I overlooking?
Yeah, I see where you're coming from. Our thought was he would barely fit and actually working in there would be nearly impossible. Plus, when second shift came on, the next person may not fit. So, in that case the phrase, "Large enough to enter and perform work." probably would be a stretch without adding a lot of ergonomic hazards, scrapes from climbing through, etc. So we'd prefer not to put people in that space because if something were to happen, a rescue without further injury would be nearly impossible.
That was ok if you are teaching a law class.It leaves a lot to be desired, if you want to understand bad air deaths.My semi truck cab is not under osha and is not a confined space according to osha. Every year at the trucks stop a few trucks are still sitting there when the lot empties out.In the truck is a dead guy that was sleeping and the exhaust from another truck rolled around his cab and leaked in enough to kill him.This is the major trait of enclosed space deaths. Personal experience and imperceptible changes in the air quality.There is no real good way to predict wind shifts and truck parking so I had a couple carbon monoxide detectors running all the time.Farmers have a manure pit.The farm never had any methan accumulation problems, so they don't vent that pit with fans, it works fine for ten years or ten months and the conditions get just right.... One son goes in to work and is over come, six more people will die trying to save him and the other rescuers.
I agree, this video is more based on understanding how OSHA defines a confined space and not overall confined space safety. We've got some new videos coming out later this year that will be better for demonstrations and real-life explanations.
Excellent comments. I just saw this after posting my comment (above). You have correctly identified what may make your cab a hazardous space. Thank you.
@@seafire7701 If you were more clear about the idea " entry into the enclosed space" the video makes a point "if you break the plane of the opening with a body part you entered the space." I saw an accident where a guy was gassed bending over to work in a factory he was in up to his waist and got bad air and died there.It was an enclosed space and he broke the plane.
@@doctormcgoveran2194 Good comment. You are correct about breaking the plane with a body part. The video was good in its objective. I challenge the whole approach; your example supports my point of view. My reference was to entry (without defining "entry"), and I also referred to adjacent to the space. Some fatalities have occurred to persons who were outside the space and did not break the plane. They were never in the space, yet gases killed them. Example: Search for "Middleton public works employee fatality". No one entered the space yet people died. My point is that focus on a space being confined is not enough. Your example of a "bad air" death is excellent. Your cab is not a confined space, by definition. Yet, the confinement of the cab helped hold the exhaust gases (CO) in sufficient concentration to kill. I have proven, through using gas testers, that being on a boat going astern, or going ahead with a stern wind, results in the boat sitting in a cloud of CO (carbon monoxide). I wonder how many boats run aground when the "operator fell asleep" are actually caused by CO poisoning? I was trying to keep my comments brief. Thank you for engaging. Examples from real life help us become more aware.
@@seafire7701 " Excellent comments. I just saw this after posting my comment (above). You have correctly identified what may make your cab a hazardous space. Thank you." This comment defines the problem, with this aspect of industrial safety, and how humans interact with systems. The mathematics of fluid flow are extremely complex, and predicting what load by which load and what wind shift is going to gas a guy in a truck is impossible in real time. The mental limits of most people preclude understanding the need for carbon monoxide detectors in a truck cab.
But this video does not go far enough and may lead to a big problem. A confined space must be large enough to bodily enter. But this is not so with a permit required confined space. If the small tank that is not a confined space in the video, has a substance in it that poses an atmospheric hazard, or has this potential, it is a permit required confined space because the definition of entry is any part of the body breaking the plane of the entry hole. Workers can open a small opening and be overcome by fumes. Face and head over the opening in this case is entry. Now the mechanic pit. How many of the fast lube facilities work on cars while idling or with numerous cars going in and out of the area? Potential for atmospheric hazard----yes. So it is treated as such with monitoring.
I disagree on the second quiz question. Clearly the worker “bodily” enters and there could be a harmful gas present that would require air continuous air monitoring. Don’t know about all industries but, for petrochemical, that’s a confined space.
If you break the plane, it’s considered entry for general industry and construction but if it’s not big enough to enter, OSHA confined space rules don’t apply. As you noted, it doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous. It’s just not confined space work.
Wrong approach. Ask: is the space hazardous? Most hazardous spaces are confined; not all are. Not all confined spaces are hazardous, although they may become so due to work in or adjacent to the space. If you test (monitor the atmosphere in the space) and ventilate before entry, and maintain testing and ventilation during the entry, the only rescue you will ever have to do is for illness or injury. You do a good job of explaining the definition. However, in my opinion, this approach has not served us well.
@Mark Schmidt Understood. However, too many focus on the confined aspect of the space and do not identify or expect the hazard which is or may be present later.
Hey, thanks for watching! In this video, we dig into identifying confined spaces and make the process simple. Thanks for watching! I look forward to your comments.
Was certified for the past 50years and I’ve seen a lot of improvement from when I started and by the time I retired from the Chemical Industry
For someone that works in the healthcare industry, I am so thankful for this video. We just never know what sort of situation we will get to on the next day. Having to reach in to storage, reach into a closet, now I know what a confined space really is.
One could debate whether a crawl space under a house could potentially be considered a confined space depending on the situation. For example particularly with older houses, the access opening is often smaller than what you see on newer homes. And a crawlspace under an older home may contain numerous hazards including but not limited to, sharp discarded objects, spilled chemicals, lead/asbestos, damaged drain pipes leaking sewer gas, poor lighting, energized knob and tube wiring with missing insulation or open junction boxes with exposed wire splices and unsecured wiring and plumbing.
A friend of mine is an engineer and works in confined spaces all the time. I know that he had confined space training for several months and that he needs to follow strict procedures. It's nice to see that in that kind of jobs are heavily monitored when it comes to safety! Your video is very informative. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Great video. I was researching confined space isolation methods and ran across this video. I believe the intent was to help folks understand the basic definition of a CS, not teach every aspect. Easy to understand messaging is what employees need, not technical knowledge. Thanks for the FREE video... cheers!
Great video for awareness!. Keep in mind Osha considers entry as any part of the entrants body breaks the plane of an opening into the space (1910 Subpart J) . I don't recommend assessing one based on if your entire body can enter or not. As long as any part of the body breaks the plane and the job can be performed, it is one (considering that it meets the other 2 criteria).
Then we get into the permit vs non permit required CS determination
Yep! Good point on breaking the plane!
We get pretty in depth on permit-required vs non-permit required in our full-length course but we also need to take a look at alternate entry procedures.
From OSHA 1910.146(b)-“Entry means the action by which a person passes through an opening into a permit-required confined space. Entry includes ensuing work activities in that space and is considered to have occurred as soon as any part of the entrant's body breaks the plane of an opening into the space.”
thanks for the sharing, and thanks for the effort to make the requirements easy to understand
EXCELLENT EXPLANATION ... Appreciated
Thank You!
Preparing for NEBOSH IDip exam UK👍
Good luck!
When discussing the first two criteria, I tell people "if you can fit all the way in but you can't run all the way out, it's probably a confined space."
"Can I run away if something goes wrong?" is a helpful question to tell what OSHA might consider restricted entry/egress. For example, someone who spends all day climbing ladders might not normally think of ladders as making entry/exit difficult, even though OSHA does. If access is unrestricted, you can run through it: normal doorways, stairs in good repair, ramps, large open holes, etc. But if you have to climb over a threshold, use a ladder, stoop through a low door, squeeze through a narrow opening, navigate uneven or slippery surfaces, and so on running away is not an option... which makes it confined!
That’s a great way to put it!
👍really helpful and easily understood, thank you
The question #2; Is the space difficult to move in or out of? Seems a bit subjective, depending on one's physical size or condition.
And, in the case of a vault, what about ventilation? I have read that if noxious gas can accumulate at in it, then it can be considered a confined space.
Is there a way to design a below-ground vault, so it is not a "confined space"? Perhaps by adding a stairway, as opposed to a ladder? Ventilation?
Well explained ma'am ...👏👏👏
People commenting need to take a full day confined space course before they comment. Absolutely scary how misinformed workers and employers are.
good job
Another great safety video
Excellent job 👏
Thank you for making this video
Thank you for your show video of confine word
thank you very much
What about 1stp stop think plan
Quote from OSHA; "the term "body" refers to any part of the anatomy including all extremities." Your third example IS a confined space.
well done great 🎉
I don't understand why the example at 6:18 doesn't categorise as a confined space. The man would clearly be able to fit through that opening and enter that headspace - or what am I overlooking?
Yeah, I see where you're coming from. Our thought was he would barely fit and actually working in there would be nearly impossible. Plus, when second shift came on, the next person may not fit. So, in that case the phrase, "Large enough to enter and perform work." probably would be a stretch without adding a lot of ergonomic hazards, scrapes from climbing through, etc. So we'd prefer not to put people in that space because if something were to happen, a rescue without further injury would be nearly impossible.
That was ok if you are teaching a law class.It leaves a lot to be desired, if you want to understand bad air deaths.My semi truck cab is not under osha and is not a confined space according to osha. Every year at the trucks stop a few trucks are still sitting there when the lot empties out.In the truck is a dead guy that was sleeping and the exhaust from another truck rolled around his cab and leaked in enough to kill him.This is the major trait of enclosed space deaths. Personal experience and imperceptible changes in the air quality.There is no real good way to predict wind shifts and truck parking so I had a couple carbon monoxide detectors running all the time.Farmers have a manure pit.The farm never had any methan accumulation problems, so they don't vent that pit with fans, it works fine for ten years or ten months and the conditions get just right.... One son goes in to work and is over come, six more people will die trying to save him and the other rescuers.
I agree, this video is more based on understanding how OSHA defines a confined space and not overall confined space safety. We've got some new videos coming out later this year that will be better for demonstrations and real-life explanations.
Excellent comments. I just saw this after posting my comment (above). You have correctly identified what may make your cab a hazardous space. Thank you.
@@seafire7701 If you were more clear about the idea " entry into the enclosed space" the video makes a point "if you break the plane of the opening with a body part you entered the space." I saw an accident where a guy was gassed bending over to work in a factory he was in up to his waist and got bad air and died there.It was an enclosed space and he broke the plane.
@@doctormcgoveran2194 Good comment. You are correct about breaking the plane with a body part. The video was good in its objective. I challenge the whole approach; your example supports my point of view.
My reference was to entry (without defining "entry"), and I also referred to adjacent to the space. Some fatalities have occurred to persons who were outside the space and did not break the plane. They were never in the space, yet gases killed them. Example: Search for "Middleton public works employee fatality". No one entered the space yet people died.
My point is that focus on a space being confined is not enough. Your example of a "bad air" death is excellent. Your cab is not a confined space, by definition. Yet, the confinement of the cab helped hold the exhaust gases (CO) in sufficient concentration to kill.
I have proven, through using gas testers, that being on a boat going astern, or going ahead with a stern wind, results in the boat sitting in a cloud of CO (carbon monoxide). I wonder how many boats run aground when the "operator fell asleep" are actually caused by CO poisoning?
I was trying to keep my comments brief. Thank you for engaging. Examples from real life help us become more aware.
@@seafire7701 " Excellent comments. I just saw this after posting my comment (above). You have correctly identified what may make your cab a hazardous space. Thank you." This comment defines the problem, with this aspect of industrial safety, and how humans interact with systems. The mathematics of fluid flow are extremely complex, and predicting what load by which load and what wind shift is going to gas a guy in a truck is impossible in real time. The mental limits of most people preclude understanding the need for carbon monoxide detectors in a truck cab.
Its very use full
Thank you!
But this video does not go far enough and may lead to a big problem. A confined space must be large enough to bodily enter. But this is not so with a permit required confined space. If the small tank that is not a confined space in the video, has a substance in it that poses an atmospheric hazard, or has this potential, it is a permit required confined space because the definition of entry is any part of the body breaking the plane of the entry hole. Workers can open a small opening and be overcome by fumes. Face and head over the opening in this case is entry.
Now the mechanic pit. How many of the fast lube facilities work on cars while idling or with numerous cars going in and out of the area? Potential for atmospheric hazard----yes. So it is treated as such with monitoring.
This video covers the three OSHA criteria for defining confined spaces. It is not a confined space course.
I disagree on the second quiz question. Clearly the worker “bodily” enters and there could be a harmful gas present that would require air continuous air monitoring. Don’t know about all industries but, for petrochemical, that’s a confined space.
If you break the plane, it’s considered entry for general industry and construction but if it’s not big enough to enter, OSHA confined space rules don’t apply. As you noted, it doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous. It’s just not confined space work.
Hi... Can help me ....
I work at a winery and pass by our wine tanks daily and only now realized how many confined spaces are around me 😬
So true! We have another video on UA-cam about confined space hazards that might be good for you!
Need lengthy videos by covering all things detaily .... pls
Have you seen this one? ua-cam.com/video/-wrwD7s9rUE/v-deo.html
Wrong approach. Ask: is the space hazardous? Most hazardous spaces are confined; not all are. Not all confined spaces are hazardous, although they may become so due to work in or adjacent to the space.
If you test (monitor the atmosphere in the space) and ventilate before entry, and maintain testing and ventilation during the entry, the only rescue you will ever have to do is for illness or injury.
You do a good job of explaining the definition. However, in my opinion, this approach has not served us well.
@Mark Schmidt Understood. However, too many focus on the confined aspect of the space and do not identify or expect the hazard which is or may be present later.
The safety talk is guidance for employer OSHA compliance with 1910.146