What are the hazards in a confined space?
All hazards found in a regular workspace can also be found in a confined space. However, they can be even more hazardous in a confined space than in a regular worksite. Hazards in confined spaces can include: • Poor air quality: There may be an insufficient amount of oxygen for the worker to breathe. The atmosphere might contain a poisonous substance that could make the worker ill or even cause the worker to lose consciousness. Natural ventilation alone will often not be sufficient to maintain breathable quality air. • Chemical exposures due to skin contact or ingestion as well as inhalation of ‘bad’ air. • Fire Hazard: There may be an explosive/flammable atmosphere due to flammable liquids and gases and combustible dusts which if ignited would lead to fire or explosion. • Process-related hazards such as residual chemicals, release of contents of a supply line. • Noise. • Safety hazards such as moving parts of equipment, structural hazards, entanglement, slips, falls. • Radiation. • Te
