Page 42 - OHS, April 2021

IH: CONFINED SPACES
Overcoming Instincts:
How to Improve Safety in Confined Spaces
Making the split-second decision to come to the aid of a coworker could prove dangerous without proper equipment.
BY DANTE MOORE
No matter who you are or what you do, we all face one similar, major challenge: overcoming ingrained behaviors to change our actions.
Sometimes, these ingrained behaviors make it difficult for us to remember to do something simple, like run an errand on the way home from work. Other times, our ingrained behaviors can put our lives—or the lives of others—at risk.
Our first instinct is usually an action we take without much thought. When someone around us is in danger, our instinct is to help. We tend to provide aid to others in emergency situations without thinking about the possibility of putting ourselves at risk. In some cases, this behavior is helpful, like when we catch a toddler before he falls and hits his head.
Unfortunately, there are times when this helpful behavior can make a dangerous situation become dire. A major instance of this is when someone is in confined spaces while on the job—a situation where
safety is a priority. We should not rely on snap decisions in potentially dangerous situations. Instead, we should carefully think through possible options before we act.
We always want to act swiftly, but we also need to be sure that the actions we take to help others won’t hurt ourselves or other people around us. What we do and how we decide to do it can ultimately determine the outcome of a situation.
The Danger of Relying on Instincts in Confined Spaces
When working in confined or enclosed spaces, our decision-making process becomes even more important. A split- seconddecision,ifit’sthewrongone,could mean life or death for you as well as other workers. It’s imperative to understand the dangers that confined spaces can pose. Because of these dangers, agencies like OSHA have issued guidelines to help us stay safe while working in these environments.
It’s important to adhere to these
requirements when using atmospheric gas monitors. We use monitors to test air quality before entry, checking that the confined space is clear of all toxic and combustible gases and has a safe oxygen level. These pre-entry tests help ensure that when a worker goes into the space, he or she won’t face immediate danger. After pre-entry sampling, we must also monitor the space continuously while the worker is inside. Atmospheric conditions in confined spaces can change quickly. Without continuous monitoring, a worker could be exposed to toxic and combustible gases without knowing it.
When we see a fellow worker in need, our instinct is to rush in to save him or her. However, this instinct can be life- threatening in the presence of gas hazards. If we enter the space or provide aid without understanding why our teammate has fallen or is unresponsive, we may end up in danger ourselves. The majority of confined space horror stories have one thing in common: multiple injuries or deaths when workers rush in to help a fellow worker.
Even with proper training, our instinct is often to react and attempt a rescue, whether we will make it out alive or not. The sad truth is that this ingrained behavior of helping others is the reason why would-be rescuers account for 60 percent of confined space deaths.
Using Instincts and Insights
When our instincts are fallible and doing nothing is not an option, we can turn to technology to help us make better decisions. Technology now allows us to make smarter, faster and safer decisions that can help prevent fatalities—especially in confined spaces. Some handheld and area gas monitors come equipped with wireless connectivity that shares gas readings, man-down and panic alarms. This technology connects as soon as the equipment powers on and shares gas readings from inside the confined space to monitors outside of the space.
38 Occupational Health & Safety | APRIL 2021
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