Policy Number 877 | Incidents Involving Confined Spaces
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Policy | Procedure Incidents involving confined spaces New policy number: 877 Old instruction number: Issue date: 14 September 2015 Reviewed as current: Owner: Head of Operational Policy Responsible work team: Operational Tactics Contents 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 2 2 Hazards.................................................................................................................................................................. 2 3 Pre-planning ......................................................................................................................................................... 9 4 En route ...............................................................................................................................................................10 5 On arrival .............................................................................................................................................................10 6 Personal Protective equipment.......................................................................................................................11 7 Operational procedure .....................................................................................................................................12 8 After the incident...............................................................................................................................................14 9 Further reading ..................................................................................................................................................14 Appendix 1 – Key point summary - Incidents involving confined spaces .......................................................15 Document history ..............................................................................................................16 Review date: 14 September 2018 Last amended date: 7 November 2016 877 Issue date: 14 September 2015 1 of 16 1 Introduction 1.1 There are many incidents where Brigade personnel may be required to enter into what may be determined as a confined space. 1.2 The confined spaces regulations 1997 came into force on 28 January 1998. There are no exemptions for the emergency services and therefore the Fire and Rescue Service is required to make provision to comply with these regulations and the approved code of practice (ACoP). 1.3 The definition of a confined space, according to the confined spaces regulations 1997 is, “Any place, including any chamber, tank, vat, silo, pit, trench, pipe, flue, well, or other similar space in which, by virtue of its enclosed nature, there arises a reasonably foreseeable specified risk.” 1.4 For fire service purposes a confined space maybe defined as having the following characteristics: • Limited or restricted means of entry or exit. • Is large enough for a person to enter to perform tasks. • A place which is substantially enclosed although not always entirely and where serious injury can occur from hazardous substances or conditions within the space or nearby. • A dangerous or potentially dangerous work area with only restricted openings for entry and exit that would make emergency escape difficult. 1.5 Some places fall within the definition of confined space, but only on the occasions when a process is being carried out, or prior to it being fully ventilated e.g. a purpose built room that is used for spray painting. 1.6 Places not usually considered to be confined spaces may also become so because of a change in conditions inside the space or a change in the degree of enclosure or confinement. This may occur intermittently, for example a basement room becoming flooded. 1.7 There are therefore a wide range of incidents that have the potential to incorporate a confined space, these incident types all have procedures that should be read in conjunction with this instruction. This is to ensure the correct safe system of work is employed along with any alternate or additional control measures not specified in this policy, examples include: • Policy number 793 - Compartment Firefighting • Policy number 773 - Firefighting in basements • Policy number 633 - High Rise Firefighting • Policy number 557 - Urban Search and Rescue Policy • Policy number 302 - Collapse structures • Policy number 807 - Incidents involving silos • Policy number 121 - Safety in sewers and sewer rescues • Policy number 796 - Hazmats; fires and incidents involving hazardous substances • Policy number 581 - Water rescue and safety when working near, on or in water • Policy number 547 - Line operations • Policy number 467 - Breathing apparatus sub surface procedures 2 Hazards 2.1 The hazards in a confined space arise through the combination of the confined nature of the work place and the possible presence of substances or conditions which taken together could increase the risk to the safety or health of personnel. 877 Issue date: 14 September 2015 2 of 16 2.2 When attending a confined space incident, especially where an entry within the space is required to resolve it, incident commanders should determine what the greater hazard to crew safety is: • The physical characteristics and restrictions of the confined space • or the hazard that has been introduced within that space. 2.3 When the hazard has been assessed, the appropriate control measures can then be implemented. It should also be pointed out that more than one control measure may need to be adopted to ensure that a safe system of work is implemented 2.4 The hazards listed below can reasonably be expected to be encountered when attending incidents in confined spaces however the list is not exhaustive and IC’s should always be aware of additional hazards when conducting their own risk assessment and formulating their objectives and plan: Hazard within the Risk to firefighters Cause Control Measure confined space involved in the rescue of persons trapped Oxygen deficiency. Death by oxygen This can result from Do not enter unless to starvation. purging of the confined save a saveable life. space with an inert gas Other life changing Use of gas monitors for to remove flammable or injuries such as brain atmospheric monitoring. toxic gas fume or damage due to vapour. Initiate and maintain oxygen starvation. Cordons. Biological processes consuming oxygen Deploy sector such as sewers or commanders and safety fermentation in sealed Officers where applicable. silos, where crops have Breathing apparatus been or are being procedures. stored. SavOX Escape set (where Burning, welding and appropriate). grinding operations within the confined Minimum personnel space may also create within the hazard zone. an oxygen deficient atmosphere. Flammable A range of injuries This can arise from Do not enter unless to substances. including death and previous processes that save a saveable life. severe burns that may have taken place in the Use of gas monitors for be sustained through confined space, leading atmospheric monitoring of being burnt. to the ignition of Lower Explosive Limit airborne particles e.g. (LEL) levels. flour in silos or flammable substances Initiate and maintain that have leaked from Cordons. other areas, see Policy Deploy sector number 807 Incidents Commanders and safety 877 Issue date: 14 September 2015 3 of 16 involving Silos officers where applicable Sufficient firefighting There is also a media selected and possibility that gas may deployed. be introduced into a confined space due to a Adopt the appropriate gas main becoming firefighting procedure for damaged, leading to a the situation. flammable/explosive Use sprays instead of atmosphere. main jets on substances such as dusts and flour. Isolate processes to prevent movement of dust/powder/flammable material. Ventilate the premises correctly. Toxic gas fume or Death by suffocation Fumes / vapours may Do not enter unless to vapour. or ingestion of toxic remain from previous save a saveable life. material. processes, from Use of gas monitors for disturbed sludge or Other life changing atmospheric monitoring. build up in sewers, injuries including manholes or Initiate and maintain brain damage contaminated ground. Cordons. through inhaling or ingesting toxic Deploy Sector Fumes/vapours can material. Commanders and Safety also be produced by Officers where applicable. work inside the confined space such as Breathing apparatus welding, spray painting procedures. or the use of adhesives SavOX Escape set (where or solvents. appropriate). Gases such as Minimum personnel Hydrogen sulphide, within the hazard zone. carbon monoxide and Isolate processes where hydrogen cyanide are possible. particularly prevalent in sewers; see Policy Turn off appliance number 121 Incidents engines. involving sewers and Ventilate the premises sewer rescue. correctly. Gases can also be entrained into a confined space by other factors such as a broken gas main, an appliance engine left 877 Issue date: 14 September 2015 4 of 16 running or a change of wind direction. Hazardous materials Death by ingesting or Typically from Do not enter unless to contamination by laboratories or research save a saveable life. biological hazards. establishments where Use of gas monitors for biological hazards are Other life changing atmospheric monitoring. stored for research in injuries in the long the cure for disease, or Initiate and maintain medium and short in hospitals where Cordons. term including brain