Health and Safety Management Confined Spaces BE0859 Paula Drew Chris Brabon Alex Miller Jennifer Bacon

Contents  Introduction  Case study – What Happened?  Case Study – What went Wrong?  Case Study – Contraventions  Case Study - Outcome  All regulations, codes of practice and HSE guidance that inform good H&S management practice for Confined Spaces  Key Points from the legislation  Good practice in construction-site hazard management of confined spaces in relation to excavations  General good practice in construction-site hazard management of confined spaces.  Risk Assessment relating to case study  Method statement relating to case study  Suitability of workers  References

Introduction ExcavationsTanksBasements

Case Study – What Happened? The offence happened during the construction of a 665-metre culvert. A cofferdam method was used. This effectively meant driving metal sheet piles into the ground to form a giant “shoebox,” allowing the interior to be excavated safely. It was ultimately decided to secure one end of the cofferdam with sandbag bunds, or barriers, to prevent flooding when the tide came in.

Case Study- What Happened?

Case Study – What Happened?

Case Study- What Happened?

Case Study – What went wrong? Final Statement from Morrison's “Having looked at the incident in detail we do accept that there were shortcomings in our operational procedures. As a responsible company that places safety above all else Morrison’s will continue to give safety its utmost priority in all operations.” Sheriff McCulloch fined Morrison’s £60,000, when he said the two workers in the culvert must have “feared for their lives.”

Case Study – Contraventions Management of health and Safety at work regulations 1999 – under these regulations Morrison’s had failed to ensure a sufficient risk assessment and method statement had been communicated to the workers, it was obvious in this case it was due to staff changes, sickness and holiday leave. Under these regulations Emergency procedures should be included within this method statement, they were in place, evident with the alarm being sounded when the bund started to leak, but were insufficient as the area was not evacuated before the men were chest height in water. Construction Design Management Regulations give Contractors a legal duty to ensure a safe place of work including prevention from drowning, this did not happen here, although luckily the men did survive. Also applicable under these regulations but not mentioned by the courts, is that a designer has a legal duty to design out risk so that no-one has to actually enter a confined space in the first place by using an alternative design, a design for how to construct the sand bag wall was made rather than use a different cofferdam system.

Case Study - Outcome

Regulations, codes of practice and HSE guidance that inform good management practice: Legislative Requirements & applicable documents -The Health and Safety at Work Act The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 supported by approved code of practice and guidance notes -The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Section 1 -The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations Safe practices of planning and design of excavations -HSE185 -Safe Work in Confined Spaces – HSE L101 Other legislation that could impact on work in confined spaces -Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulation The Work at Height Regulations The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002

Key Points from the legislation Confined Spaces Regulations st thing to consider! Plan work so entry to confined spaces is avoided as far as reasonably practicable, reg 4 Construction Design Management Regulations 2007 Place legal duty on designers to design out risk and design work so that no-one has to enter a confined space Contractors have a legal duty to provide a safe place of work regarding excavations prevention of drowning, prevention from risk of fire, explosion, flooding, asphyxiation, emergency procedures and fresh air Management of Health and Safety at Work regulations 1999,

Hazard Management of Confined spaces

Hazard Management of Confined spaces - Excavations

Competent, able and suitable workers Personnel suffering from any of the following disabilities are not to be permitted to work in a confined space:  a history of fits, blackouts or fainting attacks;  a history of heart disease or heart disorders;  diabetes;  high blood pressure;  asthma, bronchitis or shortness of breath on exertion;  deafness;  illness causing giddiness or loss of balance;  claustrophobia or other nervous or mental disorder;  back pain or joint trouble that would limit mobility in a cramped space;  deformity of the lower limbs limiting movement;  chronic skin disease;  serious defect in eyesight;  lack of sense of smell. The list above is not exhaustive and therefore any medical condition which could have a detrimental effect on any person entering a confined space will also be relevant. Checks for medication that causes drowsiness (e.g. NightNurse) are to be made. It is crucial to ensure that the need to send rescue personnel into confined spaces to rescue ‘ill’ people is minimised.  RPE may not be suitable for persons who need to wear corrective lenses (glasses) or have a beard. The mask must fit and seal on the face.

Method Statement - for case study  This safe system of work must be followed  Emergency arrangements for workers supervisors rescuers are in place and arranged with the local fire and rescue services, as work is being carried out near water, assembly point is signed and all workers, supervisors and rescuers have been briefed and trained appropriately on procedures.  There will be constant supervision of the work space with at least one person outside of the confined space in contact with workers in the excavation to initiate the emergency procedure if necessary. If emergency procedures are required an alarm will sound.  Permit to work & Permit to enter must be obtained before entering the excavation, no access to the excavation is allowed outside of the times stated on the permit. Expiry time must be adhered to and permit returned to supervisor at end of the shift.  The excavation will not be in service for any other reason than this work to be carried out and will be isolated from any electrical or mechanical services.  An air test will be performed and recorded before entry to the excavation is permitted  Visual inspections of the excavation will be performed before any personnel enters the excavation  All tools and equipment will checked they are safe to use within the excavation under Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998  All work carried out will be done so to the correct design and specification  Personnel must not work more then 25 meters from an exit point, made possible by mobile exit methods

Risk Assessment – for case study What are the hazards? Who might be harmed and how? What are you doing already? What further action was necessary? Action by who? Action by when? Done Difficulty in getting in or out of the excavation Workers & Supervisors in the excavation could be delayed in an emergency or fall Providing an access Providing more access points closer to the work being carried out Supervisor Before any work takes place Potential hazard of an inrush of water or solids due to failure of walls Workers inside the excavation could drown or be asphyxiated by solids Cofferdam and sandbagging walls Work to method statement design Supervisor to check installed to standard Supervisor & Workers Before and during work Loss of consciousness or asphyxiation arising from gas, fume, vapour or a lack of oxygen Workers inside the excavationNothing Test air before entering excavation Workers and Supervisors Before any work takes place Falls of machine or people into the excavation Supervisors, other site workers above & general public from falling over side or machine slipping into excavation Nothing Check ground conditions surrounding excavation and barriers set up at a safe distance from the edge of the excavation Supervisors Before excavation takes place Incompetent persons Workers not knowing correct procedures and standards to build to making an unstable structure, not suitably fit see competent persons info Using anyone as many staff off sick or holiday Use the correct resources for the job, ensure they are fully briefed Supervisors Before allowed on site Confusion in an emergencyWokers by not knowing what to do or where to go in an emergency situation Method Statement Contractor method statement and workers briefed, also reviewed for competency All supervisors Before allowed on site

Conclusion P. Mobile R.I.P.

References GB Building Solutions, (2008) Site Health, Safety and Environmental Guide, GB Solutions: Newcastle Hughes P., Ferrett E., (2007) Introduction to Health and Safety In Construction, (2007), Elsevier Ltd Construction Skills, (2008), Construction Site Safety GE700, Construction Skills : Bircham Newton