Which safety hazard in agriculture saw a 40% increase in reported cases last year? Was it slips, trips and falls? No. Was it equipment or machinery? Once again, no. It was actually confined spaces. Despite the nearly 30% fatality rate, hazards related to confined spaces are often overlooked on farms. One of the challenges in addressing hazards around confined spaces is that they can be difficult to identify. I encourage you to review the information below to ensure you know how to identify hazards and prevent injuries related to confined spaces. Share this information with your employees and family members, too. Let’s aim to turn this trend around and witness a decrease in confined spaces injuries and fatalities this year.
Identification
As defined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a confined space refers to a space which, by design, has limited openings for entry and exit, unfavorable natural ventilation which could contain or produce dangerous air contaminants, and which is not intended for continuous worker occupancy. Storage tanks, pits and silos are a few examples of confined spaces we might see on a dairy. Some manure-handling structures or milk tanks could also be considered confined spaces. Milk tanks can become especially dangerous if an employee is exposed to disinfectant agents while cleaning the inside of the tank. Across several studies focused on confined spaces injuries and fatalities, atmospheric hazards (lack of oxygen or presence of toxic gases) and physical hazards (electrocution, falls, crushed by equipment or engulfment) are the two key categories of hazards. Engulfment is the most common physical hazard farmers and employees encounter in confined spaces. After identifying confined spaces hazards, measures need to be taken to minimize the risks of injury. These measures should be one component of a risk management process.
Prevention
The risk management process includes the identification of hazards, risk assessment of the hazards, control measures implemented and evaluation of control measures. We already discussed how to identify hazards related to confined spaces. Let’s take a look at the other elements of the risk management process, especially the implementation of control measures. The most direct preventive measure is to eliminate the hazard altogether. Obviously, this is not always possible. Substituting substances (chemicals, for example) or processes for less hazardous options is another control measure you can implement. Isolating the hazards by using lock-out/tag-out systems or reassigning hazardous tasks to automated technologies removes risk for you and your employees.
Ensuring your employees are fitted for appropriate personal protective equipment is essential for their safety. However, implementing control measures for risk reduction is pointless if your employees do not receive proper training. Take the time to help your employees understand how to identify confined spaces hazards, how to follow the control measures you implemented and what to do during an emergency. This last part is extremely important. Confined spaces emergencies are notorious for leading to multiple fatalities. Why do you think that is? What would you do if you saw someone struggling in a confined space? Your immediate reaction may be to jump in to help the person. That is exactly what gets some people into trouble themselves. Rescue procedures need to be clearly described and taught to all your employees. The safest rescue is a self-rescue, in which the person in the confined space is able to remove themselves from danger. A non-entry rescue occurs when the person in danger receives assistance from someone outside the confined space. An entry rescue is the most dangerous because it requires the rescuer to enter the confined space. If this type of rescue is necessary, it is imperative to have at least one additional person outside the confined space to supervise the rescue.
Discussing topics such as “rescues” may not be enjoyable, but it is exactly what your employees need to know. We often discuss on-farm protocols and procedures according to the written plan. The written plan typically assumes everything will go smoothly, which we know is not always the case. Sometimes procedures do not go as planned, and when we are not prepared for the unexpected, we are at risk for dangerous situations. Teach your employees how to handle the unexpected.
As you may recall in previous articles, I have three key safety rules that apply to most safety hazards, including confined spaces.
- Rule 1 – Use a “buddy system” when working within or around confined spaces.
- Rule 2 – Rushed work is not safe work. Rushing to complete work in confined spaces increases the risk of forgetting proper personal protective equipment or missing the opportunity to identify a potential hazard.
- Rule 3 – Always be aware of your surroundings. Rescuers need to pay particular attention to their surroundings to minimize their risk of endangering themselves.
Hazards associated with confined spaces do not receive enough attention. It is time for us to include these hazards in our safety trainings and meetings. I really do hope that by doing this we will proudly report a decrease in confined spaces injuries and fatalities later this year. Will you help me reach this goal?
