Lesson 2: Confined Space Hazards

Glossary

Identifying Confined Space Hazards

All hazards found on a regular worksite, can also be found in a confined space, however they can be even more hazardous than in a regular worksite.  It's important to identify the hazards of a confined space, therefore a hazard assessment must be conducted for each confined space.  The hazard assessment should contain the written procedures of how to eliminate or minimize all the hazards of the confined space.

Click here to view a variety of Hazard Assessments, used by Canadian Construction Materials Engineering & Testing Inc.

Recognizing the Hazards of a Confined Space

A confined space may be hazardous due to:

  •    design
  •    construction
  •    location
  •    lack of clean air

Hazards in Confined Spaces:

It is important for workers to know what each confined space is used for. Knowing its use can help identify specific hazards in the confined space.

Hazards may include:

  • lack of oxygen, making it hard to breathe

  • flammable gas vapours and liquids (e.g., gasoline) that may cause fires or explosions

  • toxic vapours (e.g., H2S) that may cause fainting or death; watch this short video, courtesy of WorkSafe BC: 

  • very hot or cold temperatures

  • electrical hazards that may cause shock, electrocution, or an explosion

  • equipment that moves or rotates (e.g., cement truck container)

  • chemicals (e.g., strong acids, alkaline)

  • uncontrolled movement of liquids or solids that may cause the worker to be buried (e.g., cave-ins in trenches, grain in a grain bin, or grain truck)

  • items that block movement, such as pipes, walls, barrels, furniture, etc.

  • limited vision due to

    • smoke
    • fog
    • mists
    • darkness.


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  Digging Deeper


Hazards of Confined Spaces 

Click here to read more about the hazards of Confined Spaces, provided by Worksafe BC.