Lesson 4: The Employee's Responsibilities

Glossary


Workers Have Responsibilities Too!

It is the job of employers to manage the confined space hazards in a workplace, however if you are a worker,
there are also steps you can take to protect yourself and others from confined space hazards.



  • Before working in the confined space, workers must be trained in safe work procedures.
  • While working in the confined space, workers must follow the safe work procedures and wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
  • Workers must report any hazards they have found, after exiting a confined work space
  • Don't ignore a possible confined space. Alerting your employer or supervisor to spaces they may not already know about could save someone's life.
  • There are three steps that employees can do to protect themselves from confined space incidents/accidents.  More information on those three steps is below.


 
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  • It's important to recognize a confined space; confined spaces are not designed for someone to work in regularly.
  • If you are unsure, ask your supervisor
  • Hazard assessments are required for all confined spaces in your workplace.
  • The hazard assessments must be prepared by a qualified, trained, experienced person.
  • Stay away from a space that you think might be a confined space; it could be dangerous for you to enter.
  • Your employer should have signs posted around the workplace, which identify all confined spaces.  If you need to enter a secured space, first ask your employer if it's safe.
  • Don't rescue others without proper training and equipment.  If you enter a confined space to attempt to rescue someone, there may be toxic gasses that can knock you out or kill you in seconds.  You can read about some accidents that occurred in confined spaces, by clicking here .
  • Don't enter a confined space unless you know it's safe.


Do not enter any confined space unless you can say "yes" to all of the following items:

  • You have been trained to enter and work in confined spaces.
  • Your employer has a confined spaces program and a rescue plan specific to your workplace.
  • Equipment is available to safely enter the space and rescue injured workers in an emergency.
  • Machinery has been locked out and pipes have been isolated, where necessary.
  • The atmosphere in the confined space has been tested to ensure it's safe to enter.
  • The space is properly ventilated.
  • A designated standby person is stationed at or near the entrance to the confined space.