GENERAL CONFINED SPACE AWARENESS TRAINING

Confined spaces can be found in many industrial settings, from steel mills to paper mills, from shipyards to farms, and from public utilities to the construction industry. Confined spaces are also found on and around the University environment.

Many University employees are required to enter confined spaces to perform maintenance and repair operations. Common types of confined spaces found on a University campus are:

• boilers
• manholes
• pits

The safety hazards associated with confined spaces can cause serious injury and death if they are not dealt with properly. The hazards found in any confined space are generally determined by what is stored inside the space, by what process is taking place inside the space, and by the items surrounding the space.

Let's take a look at some of the types of safety hazards you may encounter when entering a confined space. These hazards can generally be categorized as either atmospheric hazards or physical hazards.