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Home › Safety at work › Confined Spaces › Confined Space Hazards in Different Industries

Resources - Confined Space Hazards in Different Industries

Agriculture | Shipping and Shipbuilding | Manufacturing | Food and Beverage | Municipalities and Construction

The following links list publications and other resources to help with confined space issues. These resources may not meet all the requirements for health and safety in British Columbia. Please check the Workers Compensation Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, and related materials for specific WorkSafeBC requirements.

Agriculture

NIOSH Update: Preventing Deaths of Farm Workers in Manure Pits
"The tragic deaths of four members of a Virginia farm family and a farm employee on July 2, 2007, highlight the importance of vigilance when entering manure pits or tanks. Accumulations of methane, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, and ammonia can pose a life-threatening risk of suffocation and other dangers. The immediacy and magnitude of the hazard may not be readily apparent."
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Beware of Manure Pit Hazards
"Since the increased use of manure pits by Michigan livestock producers, there have been several instances where a farmer, family member, or employee has asphyxiated or succumbed to toxic gases from the pit. Cases have been reported where several individuals have died while attempting to rescue a coworker or family member from a pit."
Source: U.S. National Ag Safety Database

Confined Space Hazards a Threat to Farmers
"Today's modern farming methods have brought new dangers that arise from farmers entering confined areas where oxygen levels may be inadequate or where toxic gases are present. When entering a confined area such as a manure pit, silo, grain bin, or an inadequately ventilated building a farmer may be at risk of being overcome by gases or dusts which can cause permanent lung damage or death."
Source: U.S. National Ag Safety Database

Confined Space on Farms
"There are many confined spaces on a farm. Underground manure pits or tanks, open manure pits, silos, septic tanks and wells are examples. Access to confined spaces is usually restricted. Often, there is only one way in and one way out, through a small opening. Natural ventilation is usually poor."
Source: Saskatchewan Labour

Managing Confined Spaces on Farms (PDF 59 KB)
"This information sheet gives advice on managing the risks from confined spaces like moist grain silos, slurry pits or silage clamps and will help you to meet the requirements of the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997."
Source: Health and Safety Executive, UK

NIOSH Warns Farmers of Deadly Risk of Grain Suffocation
"According to the National Institute for Occupational safety and Health (NIOSH, grain farmers and their families may face deadly hazards this spring when working with grain bins. At least nine farmers recently suffocated to death in stored grain after being buried alive."
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Manure Gas Dangers
"Since the increased use of manure storage facilities in agriculture there have been numerous instances where a farmer, family member, or employee has asphyxiated or succumbed to toxic gases from the storage."
Source: Farm Safety Association

Preventing Entrapment and Suffocation Caused by the Unstable Surfaces of Stored Grain and Other Materials
"Managers, supervisors, and workers are requested to help prevent the accidental entrapment and subsequent suffocation of workers trapped by the unstable surfaces of stored grain and other materials. In several incidents, workers have been entrapped and suffocated by collapsing material while working on or under the unstable surfaces of stored grain or other materials such as sand, gravel, and coal."
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Suffocation Hazards in Flat Storage Buildings and Tanks
"The purpose of this Hazard Information Bulletin is to heighten awareness of the existence of a serious engulfment (suffocation) hazard in grain handling facilities."
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

Safety and Health in Confined Spaces
"Safety and Health in Confined Spaces goes beyond all other resources currently available. International in scope, the 15 chapters and 10 appendices cover every facet of this important subject. A significant addition to the literature, this book provides a confined space focus to other health and safety concepts."
Source: Neil McManus, Lewis Publishers, Copyright 1999
* Available for purchase through Amazon.ca.

Complete Confined Spaces Handbook
"This handbook provides plant managers, supervisors, safety professionals, and industrial hygienists with recommended procedures and guidance for safe entry into confined spaces."
Source: John Rekus, Lewis Publishers, Copyright 1994
* Available for purchase through Amazon.ca.

Shipping and Shipbuilding

Hazards of Confined Spaces for Shipping and Transportation Industries (PDF 641 KB)
"This book describes the main types of hazards found in confined spaces. Confined spaces may contain hazardous atmospheres, including insufficient oxygen, toxic (poisonous) air, or an explosive atmosphere. Examples of confined spaces in the shipping and transportation industries are: ballast tanks, boilers, double hulls, holds of boats, pumping stations, storage bins, utility vaults, pits, sumps, storage tanks, fuel tanks, tank cars, and tank trucks."
Source: WorkSafeBC

OSHA Technical Links: Ship Building and Repair
"Ship Building and Repair includes the manufacture, repair, and maintenance of ships. Several types of hazards are common in this industry, including chemical (asbestos, welding fumes, solvents, paints, fuels), physical (noise, heat stress), safety (fires, confined spaces, falls, heavy equipment), as well as others." List of links to internal and external online resources.
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

OSHA Technical Links: Ship Building and Repair - General Hazard: Confined Spaces
"Fire, asphyxiation, toxic exposures upon entry into confined spaces during ship building and repair." List of links to internal and external online resources."
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

OSHA Technical Links: Ship Repair - Testing the Atmosphere
"All confined spaces and many enclosed spaces require atmospheric testing before entry as well as periodic re-testing, depending on operations and conditions in and around the space."
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

Shipyard Industry (PDF 562 KB)
"This booklet contains all the safety and health standards specific to the Shipyard Industry contained in Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1915, as of July 1, 1994."
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

Confined Space Entry Program Ashore Operations
Includes regulatory compliance, policy and guideline, definitions and examples.
Source: United States, Naval Facilities Engineering Command

Manufacturing

Significant Incident Summary - Working In Confined Spaces
"A self-employed man in Wangara applying a solvent based coating to the inside of a tank collapsed and lost consciousness in two separate incidents in May 1998."
Source: Government of Western Australia, Consumer and Employment Protection

Confined Space Entry on Drilling Rigs
"Safety Hazard Information Bulletin on Confined Space Entry on Drilling Rigs"
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Food and Beverage

Hazards of Confined Spaces for Food and Beverage Industries (PDF 558 KB)
"This book describes the main types of hazards found in confined spaces. Confined spaces may contain hazardous atmospheres, including insufficient oxygen, toxic (poisonous) air, or an explosive atmosphere. Examples of confined spaces in the food and beverage industry include: storage tanks and bins, vats, utility vaults, pits, sumps, fuel tanks, grape presses and crushers, and fermentation tanks and vessels."
Source: WorkSafeBC

Hazard Alert: Confined Spaces (PDF 47 KB)
"Work at a winery can expose individuals to life-threatening situations. When cleaning or emptying tanks, and checking the fermentation process, employees are sometimes directed to bodily enter a tank or place their head inside a tank. The air inside a tank or vat may not be sufficient to support life when oxygen has been displaced by gases such as carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. If the air is not tested prior to exposure, the result can be deadly."
Source: Oregon Safety and Health Administration

Municipalities and Construction

Hazards of Confined Spaces for Municipalities and the Construction Industry (PDF 588 KB)
"This book describes the main types of hazards found in confined spaces. Confined spaces may contain hazardous atmospheres, including insufficient oxygen, toxic (poisonous) air, or an explosive atmosphere. Examples of confined spaces that workers in the municipalities and the construction industry may encounter are: electrical, valve, utility, meter, and motor vaults, boilers, water tanks, reservoirs, pumping stations, storage bins, pits, sumps, storage tanks, manholes, grit and sludge presses, and wet wells."
Source: WorkSafeBC

Confined Spaces: Deadly Spaces (Video)
This video is designed for municipal workers and illustrates the basic rules for working in confined spaces. Oxygen deficiency and other potential dangers are covered. In addition, the health effects and physical characteristics of toxic gases including carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide, and methane are examined. (12 min 56 s)
Source: WorkSafeBC

Under Cover (PDF 198 KB) new item
"It's a dirty job --- and some don't have to do it anymore --- thanks to a new device designed to protect workers in manholes from unsafe encounters underground." WorkSafe Magazine article July/August 2009
Source: WorkSafeBC

Carbon Monoxide Kills Three Volunteer Firefighters inside Well in Pennsylvania
"Three volunteer firefighters died inside a well after being exposed to carbon monoxide from the exhaust of a portable gasoline engine-powered pump. The incident occurred after four firefighters from a volunteer fire department responded to a request from a local resident to remove the remains of a dead animal from a 33-foot-deep water well." Describes investigation of this accident, with recommendations.
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Sewer Entry Guidelines (PDF 67 KB)
"This Safety Bulletin is designed to help supervisors, employers, contractors and workers understand their responsibilities for health and safety in sewer operations, including the entry of confined spaces such as manholes, vaults and lift stations."
Source: Alberta Human Resources and Employment

Three Sanitation Workers and One Policeman Die in an Underground Pumping Station in Kentucky
"On July 5, 1985, one police officer and two sewer workers died in an attempt to rescue a third sewer worker, who had been overcome by sewer gas at the bottom of an underground pumping station. All four persons were pronounced dead upon removal from the station." Describes investigation of this accident, with recommendations.
Source: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Anatomy of Confined Spaces in Construction
"Fatalities and injuries constantly occur among construction workers who, during the course of their jobs, are required to enter confined spaces. In some circumstances, these workers are exposed to multiple hazards, any of which may cause bodily injury, illness, or death. Newspaper and magazine articles abound with stories of workers injured and killed from a variety of atmospheric factors and physical agents. Throughout the construction jobsite, contractors and workers encounter both inherent and induced hazards within confined workspaces."
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

Application of Waterproof Coatings in Rooms and Confined Spaces
"Two workers have died and four have been critically injured as a result of preparing or spraying waterproof coatings in rooms or confined spaces. In all cases, the spray operators were self-employed and used portable spray equipment in trailers or trucks. These incidents occurred over the past four years."
Source: eLCOSH

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Enclosed and Semi-Enclosed Worksites
"A worker at a large, enclosed construction site died of carbon monoxide poisoning after he and six other workers were exposed to high levels of the gas. Ventilation on the site was inadequate, and three machines were giving off carbon monoxide: a portable mixer and a trowel, both powered by gasoline, and a forklift powered by propane."
Source: eLCOSH

Trenching and Excavation
"Cave-ins are perhaps the most feared trenching hazard. But other potentially fatal hazards exist, including asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen in a confined space, inhalation of toxic fumes, drowning, etc. Electrocution or explosions can occur when workers contact underground utilities." A section of the OSHA Construction eTool.
Source: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)

Safe Practice Guide - Entry and Work in a Confined Space (PDF 684 KB)
"This Guide designates the practices that should be followed by the member firms of the Electrical Utilities Safety Association of Ontario when entry and work in a confined space is required. It is not a training manual, but contains information and general recommendations deemed necessary to perform a job in a responsible and safe manner."
Source: The Electrical Utilities Safety Association of Ontario