Risk Assessment and Management in Confined Space Hot Work

This report delves into the critical aspects of hot work risk management within confined spaces. It begins by defining hot work and confined spaces, highlighting the amplified risks associated with combining these factors. The report identifies various hazards, including fire and explosion, health issues, and life-threatening situations due to toxic environments, oxygen deficiency, and excessive heat. It emphasizes the importance of control measures, such as permit-to-work systems, rescue procedures, and the use of protective equipment. The report also outlines other safety precautions like eliminating free-flowing liquids, ensuring proper ventilation, and prohibiting combustible materials. The conclusion stresses the high fatality rates in confined spaces and the need for competent workers, proper safety practices, and control measures to mitigate risks. The report references several studies to support its findings, providing a comprehensive overview of the subject.

Hot work risk management
Confined space

Introduction
Hot work refers to the operations that involves
wielding and cutting operations by equipping arc
wielding or portable gas. The deemed work is
associated with heavy risk which amplifies if done in
a confined space.

Associated Risks in hot work
The risks associated with the hot works can
extend from explosive and fire hazards to health
issues and even life threats if appropriate precautions
are not adopted. Additionally, the fire or explosion
may even result in failure of the project.

Confined Space
Any space that includes tanks, container
pits, vessels or other similar space or thing by virtue
of which its enclosed in nature and possess hazards
to the persons in the area are called as confined
space.

PRCS CONFINED SPACE
SIGNAGE

Causes why more risk is associated
with confined space
• Presence of fume, harmful gas or vapour (Mocanu et al. 2016).
• Reasonably high temperature.
• Enclosed and hence less easy for fire and explosion to cover the
entire area.
• Lack of oxygen.

Risk associated in confined space hot work
• Toxic environment may cause health issues (Hua et al. 2018).
• Oxygen deficiency makes it difficult to work.
• Excessive heat can be unhealthy or result in explosion.
• Liquid flowing may cause suffocation, drowning or other injuries.

Highlighted Risk
•Deficiency of Oxygen
•Enrichment of Oxygen
•Atmosphere are explosive or Flammable
•Unconsciousness, judgment impairment and death occurs due to toxic
atmosphere
•Following the free flow solids or the Liquids
•Heat are excessive
•Residues
•Contamination

Control Measure of Risk in Confine
Space
Given a premit-to-work form that include
• The procedure to operate and clearly define a system to authorize a particular job
and specify the responsibility of implementing the precautions that are necessary
• The form indicates the statement of written and signed of permit to work with safe
conditions including the emergency arrangement
• There are method that provide information to persons who works in the exact
location, nature, identity, hazards that are involved, precautions and job extension
• Ensuring the workshop safe hand-back with the completion of the job . For the
confined space entry , when vacated the space

Managing risks
• Required work need to be done within the space (Riaz et al. 2014)
• Rescue procedures in emergency
• Cleaning the confined space
• Combustion sources, Naked flames such substances or equipment should be
prohibited
• Making adequacy and availability of protective equipment personally

Safe Work Environment

Other Safety Precautions
• Eliminate the risk of suffocation or drowning by removing any free-flow
solids or liquids from the confined space (Malekitabar et al. 2016)
• Use bleed valve between blocking valves or open vent to prevent hazardous
contaminants and materials from entering
• Physically all pipes should be disconnected
• Entry and exit must be large enough for passage

• Equipment use safely
• Communications
• Combustible Materials
• Dangerous residues
• Respiratory equipment that are protective
• Other personal equipment that are protective
• Monitoring and Testing the atmosphere
System of Safe work in a
Confine space

Conclusion
• In a confined space that are wide range people are bieng killled, from vessels
of storage, to industrial equipment
• Whenever an attempt is made to rescue any person that are in the confined
space, such fatalities occur
• Therefore, this lead to a serious injury to people from the other hazards that
are found within the confined spaces.
• The hazards can be avoided with elimination of work, taking some control
measures and proper safety
• Following the practice of safe work like allowing certified and competent
workers to work in the space that are confined

References
• Hua, M., Qi, M., Yue, T.T., Pi, X.Y., Pan, X.H. and Jiang, J.C., 2018. Experimental
Research on Water Curtain Scavenging Ammonia Dispersion in Confined
Space. Procedia Engineering, 211, pp.256-261.
• Malekitabar, H., Ardeshir, A., Sebt, M.H. and Stouffs, R., 2016. Construction safety
risk drivers: A BIM approach. Safety science, 82, pp.445-455.
• Mocanu, E., Nguyen, P.H., Kling, W.L. and Gibescu, M., 2016. Unsupervised energy
prediction in a Smart Grid context using reinforcement cross-building transfer
learning. Energy and Buildings, 116, pp.646-655.
• Riaz, Z., Arslan, M., Kiani, A.K. and Azhar, S., 2014. CoSMoS: A BIM and wireless
sensor based integrated solution for worker safety in confined spaces. Automation in
construction, 45, pp.96-106.