Confined spaces: New hazard alert from Kentucky

Lexington, KY — Spurred by 56 worker deaths involving confined spaces in the state between 1994 and 2022, the Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program has issued a hazard alert.

“While confined spaces can be found in many types of workplaces, they are not always easy to recognize and signs of danger may not be obvious,” states the alert, which details two of the fatal incidents.

Confined spaces are defined by the following characteristics:

• Not designed for continuous occupancy
• Large enough for a worker to enter and perform work
• Have limited openings for entry and exit

Hazards associated with confined spaces include a lack or absence of oxygen, toxic chemicals or fumes, and extreme temperatures.

Safety tips include:

• Train workers to never enter a confined space before the hazards have been evaluated and addressed, or to rescue another worker.
• Evaluate all confined spaces to determine what hazards exist or could occur given certain conditions. That includes checking for physical hazards and testing and monitoring for oxygen content, flammability, toxicity, and electrical and explosive hazards.
• Use the Hierarchy of Controls to develop a plan to address the hazards that are identified.  
• Provide training frequently and conduct audits to ensure workers are following procedures.

The alert recommends employers develop written procedures that cover:

• Identifying hazards before entry
• Testing and monitoring before and during entry
• Ventilating the confined space
• Maintaining contact with a trained attendant at all times during entry
• Protective equipment to be used during entry
• Emergency plans