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lukasz.golunski.IOSH  
#1 Posted : 13 January 2022 07:46:02(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
lukasz.golunski.IOSH

Hello,

What is your approach to correct identification of risks associated with confined space in encapsulated scaffold?

Should encapsulated scaffold be treated as confined space when grit blasting and spraying activities are to take place?

Any comments welcome

Regards

Lukasz

peter gotch  
#2 Posted : 13 January 2022 14:43:35(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

Hi Lukasz - over 50 have read your posting and none have responded - perhaps an indicator of the question needing some clarification.

I am assuming that since your login includes "IOSH" you have a reasonable understanding of the Confined Spaces Regs and the definition of what constitutes a "confined space".

This means that you then need to analyse the specific scenario and consider what if anything about the work presents a "specified risk"

(a) serious injury to any person at work arising from a fire or explosion;

(b) without prejudice to paragraph (a)—

      (i) the loss of consciousness of any person at work arising from an increase in body                              temperature;

     (ii) the loss of consciousness or asphyxiation of any person at work arising from gas, fume,                    vapour or the lack of oxygen;

(c) the drowning of any person at work arising from an increase in the level of a liquid; or

(d) the asphyxiation of any person at work arising from a free flowing solid or the inability to reach a       respirable environment due to entrapment by a free flowing solid;

So, you sheet a scaffold which is presumably in the open air. If in the UK at this time of year, very unlikely to result in heat stress, except as a potential result of putting somebody into lots of PPE, e.g. if they are dry blasting and need to wear a full suit and blasting helmet - but that is probably off limits for COSHH reasons.

I'm guessing that paragraphs (c) and (d) of the definition are unlikely to be relevant.

This leaves paragraph (a) - fire and explosion and (b)(ii) - aspyxiation due to oxygen deficiency or being overcome by toxic vapours.

How gas tight your sheeted scaffold is will affect natural ventilation within the enclosure, as will what you are releasing into the local atmosphere when either blasting or spraying, particularly if the latter involves flammable/toxic materials.

You could possibly ignore the Confined Spaces Regs entirely and simply apply as necessary DSEAR for the flammability risks and COSHH for everything else.

....or even ignore all subsidiary Regs and simply ask what are the risks and what precautions are "reasonably practicable?"

Inclusive of thinking about how to rescue someone who is incapacitated for WHATEVER reason. 

Good luck, Peter

thanks 1 user thanked peter gotch for this useful post.
lukasz.golunski.IOSH on 13/01/2022(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#3 Posted : 13 January 2022 14:58:20(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

d) might apply should the blasting grit waste accumulate in large piles in which a person could become trapped especially where the building has cellar windows or delivery hatches below street level.

thanks 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
lukasz.golunski.IOSH on 13/01/2022(UTC), lukasz.golunski.IOSH on 13/01/2022(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#4 Posted : 13 January 2022 14:58:20(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

d) might apply should the blasting grit waste accumulate in large piles in which a person could become trapped especially where the building has cellar windows or delivery hatches below street level.

thanks 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
lukasz.golunski.IOSH on 13/01/2022(UTC), lukasz.golunski.IOSH on 13/01/2022(UTC)
stevedm  
#5 Posted : 13 January 2022 16:31:17(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
stevedm

Lukasz

Yes is the answer...although the unit would be low risk initially, the difficult access/egree in an emergency and potential for asphixiation/ flammable atmosphere which are a couple of the specified risks means it would need managing as a confined space.  In my view it would still be low risk but permit required confined space.

thanks 1 user thanked stevedm for this useful post.
lukasz.golunski.IOSH on 13/01/2022(UTC)
lukasz.golunski.IOSH  
#6 Posted : 13 January 2022 17:49:35(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
lukasz.golunski.IOSH

Thank you all for your great responses.

I'm grateful that this sparked good and informative replies.

Thank you all for your participation.

Kind regards

Lukasz

achrn  
#7 Posted : 14 January 2022 11:30:42(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
achrn

Originally Posted by: stevedm Go to Quoted Post

Yes is the answer...although the unit would be low risk initially, the difficult access/egree in an emergency and potential for asphixiation/ flammable atmosphere which are a couple of the specified risks means it would need managing as a confined space.  In my view it would still be low risk but permit required confined space.

I disagree with respect to grit balsting, though I acknowledge I have had the same disagreement with a client's H&S adviser who isnisted grit-blasters had to have confined space training and stopped the works when ours didn't.  We argued, but eventuially stopped work, then we got bollocked the next day by H&S adviser's boss for complying with his instructions. Ho hum.

Difficult access/egress is not one of the specified risks and is irrelevant to whether the confined space regulations requirements apply.  Access and egress is something that any work plan needs to consider, but it doesn't make it a confined space.

Gritblasting grit is not a fire or explosion risk (at least, none of teh ones I know of).  I've never come across the dust arising being cosnidered a dust explosion risk.  I don't believe the first specified risk applies, in almost all cases (possibly if you're blasting something peculiar - or if there is a flammable atmosphere present for some other reason (you're blasting inside a petrol storage tank, say), but in that case those hazards apply and the grit-blasting is not the deciding issue).

I've never seen a gas-tight sheeted scaffold.  The grit-blasters I've dealt with are also almost invariably in pressure-fed hoods / helmets for dust reasons.  They aren't at risk of  asphyxiation.

With respect to other suggestions, I've never seen spent grit piled so high on a scaffold that there's a risk of flowing and entrapment - I think the scaffold would be overloaded long before it gets to that level of grit. The blasters would also be working inefficiently if it gets to the level they can't move round, and they'll be wanting it cleared long before then.

The only case I can see grit-blasting on a sheeted scaffold getting close to the specified risks is if the atmosphere is hot for some other reason and they are at risk of  overheating.  I guess that might occur if it's something internal industrial.  My grit-blasting experience has all been bridge works - it gets pretty unpleasant in summer, and I recall cases of forcing blasters to take breaks more often than they wanted to ensure they got hydration into them, but even then we didn't class it as confined space.

thanks 1 user thanked achrn for this useful post.
mitchnebosh on 18/01/2022(UTC)
stevedm  
#8 Posted : 14 January 2022 12:08:07(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
stevedm

agreed...and I did say low risk...it is still and exclosed space with one of the 5 speciified risks present...

Flammability/ Explosion - blasting dust generally is classified as St1... 

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