Identifying and Addressing Confined Space Safety Concerns at Water Treatment Facilities

It is imperative that you address these hazards and implement water treatment facility safety procedures and equipment to minimize or eliminate the risks. In this article we will explore the types of confined spaces these workers often find themselves in, as well as ways to ensure their safety with the use of proper equipment.

What Types of Confined Spaces Are Found in a Water Treatment Facility?

According to OSHA, a confined space is one that is not specifically designed for people to use on a continuous basis. To fit the definition, a space must be large enough for workers to enter and perform certain jobs, while also offering limited or restricted entry and exit options. In addition, these spaces may pose a risk due to the environment within the space as well as the material it holds. A few examples of confined spaces commonly found in water treatment plants include:

• Pipelines and Tunnels

• Vaults and Pits

• Culverts

• Lift stations

• Storage Tanks

What Risks Do Employees Face When Entering Confined Spaces in Water Treatment Facilities?

Whenever working in confined spaces, water technicians face a number of factors that put them at severe risk of injury. Although every confined space is unique, there are a few risk factors that are prevalent in the majority of cases. A few of the water treatment facility safety issues you should be concerned with include:

• Slipping and falling into a sloped vat or pit filled with liquid waste or water. The risk is increased if an employee must bend over the confined space to access the contents during testing procedures. Workers who perform maintenance or repairs of the vat or pit are also at risk of slips and falls.

• Wastewater treatment plant employees often need to access pipelines, storage tanks, or vats that contain both liquid and solid waste. This puts them at risk of exposure to poisonous gas, fumes, or vapors that accumulate inside the confined space. 

• Massive quantities of waste can accumulate in the pipelines of a water treatment plant and workers must unclog the system. In the process, they may have to contend with a sudden release of liquids, solids, or gas that fills the space.

• Fires or explosions sparked by increased oxygen levels and flammable vapors are a real threat to the safety of water plant employees. If exposed to these conditions in a confined space, workers can suffer from loss of consciousness, burns, and other injuries caused by fire and heat. 

• There is a huge potential for electric shock or electrocution from power sources, tools, or equipment. After all, water and electricity do not mix. However, it is often necessary for workers to employ power tools and equipment to perform repairs, installations, and maintenance.

• Medical emergencies and psychological reactions are also common risks of working in confined spaces. When employees work in uncomfortable, wet, cold, or hot conditions, it can have a dramatic effect on the body and mind that requires immediate attention.

Water Treatment Facility Safety Procedures and Equipment

You are well aware that you are obligated to protect your employees from workplace hazards like when they are working in confined spaces. In fact, OSHA has specific guidelines and requirements that employers must comply with to ensure employee safety. If you do not comply and someone is injured, you'll be held liable and you'll be assessed fines and penalties from your regulatory body. Here are some helpful ways to avoid these scenarios:

Use the Appropriate Confined Space Equipment 

Once you identify the potential hazards your workers face in and around the confined spaces of your water treatment facility, you must act to eliminate or mitigate them. Keep in mind that OSHA does not specify what equipment you must use, only that you provide adequate protection for your workers. To avoid injury and non-compliance, the following confined space equipment solutions are recommended:

• Protect confined space entrances to prevent unauthorized entry with a guardrail system and self-closing gate when the entrance is open. When not being accessed, the opening should remain closed to prevent accidental access.

• Provide workers with equipment to ensure safe entry and exit into openings of confined spaces that have no anchor point to attach to or that are rarely accessed. A tripod equipped to raise and lower workers, tools, and equipment securely is the ideal solution for these conditions.

• When employees must enter a confined space on a consistent basis, a permanent anchor point should be installed. When attached to this device with a lanyard and harness, employees can confidently and safely enter the space to perform the necessary work.

• A winch or hoist is an essential component of your confined space safety plan. First, it allows workers to effortlessly bring tools, materials, and equipment into and out of the space. In case of emergency, it can also be used to retrieve an injured worker or to lower emergency personnel into the space to assist. 

• Even with the most sophisticated safety features in place, your water treatment plant employees may still be at risk. Training is essential so employees can identify confined space hazards and understand what actions to take to avoid injuries.

Water Treatment Facility Safety Equipment You Can Rely On

Workplace safety isn't just a nice concept you'd like to implement, it's a serious issue. If you don't protect your employees from the risks of confined spaces in your water treatment facility, disaster could strike. Along with the financial hit you'll take to provide for the injured worker, you'll also see a loss of productivity, potential closures, and hefty fines and penalties. Protect your employees and your organization with advice and products from Tractel®. We are safety experts and we understand how important safety is for you and we're here to provide you with the support and confined space equipment for any application.

What Are the Benefits of an Industrial Load Turner?

One of the biggest benefits of using an industrial load turner in your manufacturing facility is that it gives you the ability to handle massive components safely. In fact, there are many safety features built into the device to ensure that your employees and products stay safe throughout the manufacturing process. Just a few of the rewards you'll reap for investing in a lifting and turning device include:

• Eliminates user's exposure to heavy objects sliding or dropping while being lifted and turned.

• Ensures products are not jolted, damaged, or marked while being lifted.

• No additional anchor points are required on the object, the straps hold it in place securely.

• Precise positioning at any angle is possible with a simple push of a button.

• The weight-bearing capacity of an industrial load turner can be customized to suit your needs.

• Increases productivity since the device only requires a single operator instead of several.

• The device can be used for several applications in different locations within your shop.

What Type of Application Requires a Load Turner?

Load turners are an essential tool in any factory, warehouse, or other manufacturing location that deals with cumbersome, heavy objects, and finished products. They can be conveniently relocated to any location in your shop to keep production moving at an acceptable pace. Just a few examples of industrial and manufacturing applications that require a load rotator for heavy lifting and safety include:

Mechanical Construction

Massive HVAC systems for commercial and industrial facilities consist of large, bulky, components constructed of heavy materials such as copper, aluminum, and steel sheets. It's necessary to lift and turn these pieces in order for workers to access different surfaces for the manufacturing and assembly process.

Boat Building

Marine motors for large cargo ships and other vessels are massive and they can weigh thousands of tons. It's no easy feat to lift and rotate the individual parts of these engines and assembly is an even bigger challenge. An industrial load turner rated to handle the weight of your materials makes lifting and turning engine parts during manufacturing and the assembly of large scale marine engines and motors a breeze.

Foundry & Forging

Lifting and turning heavy-duty mold boxes is more than a challenge, it's a seemingly impossible task. A load rotator makes this task look easy. This type of heavy duty lifting equipment is readily adaptable to handle even the most cumbersome, heavy, and high temperature loads. At the same time, it ensures that workers are safe due to the ability to remotely control the device. 

Window & Solar Panel Construction

Both windows and solar panels are constructed using materials such as aluminum and glass. The larger the window or solar panel, the riskier it is to manufacture them. One slip and the item can come crashing down, potentially harming a nearby worker. Secured by straps to a load rotator device, these fragile products can be safely lifted and turned in the factory as well as during the installation process. 

Precast Concrete 

It's a challenge to manufacture precast concrete for concrete structures, foundations, bridges, culverts, sound walls, retaining walls, or any other large-scale project. An even bigger challenge is to lift and turn these massive objects. With the right lifting and turning device, however, it's a simple matter of strapping the item to the lift and pushing a button to position the item where it needs to be.

Alternative Energy

The average wind turbine blade measures a whopping 170 feet (52 meters) long and can weigh more than 5200 lbs. (2360 kg). During the manufacturing process, these huge blades have to be lifted, turned, and rotated in order to ensure the blade is constructed properly. A lifting and turning device makes this process safe and efficient. A load-turning device can also assist in the assembly of the completed wind turbine.

Transportation Manufacturing

Machining, fabricating, marking engines, transmissions, chassis and frames, and other components for heavy equipment, railroad cars, and other commercial vehicles requires the ability to access every inch of the components. A rotating lift is the ideal solution for the entire process from the start of construction to quality control and inspection to finishing and assembling.

Are You Ready to Invest in Heavy Duty Lifting Equipment?

Maintaining a safe work environment is your duty under local and federal law. Whether you're obligated under OSHA, you must make sure that you have the proper equipment in place to protect workers from known hazards. You also have an obligation to your shareholders to continue to increase productivity and profits. That means investing in technology and techniques that accomplish all of your goals, such as a quality heavy-duty lifting and turning device.

At Tractel®, we understand the importance of remaining compliant with local and federal safety standards. We also understand that you have work to do. That's why our heavy duty lifting equipment is designed to handle the heaviest loads with ease while providing exceptional safety for your employees. If you're ready to discuss ways to improve safety and productivity, contact us to speak to one of our qualified safety experts today. We'll be happy to discuss how investing in a lifting and turning device can benefit your organization.