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Industrial Hygiene Difiest
October, 1
1023 Health Hazards Associated With Work in Confined Spaces. M. Kleinfeld and B. Feiner. J. Occ. Med. 8, 358-364 (July, 1966).
In 21 accidents during work in confined spaces, a total of 46 workers was affected. Negligee
the primary cause of death or injury. In each situation virtually no safety precautions were
lowed and no trained personnel were available to administer first aid immediately after the a
dents occurred. Furthermore, in nearly all instances the accidents occurred in connection \
the performance of maintenance and other special activities rather than in the course of rout:
operations. Safeguards for work in confined spaces were outlined under three broad categor:
(1) testing and preparation of the confined space before entry; (2) use of precautionary measu
during occupancy; and (3) assurance of the availability of prompt rescue and adequate first ai
should an accident occur. In general, these safeguards can be enforced readily in Urge plan)
where they may be incorporated into existing safety programs, if they are not already part of
However, application of these safeguards in small factories is not easy. Such establishments
in which most of the reported accidents occurred, do not usually have adequate safety progra
or supervisory personnel with clearly defined safety responsibilities. As a result, the neces
safeguards are not available to provide protection during confined space operations. The con
spicuous absence of safeguards in small establishments is due primarily to ignorance of the
potential hazards inherent in work in confined spaces. The cases discussed demonstrated the
for a vigorous educational effort, particularly in small plants, to minimize deaths and injurie
due to work in confined spaces.
.. Authors' summary
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