Certain safety parameters must be initiated when an employee enters confined spaces like silos, storage bins, tanks, pipelines, underground vaults, manholes, and similarly restricted environments. Such employees have to undergo mandatory online confined space training and be OSHA certified. Businesses that require their employees to work in restricted spaces and environments have to provide them with occupational health and safety training, especially related to hazardous confined spaces.
What is confined space training all about?
It is an instructional program that enables employees to work in confined spaces safely and effectively. In other words, it can also be regarded as a compliance course that is helpful for businesses to protect themselves financially and legally in the long run. Such training measures help employees comply with OSHA standards and implement them in the appropriate circumstances.
Confined space training helps to respond to the following questions:
- What is a permit-required confined space?
- How to determine the qualification of a confined space?
- What are the requisites for emergency rescue?
- How to utilize relevant equipment and tools?
- Under what scenarios alternate entry methods are acceptable?
- What are the rules for the permit space program’s existence and maintenance?
By responding to the above-mentioned questions, online confined space training helps employees get an insight into the physical, chemical, and biological considerations of maintaining safety while working in restricted industrial spaces.
Confined space training requisites
When an employee seeks OSHA confined space training, he/she must cater to certain specific parameters as mentioned in the regulations for Permit-Required confined spaces and abide by them. Organizations must ensure that there is a training program that educates and trains employees in the necessary steps to protect themselves and others while working within or adjacent to industrial-grade confined spaces.
When should the employees get training?
- Before an employee is conducting any confined space-associated duty.
- If it is confirmed an employee doesn’t have a complete grasp on restricted workspace safety parameters.
- When an employer feels employees don’t comply with the OSHA confined space regulations and procedures.
- In case hazard situations haven’t been covered in previous training programs, or new changes are included.
It is the responsibility of an employer to conduct OSHA confined space training certification so that it is easy to determine the training of the above-mentioned scenarios. Furthermore, the training must assure that the employees are competent in every aspect of confined space safety and the right procedures.
Emergency and rescue team training
Confined space training certification is important to perform so that the completion of the training program by employees can be verified. The name of every employee asked to participate must be included on the certificate, along with the training data and the trainers’ signatures. The emergency and rescue workers must be trained separately on the ways to use PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) entitled under the OSHA regulations. Furthermore, CPR and basic first aid training must be initiated for the emergency and rescue teams, who might have to enter restricted spaces.
Conclusion
Working within restricted or confined spaces in an industrial set-up is challenging. Additionally, situations can become dangerous, especially when employees have to deal with hazardous chemicals and electrical wires and cables. Safety is the priority, and thereby, businesses encourage their employees to undertake online confined space training programs.
