Its just a tight spot

Confined Spaces and agriculture

The development of agricultural practices over 12000 years ago had a dramatic and profound affect on how we as humans lived and developed, evolving from nomadic hunter gatherers to settled and permanent communities that we all benefit from today.

Following on from our team’s impromptu visit to Diddly Squat Farm (made famous by the acclaimed series ‘Clarkson’s Farm’), it’s worth considering that as an essential sector it has quiet unique challenges when it comes to safety management – particularly the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997.

Any safety management system must be able to capture and recognize an evolving situation, which is essential when it comes to this topic. A confined space could be naturally present or created by introducing methods of work that might not normally occur.

Though not exhaustive, typical agricultural confined spaces may include:

·?????? Moist grain silos

·?????? Slurry pits

·?????? Silage clamps

·?????? Wells

·?????? Tanks

·?????? Tunnels

The examples above may present with hazards associated with decomposition of waste, which could create a noxious or oxygen deficient atmosphere.

Harmful gasses, such as heavier than air Hydrogen Sulphide or Carbon Dioxide can be produced and build up enough volume to have an immediate and sometimes fatal impact on those breathing it in.

Storage vessels may contain liquid manure or various chemicals, which often need cleaning or unblocking, exposing workers to the risk of drowning in liquids or being pinned by free flowing solids.

Deanfoot Farm Incident 2014

Whilst preparing an open topped, rectangular grain bin for a product change a blockage occurred due to an accumulation of straw and chaff.

Nineteen-year-old Zack Dean Fox climbed the external ladder to the top of the bin and gained entry by standing on internal support beams.

Using a poll Zack dislodge the blockage allowing normal flow to resume, subsequently causing him to become immersed. Zack was able to call for help and colleagues attempted to free him, but sadly those attempts failed, and he passed away as a result.

What is the definition of a Confined Space under the Regulations?

Any place, including any chamber, tank, vat, silo, pit, trench, pipe, sewer, flue, well, or other similar space in which by virtue of its enclosed nature, there arises a reasonably foreseeable specified risk.

When identifying confined spaces, we need to be concerned about the potential for people to be present. Sadly agricultural incidents have occurred not only with employees, but also children and members of the public gaining inappropriate access.

Our ability to ensure appropriate supervision and essential competence of workers will form part of a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and any safe system of work.

When looking at the space we need to consider if it is partially or fully enclosed and additional risk assessment may also identify problems around:

·??????? Safe access and egress

·??????? Ventilation

·??????? Sloping or slippery surfaces

·??????? Ledges

·??????? Fragile surfaces

·??????? Animals

·??????? Stored energy

·??????? Non-exhaustive

Often neglected, but essential gatekeeper knowledge on and around 'Specified Risks' is essential. These risks are special to confined space world, as statistically they are the most common reason why fatalities occur.

Should one or more of these 'reasonably foreseeable' risks be present then you will likely be dealing with a legally defined confined space under the Regulations.

·?????? Fire and explosion

·?????? Asphyxiation

·?????? Free Flowing Solids

·?????? Drowning in liquid

·?????? Increase in body temperature

Special thought should be given to reviewing your onsite first aid needs assessment, especially if the potential for asphyxiation or oxygen deficiency be identified.

This is because the Regulations and ACOP tells us that a means of resuscitation should be provided. This will likely include the safe use of oxygen therapy and additional airway management skills, not normally covered under standard first aid at work qualifications - First Aid Training | MRS Training & Rescue (mrsl.co.uk)

Land and legacy issues

Adding further complexity to the safety management system of agricultural businesses can be the propensity for old infrastructure to be present. Often hidden away or not even known about (mine shafts) the landowner or other agencies will have to co-operate and co-ordinate with each other to ensure maintenance and safety issues are managed.

In the example above the tunnel entry has been bricked up reducing ventilation into the 600m tunnel, meaning careful use of environmental monitoring equipment is required - could the environment have:

• Oxygen deficiency due to reduced air flow?
• Free flowing solid, such as structural collapse?
• Drowning in liquid, such as flowing water?

The answer on this particular occasion is yes, and the use of equipment, such as extendable poles to ensure the environmental monitor is in advance of the working party may give early warning.

Drones are now equipped with monitoring equipment, HD cameras, flir and liDAR mapping to reduce the need to deploy people into confined spaces.

Communication may be achieved verbally (great acoustics from the tunnel) or utilising air horns with prearranged signals and radio equipment, which will have a full battery, may be intrinsically safe, set at a universal channel and tested to ensure operability as a minimum.

Other water considerations

We know that flowing water is often present on agricultural land or within culverts, drains and tunnels.

MRS Training & Rescue – Confined space, heights & H&S courses (mrsl.co.uk) can provide additional support with bankside safety provision, throw lines, flotation devices and occasionally inflatable sleds, rescue boat and Swift Water Rescue Technicians qualified to DEFRA SRT standards.

These teams can enable safe access to difficult to reach areas, with specialist PPE, such as dry suits to offer protection from the water contaminants, but also the temperature that people may also be exposed to.

Services are often required for environmental surveys and repairs to river defenses, access to animals for welfare or even people in remote environments cut off during bad weather.

Rescue arrangements

Often tragedy could have been avoided with simple planning and appreciation of the hazard potential. If avoiding entry is not possible, then self rescue can be useful in not exposing others to harm.

Remember employers have a moral and legal duty to be able to rescue their workers in the first instance without being reliant on calling county or public emergency services.

This will often require simple training on access equipment and chemical or compressed air equipment, which has a suitable duration to enable a person to reach a respirable atmosphere and safety.

Complex arrangements can require the provision of a more formal rescue team, with specialist equipment, such as:

• Long or shorter duration breathing apparatus
• Work at height rescue equipment
• Environmental sampling equipment
• Enhanced first aid equipment
• Air bags
• Cutting equipment

All depending on the nature of the completion of risk assessment, development of safe systems of work along with emergency arrangements.

Industrial Rescue | MRS Training & Rescue (mrsl.co.uk)

Further reading and reference

The information contained within this article is for guidance and awareness raising. Should more in-depth advice be required then please feel free to contact MRS Training & Rescue – Confined space, heights & H&S courses (mrsl.co.uk) with further guidance and support available from:

Agriculture Publications - Free leaflets - HSE

www.hse.gov.uk

Safe work in confined spaces. Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 - L101 (hse.gov.uk)