Keeping workers safe during tank cleaning

Wayne Bergin from Adler and Allan discusses the risks of confined space entry for tank cleaning and the critical compliance measures that keep workers safe from harm A regular tank cleaning regime cuts cross-contamination risks, safeguards key components and detects structural issues that could trigger catastrophic leaks and spills. Without stringent health and safety protocols, however, the processes that extend a tank’s working life could pose significant danger to the specialists undertaking the clean.   BACK TO BASICS – WHAT IS A CONFINED SPACE? Great Britain’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines a confined space as ‘a place which is substantially enclosed (though not always entirely), and where serious injury can occur from hazardous substances or conditions within the space or nearby’. Confined spaces generally fall into two categories – non-permit and permit. While non-permit spaces still pose threats linked to restricted entry and exit routes, they can be more readily accessed by workers and are free of the more acute dangers that define permit spaces. Permit spaces present additional risks ranging from hazardous atmospheres and asphyxiation...