What Is Confined Space Rescue?

The so-called limited space refers to a space that is closed or partially closed, relatively isolated from the outside world, the entrance is relatively narrow, and the operator cannot work for a long time. Natural ventilation is poor, which is likely to cause toxic and harmful, flammable and explosive substances to accumulate or lack of oxygen . ^[1]

Limited space

Limited space is a definition in the field of security.

Limited space in English is Confined Space, translated into limited space,

Defined as a limited space, the following three conditions must be met at the same time.

1. The volume is large enough for people to fully enter;

2. Limited import or export;

3. Not designed to take up space for a long time.

1. Poor ventilation can easily cause toxic,

1. Operators are unfamiliar with the concept of limited space, so that they cannot recognize the danger of the corresponding space at all, which is the root cause of the high incidence of accidents in limited space;

2. The lack of relevant knowledge of guardianship and rescue personnel is the main reason leading to the high number of deaths in corresponding accidents. Frequently, one person works in a limited space and has an accident, and many rescuers have died during the rescue;

3. The lack of applicable rescue equipment is also the reason for the high mortality of the corresponding operators.

1. Operations in confined spaces should strictly adhere to the principle of "ventilate first, then test, and then operate". The detection indicators include the oxygen concentration, the concentration of flammable and explosive substances (flammable gas, explosive dust), and the concentration of toxic and harmful gases. The test shall comply with the relevant national standards or industry standards.
   Without ventilation and testing, no one is allowed to enter the limited space. The test must be performed no earlier than 30 minutes before the start of the operation.

2. When inspectors conduct inspections, they should record the time, place, gas type, and concentration of the inspections. The inspection records shall be archived after being signed by the inspectors.

3. When the materials contained in the restricted space or the remaining materials are hazardous to the operation, the operators shall clean, empty or replace the materials before operation. After testing, the dangerous and harmful factors in the limited space can only enter the limited space to work after meeting the requirements of the Occupational Exposure Limits for Hazardous Factors in the Workplace, Part I Chemical Hazardous Factors (GBZ2.1).

4. During the operation of limited space, enterprises should take ventilation measures to maintain air circulation and prohibit the use of pure oxygen ventilation .

5. During the operation in a limited space, the enterprise shall conduct regular detection or continuous monitoring of dangerous and harmful factors in the workplace. If the operation is interrupted for more than 30 minutes, before re-entering the limited space to work, the operator should re-ventilate and pass the inspection before entering.

(1) Airtight equipment: such as cabins, storage tanks, vehicle tanks, reaction towers (reactors), refrigerators, pressure vessels, pipes, flues, boilers, etc .;

(2) Limited underground space: such as underground pipelines, basements, underground warehouses, underground works, culverts, tunnels, culverts, pits, waste wells, cellars, sewage ponds (wells), biogas ponds, septic tanks, sewers, etc .;

(3) Limited space on the ground: such as storage room, distiller's grain pond, fermentation tank, garbage station, greenhouse, cold storage, granary, silo, etc.

(4) Non-standard equipment of metallurgical enterprises: blast furnaces, converters, electric furnaces, ore heating furnaces, electroslag furnaces, intermediate frequency furnaces, iron mixing furnaces, gas cabinets, gravity precipitators, electric precipitators, drainers, gas water seals, etc.