UNC-CH Department of Public Safety Response to Confined Space Incidents

ONLINE SELF-STUDY

UNC-CH Department of Public Safety Response to Confined Space Incidents

Objectives

In this course, we will cover the following:

Define confined space, permit-required confined space and entry.

Discuss potential confined space hazards.

Outline responsibilities for Public Safety Telecommunicators and Officers during an incident.

Discuss media response and completion of an after action report.

Introduction to Confined Spaces

The University contains hundreds of confined spaces.

University employees enter confined spaces such as

manholes, vaults, tanks and pits on a daily basis.

An accident or injury can occur in these spaces that

require the rescue of entrants.

The University considers this initially to be a type 4

incident, however, based on an initial assessment

this can be raised to a type 3 incident. (Refer to the

UNC-CH Emergency Operations Plan located on the

DPS internal website.)


What is a confined space?

is large enough to get the whole

body inside and perform work,

is not designed for continuous

occupancy (i.e., primary function is

not for human occupancy), and

has limited or restricted entrance or

exit.

It must have all three characteristics to be a confined space.

A confined space is a space that:


Examples of confined spaces

Tanks

Manholes &

Sewers

Grain storage bins

Other examples include boilers, vaults, pipes, tunnels, and open top spaces >4 feet deep


• Manhole

• Hole

• Enclosed space

• Pit

• Vault

• Sewer lift station

• Tank

• Outfall

• Tunnel

• Sewer

Trigger words

What may a confined space be called during an

emergency?


What is limited or restricted entry or exit?

Physical configuration that requires

a person to twist or contort the

body or use hands to enter or exit

the space.

Safe egress is restricted by

obstructions within the space or by

the distance to reach the exit. Restricted exit

Exit not restricted


What is a permit-required confined space?

• A space with an actual or potential

“hazardous atmosphere”, or

• A space that contains material that can

engulf a person, or

• A space configured in a way that can trap a

person, or

• A space with any other recognized serious

safety and health hazard.


A “hazardous atmosphere” in a confined space has one or

more of the following:

Flammable gas, mist or vapor

Oxygen Deficiency - Oxygen content below 19.5%

(asphyxiation hazard)

Air contaminant concentrations that would cause

death, incapacitation, or permanent health problems

Flammable dusts

Oxygen Enriched - Oxygen content above 23.5% (fire hazard)

Designated Jobs

Any permit-required confined space entry has designated jobs for employees:

Entrant – person who enters into the

permit space

Attendant – person stationed outside

the space who monitors the entrant

Entry Supervisor – person

responsible for planning, authorizing,

and terminating the entryEach position has assigned duties.

Additional Definitions

Entry – means the action by which a person passes

through an opening into a confined space. Entry includes

ensuing work activities in that space and is considered to

have occurred as soon as any part of the entrant's body

breaks the plane of an opening into the space.

Emergency – any occurrence (including any failure of

hazard control or monitoring equipment) or event internal

or external to the permit space that could endanger

entrants.

Rescue in a Confined Space

Confined space rescue is very dangerous

60% of all confined space fatalities

are would-be rescuers.

Rescuers often enter a confined

space without thinking about the

hazards.

Rescues cannot be done without

proper equipment and training.

Public Safety Responsibilities

Telecommunicator Responsibilities

Upon notification of an incident in a confined space, the

DPS Telecommunicator will dispatch a patrol unit to the

scene.

Once the location and nature of the call is obtained, the

call will be transferred to Orange County 911. All efforts

will be made to keep the caller reporting the situation on

the line as long as possible, as long as the caller feels safe

to do so.

The Telecommunicator will gather information concerning

the incident.


The Telecommunicator will ask the following questions:

• Where is the location of the incident?

• What is the condition of the victim(s)?

• Where is the location of the confined space entrance?

• What type of confined space (i.e., manhole, tank, vault,

pit, etc.)?

• What is the name of the attendant (possibly the

complainant)?

• Are there any immediate hazards to responders?


The DPS Telecommunicator will transfer the call to Orange

County’s 911 Center, who will dispatch the Chapel Hill Fire

Department, Orange County EMS, and South Orange

Rescue Squad Technical Rescue Team.

During business hours, the DPS Telecommunicator will call

the EHS Receptionist who will notify the Campus Fire

Marshal and Industrial Hygiene Manager.

After hours, the DPS Telecommunicator will page the EHS

Primary Responser who calls the Industrial Hygiene

Manager.

Initial Responding Officer

Responsibilities

Upon arrival at the scene, the first responding officer will

establish Incident Command until Chapel Hill Fire

Department or South Orange Rescue Technical Rescue

Team arrives.

The officer will make an initial assessment by speaking

with the attendant and/or the complainant. Gather

information such as:

What is the condition of the victim(s)?

Are there any hazards to responders?


Responsibilities

Based on the initial assessment, notify the dispatcher as to

the seriousness of the situation and request the Shift

Supervisor to respond as needed.

The officer may attempt to make a visual assessment of

the confined space but will NOT attempt an entry into the

space.

Officers will NOT place any part of his/her body through

the plane of the opening.


Responsibilities

The responding officer will make a determination if the

roadway or area needs to be restricted for emergency and

rescue units and to prevent bystanders from accessing the

area.

If so, the officer will request assistance from Parking

Control Officers with traffic direction, blocking of the

roadway or area, and possible crowd control.


Responsibilities

At this point, no further action should be initiated by the

officer except to prevent bystanders from making entry into

the restricted area.

Once the Chapel Hill Fire Department or South Orange

Rescue Technical Rescue Team arrives Unified Command

may be established as appropriate.

Once incident stabilization and/or rescue has commenced,

command will be transferred to the Campus Fire Marshall for

restoration of normal operations.

Media

If the news media arrives on scene the Shift Supervisor will

advise Communications to notify the DPS Public

Information Officer to respond to the scene.

The Department's Public Information Officer or the

University News Bureau will issue an official statement to

the media including the status of the situation and any

damage/injury/casualty information. These statements will

be issued as needed.

After Action Report

An after action report will be completed by the responding

police officer assigned to the incident.

The purpose of this report is to identify any training or

operational deficiencies that need to be corrected for future

incidents.

The report will contain all police activity during the incident

as well as any recommendations concerning procedures

for future problems.

The report may include copies of the reports from other

University and outside responding units.

Education

UNC-CH Department of Public Safety Response to Confined Space Incidents