What do Toronto’s Skydome, a farm and an ocean vessel have in common? Confined space.

Perhaps the biggest problems involving work in confined space is the failure on both the employer and the worker to identify a particular work environment as such. As far as occupational safety is concerned, confined space varies in different industries. Whether it’s a 200-sq.ft. boiler room or the basement of the 11-acre Rogers Centre in Toronto, confined spaces come in different shapes and sizes, and it’s important to be able to identify and assess each of them before any work is performed.

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) unveiled its new CSA Z1006 standard that aims to reduce injuries and fatalities associated with confined spaces at a press conference held on March 31st at the Toronto Fire Services Special Operations Training Centre.

When confined space rescue trainer John Kenyon met with representatives from the communities of Yukon after a workplace fatality had occurred, each representative brought his or her gas detection equipment. Taking a look at each one, Kenyon noted that many of these life-saving devices were quality instruments made by reputable manufacturers.

The new SafeWaze Kinetic Confined Space Rescue System from Aearo Technologies simplifies transport and set-up to make quick response easier and more affordable, Aearo says. Designed and manufactured for all-in-one use, Aearo claims its SafeWaze Kinetic Confined Space Rescue System is the only one on the market to offer an integrated davit arm and gate system that takes only moments to set up, take down, and allows for compact storage. Its easy-to-use, ergonomic design lets a single person transport and install the lightweight and corrosion-resistant Duralcan system in less than three minutes, the company says.
www.aearo.com

Hot Zone Training Consultants has a creative way of making a point. At the Health and Safety Canada 2008 trade show, the Cambridge, Ont.-based training firm featured two young men with facial prosthetics that show burnt faces. Hot Zone’s Peter White says part of what his company offers is integrating realistic types of injuries into the actual training programs. White says the company has just opened a new training facility in Cambridge to complement its on-site training for customers. The new training school includes a confined space rescue simulator, where clients can come in and practice vertical and horizontal rescues, he says. 

[Watch: confined space training demonstrations] 
www.hotzonetraining.com

The Municipal Health and Safety Association conducts confined space training for municipal emergency services, such as the fire service, police and paramedics, according to John Parish, chief of emergency services for the association. A 40-foot container sitting on a flatbed trailer serves as the MHSA’s confined space mobile training unit that travels throughout the province to bring training to the client. The interior of the container has been built to simulate actual confined space conditions, with piping, chambers and flumes for realistic hands-on training, the MHSA says.

[Watch: confined space training demonstrations] 
www.mhsao.com

Industrial Scientific’s MX6 multi-gas instrument for confined space can check up to six gases, according to Scott Hayzelden, Canadian manager for Industrial Scientific. The MX6 works with the company’s DS2 Docking Station that provides bump-testing calibration and downloads data log information, Hayzelden says. The docking station can be connected to a network to allow calibration and bump-test data transmission to Industrial Scientific, Hayzelden says. Industrial Scientific can then give its customers a report on the utilization of gas detection equipment on-site. The manufacturer can also provide customers online information about workplace exposures during confined space entry or within a confined space for combustible gases, toxic gas and oxygen deficiency, Hayzelden says.

[Watch: confined space product demonstrations]
www.indsci.com