Is This the Kind of Confined Space Entry You Want for Your Workplace?



What’s wrong with this operation?

Sadly, it seems the worker didn’t survive the explosion inside this confined space. It’s not clear exactly what the worker was doing or how the explosion happened. Theories:

• While welding the worker cut through his line causing the flame to travel up his tubing and ignite his pressurized oxygen tank;

• The worker was welding when a spark from his oxygen torch set off a pocket of gas that had somehow formed inside the confined space;

• His oxygen tank exploded while he was welding either because it was faulty or because the temperature or pressure inside the space was too high; and

• The worker was using a process called “lancing” to free up a jammed tooth, i.e., chunk of metal, that instead of just “popping” away shot off with great force and went through his chest.

The Moral: What is clear is that working inside a confined space is extremely dangerous especially when performing hot work.