Incident Report

 

Subject:             Pre Attendance Certification - SCBA Confined Space           

Date of first enquiry:              27/02/2003          

Initial enquiry / comment.

Dear members I would usually approach the Training Standards Committee on this subject, however, I feel the need for a wider audience participation to gauge the mood.

Itis clear from my experience on site that contractor companies who carry out confined space entry have many and varied degrees of competence in pre entry wearing of the SCBA.  Some have had 1/2hr familiarisation others longer, however, there are no controls currently in this area.  Clearly to be a BA wearer for fire fighting purposes there are recognised courses - JOIFF being but one.  however, their is little control of personnel on our facilities who potentially can place themselves and ourr escue teams in danger through lack of understanding of the requirements for entry and safe donning and doffing of SCBA and their limitations and safew orking parameters.

Contractors will usually be responsible (and hence carry the perceived
risk) for ensuring that personnel who will carry out the task are competent to wear SCBA, however, what is competent and what are the Industry standards for competency to wear SCBA for confined space working?
I believe that our companies will still carry the can should the entry go horribly wrong with little or no checkingo f wearer competency.  I would like your thoughts please andp otentially JOIFF will develop this further to ensure a safer working environment for our contractors and our rescue staff.

Responses:

Date

Detail

Documents

27/02/2003

 At INEOS Chlor in Runcorn the Permit To Work system or the permit to allow people to enter or work in confined spaces requires them to produce an in date card which is issued by Emergency Services department on completion of a course, which lasts about 2-3 hours, and as part of the course wearers have to find their way through the 'Gallery', a cage unit for RPE training to build up peoples confidence working in dark, enclosed spaces while wearing RPE. The card which is issued on the completion of the course details the equipment the trainee has been trained in and has an expiry date, usually 2 years from the date of the course. Pre Attendance requirements SCBA
27/02/2003

All personnel required to enter a confined space on site are required to undertake a 2 hour training course with the Site Protection Department. (Valid 2 years)This course includes a PPT presentation (See attached), and practical use of the harnesses, anti fall arrest systems etc. which may be required
This course does not include the use of specialist RPE/PPE which are separate training modules e.g. Use of respirators,  BA Airline Equipment , SCBA, CPS etc.(All annual refresher)

Hazards associated with the task and necessary precautions are identified during the risk assessment carried out by the work authorised person and controls and information will be initiated by Local Inductions, PTW's etc.
A rescue pre plan for the specific entry must be completed and signed/dated by the duty SPO.This is attached to all PTW's.
If a specialist company undertakes work that would suggest that they are already competent and familiar with all aspects of confined entry work, we require evidence of experience, training, competence, medical screening etc during the tendering process.
If the specialist company are providing their own RPE/PPE again we require evidence of suitability of equipment, servicing & maintenance records etc.Hope this is of some help.

 
27/02/2003 Thanks for slides they are very well put together.  To be fair the companies on site follow very similar guidelines.  Where the company is using it's own personnel, they are trained by ourselves.  In the good old ICI days this could be strung out to 3 days with much emphasis on practical wearing ande quipment selection.  Separately there was the medical requirements, PTW course etc.etc.  The site does now operate a 'passport' system wherec ontract companies who regularly conduct this type of work can show the passport to the operating companies who have bought into the scheme, however, they all don't and like everything in life the level of detail that you or I may feel is acceptable for competence to be proven is not mirrored within all of the companies on Teesside