OSHA defines a confined space as large enough for individuals to enter and work, with limited means of entry and exit and not designed for continued occupancy.
On Feb. 2, 2023, the train derailment caused a 49 railcar pile-up, including 11 tank cars of hazardous chemicals. The chemicals ignited and the pile-up burned for several days.
It doesn’t have to be this tragic — both indoors and outdoors when temperatures reach dangerous, extreme levels. Preventive measures are found all over the internet. But heat prevention practices, in reality, are not always easily practiced, if attempted at all.
Protecting workers from hazardous energy through Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is a basic safety responsibility, but there are additional steps employers can take that go beyond the basic requirements.
The Department of Labor will ramp up enforcement of heat-safety violations, increasing inspections in high-risk industries like construction and agriculture, while OSHA continues to develop a national standard for workplace heat-safety rules.