A confined space is a work area which is considered to be partially or substantially enclosed, restricting movement. In many cases, confined spaces will also present restrictions in terms of entry and exit, increasing health and safety risks for workers who perform operations in these areas.
Confined spaces are often defined as areas that are:
However, a place not usually fitting this description may become a confined space if the conditions change, for example, if the level of oxygen is reduced or there is water present. This may also apply if the area is used to store specific items such as gas cylinders, which would present a risk to the surrounding atmosphere if discharged.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers must ensure the safety of their workers and others, a duty which is regulated in further detail by the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997. These regulations require the employer to avoid confined space entry where possible, following safe working systems in cases where the work is unavoidable. If confined space work is being conducted, employers must ensure that emergency arrangements are put in place before commencing operations.
In addition to the specific requirements of working in confined spaces, regulations for managing health and safety at work (1999) also require employers/self employed individuals to carry our a thorough risk assessment of the area, in order to accurately identify which measures need to be taken in order to prevent injuries. This may result in the need to manage certain hazards by using specialised equipment such as safety barriers and harnesses.
One or more of the following risks must be present or reasonably foreseeable for the area to be defined as a confined space:
If an enclosed space does not present one of the specific risks outlined by the regulations, it may not be defined as a confined space, but will be subject to other relevant regulations relating to workplace health and safety.
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Does your job require you to manage extremely long cables? Are you finding it hard to manage them all at once? If only there was something to make your job a whole lot easier - oh wait there is! Here at SafetyLiftingGear.com we have a terrific range of Cable Grips that are used for gripping, pulling, and tensioning all forms of unsheathed wire ropes, cables, and metal rods.
Our cable grips provide a firm, non-slip grip thanks to their parallel jaws, and won't cause any damage to the wire. The spring-loaded guide prevents the cable grip from dropping off the wire and allows instant release without causing the cable to jam. We sell a range of cable grips to suit a range of cable sizes and tensile strengths and they come in pulling forces of 2000, 3000, and 5000 daN.
If you're interested in purchasing a cable grip or you're looking for more information about these products, you can view our cable grips here. We also sell a range of cable jacks and spindles that will also help you to maintain your cables and will enable you to coil and uncoil your cables with ease. To view our entire range of cable-handling equipment, click the button below.
Cable Handling Equipment >
If you have any questions regarding our Cable Grips, please do not hesitate to contact us - we'd be more than happy to help. Alternatively, you can learn more about our cable-handling equipment by checking out the resources below.
READ MORE: Cable Handling Products from SLG!
With the weather heating up, it's starting to look more and more like summer here in the UK. While this is a welcome prospect for most, it also brings a variety of possible safety hazards with it, many of which will impact individuals in the workplace. In order to combat these additional risks, it's important for managers and employees to prepare themselves accordingly, by following these important safety tips:
Plan & Prepare for Warm Weather if You Work Outdoors
Outdoor workers are particularly vulnerable during warmer weather, due to their enhanced exposure to the sun, along with the variety of additional hazards that may present themselves. In order to ensure that the sun and additional heat do not lead to health and safety risks for workers and members of the public, it is highly important to ensure that businesses thoroughly prepare for these conditions and act accordingly. In many cases, this may mean going beyond the usual health and safety measures; putting additional ones in place to address these risks. This can range from ensuring that workers are wearing sunscreen, to altering the way in which work operations are completed, for example: planning strenuous operations for cooler times of the day when the sun is not at its highest point.
Dress Appropriately For Warmer Conditions
Wearing the correct clothing is always an important safety measure for working adults, but this becomes even more important in hot weather, which presents several complications and potential risks. For most professions this simply means dressing in loose-fitting, breathable clothing that will keep you cool, without presenting any additional risk (e.g. causing trips, becoming caught in machinery). This is even more important for outdoor workers, due to their direct exposure to the sun and heat, along with the need for additional protective clothing and equipment. Workers must therefore be provided with clothing and equipment that not only protects them from exposure to the sun, but also remains breathable in order to avoid overheating. Companies should also ensure that PPE fits in with these seasonal requirements, offering the highest level of safety without compromising other operations requirements.
Stay Hydrated
This is a simple but important tip for all workers, and especially for those who are performing strenuous operations which cause them to sweat. To avoid the risk of dehydration, ensure that you are drinking enough water throughout the day, keeping in mind that your requirements will rise along with the temperature. If you're going to consume additional beverages, opt for something like a spots drink that will replenish your electrolytes, or even make your own.
Make Sure Workplace Temperatures are Safe
If heat levels in your workplace become dangerous, it is highly important for you to respond accordingly. For outdoor workers, this means assessing conditions before stating your operation, while also taking regular breaks in cool areas to avoid over exposure to the sun. For those working indoors, every measure should be taken to ensure that work areas are kept well ventilated and cool, to avoid temperatures reaching dangerous levels. You may need to invest in air conditioning equipment, or even send workers home if conditions become unsuitable and potentially threatening.
Pay Attention to Additional Hazards
Sun and heat also means that it is important to remain alert to additional hazards that may present themselves. For road workers, this means dealing with poor visibility on the road due to glaring sunlight, along with a range of other issues, including the possibility of encountering children playing in the streets during the summer break from school. It is therefore even more important to ensure that the correct signs and protective measures are put in place before commencing work, to ensure that every possible step has been taken to protect both the workers and the public. It is also important for all workers to remain alert to the signs of heat related illness, in both themselves and their fellow workers. Advice on spotting heat exhaustion and heatstroke can be found on the NHS website.
You may have seen that we offer a range of rental lifting equipment for those seeking to complete lifting operations here at SafetyLiftinGear. We offer everything from light-weight stair climbers to exceptionally heavy duty equipment in our rental lifting equipment range to ensure there is something for everyone.
To show you an example of how well our rental lifting equipment works in action, here you can see our rental Modulift Spreader Beams and Webbing Slings lifting a heavy-duty digger in 50tonne lifting operation in London. This was one of the largest scale lifting operations we have supplied rental lifting equipment to and it was a complete success.
Our Rental Lifting Equipment lifting a heavy-duty digger from the lower grounds of a construction site
Here you can see the Modulift Spreader Beams and Webbing Slings working effectively to lift a McGee Digger from the lower part of the construction site. The Webbing Slings work effectively when attached to the Modulift Spreader Beams as this increases the lifting equipment capacity further.
SafetyLiftinGear Rental Equipment placing a McGee Digger securely on the ground
The McGee Digger was safely positioned in its designated area after being lifted smoothly from the lower part of the construction site. The Becket Eyes on our rental webbing slings are reinforced for extra lifting power and our Modulift Spreader Beams come with 1x pair of 500mm End Units and Drop Links, 2x 17ton Alloy Bow Shackles and 2x 12ton Alloy Bow Shackles to ensure your heavy duty lifting operation runs smoothly.
If you're also looking to complete your own 50tonne lifting operation, our lifting slings and Modulift Spreader Beams are available to buy or hire, depending on your needs.
To get a quote to hire this heavy-duty rental lifting equipment, simply click 'Hire Me' on the product page, then click 'Enquire' on the checkout page. We will get back to you as soon as possible, but if you have any questions regarding these products you can contact us through our contact form or call us on 0808 123 69 69.
Since 1998, the UK's Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (often abbreviated to LOLER) have been used to enforce the safe use of lifting equipment, in order to reduce the risk of injury from using these devices to perform operations at work. It is highly important for employers to ensure that all equipment and accessories meet the safety standards imposed by these regulations, in order to ensure that they are complying with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and to ensure that they are not placing workers at risk.
What Types of Equipment are Covered by These Regulations?
LOLER defines these products as work equipment for lifting and lowering loads, and includes smaller accessories and attachments used to perform these operations. The scope of LOLER is very broad, with items including (but not limited to) the following:
Equipment
Accessories
What do Employers Need to do in Order to Comply With the Regulations?
Employers must ensure that the equipment is strong, stable and suitable for the application and load, the suitability of which should also be assessed. Loads should be installed and positioned correctly to prevent injury, while equipment should also be marked with the correct instructions and essential information for safe use.
The operations being carried out should be planned, supervised and carried out safely by competent individuals, who have appropriate knowledge and experience. The same is also true of inspecting and maintaining the equipment, which should also be carried out by individuals with the right level of knowledge and impartiality. Equipment should be inspected before being used for the first time, and should also be inspected six-monthly when it is used to lift people, and at least annually for all other equipment. These measures should also be recorded accurately, with a written report detailing the inspection and testing process, as well as planning any follow-up actions where they need to be taken.
What Risks Do LOLER Prevent?
In a workshop environment, you are sure to come across a variety of different workshop tools that are necessary for different operations. With such a range of different equipment, you may wonder what certain pieces of equipment are for. To save this confusion, we've put together a handy guide for you about the less straightforward workshop tools and their uses.
When working at a height, tool lanyards are a tool which helps prevent heavier workshop tools falling from your belt. They also absorb shock force which occurs when an item is dropped, which stops the worker being pulled down at the same time, which is particularly helpful if you are working with heavy workshop equipment.
Farm road jacks are ideal workshop tools used for lifting and pulling/pushing items in off-road environments. This farm jack is also a perfect tool for a 4x4 recovery kit that can be stored in your vehicle and used if your car was to break down.
This hydraulic wedge is a perfect workshop tool for separating stubborn joints, even those with fitted ring grooves. Friction-free, unlike hammers and lever bars, these hydraulic wedges limit any damage to the joints. Take a look at the hydraulic wedge spreaders we have on offer by clicking the button above.
These are only a few of the workshop tools that we stock at SafetyLiftinGear, we also stock storage bags, tool belts and much much more! All of which can be viewed here:
If you have any questions regarding our workshop tools, please don't hesitate to contact us today.
When transporting any goods it's vitally important that you ensure that all your loads are secure or you risk damaging them. If an unsecured load falls there's a risk of injuries and even death! So, to avoid damaging your goods or causing any fatal accidents, it's important you ensure you secure your load, and our range of Load Restraint Systems allow you to do just that.
We supply everything from ratchet lashings to load binder chains - whatever your requirements may be, we're confident you'll be able to find the load restraint option to meet them. Here are some of the load restraint products we have to offer:
Ratchet Lashings (Buy Here)
If you are transporting heavy goods it's crucial that you use the appropriate load restraint to prevent your load from falling off your vehicle. These ratchet lashings are one of our most sought-after load restraint products, and can secure a huge variety of different loads. To view our range of ratchet lashings, please click here.
Ratchet Cargo Bar(Buy Here)
A cargo bar is a load restraint product that's more suited for pickup trucks and other large vehicles whilst their in transit. The bar is held in place by high-grip rubber feet and the bar is constructed from lightweight aluminium. The cargo bar can be adjusted from 2350 - 2720mm by using the ratchet mechanism, and is the placed across the width of the vehicle to prevent anything from sliding off the vehicle. To purchase this ratchet cargo bar, please click here.
Load Binder Sets(Buy Here)
If you're looking for an affordable, heavy-duty load restraint solution, our load binder sets could be exactly what you're looking for! The sets include a load binder, a load binder chain, and a pair of hooks. Each load binder kit has it's own maximum breaking strength, so please check the kit you're purchasing is suitable for your requirements. For more information on our load binder sets, please click here.
No matter how heavy your loads are, or the size of the vehicle you're transporting these goods are on, our load restraint systems will ensure that they're secure whilst it's in transit. To view our entire range of load restraint products, please click here.
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