Description
Water and wastewater facilities contain many confined spaces which can be dangerous to operators. During the first part of this class, we will discuss common confined spaces in water and wastewater facilities and the difference between a confined space and a permit-required confined space. This class will build awareness about the safety hazards of a confined space such as atmospheric hazards (hydrogen sulfide, methane), mechanical hazards, and blood-borne pathogens that are a concern for wastewater collection system workers. You will learn about the proper protective equipment, procedures for entry into a permit-required confined space, the need for a rescue plan, and how to rescue a co-worker if the situation arises. OSHA CFR 1910.146

The second part of this course focuses on OSHA 1926 and the safe procedure for operators to follow when working in or around a trench or excavation. Water and wastewater operators face dangerous situations when excavating trenches to repair water and sewer lines. Trench collapses happen without warning and cause severe injuries or death. Open trenches and pipe repairs include many other hazards such as water accumulation, other buried utilities, surface encumbrances, and traffic.

Credit
6 TCH (Water & Wastewater)

Instructor
Paula Jackson (Vermont Rural Water Association)