5 Major Safety Hazards for Municipal Sewage Workers

 In large buildings, outdoor complexes, and in substations and access areas in the field, it’s essential to understand the areas that present the biggest safety risks to sewage workers, as well as how to best protect them. Whether climbing ladders onto treatment tanks or being lowered into manholes, safety standards and procedures must be understood and followed. Just as importantly, proper gear such as safety harnesses and lanyards, protective goggles, and specialized confined space equipment must be provided, along with the training to properly use them.

Major Hazard Areas

In this article, we’ll look at some of the most potentially dangerous areas in which sewage workers operate, the hazards they face there, and best ways to minimize risk of injury or worse. While municipal workers are not directly protected by OSHA regulations, the state and local authorities that are responsible for municipal worker safety use OSHA guidelines to inform their own guidelines on how to make dangerous areas safer.

 These areas include:

1. Ladders & Stairs

Falls are one of the leading causes of injury on most worksites, and whenever workers are climbing, there’s a high risk of falling. Any time your workers are more than a few feet off the ground or the surface below, fall protection equipment should be provided. Ladders, whether between levels and platforms in a large sewage treatment facility, in an access shaft, or on the exterior of a large tank present a major fall risk. Their rungs and rails can become slippery due to the airborne moisture common around water treatment equipment, and ladders of more than 20 feet/6 meters in height should be equipped with a personal lifeline or other ladder safety system. Workers attach to this type of active fall protection equipment using D-rings on their safety harnesses, and they may also require safety lanyards to minimize the impact energy of a fall, depending on the height of the ladder.

Stairways are an even more common site of slip and fall injuries. Safety railings that meet strict height and strength requirements should be present on all stairs, and special treads may be required in a sewage treatment facility. Certain types of stairs may also require additional safety measures in your facility. Consult an expert in local regulations to ensure compliance and worker safety.

2. Manholes & Shafts

At sewage treatment facilities and out in the field, workers must often descend through manholes and perform work in the shafts and tunnels underneath them. Since these areas have restricted access and are not designed for continuous occupancy, they are a special type of work area called a confined space. These confined spaces are particularly dangerous due to the difficulty they pose to workers and rescuers entering and exiting them, and many contain additional hazards that raise the risk of accidents even more. In addition to the risks of falls, these hazards may include toxic gases, unsafe low levels of oxygen, dangerous pathogens, electric shock, and substances that can engulf or injure workers.

When working in manholes and other confined spaces, it is essential to strictly comply with a thorough plan detailing every aspect of the job to be done, the responsibilities of each worker, and the equipment to be used. All necessary safety and confined space rescue equipment must be on-site and fully set up before any work can begin. Testing for toxic gases and low oxygen levels must be performed, and ample ventilation must be maintained throughout the job. In places where raw sewage is present, workers will also need protection from biohazards, which may include protective eyewear, gloves, or even a self-contained breathing apparatus.

All workers in manholes and shafts must wear safety harnesses and remain attached to lifelines for fast withdrawal should they become injured. Additionally, safety lanyards may be required where there is the risk of falling, and anchor points capable of supporting both the worker and a rescuer are needed. In treatment facilities, permanent anchor points should be installed near manholes and access shafts. In the field, boom or mast-style anchor points will need to be used, including models that feature winches to assist in rescue and retrieval.

3. Vats

At multiple stages of processing, wastewater and sewage pass through large, open-topped containers called vats. Working around vats means exposure to pathogens and potentially harmful chemical agents, so ensure that all workers have appropriate eyewear, gloves, and other personal protective equipment. Providing passive fall protection using guardrails and self-closing gates around the edge of a vat can minimize the chance of workers falling in, but for some types of maintenance and repairs, workers will need to enter vats intentionally.

 In these cases, a vat is to be treated as a confined space. When entering or exiting a vat with a depth of 4 feet/1.2 meters or more, workers must do so using safety harnesses attached to personal lifelines. As with all confined space worksites, detailed plans and procedures must be in place, and all equipment and personnel that might be needed to perform a potential rescue need to be present and prepared for immediate deployment in the case of an emergency.

4. Tanks

Large, fully enclosed containers both on-site and in the field are also frequently encountered by water treatment workers. While they do not present the same risk of falling in that vats do, accessing tanks to perform work on them may require climbing a ladder tall enough to require active fall protection equipment (see section #1).

Like vats, some tanks also require workers to enter them fully or partially for maintenance and repairs. In these situations, proper confined space equipment and safety procedures will be needed to minimize risk of accidents. Proper air testing and ventilation must be ensured prior to entry, and any worker entering a tank must be equipped with a harness and lifeline, as well as effective personal protective equipment for any pathogens or toxic materials that are present. In the case of large tanks where a fall from a dangerous height is possible, a safety lanyard to minimize the energy of fall arrest may be required. An anchor point and lifeline capable of safely supporting both workers and all potential rescue personnel simultaneously must always be used.

 5. Walking & Working Surfaces

Last but not least, don’t overlook the potential hazards present in the walking and working surfaces, those most often used while workers do their job around a sewage treatment facility. Particularly, airborne moisture can make them slippery, increasing the risk of slipping and falling. This is particularly dangerous when the walking area is around the edge of a vat, near a stairway, or on an elevated platform. In most situations, proper safety railings will provide the necessary protection. Check local regulations to see if additional procedures or equipment such as safety harnesses, gates, and lanyards may also be needed.

Choosing The Right Safety Partner

To ensure that your municipal water and sewage treatment workers have the fall safety and confined space equipment they need for all areas of their work, you need a reliable partner. Choosing the right one is important, but it doesn’t have to be hard. Tractel® not only manufactures safety equipment such as harnesses, anchor points, and safety lanyards to the highest standards of quality; we also provide reliable, guidance on regulatory compliance, training, and the best support in the industry. To learn how Tractel® can help you, contact our specialists today.  

You can visit our dedicated confined space page to learn more about our solutions.