Today the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) issued Safety Alert 468 — Red Zone Hazards Pose Increased Risk to Personnel During Lifting Operations.
The Alert discusses the concept of ‘Red Zones’. These are areas that are barricaded and/or where entry is restricted — often on a temporary basis. (The fact that entry is restricted does not necessarily mean that it is prohibited.)
The Alert has seven recommendations to do with reducing risk in Red Zones. The one that caught my eye was,
Being aware of the surroundings and planning an exit route should one be needed.
If a person is working in a Red Zone area, he or she should identify the escape route before starting the task. The escape route should be clear of obstacles.
The Alert does not recommend having two exits from a given location, but that should be the case, wherever possible.
