Some Marshall students got themselves into tight spaces, but they did it on purpose.

This was part of their training in the Safety Technology Program. Eleven students in the Marshall University Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers and the safety technology program participated in a "confined space" workshop this past Thursday through Saturday at Huntington Fire Station No. 1.

Dr. Allan Stern, professor and coordinator of the safety technology program at Marshall, said it is designed to provide students hands-on experience for future jobs.

This program, which puts participants in a confined space to simulate anything from a utility hole to an airplane wing, was provided by Bill Shirley, owner of the Technical Safety Services Group, LLC, in Shippensburg, Pa.

Cost of participation in the program would be about $8,000 for a group of 10 from an industry. Stern said students only had to pay $20 per person.

Stern said the training also is designed to help students preparing for safety careers to understand federal regulations.

Emergency response personnel, fire rescue workers and basic industry people are often involved in confined space situations, Stern said.

He said this workshop provided the students "with training they don't get in the classroom."

David Barr, a graduate student in the safety technology program, said even though he had on-the-job training, the workshop gave him a little more.

"It was the first hands-on experience I really had," Barr said. "It gave me insight on dangers workers face on their everyday jobs."

Thursday, Shirley taught the students Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules and regulations for confined space entry.

Stern said OSHA defines a confined space as a space large enough for a worker to bodily enter and perform work, but is not designed for a long period of occupancy. The space is also limited on means of entry or exit, according to OSHA.

Friday the students worked in a simulator practicing confined space entrant, attendant and non-entry rescue.

Stern said when a worker enters a confined space to perform an assigned job, an attendant has to be near in case the worker needs to be rescued. He said a rescue may be necessary if the space contains toxic vapors or low oxygen content.

Stern said, "A worker could get stuck or pass out because of low oxygen content or hazardous gas could infiltrate the area."

Harnesses are put on the workers before they enter the confined space so they can be pulled out in a hazardous situation. This is a non-entry rescue, Stern said.

The students spent Saturday practicing using breathing apparatuses. This gave them training in rescue in a toxic atmosphere, Stern said.

Stern said the two and a half day workshop may be offered again this fall.

Students working in the confined space workshop simulator.