Height, confined space, hazardous gases and electric current are the main risk factors to be considered while cleaning a water tank.
Safety equipment like Harness, Safety shoes, helmets and ladders are used to avoid accidents while working from elevated places.
An oxygen meter is used to check the oxygen level in a tank before entering into it and proper ventilation is provided using an exhaust fan if required.
Tanks that are not cleaned for a long period of time, contaminated tanks and tanks with huge amount of sludge can be filled with hazardous gases like methane. Removing the gas using exhaust fan and removing such contaminated water and sludge using slurry pump is a necessity before entering the tank.
After ventilating properly and ensuring the oxygen level using an oxygen meter a professional can enter the tank wearing harness, shoes and helmet.
A supervisor and two weight lifters should always be on top of the tank while cleaning such tanks. The worker should never remove the harness until he comes out of the tank.
Since tank cleaning is done using electrical equipment such as electric motor, power washer, and vacuum cleaner, the power junction box should have a miniature circuit breaker and a residual current circuit breaker or earth leakage circuit breaker. Proper earth connection is a must.
Oxygen meter, Gumboots, Safety shoes, Helmets, Harness, Rope ladder, Exhaust fan, Miniature circuit breakerand a residual current circuit breaker.
Note: Never use Bleaching powder, Chlorine, acid and hazardous chemicals to clean a water tank. The hazardous gases emitted by such chemicals cause irritation to skin, eyes, nose, esophagus and lungs and permanently damage the inner organs of the person cleaning the tank. It has also been fatal on many occasions. Chlorine can only be used as a disinfectant after cleaning the tank.