CLAUSTROPHOBIA AND PHYSICAL ACCESS

1. CLAUSTROPHOBIA:

There are many circumstances where people may experience various levels of physical or psychological discomfort when in an enclosed or small space, which is generally considered to be quite normal. When this discomfort becomes extreme, it is known as claustrophobia.

Claustrophobia can be defined as abnormal fear of being in an enclosed space.

It is quite possible that susceptibility to claustrophobia is not apparent at the start of employment. It may come about for the first time because of an incident when working within a confined space, e.g. panic if unable to extricate oneself from a fuel tank.

If a worker suffers an attack of claustrophobia, they should make their colleagues and supervisors aware so that if tasks likely to generate claustrophobia cannot be avoided, at least colleagues may be able to assist in extricating the worker from the confined space quickly, and sympathetically.

Claustrophobia symptoms can include:

  • sweating

  • accelerated heartbeat

  • nausea

  • fainting

  • light-headedness

  • shaking

  • hyperventilation

  • a fear of actual imminent physical harm.

2. PHYSICAL ACCES (ACROPHOBIA):

If you experience acrophobia, you may never experience vertigo symptoms. Instead, you may feel a sense of panic when at height. You may instinctively begin to search for something to cling to. You may find that you are unable to trust your own sense of balance. Common reactions include descending immediately, crawling on all fours and kneeling or otherwise lowering the body.

  • Danger of acrophobia:

    The biggest danger that most phobias present is the risk of limiting one's life and activities to avoid the feared situation.

    Acrophobia is unusual, however, in that having a panic attack while high in the air could actually lead to the imagined danger.

  • Causes of acrophobia:

    Acrophobia seems to be at least partially ingrained, possibly as an evolutionary survival mechanism. Nonetheless, most children and adults use caution but are not inordinately afraid of heights. Acrophobia, like all phobias, appears to be a hyper-reaction of the normal fear response.

    Many experts believe that this may be a learned response to either a previous fall or a parent's nervous reaction to heights

  • Note:

    Managers and supervisors should attempt to make the job as comfortable and secure as reasonably possible (e.g. providing knee pad rests, ensuring that staging does not wobble, providing ventilation in enclosed spaces, etc.) and allow for frequent breaks if practicable.