Working in confined spaces

Work in confined spaces Confined spaces are significantly more hazardous than normal workplaces. The enclosed nature of the confined space always magnifies the hazards and risks from the work being done. Small and apparently unimportant omissions or errors have led to fatal accidents during work in confined spaces. In a high proportion of cases accidents have involved more than one casualty - often where would-be rescuers who were not sufficiently trained or equipped to deal with the incident have themselves entered the confined space. In some cases confined space accidents on farms and underground reservoirs and pumping stations have involved children and members of the public. Injuries during work in confined spaces include burns from explosions and fire, injuries, illness from chemical contact, loss of consciousness in an oxygen depleted atmosphere and injuries sustained from falls and the manual handling and manipulation of equipment.  Other hazards from confined space work include poor posture, noise, use of electricity, mechanical equipment and dust. What is a confined space? By virtue of its enclosed nature a confined space creates conditions which give rise to a likelihood of accident, harm or injury of such a nature as to require emergency action due to –

1. a) The presence or the reasonably foreseeable presence of:
2. i) Flammable or explosive atmospheres.
3. ii) Harmful gas, fume, or vapour.

iii) Free flowing solid or an increasing level of liquid.

1. iv) Excess of oxygen.
2. v) Excessively high temperature.
3. b) Lack or reasonably foreseeable lack of oxygen.

Legal Duties In addition to the general duty placed on employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees during the course of their work specific regulations apply to work in confined spaces. Regulation 5 of the Safety Health & Welfare at Work (Confined Spaces) Regulations 2001 states that:

• A person shall not carry out work in Confined Spaces if it is reasonably practical that it could be avoided. If the work cannot be carried out without entry, hazard Identification and risk assessment must be carried out prior to the work commencing.
• A person shall not enter a confined space unless there is a system of work in place that has been planned, organised, performed and maintained so as to render that work safe and without risk to health. Anyone entering a confined space must be provided with appropriate information, training and instruction appropriate to the particular characteristics of the proposed work activities.

Regulation 6 of the Safety Health & Welfare at Work (Confined Spaces) Regulations 2001 states that:

• A person shall not enter a confined space to carry out a work activity unless suitable arrangements for rescue in event of an emergency have been devised and implemented prior to the work commencing.

Controlling the risk The regulations require that no-one should be required to enter a confined space if there is an alternative way of doing the intended work. Work practices should be modified to remove the need for entry to a confined space wherever possible. Examples include;

• Cleaning a confined space from outside using long handled tools, water or steam jetting, chemical cleaners.
• Using CCTV systems or observation ports to check what is going on inside.
• Avoiding blockages in silos by using vibrators, air blasters or air bags to keep materials moving and remove the need for personnel access.
• Sampling materials or atmospheres from outside using long handled probes or installing sampling ports.
• Replacing plant with new equipment designed to eliminate the hazards by incorporating mechanical cleaning systems, in place cleaning systems, sampling points and allowing easy dismantling of the plant.

In no circumstances should a worker be exposed to a high risk atmosphere in a confined space. If entry into a confined space is unavoidable then you need to identify the hazards present, assess the risks and determine what precautions to take. Involve your workforce in the risk assessment; workers who know the specific requirements of the work can often identify risks that Managers do not appreciate. The results of your risk assessment will help you to produce a Safe System of Work for the task. This will include a formal permit-to-work procedure, which identifies flammable and explosive atmospheres, combustible material, purging and ventilation of a confined space where flammable or toxic gases are likely to be present, including the use of breathing apparatus or PPE that may be necessary. It is essential that workers inside the confined space can easily and clearly communicate with those outside. Workers inside the confined space need to be warned quickly if a situation arises outside the area that could endanger them. There should be suitable emergency arrangements whenever work in a confined space is being undertaken. A contingency plan may include first aid provision, effective contact with emergency services, resuscitation equipment and methods for getting an injured person out of the confined space etc. The following is a safety alert from the Health and Safety Authority Confined Space Entry Safety Alert - Health and Safety Authority Peninsula Business Services are able to supply a template Permit to Work, suitable for work in confined spaces, with guidance on its completion. As the permit to work should only be used for high risk work the form and guidance are only available on request so that one of our Consultants can talk you through the requirements, considerations and actions that you need to take before undertaking confined space work. For more infromation on this topic please complete the form below or call our advice line on 01 855 50 50 and speak to one of our experienced advisers.