CONFINED SPACES – HEALTH AND SAFETY
15
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF
CONFINED SPACES
 Not Designed for human occupancy for a
long period of time
 Partially or completely enclosed
environment
 A place that is or could become hazardous
on entering them because of design,
construction, location or materials.
 Restricted access to an entrance or exit
Around
people in the UK
are killed in
confined spaces
incidents each
year
Source: IOSH
THE OXYGEN SCALE
6%
14 %
16 %
19.5 %
Impaired
Faulty
Normal
Difficulty
Minimum
breathing judgement judgement level for safe oxygen
and
causing
and
entry into the level
impaired
rapid
death in
confined
breathing
fatigue
minutes
space
Tanks
Silos
Tunnels
Wells
Vaults
Open
Ship s
SubPipes
Ditches
Holds
cellars
5 Million
25% of
Restrict access to
authorised
personnel only.
If possible, do not
perform the task and
avoid entry to the area.
Before work starts,
make sure there are
emergency
arrangements in
place.
Ensure there is a safe
system of work in
place if entry is not
avoidable.
workers enter
a confined
space every
day
confined spaces
have toxic
atmospheres
before anyone
enters them
15,900
BASIC STEPS TO PROTECT
WORKERS
Identify where
the confined
spaces are in
your workplace
To much
oxygen
causing
extreme
fire hazard
CONFINED SPACES – AREAS
EXAMPLES
Identify
hazards in the
confined
spaces
>23 %
21 %
COMMON HAZARDS
IN CONFINED SPACES
Toxic
Fires or
Gases Explosions
Engulfment Lack of
and/or Oxygen/too
drowning much oxygen
Create and train
people in a rescue
plan for confined
space emergencies
Take steps to
address the
identified hazards
RESOURCES ON CONFINED SPACES
www.HSE.gov.uk/
confinedspace/
Has a great page on
confined spaces and
all other health and
safety practices.
Develop a confined
space emergency
plan
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Have a Model
Confined Spaces Coordination Document
you can use for work
sites
A checklist for your
emergency plan
and the areas it
should cover
people are injured
in confined space
accidents
A Policy Builder
you can use to
develop a
confined space
entry program
A specific plan needs to be in
place for a Confined Space.
Critical requirements are..
A way to
Making sure the
communicate
rescuers capabilities
between workers
and training are
and the rescuers.
appropriate.
Making sure the rescue
and resuscitation
equipment is available.
Preparation for any
emergency shut-down of
equipment or site is in
force.