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Thisdocumentisaimedatemployersandtheself-employedwhocarryoutworkinconfinedspaces,andformspartofHSE’scommitmenttomakesimpleandpracticalguidanceavailableforsmallfirms.ItwillhelpthemtakethenecessaryactiontomeettherequirementsoftheConfinedSpacesRegulations1997.Itwillalsobeausefulsourceofinformationtoanyoneinvolvedincarryingoutworkinconfinedspaces.ConfinedspacescanbedeadlyAnumberofpeoplearekilledorseriouslyinjuredinconfinedspaceseachyearintheUK.Thishappensinawiderangeofindustries,fromthoseinvolvingcomplexplanttosimplestoragevessels.Thosekilledincludenotonlypeopleworkingintheconfinedspacebutthosewhotrytorescuethemwithoutpropertrainingandequipment.Whatisaconfinedspace?Itcanbeanyspaceofanenclosednaturewherethereisariskofdeathorseriousinjuryfromhazardoussubstancesordangerousconditions(eglackofoxygen).Someconfinedspacesarefairlyeasytoidentify,egenclosureswithlimitedopenings:■storagetanks;■silos;■reactionvessels;■encloseddrains;■sewers.Othersmaybelessobvious,butcanbeequallydangerous,forexample:■open-toppedchambers;■vats;■combustionchambersinfurnacesetc;■ductwork;■unventilatedorpoorlyventilatedrooms.Itisnotpossibletoprovideacomprehensivelistofconfinedspaces.Someplacesmaybecomeconfinedspaceswhenworkiscarriedout,orduringtheirconstruction,fabricationorsubsequentmodification.HealthandSafetyExecutiveSafeworkinconfinedspacesSafeworkinconfinedspaces1of7pagesThisisaweb-friendlyversionofleafletINDG258Whatarethedangersfromconfinedspaces?Dangerscanariseinconfinedspacesbecauseof:■Alackofoxygen.Thiscanoccur:-wherethereisareactionbetweensomesoilsandtheoxygenintheatmosphere;-followingtheactionofgroundwateronchalkandlimestonewhichcanproducecarbondioxideanddisplacenormalair;-inships’holds,freightcontainers,lorriesetcasaresultofthecargoreactingwithoxygeninsidethespace;-insidesteeltanksandvesselswhenrustforms.■Poisonousgas,fumeorvapour.Thesecan:-build-upinsewersandmanholesandinpitsconnectedtothesystem;-entertanksorvesselsfromconnectingpipes;-leakintotrenchesandpitsincontaminatedland,suchasoldrefusetipsandoldgasworks.■Liquidsandsolidswhichcansuddenlyfillthespace,orreleasegasesintoit,whendisturbed.Freeflowingsolidssuchasgraincanalsopartiallysolidifyor‘bridge’insiloscausingblockageswhichcancollapseunexpectedly.■Fireandexplosions(egfromflammablevapours,excessoxygenetc).■Residuesleftintanks,vesselsetc,orremainingoninternalsurfaceswhichcangiveoffgas,fumeorvapour.■Dustmaybepresentinhighconcentrations,eginfloursilos.■Hotconditionsleadingtoadangerousincreaseinbodytemperature.Someoftheaboveconditionsmayalreadybepresentintheconfinedspace.However,somemayarisethroughtheworkbeingcarriedout,orbecauseofineffectiveisolationofplantnearby,egleakagefromapipeconnectedtotheconfinedspace.Theenclosureandworkingspacemayincreaseotherdangersarisingthroughtheworkbeingcarriedout,forexample:■machinerybeingusedmayrequirespecialprecautions,suchasprovisionofdustextractionforaportablegrinder,orspecialprecautionsagainstelectricshock;■gas,fumeorvapourcanarisefromwelding,orbyuseofvolatileandoftenflammablesolvents,adhesivesetc;■ifaccesstothespaceisthrougharestrictedentrance,suchasamanhole,escapeorrescueinanemergencywillbemoredifficult(seeEmergencyprocedures).WhatthelawsaysYoumustcarryoutasuitableandsufficientassessmentoftherisksforallworkactivitiesforthepurposeofdecidingwhatmeasuresarenecessaryforsafety(TheManagementofHealthandSafetyatWorkRegulations1999,regulation3).Forworkinconfinedspacesthismeansidentifyingthehazardspresent,assessingtherisksanddeterminingwhatprecautionstotake.Inmostcasestheassessmentwillincludeconsiderationof:■thetask;■theworkingenvironment;■workingmaterialsandtools;■thesuitabilityofthosecarryingoutthetask;■arrangementsforemergencyrescue.2of7pagesSafeworkinconfinedspacesHealthandSafetyExecutiveHSE’sfreeleafletFivestepstoriskassessmentwillhelpyoufurther.Youmayneedtoappointcompetentpeopletohelpmanagetherisksandensurethatemployeesareadequatelytrainedandinstructed(TheManagementofHealthandSafetyatWorkRegulations1999,regulation7).Ofcourse,youmaybethebestpersontodothis,however,youmayneedtotrainsomeoneelseorengagetheservicesofacompetentpersonforadditionalhelp.Ifyourassessmentidentifiesrisksofseriousinjuryfromworkinconfinedspaces,suchasthedangershighlightedabove,theConfinedSpacesRegulations1997apply.Theseregulationscontainthefollowingkeyduties:■avoidentrytoconfinedspaces,egbydoingtheworkfromoutside;■ifentrytoaconfinedspaceisunavoidable,followasafesystemofwork;and■putinplaceadequateemergencyarrangementsbeforetheworkstarts.Theseduties,andwhatyouneedtodo,arefurtherdescribedinthisdocument.AvoidenteringconfinedspacesYouneedtocheckiftheworkcanbedoneanotherwaysothatentryorworkinconfinedspacesisavoided.Betterwork-planningoradifferentapproachcanreducetheneedforconfinedspaceworking.Askyourselfiftheintendedworkisreallynecessary,orcouldyou:■modifytheconfinedspaceitselfsothatentryisnotnecessary;■havetheworkdonefromoutside,forexample:■blockagescanbeclearedinsilosbyuseofremotelyoperatedrotatingflaildevices,vibratorsorairpurgers;■inspection,samplingandcleaningoperationscanoftenbe