Page 4 - Confined Space Catalogue

UK Legislation

Confined Space Regulations 1997 What is a confined space?
As per the Health and Safety Executive;
It can be any space of an enclosed nature
“Under domestic law (the Health and Safety at Work etc Act where there is a risk of death or serious
1974) employers are responsible for injury from hazardous substances or
ensuring the safety of their employees and others. dangerous conditions (eg lack of oxygen).
This responsibility is reinforced by regulations.
Some confined spaces are fairly easy to
The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 apply identify, e.g. enclosures with limited openings:
where the assessment identifies risks of serious
injury from work in confined spaces. • Storage tanks
• Silos
• Reaction vessels
These regulations contain the followng key duties: • Enclosed drains
Avoid entry to confined spaces, e.g. by • Sewers
doing the work from the outside
If entry to a confined space is unavoidable, Others may be less obvious, but can be
follow a safe system of work and; equally dangerous, for example:
Put in place adequate emergency
arrangements before the work starts” • Open-topped chambers
• Vats
To work in Confined Spaces safely the HSE have • Combustion chambers in furnaces etc
published the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP 2014) and • Ductwork
guidance which this catalogue will refer to • Unventilated or poorly ventilated rooms
throughout.
It is not possible to provide a
comprehensive list of confined spaces.
Other regulations that need to be taken into
account when working in confined space Some places may become confined spaces when
work is carried out, or during their
construction, fabrication or subsequent
• The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 modification.
• The Management of Health and Safety
at Work Regulations 1999
• The Personal Protective Equipment at Work
Regulations 2002
• Respiratory Protective Equipment at Work
UK Legislation
Guidance HSG53
• The Control of Substances Hazardous
to Health Regulations 2002
• The Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
• Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare)
Regulations 1992
• Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005
• Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002
• Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
• Work at Height Regulations 2005
• The Dangerous Substances and Explosive
Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR)

Source Health and Safety Executive Legislation
http://www.hse.gov.uk/confinedspace/legislation.htm
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