Safe work in confined spaces Confined Spaces …

1 Page 1 of 46 Health and Safety ExecutiveHSE BooksThis is a free-to-download, web-friendly version of L101 (second edition, published 2009).This version has been adapted for online use from HSE s current printed version. You can buy the book at and most good bookshops. ISBN 978 0 7176 6233 3 Price book contains an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance on the duties in the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997, which apply to all industry sectors with the exception of diving operations and below ground in a mine (there is specific legislation dealing with Confined Spaces in these cases).

2 It also gives guidance on the duties in other regulations where they apply to work in Confined Spaces . This second edition has been updated to reflect changes in legislation. Since the first edition was published in 1997, regulation 1(2) and regulation 2(c) have been amended by the Diving at Work Regulations 1997 (SI 1997/2776). Out-of-date regulations listed in Appendix 1 have been replaced with current legislation.* References throughout have been updated to include the most recent publications available, and obsolete information has been removed. The ACOP and substance of the guidance remains unchanged but the guidance given in paragraph 91 has been clarified.

3 * These regulations are principally: the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999; the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002; the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as amended); the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998; the Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002; and the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. There are separate and specific HSE publications providing guidance on each of these Regulations, as well as publications concerned with specific hazards and equipment (see Appendix 3 for details).Safe work in Confined spacesConfined Spaces Regulations 1997 Approved Code of Practice, Regulations and guidanceHealth and Safety Executive Page 2 of 46 Crown copyright 2009 First published 1997 Second edition 2009 ISBN 978 0 7176 6233 3 All rights reserved.

4 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright for reproduction should be made in writing to: Information Policy Division, Her Majesty s Stationery Office, The Office of Public Sector Information, St Clements House, 2 16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ Fax 01603 723000 or by e-mail to Approved Code of PracticeThis Code has been approved by the Health and Safety Commission, with the consent of the Secretary of State.

5 It gives practical advice on how to comply with the law. If you follow the advice you will be doing enough to comply with the law in respect of those specific matters on which the Code gives advice. You may use alternative methods to those set out in the Code in order to comply with the law. However, the Code has a special legal status. If you are prosecuted for breach of health and safety law, and it is proved that you did not follow the relevant provisions of the Code, you will need to show that you have complied with the law in some other way or a court will find you at Code of Practice in this book was approved in guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive.

6 Following the guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance as illustrating good work in Confined Spaces Page 3 of 46 Health and Safety ExecutiveContentsPreface 5 Notice of Approval 6 Introduction 7 MEANING OF Confined space 8 Regulation 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation 8 The hazards 9 APPLICATION OF THE REGuLATIONS 11 Regulation 2 Disapplication of Regulations 11 Regulation 8 Extension outside Great Britain 11 DuTIES uNDER THE REGuLATIONS 12 Regulation 3 Persons upon whom duties are imposed by these Regulations 12 RISk ASSESSMENT 13 Factors to be assessed 14 PREvENTING THE NEED FOR ENTRy 16 Regulation 4 Work in Confined Spaces 16 Duties with regard to the design and construction of Confined Spaces 17 SAFE wORkING IN Confined Spaces 18 Regulation 4 Work in Confined Spaces 18 Precautions to be

7 Included in the safe system of work 18 Suitability for work in Confined Spaces 27 EMERGENCy PROCEDuRES 27 Regulation 5 Emergency arrangements 27 Rescue and resuscitation equipment 28 Raising the alarm and rescue 29 Safeguarding the rescuers 29 Fire safety 29 Control of plant 29 First aid 29 Public emergency services 30 Training 30 PLANT AND EquIPMENT 31 Size and openings to enable safe access to and egress from Confined Spaces 31 Respiratory protective equipment 31 Other equipment 32 Maintenance of equipment 33 Examination of equipment 33 Test certificates and examination records 33 TRAINING 34 Regulation 6 Exemption certificates 35 Regulation 7 Defence in proceedings 35 Regulation 9 Repeal and revocations 36 Safe work in Confined Spaces Page 4 of 46 Health and Safety ExecutiveSchedule Revocations 37 Appendix 1 Relevant general health and safety law 38 Appendix 2 Standards relevant to manholes and other access to Confined Spaces 44 Appendix 3 References and further guidance 45 Further information 46 Safe work in Confined Spaces Page 5 of 46 Health and Safety ExecutivePrefaceIn this second edition.

8 The text of the regulations has been updated to reflect the latest legislation. Since this Approved Code of Practice and guidance was written, regulation 1(2) and regulation 2(c) have been amended by the Diving at Work Regulations 1997 (SI 1997/2776).Appendix 1 has been updated:(a) the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 have been replaced by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999;(b) the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 have been amended by the Police (Health and Safety) Regulations 1999 and the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002;(c) the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994 have been replaced by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended).

9 And(d) the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992 have been superseded by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations throughout have been updated to include the most recent publications available, and obsolete information has been removed. The Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and substance of the guidance remains unchanged, however, the guidance given in paragraph 91 has been work in Confined Spaces Page 6 of 46 Health and Safety ExecutiveNotice of ApprovalBy virtue of section 16(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and with the consent of the Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Health and Safety Commission has on 31 July 1997 approved the Code of Practice entitled Safe work in Confined Code of Practice is approved for the purposes of providing practical guidance with respect to the requirements of the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 (SI 1997 No 1713) and with respect to sections 2 4, 6 and 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 (SI 1992 No 2051)

10 ,* the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994 (SI 1994 No 3246), the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (SI 1992 No 2966), and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992 (SI 1992 No 2932).** The Code of Practice comes into force on 28 January 1998. Reference in this Code of Practice to another document does not imply approval by the Health and Safety Commission of that document except to the extent necessary to give effect to this Code of BANNERS ecretary to the Health and Safety Commission31 July 1997* Superseded by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/3242).