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Contents

• 1. Purpose
• 2. Scope
• 3. Definitions
  
  • 3.1 Specifi​ed risk
    
  • 3.2 Restricted space
    
• 4 Responsibilities
  
  • 4.1 Directors
  • 4.2 Line managers and supervisors
    
  • 4.3 Confined space permit issuers
  • 4.4 ​Employees, users, contractors,​ and tenents
    
  • 4.5 SHE group
    
  • 4.6 Entry controller
    
  • 4.7 Entrants
    
  • 4.8 Bottom person (link)
    
• Appendices
  
  • Appendix 1 - Detailed specific guidance.​
    
  • Appendix 2 - Confined space procedure flow chart
    
  • ​Appendix 3 - Confined space risk assessment procedure
  • Appendix 4 - Sample ris​k assessment (PDF​)
    
  • Appendix 5 - Confined space entry checklist (PDF)
    
  • Appendix 6 - Confined space entry card (PDF)
    
  • Appendix 7 - Confine​d space permit to work (PDF)
    
  • Appendix 8 - Sample safe system of work
    
  • Appendix 9 - Training requirements
    
  • Appendix 10 - Audit checklist
  • Appendix 11 - Confined space register template (PDF)​
    
  • Appendix 12 - Document Retention Policy

Revisions

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to prevent fatalities or injuries resulting from any work regarding confined spaces by:

• Establishing the requirements necessary to protect all personnel from the potential hazards that may be encountered while performing tasks in confined spaces.
• Undertaking a systematic inspection of the workplace to identify all potential confined spaces and implementing control measures to eliminate potential hazards.
• Defining the requirements for those people involved in performing confined space work.
• Establishing guidelines to enable individual teams to eliminate the potential injuries of any magnitude associated with working and entering confined spaces.
• This procedure covers all work carried out in identified confined spaces.
• Due to the size of our STFC space, there could be others “lost business intelligence” we may not be aware of until a realistic confined space register has been confirmed.

Confined spaces can pose a significant risk to employees and other personnel. Approximately 62% of confined space fatalities are due to atmospheric conditions. It is imperative to implement an effective process for managing the risks associated with confined spaces and hazardous atmospheres to significantly reduce or eliminate the risk of harm to personnel.

The fatalities are not just confined to complex plant, work in simple storage vessels is just as hazardous. Those killed also include people who try to rescue trapped personnel without proper training and equipment.

This policy outlines the steps to be taken by STFC to ensure that staff or others do not work in confined spaces where it can be avoided. Where this is not possible a written suitable and sufficient risk assessment must be undertaken and a safe system of work developed

2. Scope

This policy is applicable to all staff, temporary staff, users, contractor employees and tenants that are required to work confined spaces (authorised entrants) serve as entry controllers during a confined space entry or supervise others who enter or attend during entries within STFC.

This document provides a system for:

• controlling work in a confined space
• minimising the risks associated with working in a confined space
• minimise the impact of causing injuries
• the appointment of competent persons to manage, oversee and perform any such work
• the documentation for use in the application of this Procedure.

This document does not apply to restricted spaces and the management of. They will be considered under a separate risk assessment which will be produced by the individual departments for the identified task.

Work in a confined space is governed by UK legislation, the Confined Space Regulations 1997. In summary, these regulations:

• prohibit entry into a confined space to carry out work unless there is no other reasonably practicable method to carry out the work
• require any such work in a confined space to be carried out in accordance with a safe system of work
• require that a safe system of work should be in writing and set out the work to be done and the precautions to be taken
• require adequate arrangements to be made for the rescue of any person in the event of an emergency.

Authoritative guidance on methods by which compliance with the Confined Spaces Regulations may be achieved is given in the form of an Approved Code of Practice and Guidance published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE ACOP L101) - Safe working in confined spaces. These Safety Rules and Procedures are to be read in conjunction with the above ACOP. Additional guidance can be found in Occasional Guidance Note – the Classification & Management of confined Space Entries published by Water UK.

Note :The regulations do not apply to “any place below ground in a mine”. However, this code should be adhered to within any STFC facility housed in any mine or underground, for example CERN or Boulby Mine.

3. Definitions

In March 2023 the HSE revised its definition of a confined space to be - A confined space is one which is both enclosed or largely enclosed and has a reasonably foreseeable specified risk to workers.​

1. Serious injury to any person at work arising from a fire or an explosion.
2. The loss of consciousness of any person at work arising from an increase in body temperature. Loss of consciousness or asphyxiation of any person at work arising from gas, fume, vapour, or the lack of oxygen.​
   
3. The drowning of any person at work arising from an increase in the level of liquid.
4. The asphyxiation of any person at work arising from free flowing solids.

It may be small and restrictive for the worker or it could be far larger such as a grain storage silo with hundreds of cubic metre capacity.

Some places may become a confined space when work is carried out or materials introduced, or during their construction, fabrication or subsequent modification (e.g carrying out hot work in an unventilated room will increase the temperature, and hence increase body temperature, which may make it a confined space.

Confined spaces are not defined by the physical dimensions of a space but by the hazards that may arise in the space. Well established examples of confined spaces include sewers; chemical storage/reaction tanks; silos; fuel tanks; pressure vessels. Examples of confined spaces in the STFC could include large experimental vessels; hot roof voids; underground tunnels etc. See Appendix 2 for a 'confined space' decision tree.

3.2 Restricted Space

The HSE do not give a clear definition on what a restricted space is or can be.

STFC definition: ​a restricted space is an area where access and or egress is difficult or there is restricted working space which presents a hazard or other risks or reasons that requires controlled access.

• Plant rooms depending on entry, space and exit complexities.
• Electrical distribution substations and cupboards.
• Roof spaces over fragile ceilings or narrow walkways.
• Basement areas.
• Tunnels where there is little room to manoeuvre.
  

4. Responsibilities

4.1 Directors Shall:

• 4.1.1 ensure that only competent persons are authorised as "confined space permit to work issuers"; see Appendix 9 for training requirements. The appointment should be recorded in SHE Dire​ctory​ where the geographic/equipment scope of the appointment should be defined.
  4.1.1 ensure that only competent persons are authorised as "confined space permit to work issuers"; see Appendix 9 for training requirements. The appointment should be recorded in SHE Directory where the geographic/equipment scope of the appointment should be defined.

• 4.2.1 Ensure that every effort is made to avoid entry into a confined space. Where entry into any confined space cannot be avoided, a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to health must be carried out in accordance with STFC SHE Code No 6 'Risk Management, see Appendix 1. See Appendix 3 and 4 for guidance on carrying out such assessments and for a completed example.
  
  
• 4.2.2 ​Ensure that, prior to entry into a confined space, a written safe system of work, including emergency procedures, risk assessment and method statement, has been developed (see Appendix 8 for an example safe system of work) and a confined space permit to work issued by an authorised confined space permit to work issuer, see Appendix 7. See SHE Directory.
  
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• 4.2.3 Ensure that all staff involved in entry into confined spaces are aware of this code, understand its content and comply with local procedures and safe systems of work.
  
  
• 4.2.4 Ensure all staff who will enter a confined space are fit to do so. See SC24, Health Surve​illa​nce and Health Screening Medicals.
  
  
• 4.2.5 Ensure that all staff who enter confined spaces and those who issue permits to work, have appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision in confined spaces working (see Appendix 9).
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• 4.2.6 Ensure that the guidance Confined Space Entry Assessment checklist (see Appendix 5) is completed for all levels of confined space entries and is retained within the relevant departments for a period of 3 years. This checklist must be made available upon request.
  

4.3 Confined space permit to work issuers shall:

• 4.3.1 ​Permit Issuers are responsible for the overall confined space entry and must coordinate all entry procedures, tests, any other permits, equipment and other relevant activities. Only issue confined space permits where they are competent to do so having successfully completed training defined in Appendix 9. They shall not issue permits for work they are going to carry out themselves unless this has been countersigned by another confined space permit to work issuer.
  
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• 4.3.2 Assess all associated risks involved in the entry into a confined space, which will also include a safe system of work (risk assessment, method statement and issue a confined space permit, ensuring all necessary precautions, including emergency procedures, are taken, see Appendices 3, 4, 7 & 8. (STFC acknowledge that some of this maybe undertaken by a suitably qualified contractor and he risk assessment and method statement will be presented by the contractor to the permit issuer for approval before the permit is issued).
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• ​ 4.3.3 Oversee the issue of any permit and its cancellation and check safety at each stage of the work.
  
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• 4.3.4 Discuss with the entry controller and entrants the safe system of work, and the risk rescue plan and ensure that this is understood.
  
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• 4.3.5 Ensure that any monitoring, fall arrest and recovery equipment has been correctly identified and in place.
  
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• 4.3.6 Ensure that all monitoring, access and rescue equipment is adequately maintained, calibrated and inspected. Date of inspection must be recorded using the Confined Space Entry Checklist (See Appendix 5) and the Confined Space - Entry Card (Appendix 6).
  
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• 4.3.7 Will ensure that the Permit to Work and any other associated permits are displayed at the point of entry or if this is not possible, associated documentation is available.
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• 4.3.8 Verifies, by checking that the appropriate entries have been made on the Permit and Confined Space Entry Checklist, all tests specified by these have been conducted and that all procedures and equipment specified by them are in place before issuing the Confined Space Permit and allowing entry to begin.
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• 4.3.9 Terminate the entry and close the permit when entry is complete.
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• 4.3.10 Verify that rescue arrangements are available and that the means for summoning them are operable.
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• 4.3.11 Validate the entrant/s are trained to the correct level of specified risk for the confined space (Low, Medium, High) and have up to date Health Surveillance and cleared to act as Entry Controller. In the event that contractors are performing the Confined Space entry it is up to the permit Issuer to verify that they are trained and gain evidence. This evidence will be kept with the permit for the specified time.
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• 4.3.12 Remove unauthorised persons who enter or attempt to enter the space during entry operations.
  

4.4 Employees, users, contractors and tenants shall:

• 4.4.1 Provide and assist with the assessment of risks and comply with any safe system of work developed through risk assessment and comply with any requirements of a confined space permit to work.
  
  
• 4.4.2 inform line management of any known health issues that may preclude them from working in a confined space.
  
  
• 4.4.3 Inform their managers if they suspect that the system of work in place, or planned, could be ineffective or inadequate. Report all incidents, including near misses, procedural failures or equipment defects, in accordance with SHE Code 5 "Incident Reporting and Investigation" using the STFC incident reporting system (​Evotix Assure​).

4.5 SHE Group shall:

• 4.5.1 Maintain and make available to staff a list of authorised persons competent to issue confined space permits. This can be viewed for clarification purposes via the SHE Directory which can be found on the SHE SharePoint site.​​
  

4.6 Entry controllers shall:

• 4.6.1 At least one entry controller is required outside the permit space into which entry is authorised for the duration of the entry operation.
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• 4.6.2 Know the hazards that may be faced during entry, including the symptoms and consequence of exposure.
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• 4.6.3 Be aware of the possible behavioural effects of hazard exposure in entrants.
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• 4.6.4 Continuously maintain an accurate count of entrants in the permit space and ensure a means to accurately identify entrants.
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• 4.6.5 Under no circumstances will they move away from the permit space, they must remain outside the permit space during entry operations until relieved by another entry controller as part of planned rest breaks. Handover, takeover of the confined space from entry controller to another must be completed and the team in the confined space must also be aware of the takeover.
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• 4.6.6 Communicate with entrants as necessary to monitor entrant status and alert entrants of the need to evacuate.
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• 4.6.7 Monitor activities inside and outside the space to determine if it is safe for entrants to remain in the space and orders the entrants to evacuate if: the entry controller detects a prohibited condition, detects entrant behavioural effects of hazard exposure, detects a situation outside the space that could endanger the entrants or if the entry controller cannot effectively and safety perform all the controller tasks.
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• 4.6.8 Summon rescue and other emergency services as soon as the entry controller determines that entrants need the assistance to escape the permit space hazards and hand over all necessary information required to the Emergency Services.
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• 4.6.9 Take the following action when unauthorised persons approach or enter the permit space while entry is underway:
  1. Warn the unauthorised person that they must stay away from the permit space,
  2. advise the unauthorised person that they must exit the space immediately if they have entered the space and inform the authorised entrants and the permit issuer.
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• 4.6.10 Perform rescue roll as specified by the rescue plan.
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• 4.6.11 Not perform duties that might interfere with the controllers’ primary duty to monitor and protect the entrants.
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• 4.6.12 Set up barriers and exclusion zones, including signage around the permit area.
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• 4.6.13 Check gas levels BEFORE entry and continuously during entry. The time between readings must be agreed with the lead entrant, these times will be dependent on sight of entrants and task in hand. These readings must be recorded on the Confined Space Entry Checklist/Card (See Appendices 5 and 6).
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• 4.6.14 Confirm with the permit issuer and supervisor that all required isolations are in place and marked as such on the permit form. In some cases, one person might undertake more than one role acting as the permit issuer and supervisor.

4.7 Entrants shall:

• 4.7.1 Be authorised to enter by the permit issuer to enter the confined spaces and that they have received the required training.
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• 4.7.2 Agree to use the proper equipment and observe the entry procedures and permit.
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• 4.7.3 Know the hazards that may be faced during entry including information on the type of confined space, sign, symptoms and consequence of exposure.
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• 4.7.4 Properly use and be trained in the equipment required for safe entry.
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• 4.7.5 Communicate with the entry controller as necessary to enable the entry controller to monitor the status of the entrants and to enable the entry controller to alert entrants of the need to evacuate the space if necessary.
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• 4.7.6 Alert the entry controller whenever the entrant recognises any warning sign of symptom of exposure to a dangerous situation, or any prohibited condition is detected.
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• 4.7.7 Exit the permit space as quickly as possible whenever: a) the entry controller or permit issuer gives an order to evacuate b) the entrant recognises any warning sign or symptom of exposure to a dangerous situation c) the entrant detects a prohibited condition, or an evacuation alarm is activated.
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• 4.7.8 Wear and use the stated PPE (detailed in the safe system of work) at all times to protect against the known hazards and risks.

4.8 Bottom person (link) shall:

• 4.8.1 Under normal circumstances be the first one in the permit space and the last one out.
  
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• 4.8.2 Visually checks the condition of the access and also the bottom chamber (if there is one).
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• 4.8.3 Identify any additional hazards and keep the entry controller informed of these and any other entrants.
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• 4.8.4 In addition to the checks that are carried out pre-entry they will check for any gas at the bottom of the permit area and immediately inform the entry controller.
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• 4.8.5 Assess the entrance and the exit of the permit area and relay any hazards to any other entrants and also the entry controller.
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• 4.8.6 Raises the alarm in an emergency and carries out a head count of all other entrants as they exit.
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• 4.8.7 Communicate with the entry controller and relay messages from the entry controller to all other entrants.